How to Remove a Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Tempered glass is impact-resistant and is often used to protect phone and tablet screens. If your screen protector cracks, you can remove the tempered glass cover to uncover an undamaged screen beneath it. To remove tempered glass easily, use a hair dryer to loosen the adhesive, then peel away the sheet of glass using a toothpick, credit card, or even some duct tape. This guide will teach you how to remove a glass screen protector from a device, even if it's stuck. We'll also explain how to remove any sticky adhesive left behind.

Removing Tempered Glass Safely

Heat the screen protector with a hairdryer on the lowest setting for about 15 seconds to loosen the adhesive. Use a toothpick to gently lift a corner of the glass away from the screen. Slide a credit card under the lifted corner, then push it forward to loosen the glass until you can lift it away from the screen.

Section 1 of 4:

Using a Credit Card & Toothpick

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Warm up the glass for 15 seconds with low heat. Use a hair dryer or heat gun on the lowest setting to heat the glass until it feels warm all over. Applying heat for 15-20 seconds should be enough to loosen the glue holding the glass in place.^{[1]
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- If you don't have a credit card and a toothpick, you may be able to remove the screen protector with duct tape.
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Use the pointed end of a toothpick to pry up a corner of the glass. Choose a corner and hold the toothpick flat beside it. Slide the tip of the toothpick under the glass, then lift it up until you are able to slide a credit card under it.^{[2]
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- If the glass is shattered, use a piece of tape–any kind will work–to cover the shattered areas. This will help you lift the entire glass sheet at once despite the cracks, and will also protect your fingers.
- Avoid angling a pointy toothpick downwards, as you may accidentally scratch the phone or tablet screen beneath the screen protector.
- If you don’t have a toothpick, you may be able to skip this step.
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Slide a credit card underneath the glass to peel it off. Position the card under the lifted glass, then slowly push the card forward. It should separate the glass from the surface underneath it. Lift the piece of glass up evenly until you are able to remove it.^{[3]
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- Make sure you use a hard, plastic card, such as a credit card, library card, or ID.
- You can often use a credit card to remove the entire piece of glass. If the glass is larger than the card, such as on an iPad, use your fingers to lift the glass evenly.
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Use your fingers if needed. Once the card has done most of the work, you may need to lift the glass with your fingers to remove it. Be very careful, especially if the glass is cracked, and avoid bending the glass so you don't accidentally break it.^{[4]
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- This works for cracked or smaller pieces of glass as well as whole pieces, but avoid pulling the glass up too far in one direction. Lift each piece at an even rate to prevent it from turning into a jigsaw of shards.
- If any shattered pieces remain, use duct tape to remove them.

Section 2 of 4:

Using Duct Tape

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Use a hair dryer or heat gun on the lowest setting to heat the glass until it feels warm all over. Applying heat for 15-20 seconds should be enough to loosen the glue holding the glass in place.^{[5]
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Roll a piece of duct tape around 2 of your fingers. Duct tape seems to have an unlimited number of uses, so it’s hardly surprising that you can use it to take off a tough piece of glass. Wrap the tape tightly around your fingers. Make sure the sticky part of the tape faces outwards.^{[6]
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- Doing this with your index and middle fingers may be the easiest way, but you can use other fingers if you want.
- If the glass is shattered, use another piece of duct tape to cover the shattered areas. This will help you lift the entire glass sheet at once despite the cracks, as well as protect your fingers.
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Press the tape to a corner of the glass. Choose a corner of the glass to work on. Any corner should do as long as there are no cracks near it. For cracked pieces, select an edge you can reach with the tape. Keep pressing the tape down until the glass sticks to it.
- If you can’t get a corner to stick, try another corner. Sometimes the corners can be stubborn because the glue underneath hasn’t loosened enough.
- If you’re having trouble picking up a corner, heat the glass again. You may want to choose a corner and focus the heat on it to ensure the adhesive weakens.
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Roll the tape slowly towards the opposite end of the glass. Raise your fingers, then move them towards the other end of the glass. The piece of glass should come with you. Be cautious, making sure it separates from the screen underneath at an even rate. Once you can remove the piece of glass, use the tape to pick up any remaining shattered pieces.
- Sometimes the glass will splinter because one side came up faster than the other. This will leave you with smaller shards you can remove with your fingers or with the tape.

Section 3 of 4:

Removing the Adhesive

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Dampen a lint-free cloth with isopropyl alcohol. If removing the screen protector leaves a gluey residue, you can remove the glue with some isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. A screen-specific cloth is great, but you can also use an eyeglass cleaning cloth or similar.
- If you have a screen-safe cleaning solution, you can use that instead of alcohol.^{[7]
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Don't press down too hard, as this could scratch the screen. Instead, use circular and/or side-to-side strokes to gently rub away the glue.^{[8]
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If any moisture remains on the screen, use a dry cloth to absorb it before applying a new glass screen protector.

Section 4 of 4:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Does removing tempered glass damage the screen? As long as you loosen the adhesive with heat before attempting to remove the glass, you should not damage your screen. Some adhesives may leave behind residue, but you can remove it easily with a microfiber cloth.
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How do you get a stuck tempered glass screen protector off your phone? If the tempered glass is stuck, use a blow dryer on the low setting for about 15 seconds to loosen the adhesive. Then, place a piece of duct tape on one corner of the glass and pull the glass upward.
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Can broken tempered glass hurt you? If the tempered glass shatters, you could cut your finger trying to remove it. Instead of using your finger to remove the glass, use a toothpick to lift one corner, then slide a credit card under it to lift it the rest of the way off.
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Should I remove my screen protector if it's cracked? If your tempered glass screen protector shatters, remove it immediately. The cracked glass is no longer protecting your phone screen and may also cause you to cut your finger.

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Is it safe to take off thick tempered glass that has a small crack at the top, or should I just go to a specialist to take it off?

Community Answer

Unless you've got a lot of experience doing this, it is better if a specialist comes so you don't get hurt.

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Always heat the glass first if possible. The solidified glue underneath tempered glass can make removing it a frustrating process.

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Consider replacing any tempered glass you remove. You can buy kits with new glass that prevents screens from scratches and other unsightly damage.

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Tempered glass is fragile when it is lifted off a surface. While fragmented glass isn’t a big deal, removing the little shards can be annoying. Lift the glass evenly as best you can to prevent this.

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