Removing a hardened glass screen protector?

Question

iPhone Accessories

Repair and disassembly guides for iPhone accessories.

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Neil @neilco

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Sun 12, 2018

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Removing a hardened glass screen protector?

Hi,

Two friends have hardened glass screen protectors (stick-on) on their phones that have cracked. The phone's screen glass appears fine, it's just the protectors that have cracked, and need to get removed.

Attempting with a fingernail to get underneath a corner of the protector shows that they are very firmly stuck on...

I was thinking about a heat gun - very gently - to soften the adhesive. But I haven't tried it yet, nor anything else.

Anybody have any luck with these ?

If I have to experiment, the good news is that one of the phones in question is about to be replaced anyhow, so it might be a good guinea pig.

Cheers

Neil

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score 3 · Answer 1 · 2018-01-12T02:17:51-07:00

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Ben @benjamen50

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Mtwo Perform

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Sun 12, 2018

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Use a razor blade to get underneath the screen protector. Once you get it under you can remove with your hands. But I recommend holding the screen down because it sounds like fairly strong adhesive used for the screen protector.

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Using a razor blade risks scratching the permanent screen underneath. Bad idea IMHO, unless as a LAST RESORT.

Not to mention the risk of injury if slipping with the razor blade. Perhaps an Xacto knife instead?

crwdns2934271:0Mud 22, 2023crwdnd2934271:0 David Spalding crwdne2934271:0

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Arpan Samanta @arpansamanta crwdns2934065:0crwdne2934065:0: 1 1 · Answer 2 · 2020-05-27T21:43:10-07:00

Arpan Samanta @arpansamanta

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Mud 27, 2020

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https://youtu.be/jXmggAgojIY….follow my link to get your answer

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score 0 · Answer 3 · 2023-05-22T10:09:40-07:00

I generally lift screen protectors with a looped piece of tape to the surface to break the adhesion and lift up so that I can remove a speck of dust from the underside. Using a fingernail or other soft plastic tool to dig underneath a protector risks bending/distorting the protector (bad if you are trying to reuse the protector, and just remove a dust mote). But a soft device/tool is preferrable to a razor blade or other metal that can gouge or scratching the device screen underneath.

If the adhesion is strong, you can move up from weak to stronger types of tape: 3M Scotch tape, packing tape, thin loop of duct tape....

If the protector has become "welded" to the screen, I would use a hair dryer (NOT a heat gun) to warm it up. You might also try the iFixit remover tool that you heat up in a microwave then lay over the screen to warm/soften adhesive.

Some screen protectors are (or were) applied with the help of water. I would NOT apply water directly to the device to try to loosen a protector. Perhaps just use a damp cloth? Try laying a damp cloth over the device, then the iFixit removal tool warmed up, then try in 10-15 minutes. Good luck!

iPhone Accessories

Removing a hardened glass screen protector?

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