Assess the damage first
Not all screen cracks are equal. Before deciding what to do, evaluate the extent and type of damage.
Just the glass: Many phones and monitors have a protective glass layer over the display panel. If only this layer is cracked and the display underneath works perfectly (no dead pixels, no color distortion, no touch issues), the damage is cosmetic.
Display damage: If you see black spots, bleeding colors, lines across the screen, or sections that do not display anything, the LCD or OLED panel itself is damaged. This always requires replacement.
Touch screen damage: If certain areas do not respond to touch, the digitizer is damaged. On most modern devices, the digitizer is bonded to the display, so both must be replaced together.
Temporary measures
If you cannot get a repair immediately:
Repair options
Manufacturer repair: Most reliable quality but usually the most expensive. Uses original parts and maintains warranty coverage on other components.
Third-party repair shops: Generally cheaper. Quality varies greatly. Ask about the warranty on their work and whether they use OEM or aftermarket parts.
DIY repair: Cheapest option for those with good manual dexterity. Screen replacement kits are available online for most phone models. Monitor panels are harder to replace yourself and usually not worth attempting.
When to replace instead of repair
If the repair cost exceeds 50% of the device value, it usually makes more sense to replace the entire device. Also consider replacement if the device is more than 3 to 4 years old, as you would be paying to fix aging hardware with other potential issues.
After any screen repair, run our Dead Pixel Test and Touch Screen Test to verify everything works correctly before paying.