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Cracked back glass: is it safe to keep using your phone?

When it's cosmetic, when it isn't, and what the repair involves.

Sep 26, 2026 · 3 min read

Most iPhones since the iPhone 8 and most Galaxy S phones have a glass back. It cracks easily, and a lot of people just live with it. Here's when that's fine and when it isn't.

Usually fine for a while: small cracks with no missing pieces, a phone that still charges wirelessly and cameras that work normally.

Get it fixed soon: glass flaking off, sharp edges, cracks across the camera lens, or a phone you use near water. Cracks let in moisture and dust, and the phone is no longer water resistant.

Stop and come in now: if the back is lifting or bulging. That's usually a swelling battery pushing the glass out, not just a crack, and it's a safety risk.

The repair: on most newer iPhones, the back glass can now be replaced on its own. On older models it takes special equipment to remove the glass from the frame. Either way it's usually done in 1 to 2 hours.

A case with raised edges and a camera lip prevents most back-glass cracks. Ask us in store. We carry cases for most models.