FAULT · BACK GLASS · MOBILE

One drop.
Three different
right answers.

Back glass looks like a single repair until you open the device. The right fix depends entirely on which phone you’ve got — and the wrong fix can make the phone weaker, slower on signal, or destined to crack again in a week. Here’s how we approach each model.

Get a quote · 60 seconds Jump to your phone
FROM $99 — DEPENDS ON YOUR MODEL
WHY IT’S NOT JUST GLASS

The glass is glued on. Then so is the rest of the phone.

From iPhone 8 / Galaxy S8 onward, the back of the phone isn’t a removable cover — it’s a structural piece of glass laminated to the chassis with industrial-grade adhesive. The wireless charging coil, MagSafe magnets, NFC antenna and rear-camera flash often sit directly on or under it.

Replacing it well means either a careful glass-only replacement — on the newer models Apple designed for it — or a complete housing swap on older models where the glass is fused to the chassis. Replacing it badly… well, you can usually tell within a week.

Glass isn’t structural — but the frame is

The aluminium frame is what gives the phone its rigidity. Cheap glass-only repairs on older iPhones don’t bond properly to a damaged frame underneath, leaving the phone permanently weaker.

Lots of small parts ride on it

Wireless charging coil, MagSafe magnets (on supported models), the rear flash, the bottom microphone, NFC antenna pads. Each one has to be transferred to the new glass or housing without damage.

Adhesive is the seal

The same glue holding the glass on also keeps water out. Get it wrong and the phone is no longer water-resistant. Get it right and you’re back close to factory.

Cheap glass = different cuts

Aftermarket glass often has larger or differently-shaped cutouts around the camera island, microphone and flash. Looks fine from across the room — looks wrong in your hand.

FIND YOUR DEVICE

Three paths. One right answer for your phone.

On Apple, the path is decided by the model. On Samsung, you pick from two options yourself.

PATH A · APPLE

iPhone 13 and earlier

iPhone 8 → iPhone 13 / 13 Mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max · also 14 Pro & 14 Pro Max
FULL HOUSING SWAP ONLY

On these models the glass back is laminated to the aluminium chassis. A glass-only repair is technically possible but produces a fragile phone that cracks again under normal use. We don’t offer it.

WHY WE WON’T DO GLASS-ONLY HERE

The new glass doesn’t bond to a damaged frame, leaves the phone permanently weaker, and cheap replacement glass usually has oversized camera cutouts. You’d be back inside a month.

WHAT WE DO INSTEAD

Full original housing swap.

We source a new or lightly-used original Apple frame (presents as new), then meticulously transfer every internal component from your phone — logic board, battery, cameras, flexes, screws — across to the fresh body.

  • +Original Apple housing — not aftermarket
  • ×Aftermarket housings: weak signal & brittle glass — never
  • +Full internal transfer, screw-for-screw
  • +MagSafe / wireless charging unaffected
FROM$229
1–2 DAYS
RECOMMENDED FOR THIS GENERATION
PATH B · APPLE

iPhone 14, 14 Plus & newer

iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 15 series / 16 series · excludes 14 Pro & 14 Pro Max
GLASS-ONLY · COLOUR-MATCHED

From iPhone 14 onward, Apple changed the build so the back glass is replaceable on its own without disturbing the frame. We can do glass-only here cleanly — and it’s the right repair.

WHAT WE FIT

High-quality colour-matched glass.

Carefully separate the broken back, transfer your wireless charging coil, flash and bottom microphone across to the new pane, re-bond with original Apple adhesive.

Genuine Apple back glass available — ~2× the cost.
  • +Looks indistinguishable from original
  • +Wireless charging & MagSafe preserved
  • +Flash, mic & antenna transferred to new glass
  • +Re-bonded with manufacturer adhesive
FROM$99
SAME DAY
PATH C · SAMSUNG

Galaxy S, Note & Z series

S20 → S24 series, Note, foldables · two options, your pick
2 OPTIONS

On Samsung the back glass is a separate part by design — replaceable cleanly with the right adhesive. We’ll quote you both options and you choose.

OPTION 1 — IF YOU WANT
$$$$

100% original Service Pack

Genuine Samsung part in a sealed Samsung box. Expensive, and will carry European regulatory markings on the back (EAC / CE / WEEE) because that’s where Samsung sources its service parts.

WE RECOMMEND
OPTION 2
$$

Aftermarket exact-quality glass

Same glass spec (including the camera lens glass), no country-specific markings on the back. Half the price of Service Pack and indistinguishable in daily use. Our default fit on Samsung.

FROM$129
SAME DAY
PATH D · EVERYTHING ELSE
Pixel, OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, Xiaomi, Huawei, Nokia… We can source back glass for almost any phone made in the last decade — but availability and grade varies by model. We’ll always tell you exactly what we can get and what it is before we order anything. Read on ↓
How Path D works
FOR IPHONE 13 & EARLIER

Move into a new body. Same phone, new shell.

On these models, the back glass is bonded so deeply into the frame that the only way to restore the phone properly is to replace the whole housing. We source a new (or lightly used, presents-as-new) original Apple frame through our parts network, and then take 1–2 days to carefully transfer every internal component from your phone into the new one.

Your logic board, battery, display, cameras and every flex come across. Even the screws. The phone you walk out with is your phone — just wearing a new outer body.

FULL HOUSING SWAP — WHAT MOVES OVER
YOUR BROKEN BODY
  • → Logic board
  • → Battery
  • → Cameras
  • → Display
  • → All flexes
  • → Every screw
NEW ORIGINAL FRAME
RESULT
Presents as new
WHY NOT AFTERMARKET HOUSINGS?

Aftermarket iPhone housings have a known problem with signal strength — the metal alloy isn’t spec-matched to the antenna design — and the back glass is often the same brittle stuff that fails again in months. We’ve tried them, sent too many phones back. We only use original.

FOR IPHONE 14 / 15 / 16 STANDARD & PLUS

Glass off, glass on. Done in an afternoon.

From iPhone 14 onward Apple redesigned the back-glass-to-chassis bond specifically to make it serviceable. The glass comes off cleanly with the right tools and the right heat profile — without disturbing the frame, MagSafe magnets, or the wireless charging coil underneath.

We use a high-quality colour-matched aftermarket pane as our default — almost half the price of Apple’s own and visually identical in your hand. Genuine Apple glass is available on request; it’s typically about double the cost.

BACK GLASS · COMPONENTS TRANSFERRED
Wireless charging coil
Carefully lifted & transferred
Rear flash module
Removed, cleaned, re-fitted
Bottom microphone
Re-bonded to new glass mesh
MagSafe magnets
Original ring stays in place
⚠ HEADS UP — iPHONE 14 PRO & PRO MAX

The Pro models in the iPhone 14 generation kept the older bonded-glass design. They follow Path A (full housing swap), not glass-only.

FOR SAMSUNG

Original is expensive. Aftermarket-exact is what we recommend.

Samsung designs their back glass as a separately-serviceable part, which is good news — the repair itself is clean on any S, Note or foldable. The trade-off is in which glass you put back on.

Samsung’s Service Pack glass is sourced from their European parts depot and carries EU regulatory markings (EAC, CE, WEEE) printed on the inside of the glass — visible from the back of the phone. It’s also typically 2–3× the price of the aftermarket-exact equivalent, for what is functionally and visually identical glass. Most customers choose the cleaner, cheaper aftermarket option. We’ll always quote both and you decide.

OPTION 1

Service Pack

100% original Samsung · Made in Korea
Markings
EU regulatory
Glass
Original
Price
2–3× aftermarket
RECOMMEND
OPTION 2

Aftermarket exact

Same glass spec, no markings
Markings
Clean — logo only
Glass
Same spec + lens
Price
Our default
FOR EVERYTHING ELSE

If it’s not Apple or Samsung, we’ll talk first.

Pixel, OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, Xiaomi, Huawei, Nokia, Honor, Realme — we can source back glass for nearly any phone made in the last decade. What we can’t do is guarantee what’s available before we look you up: it varies by model, by region, and by how long ago the phone shipped.

Our promise is simple: we’ll find out for your specific model first, tell you exactly what’s on offer — original part, equivalent aftermarket, or both — and only order once you’ve approved it. No surprises on the bench.

OUR PROMISE

You’ll know exactly what we’re installing — grade, origin, finish — before we spend a cent on parts.

HOW WE QUOTE PATH D
  1. 01

    You tell us the model

    Including variant if you know it (e.g. Pixel 8 vs 8 Pro, OnePlus 11 5G vs Open).

  2. 02

    We check our network

    Three distributors, parts databases by IMEI / model code. Usually ∼30 minutes.

  3. 03

    We write back honestly

    ‘Original available for $X, lead time Y.’ Or ‘Aftermarket only, here’s the grade.’ Or both, where both exist.

  4. 04

    You approve, then we order

    Nothing is bought until you say yes to the specific part and price. No surprises.

ORIGINAL AVAILABLE FOR

Pixel, OnePlus flagships, Oppo Find, Nokia, some Huawei

AFTERMARKET ONLY FOR

Older budget models, niche brands, anything >5 yrs old

EVERY BACK GLASS REPAIR

Re-sealed with manufacturer adhesive.

No matter which path your phone takes, we re-bond the back with the exact adhesive specified by Apple or Samsung — same gauge, same width, same primer. It’s the closest a manual repair can get to factory.

That said: a back-glass repair done by anyone — us or the manufacturer — voids the factory IP68 water-resistance rating. In practice we seal as well as factory; on paper, you can’t certify water resistance after any manual install. We’ll always tell you upfront.

BACK GLASS PRICING

Find your phone.

VIEW FULL PRICELIST
MODEL
PATH
WHAT WE DO
FROM
iPhone 14 Pro Max
PATH A · HOUSING
Full housing swap
$299
iPhone 14 Pro
PATH A · HOUSING
Full housing swap
$279
iPhone 13 Pro Max
PATH A · HOUSING
Full housing swap
$269
iPhone 13 Pro
PATH A · HOUSING
Full housing swap
$259
iPhone 13 / 13 Mini
PATH A · HOUSING
Full housing swap
$229
iPhone 12 series
PATH A · HOUSING
Full housing swap
$229
iPhone 11 series
PATH A · HOUSING
Full housing swap
$199
iPhone 16 / 16 Plus
PATH B · GLASS
Back glass only
$149
iPhone 15 / 15 Plus
PATH B · GLASS
Back glass only
$129
iPhone 14 / 14 Plus
PATH B · GLASS
Back glass only
$99
Galaxy S24 Ultra
PATH C · SAMSUNG
Aftermarket exact / Service Pack
$149 / $329
Galaxy S24 / S24+
PATH C · SAMSUNG
Aftermarket exact / Service Pack
$129 / $269
Galaxy S23 series
PATH C · SAMSUNG
Aftermarket exact / Service Pack
$129 / $259
Galaxy S22 series
PATH C · SAMSUNG
Aftermarket exact / Service Pack
$119 / $239
Galaxy Z Fold / Flip
PATH C · SAMSUNG
Aftermarket exact / Service Pack
From $179
Google Pixel 8 / 8 Pro
PATH D · OTHER
Original where available, else aftermarket
From $129
Google Pixel 7 / 6 series
PATH D · OTHER
Original where available, else aftermarket
From $119
OnePlus, Oppo flagships
PATH D · OTHER
Original where available, else aftermarket
From $119
Motorola, Xiaomi, Huawei, Nokia
PATH D · OTHER
Sourced per model — ask first
Ask us

ALL PRICES INC. PARTS, FITTING, RE-SEAL WITH MANUFACTURER ADHESIVE & 90-DAY WARRANTY · WATER RESISTANCE NOT GUARANTEED ON ANY MANUAL INSTALL

BACK GLASS QUESTIONS

Straight answers.

Why is the housing swap on older iPhones so much more expensive than just glass?

Because we're replacing the whole body, not just a pane. The original Apple housing itself costs as much as several aftermarket back glasses, plus the labour: opening the phone, transferring every component over without damaging anything (it's a 1–2 day job, not a 45-minute one). The result is a phone that looks and feels new — not one with a fresh pane glued to a damaged frame.

How do I tell if my iPhone is Path A or Path B?

By model: iPhone 13 and earlier, plus iPhone 14 Pro & Pro Max, are Path A (housing swap). iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 15 / 15 Plus / 16 / 16 Plus are Path B (glass-only). Apple changed the build mid-generation, which is confusing — the Pro models kept the older bonded design when the standard models switched. Walk in and we'll confirm in 30 seconds.

Will my IMEI or warranty status change after a housing swap?

No to IMEI, no to warranty status. The IMEI is stored on the logic board, which moves with your phone into the new housing. Apple's warranty status follows the serial number — also stored on the logic board. If your phone is in warranty, it's still in warranty after our work (subject to Apple's usual 'third-party repair' disclaimer, which they apply to any non-Apple repair regardless of which part).

Will my phone still be water-resistant?

Yes — on Apple housing swaps and on Samsung with the Service Pack or aftermarket-exact route. We re-seal with the same gauge of adhesive Samsung or Apple specify, applied through the same channels. That said, manufacturers technically void original IP ratings on any opened device, so we don't guarantee submersion-level water resistance. Splash-proof and rain-proof, yes.

Why don't you use aftermarket housings on older iPhones?

Three reasons. One: aftermarket housings have weaker antenna performance because the frame doubles as the antenna ring — cheap metal gives you signal drops. Two: the glass cutouts on aftermarket housings are oversized, so the camera and flash look misaligned. Three: the structural rigidity is noticeably worse — it bends. We've fitted them before, customers always come back unhappy.

Why is the Samsung Service Pack so much more expensive when the glass is the same?

Two reasons. One: it's a genuine Samsung part in a sealed Samsung box, sourced from Samsung's European service network. Two: most customers don't notice the difference in finish, so we recommend aftermarket-exact for nearly everyone. The Service Pack is for buyers who specifically want the sealed-box origin (sometimes for resale documentation, or AppleCare-equivalent peace of mind).

Show us the back.
We’ll tell you
the path.

Tell us the phone, send a photo if you can, and we’ll quote both routes where they apply. Original parts only on Apple; your pick on Samsung.