A Cracked Back Glass Is More Common Than You’d Think
iPhones from the iPhone 8 onward use glass backs — a design choice Apple made partly to enable wireless charging. It looks great, but it means the back can crack just as readily as the front screen. And since most people use a case, back glass cracks often go unnoticed for a while — until the case comes off for cleaning and the damage becomes visible.
Here’s what you need to know about fixing it.
Does a Cracked Back Glass Actually Matter?
Functionally, a cracked back glass doesn’t disable your phone. But there are practical reasons to address it:
Structural integrity. The glass back is part of the phone’s overall rigidity. A cracked back means the frame is slightly compromised, which can make a front screen crack more likely in a subsequent drop.
Wireless charging. Cracks in the back glass can reduce wireless charging efficiency, particularly on models where the charging coil sits close to the glass surface.
Water and dust resistance. iPhones are rated for water resistance, but that rating depends on intact seals and glass. A cracked back reduces that protection meaningfully.
Resale value. A cracked back glass can drop your phone’s resale or trade-in value significantly.
How Back Glass Repair Works
iPhone back glass repair is a more involved process than a screen replacement. The glass is bonded with strong adhesive, and on some models is integrated with the full housing. The repair process differs by model:
iPhone 8 through iPhone 13: The back glass can be replaced separately using heat and specialized tools to break the adhesive bond without damaging internal components. This is the standard approach. However at MobileLizard Phone Repair we find a complete housing repair to be the longer lasting and better option for most iphones. It preserves water resistance from the rear of the device. We do offer back glass repair on the iPhone 8 through 11 pro max, but on 12 and above only housing replacement.
iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 15, 15 Plus, 16, 16 Plus: Apple redesigned these models to make the back glass significantly more accessible for independent repair — the glass can be replaced without removing all internal components first. Repair time is less on these models.
iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max: These require a full housing replacement rather than just the glass itself, due to the titanium/stainless frame integration. Pricing differs accordingly.
At Mobile Lizard, back glass repair starts at $75 for iPhone. We’ll give you a specific quote for your model — call or text 443-863-9738.
See the Full Details
Visit our iPhone back glass repair page for model-specific information and pricing. For screen repairs, use our Repair Cost Calculator.
Serving Baltimore — Walk-Ins Welcome
We’re at 2621 Eastern Ave in Patterson Park. Tuesday–Friday 11am–6:30pm, Saturday 11am–5:30pm. Call or text 443-863-9738.