One of the most disheartening things that can happen to you, is breaking your phone’s screen – or one of the other devices that’s important to you.
It’s enough to ruin you day, your week, your month or even your year.
Jokes aside, the last thing you want to deal with is having to pay out a large sum of money in order to get it replaced! Therefore, you may be wondering – does AppleCare cover cracked screens and if so, how much does it cost to get it repaired?
In this article, we’ll cover everything that you need to know!
Does AppleCare Covered Crack Screens?
Apple may cover repairs for cracked screens, depending on the version of AppleCare that you possess.
Regular AppleCare does not cover cracked screens. However, AppleCare+ – Apple’s highest form of warranty coverage, does cover cracked screens for a slight fee.
Unfortunately, this means that unless you’ve paid the extra cash to be covered by AppleCare+, you will not be able to use AppleCare to repair or replace your device’s screen.
That being said, all hope is not lost – there are likely other screen repair stores in your area that can take on the job for a relatively small fee.
Cracking or breaking your phone’s screen is one of the most common issues that occurs with iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. Therefore, most major shops are able to handle it without any problems.
Thankfully, Apple has gotten better at designing durable screens, so breakages are becoming less and less common as time goes on.
However, the ideal solution is that your device is protected under AppleCare. So, let’s briefly look at the differences between the standard version of AppleCare, and AppleCare+.
What Is AppleCare?
AppleCare is the standard warranty that comes with the purchase of new Apple devices.
It lasts for one year, and covers things such as defects during manufacturing, as well as natural disaster damage.
However, it doesn’t cover damage caused by accidental events, such as dropping the device in water or cracking your screen. Unfortunately, this is why the regular version of AppleCare can’t be used to repair broken phone screens – it’s simply not covered under the warranty.
AppleCare comes bundled with the purchase of any new Apple device, provided it has been sold through an authorized distributor (such as Best Buy, AT&T, Verizon etc.) However, AppleCare may not be provided if you’ve purchased the device used, or its no longer within its warranty period.
In addition to the one year warranty, you also receive 90 days of phone support by Apple. Apple is known as one of the better companies when it comes to technical support, so this can be quite helpful when learning to use your new iPhone or iPad for example.
What Is AppleCare+?
AppleCare+ is the premium version of AppleCare, and comes with a few key differences.
First of all, the warranty is automatically extended from one year to two, giving you double the time to file a claim if anything goes wrong. Many people upgrade their iPhones every 2-3 years anyway, so AppleCare+ will cover the majority of the device’s use while its in your possession.
For those that care about customer support, AppleCare+ also extends phone support from just 90 days to the full 2 years. So, regardless of the technical issues you may experience, you’ll be able to contact Apple for help.
However, the biggest differences come in what is covered under warranty.
Unlike the standard version of AppleCare, AppleCare+ covers battery issues, as well as accidental damage, including screen cracking, water damage, or damage to the back of the device (which is just – if not more susceptible to cracks than the screen is!)
Additionally, it is possible to purchase protection against theft and loss as well, for an additional fee.
With AppleCare+, the majority of problems that occur while under coverage can be taken care of by Apple. While there are additional fees and limitations, these are quite reasonable when compared to the cost of repairing or replacing the device yourself!
Whether or not AppleCare+ is worth it or not depends on how careful you are with your devices, and your acceptable level of risk. While purchasing it can be a tad expensive (it is $199 for the most recent iPhones), it may be worth it for the peace of mind.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace Cracked Screens With AppleCare+?
Now that we know that cracked, damaged or shattered screens are only covered by AppleCare+, you may be wondering – what are the extra costs?
Below, you’ll find a list of each device that you can purchase an AppleCare+ plan for. You’ll also find the cost of AppleCare+ for that device (without loss or theft protection added), as well as the price to repair the screen.
Note that AppleCare+ only allows for two accidental damage claims every 12 months. So, you’ll want to be extra careful if you’ve already damaged your screen once.
Anyhow, here is the breakdown for each device.
On iPhone, the cost of AppleCare+ ranges from $79 to $199 depending on the exact model of your phone. Screen repair with AppleCare+ on iPhone is $29.
On iPad, the cost of AppleCare+ ranges from $69 to $149 depending on the model of your iPad. Screen repair with AppleCare+ on iPad is $49.
On iPod Touch, the cost of AppleCare+ is $59. Screen repair with AppleCare+ on iPod touch is $29.
On Mac, the cost of AppleCare+ ranges from $99 to $399 depending on the model of your computer. Screen repair with AppleCare+ on Mac is $99.
On Apple Watch, the cost of AppleCare+ ranges from $49 to $149 depending on the model of your smartwatch. Screen repair with AppleCare+ on Apple Watch is $69.
With HomePods, the cost of AppleCare+ is $39 for the HomePod, and $15 for the HomePod Mini. HomePod does not have a screen, but any repairs cost $39 or $15 respectively.
For headphones (such as AirPods and Beats By Dre), AppleCare+ costs $29 except for the the AirPods Max, which costs $59. All repairs are $29.
Finally, for Apple TV, Apple offers an extended warranty with additional support for $39.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, Apple does not cover screen repair under their regular AppleCare plan.
However, if you pay for AppleCare+, you can get your iPhone screen repaired for just $29 – with other devices being only slightly more expensive to fix.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful. If you have any other questions about AppleCare or AppleCare+, please ask them using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister