Have you experienced the dread of a cracked iPhone camera lens? When your iPhone slips from your fingers onto the ground, it’s a heart-stopping moment. You hold your breath as you pick it up, but it’s happened — your camera lens is cracked, and your days of snapping endless photos and video streams are over. Or are they?
While a cracked camera lens may seem like a huge deal, the truth is that it’s not an unusual occurrence, and Apple has made lens replacement relatively easy and painless. Today, we’ll focus on how to fix iPhone camera lens.
Can you repair a cracked iPhone camera lens?
The good news is that the camera lens on your iPhone is repairable, or at least replaceable. Shattered glass can’t be fixed, but everything can be replaced. If your phone isn’t under warranty, the price for replacing your camera lens will depend on the model of iPhone you’re using. The more lenses you need to replace, the pricier the fix will be.
Do not attempt to replace iPhone camera lens by yourself. Not only will this void any warranty you might have, but you risk ruining your phone, which will set you back many hundreds of dollars.
Replacing a broken iPhone camera lens may cost a few hundred dollars, but it is far better than shelling out almost a thousand bucks for a new phone.
Where can you replace an iPhone camera lens?
Whether your iPhone is under warranty or you’ve purchased an AppleCare+ plan, you should bring your iPhone to the Apple Store’s Genius Bar or an authorized Apple service provider for your lens replacement.
If you don’t have an authorized Apple service provider near you, you can contact Apple Support to arrange shipment to an Apple Repair Center.
You will likely have to live without your iPhone for a few days to a week, which is why I always keep my older phones after I upgrade to a new one. Connecting an older model to Wi-Fi is better than not connecting at all, right?
How to prevent iPhone camera lens from cracking
Obviously, it’s much easier to prevent your lens from damage in the first place than it is to send it out for iPhone camera cracked repair, and there are several steps you can take right now before your phone slips out of your hand and onto the floor.
I could tell you to never ever drop your iPhone, but we all know that it’s bound to happen sooner or later. Handle your iPhone with care to minimize drops, but also follow the tips outlined below.
Invest in a sturdy case for your iPhone
A sturdy silicone or rubber case with a raised lip is the first line of defense for protecting your iPhone from drops because, let’s face it, you are going to drop your phone, so you might as well spend a few dollars now to protect your investment.
Spigen Tough Armor cases are affordable and rugged with shock-absorbing padding and a smooth finish so your iPhone slides in and out of your pocket with ease. It has tactile buttons for solid feedback and is compatible with MagSafe.
Every iPhone should wear a case like a badge of honor — and armor.
Buy camera lens and screen protectors for your iPhone
An iPhone case will go a long way toward protecting your iPhone camera, but it will only save your phone from cracks if it is dropped on a flat surface. If your phone gets jostled around in a purse and bangs against a set of keys or falls in a way that comprises the lens, a crack is inevitable.
For added camera protection, purchase ultra-thin tempered glass screen and lens protectors. These stick on top of your screen and camera lens without affecting the quality of your photos. If you drop your iPhone, the glass protector will crack before your camera lens, setting you back a few dollars instead of a few hundred.
When you get your iPhone home, you can peel off the cracked screen protector, wipe your lens clean, and stick a new piece of glass over it.
Purchase an AppleCare+ plan
Is your nickname ‘butterfingers’? If you find that you are always dropping your iPhone and want to protect your investment, consider purchasing an AppleCare+ plan for your device.
When you purchase a new iPhone, it will usually come with a limited one-year warranty. To extend your coverage and protection, get AppleCar+ for an additional $79 for two years of coverage. This includes accidental damage coverage with unlimited incidents for $99 per incident.
AppleCare+ comes with Express Replacement Service so that you hardly notice that your phone is away for repairs.
Back up your images to iCloud Photos
A cracked camera lens is just one issue that can go wrong when you drop your iPhone. In fact, it’s one of the most benign issues. The worst-case scenario is your phone goes dark, and your photos and videos are lost.
Ensure that your photos and videos are protected by backing them up to iCloud Photos on a regular basis. You can set your iPhone to sync automatically with iCloud Photos so that you never have to worry about losing them. This way, if the worst happens, at least your memories will remain intact.
To turn on automatic syncing:
- Unlock your iPhone and open Settings.
- Tap your name and go to ‘iCloud.’
- Press ‘Photos’ and then toggle on ‘Sync this iPhone.’
A cracked iPhone camera lens doesn’t have to be the end of the world, especially if you’ve taken steps to keep your phone safe.
Don’t wait for the day your iPhone camera lens cracks to figure out what to do about it. Protect your camera lens now with a few bucks worth of equipment, or invest in AppleCare+ so your phone can be easily repaired.
