Resources

This page is directed at helping answer common questions and concerns about glass touch digitizer screen parts; LCD screen parts, and combination, fused glass touch digitizer and LCD screen assembly parts. Many of the newer, popular smartphones, like the iPhone 4 and 5, Samsung Galaxy II and III, and the LG Google Nexus 4 E960, come with fused screens that only a professional repair technician should ever attempt to separate. If you have a fused screen smartphone, your best option is to either ask us about our Repair Service (for which you may also be able to get a LCD recycling credit) or purchase the assembly screen part instead in order to make your own DIY repair possible.

Which screen do I need?

There are two basic screens used in every modern device, a touch screen digitizer and a LCD screen. The most common damage is damage specifically to the touch screen digitizer (see below). The LCD screen is also a very fragile screen which can be damaged under the correct curcumstances. Damaging both screens is also possible if the device has suffered from an extreme drop or large amount of pressure damage.

Touch Screen Digitizers (Glass)

Touch screen digitizers are the outer glass screen that will detect your touch and allow you to navigate through menus, apps, etc. This is the most commonly damaged part on cell phones and tablets.

• Most common issues: Cracked or shattered glass (normally caused by a drop or pressure)
• Other common issues: touch screen digitizer not recognizing your touch (you swipe to unlock but it does not detect)

LCD Screens

LCD screens are the generic term for the display under your touch screen. These can be very specialized display types including AMOLED, LED, etc. LCD screen will refer to the inner display, regardless of whether it is LCD (liquid crystal display) or LED, AMOLED, etc. The display screens are becoming thinner and thinner, making them more and more fragile.

• Most common issues: Inky black spots under your glass, dead pixels, discoloration, no backlight
• Other common issues: Cloudy picture, vertical or horizontal lines on the display, black screen or white screen caused by physical damage to the LCD screen.

Fused / Bonded Screens

Many new devices will have the outer glass touch screen bonded or fused to the LCD screen. Most commonly a type of adhesive called "water glue" is used to bond the Glass touch screen to the surface of the LCD screen, making it very difficult to separate the screens without leaving behind a very sticky residue on your display screen. Unless you have the proper equipment usually found in repair shops, we STRONGLY recommend you do not attempt a "glass only" repair on a device with a fused/bonded screen.

Screen assemblies are the solution to repairing a screen that is bonded or fused. Screen assemblies include the touch screen and LCD screen, pre-assembled. Using assemblies are perfect for anyone who is not a professional and would still like to perform a DIY repair to fix their device. Using screen assemblies is the safest and most convenient way of repairing a device with bonded/fused screens.

Separating bonded screens is extremely risky and should only be attempted by professionals with the proper experience, knowledge, tools, and equipment.

We urge customers who are not experienced in mobile device repairs to purchase the and install a screen assembly, regardless if only one screen is broken. Replacing both screens (pre-attached) involves much less risk and provides a much higher success rate.

What tools will I need to perform my repair?

In most mobile device repairs you will need 2-4 different types of tools - a pry tools, a screwdriver, bonding adhesive and a heating device such as a heat gun or hairdryer.

On nearly all product pages we will list the recommended tools necessary to replace that specific part. This list is often located near the "add to cart" button or at the bottom of the description page. We urge customers to purchase all recommended tools to insure a successful and complete repair can be made.

If you are unsure the tools required, or they are not listed, please feel free to contact us via email, live chat, or our sales phone lines.

Remember that we also provide a FREE safe open pry tool with nearly all part orders!

How difficult is it perform my repair?

Many repairs are very straightforward. We provide hundreds of repair guides for nearly all models. On most product pages we will include a link to the repair guide to view the repair difficulty prior to purchasing your replacement part. Our guides can either be written with diagrams or pictures, or full video guides, walking you through each step of the way. We also provide full technical support via live chat and email!

How can I know I am getting the correct parts / tools?

Contact us! We want to help you get your device fixed, so please let us know if you are unsure what parts and tools you will need! We offer three convenient ways of contacting us as well as a great resource and FAQ list. Contact us using our live chat option, our email contact form, or by calling our sales line at 1.866.925.2350

What is CDMA vs GSM?

This is all about who your service provider is. The most simplistic way of understuanding GSM compared to CDMA is that GSM carriers will use sim cards while CDMA will not. You will not find many phones where CDMA or GSM matters or causes physical differences to the hardware of your device. Some models will have different design when using sim cards vs no sim card however, such as the iPhone 4.

The most common CDMA service providers: Sprint, Verizon, Bell, Cricket

The most common GSM service providers: AT&T, T-Mobile, Cellular One