How to Replace a Cracked Phone Screen
Safely remove and replace a cracked smartphone screen assembly, clean frame adhesive, and test display touch functionality before final reassembly.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free voice help.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Precision screwdriver kit (Pentalobe, Tri-point, Phillips)
- ✓ Heat gun or hair dryer
- ✓ Heavy-duty suction cup
- ✓ Plastic guitar picks or spudgers
- ✓ Curved precision tweezers
- ✓ Anti-static wrist strap or mat
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ New replacement screen assembly
- ✓ Pre-cut display adhesive frame or B-7000 glue
- ✓ Clear packing tape
- ✓ 90%+ Isopropyl alcohol
- ✓ Microfiber cleaning cloth
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Power down the phone completely before starting any disassembly.
- • Never use metal tools near the lithium-ion battery to prevent puncture and thermal runaway.
- • Always disconnect the battery connector before unplugging or plugging in display ribbon cables.
- • Keep heat gun temperatures below 80°C (175°F) on the frame to avoid battery swelling.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Seal Shattered Glass and Remove Bottom Screws
Apply a tight layer of clear packing tape across the entire cracked screen surface and burnish down to eliminate air pockets. Remove the two bottom pentalobe screws flanking the charging port using the correct precision driver bit. Place the tiny screws in a magnetic tray or labeled organizer mat.
- • Clear tape is smooth across the screen with no loose glass flakes escaping.
- • Bottom screw holes next to charging port are empty and screws are safely placed in tray.
- • Skipping tape, causing suction cups to lose grip and glass shards to scatter.
- • Using the wrong driver bit size and stripping tiny pentalobe screws.
Heat Screen Edges to Soften Adhesive
Apply gentle heat around the entire perimeter of the screen for 2 to 3 minutes, keeping the heat source moving constantly. Check the temperature periodically by touching the glass with your bare hand; it should feel hot to the touch but not scorching. Avoid holding the heat source stationary over any single area.
- • Heat gun moves continuously in sweeping motions 3 to 4 inches above edge seams.
- • Surface is warm enough that adhesive tackiness begins to yield to slight pressure.
- • Holding heat in one spot for too long, melting plastic bezels or degrading internal battery.
- • Under-heating, making adhesive too rigid and risking frame bending.
Separate Display Assembly from Housing
Firmly attach the suction cup near the bottom edge of the glass and pull upward to create a slight gap between glass and frame. Insert a thin plastic pick no deeper than 2-3 millimeters into the seam. Slide the pick around the perimeter to slice through the adhesive, then open the screen like a book without straining the hidden ribbon cables.
- • Plastic pick glides along the side seams without catching.
- • Screen lifts open at an angle under 90 degrees with ribbon cables intact.
- • Inserting pry tools too deep and severing internal ribbon cables or components.
- • Yanking the screen completely off before unfastening internal cable brackets.
Disconnect Battery and Screen Connectors
Locate and unscrew the metal EMI shielding bracket covering the battery and display connectors. Use a plastic spudger to gently pop off the battery press-fit connector first, cutting power to the board. Then, gently pry straight up to disconnect the display, digitizer, and sensor flex cables.
- • Battery connector is visibly disconnected and floating free from board socket.
- • Old screen is completely detached and set aside from main phone chassis.
- • Disconnecting display cables before disconnecting the battery, causing back-light fuse shorts.
- • Prying on board-side surface mount components instead of the cable plug itself.
Clean Frame and Dry-Test New Screen
Scrape all residual adhesive and glass fragments from the metal frame shelf using tweezers and isopropyl alcohol on a cloth. Connect the new screen's flex cables to the board, reconnect the battery, and power on the phone to test display, touch responsiveness, and brightness across all screen zones. Power down and disconnect the battery again after verification.
- • Perimeter frame ledge is completely clean bare metal with no old black glue gummy residue.
- • New screen powers up, registers continuous touch drag, and shows clear uniform graphics.
- • Adhering the screen permanently before testing for dead zones or display artifacts.
- • Leaving micro-shards of glass in the frame groove, which will crack the new screen upon closing.
Apply Adhesive, Reassemble, and Seal
Lay down the fresh pre-cut adhesive seal along the clean frame perimeter and peel off the release liner. Reconnect all display ribbons, screw down the EMI shielding bracket securely, and reconnect the battery last. Press the screen firmly and evenly into the housing from top to bottom until it sits flush all around.
- • Screen sits totally flush with the outer bezel with zero protruding edges or gaps.
- • All bracket screws are reinstalled in original locations and bottom chassis screws are tightened.
- • Pressing in the center of the glass instead of around the supported perimeter frame.
- • Swapping screw lengths in the bracket, which causes 'long-screw damage' into logic board traces.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Mrabex — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Heat gun? Hair dryer on high heat or a microwaveable heat pack
- No Plastic spudger? Cut strip from a rigid plastic gift card
- No Pre-cut adhesive? B-7000 electronic adhesive applied in a thin continuous bead