Is it safe to keep using a phone with a cracked screen?

When a crack is usually OK for now

• It's small and in one corner

• The picture looks normal,

  With no lines, patches or flickering.

• Touch works everywhere,

  Including near the crack.

• There's no loose or sharp glass

When to get it fixed soon

• The crack is spreading

  Cracks tend to grow, especially after another drop or in the cold.

• There are sharp edges or loose glass

  Small splinters can cut your fingers or face.

• Touch is unreliable,

  Or the phone presses things by itself ("ghost touches").

• There are lines, black patches or flickering

  The display underneath is damaged.

• You rely on water resistance

  A cracked screen lets water and dust in more easily.

Stop using it and get it checked

• The screen is lifting or being pushed up from inside

  This can be a swollen battery.

• The phone gets hot or smells

How to protect a cracked screen

1. 1

   Cover it

   A tempered glass screen protector, or clear tape as a temporary fix, stops the crack spreading and protects your fingers.

2. 2

   Use a case with raised edges,

   So the screen doesn't take the next fall.

3. 3

   Back up your phone now,

   In case the screen gets worse and stops working.

4. 4

   Note your exact model,

   So you can get an accurate price for a replacement screen.