Cracked phone screen: what you can do without replacing it

Quick answer: Nothing you can buy or mix at home repairs cracked glass. What you can do is stop the crack spreading and protect your fingers with a screen protector, back the phone up straight away, and then choose a repair route. If touch or the display is failing, or glass is chipping off, get it repaired now.

Video not loading? Open the video on YouTube. It may not match your exact model; check the written guidance and device scope before following it.

The honest answer first

A crack in the glass can't be undone. Toothpaste, baking soda, glue and "nano liquid" kits only hide hairline scratches, and some of them get into the speaker, sensors and charging port. What you can do is make a cracked phone safe and usable for a while, protect your data, and pick the cheapest proper repair.

What to do, in order

1Check how bad it is

Look at three things:

Touch: drag a finger slowly across the whole screen in a drawing app. Dead patches mean the touch layer is damaged.
Picture: lines, black blotches or flicker mean the display panel underneath is damaged, not just the glass.
Glass: if pieces are loose or chipping off, stop using the phone with your fingers on it.

A single crack with perfect touch and picture can usually wait. Anything else needs a repair soon.

2Cover the crack

Fit a tempered-glass or film screen protector over the crack. It stops loose shards cutting your fingers, keeps dust and moisture out of the crack, and slows it spreading. A case with a raised lip helps prevent the next drop doing more damage.

3Back up now

Cracked screens often fail without warning. Back up photos, messages and contacts to your cloud account today, while you can still unlock the phone and use the screen.

4Keep it dry

A cracked screen means the phone is no longer properly sealed. Treat it as not water resistant until it's repaired.

5Check your cover

Accidental damage isn't covered by the standard warranty from Apple or Google. Check whether you have AppleCare, a phone-maker protection plan, a carrier plan or home insurance that covers it before paying yourself.

6Choose a repair route

iPhone: Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers inspect the phone and give an estimate. They use genuine Apple parts, and repairs carry a 90-day service guarantee or the rest of your warranty, whichever is longer.
Google Pixel: start a repair on the Google Store repair page with your IMEI or serial number, then choose a walk-in partner or mail-in where available. Out-of-warranty repairs are charged.
Samsung and others: use the maker's repair service or an authorised repair shop.

A cheaper third-party screen can work, but read our guide on how to spot a fake replacement screen first.

7Before you hand it over

Google's checklist: back up, remove the SIM card, and turn on Repair Mode if your phone has it (otherwise factory reset, or at least sign out of your Google account). On iPhone, back up to iCloud or a computer first.

When not to wait

Get it repaired straight away if glass is falling out, the screen is lifting (this can mean a swollen battery), touch is unreliable, or you rely on the phone for emergencies.

What to tell support

Keep a short record of your exact device model, software or app version, the symptom or error text, and which steps you tried. Note what changed after each step. You can print this page for reference.

Do not include passwords, recovery codes or private account details in public comments.

Sources

Video by FixIt Mobile on YouTube. See the linked sources for current manufacturer guidance. Menu names and available features can vary by model and software version. How we check fixes.