iPhone Broken Glass Safety

Warning

iPhone displays and some back covers are made of glass. The glass could break if the iPhone is dropped on a hard surface, receives a substantial impact, or is crushed, bent, or deformed. Don’t attempt to remove chipped or cracked glass shards without protection.

Broken Display Glass

Tools

  • Cut-resistant gloves

  • Display protective cover

  • ESD-safe vacuum cleaner

  • Safety glasses with side shields

If the display glass is broken, perform the following steps before beginning a repair:

  1. Put on safety glasses with side shields and the cut-resistant gloves.

  2. Use an ESD-safe vacuum cleaner to remove glass pieces from your workspace and the iPhone.

  3. Attach a protective cover to the broken glass to prevent injury or scattering of glass. Each protective cover has a release liner underneath. Slowly pull the release liner out from under the protective cover while pressing the cover onto the enclosure.

  4. Fold the release liner. Use the shiny side of the release liner to firmly press the protective cover onto the broken glass and smooth out any air bubbles.

  5. Wait at least 12 minutes for the bond between the protective cover and the glass to strengthen.

Broken Back Glass

Tools

  • Back glass sanding cover

  • Back protective cover

  • Cut-resistant gloves

  • ESD-safe vacuum cleaner

  • Ethanol wipes or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipes

  • Microfiber cloth

  • Safety glasses with side shields

  • Sanding block

  • Repair tray

If the back glass is broken, perform the following steps before beginning a repair:

  1. Put on safety glasses with side shields and the cut-resistant gloves.

  2. Use an ESD-safe vacuum cleaner to remove glass pieces from your workspace and the iPhone.

  3. Clean the back glass with an ethanol wipe or IPA wipe.

  4. Place the iPhone into the repair tray with the back glass faceup and the USB-C connector facing the cutout.

  5. Place the back glass sanding cover on the iPhone.

  6. Use the sanding block to sand the back glass within the sanding cover window for 10 to 15 seconds. Rotate the repair tray 90 degrees. Repeat the process for all four sides.

    • Warning: Don’t perform the sanding procedure close to your face or body.

    • Important: Ensure that you sand the corners.

  7. Remove the sanding cover and vacuum your workspace and the iPhone again. Wipe the back glass with an ethanol wipe or IPA wipe.

  8. Ensure that the sanded area appears shiny. If the liquid from the wipe forms into beads or the area doesn’t appear shiny, repeat steps 5 through 7.

    • Important: Failure to adequately sand will result in the back glass protective cover not adhering to the iPhone or releasing prematurely.

  9. Wipe the sanded area with a microfiber cloth.

  10. Attach the back protective cover to the broken glass to prevent injury or scattering of glass. The protective cover has a release liner underneath. Slowly pull the release liner out from under the protective cover while pressing the cover onto the enclosure.

  11. Fold the release liner. Use the shiny side of the release liner to firmly press the protective cover onto the broken glass and smooth out any air bubbles.

  12. Wait at least 12 minutes for the bond between the protective cover and the glass to strengthen.

If the iPhone has any of the following conditions, stop the repair:

  • There’s no glass or insufficient glass for the protective cover to adhere to.

  • The protective cover doesn’t adhere to the iPhone.

  • The iPhone doesn’t fit in the heated display pocket.

You can find a service option at support.apple.com/repair.

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