Is it worth replacing the display of your smarthphone?

Should you repair it yourself or give it to a screen repairman?

The answer will depend on you and on your abilities and money. If you have ever built a computer, done DIY crafts or felt like a handyman, you should definitely try. Even if you are not it can be a good experience to try on a cheap device.

Sometimes you are obliged to get your hand dirty because you don’t have any money at this moment or just want to save few bucks for something else. In case you have money I can only recommend you to see a repairer, especially when your phone cost more than $150-$200. A repairer will replace your broken screen properly.

Pros :

• Save money
• Learning
• Cheaper

Cons :

• A bad result (like breaking the phone )
• Causes a possible loss of warranty (lasts 2 years in the E.U )

Searching resources

By considering it is your first screen replacement of your life, I would advise you to take your time, be meticulous and to have the adequate tools. There are a bunch of tutorials about screen replacement available on Youtube. Just type the phone model + “screen replacement” to get results. Avoid amateur videos, instead choose those made by professional.

Once you have seen the screen replacement process for your model, you can leave this blog post and start crying. Actually it is not harder than it seems (depending on your phone type :D). Or to get a hint of the difficulty, there are dedicated forums with devoted people who are glad to help. Also you can take a look on Reddit.

Buying tools

Aliexpress will be our best ally in this quest. It offers competitive prices and quality displays. Whether for frame+screen or only screen products. To find good sellers, check the specs and reviews. Taking frame+screen is easier as you don’t have to buy and bother with the glue part. Indeed buying the screen fixed to the frame (frame+screen) is a bit more expensive but not as much because you don’t have to buy any glue.

Working with a simple screen is harder. Since you must take care to clean the old frame before gluing the screen properly to this frame.

Here is an example of a bad but repairable gluing:

This bad installation results in hiding a portion of the camera. However, the glue, once heated, can be removed. Also, I forgot to press the lower part of the screen for the glue to apply. The best practice is to use pliers.

For around $5 you can find the perfect tool kit on Aliexpress. The tools are reliable.

Repairing your smartphone

The best way is to follow the video at the same type than repairing. When you don’t feel confident about a part, check another video. Frequently, there isn’t a single method but multiple approaches. Find the best for you.

Et voilà !