How dangerous is a cracked phone screen?

A cracked iphone on a white background

We’ve all experienced a scenario where we’ve dropped our smartphone then had a mini heart attack when checking if the screen’s cracked. Some more than others I suspect – me included.

To answer the title: very.

A cracked phone screen is a fire hazard for a start, and secondly you could be exposing yourself to radiation. Even the Samsung Health and Safety Warranty Guide states that if your phone screen becomes compromised you should stop using the device as it could cause injury.

The screen on a smartphone doesn’t just give you a way to interact and use the phone, it also has the secondary role of keeping you from the electrical workings underneath. So, if the screen is cracked not only does it cause the aforementioned issues but also carries further risks:

  • Electric shock.
  • Struggle to regulate battery / energy output (leading to fire risk).
  • The potential to burn you.
  • Further increase to fire risk when dust begins to accumulate in the cracks.

It’s safe to clean a non-cracked screen with a lightly dampened cloth, I’m sure we’ve all used the glasses technique where you breathe on the screen and then wipe it on your shirt or edge of your jacket.

However, if your screen’s cracked, it’s no longer able to keep water droplets from working their way inside the phone, making it more likely that liquid will come into contact with important internal components which can short-out and further damage the device. Furthermore, the capacity for touch functionality will also become reduced, this means it may take longer for your phone to respond to gestures or stop responding altogether

There’s also an additional risk to your person from the cracks in your device, these include:

  • The cracks cause a visual obstruction, leading to the potential for eyestrain.
  • Finger oils, dust, and debris will work their way into the cracks and further damage the screen and functionality.
  • Broken glass or acrylic can have sharp edges which could put you at risk of slicing your fingers or hands.

Not only this, but our phones are often on our person 24/7, which means they’re encountering many surfaces and substances, this leaves the potential for the cracked glass to carry something that could cause an infection should it come into contact with your cut finger or hand.

Further to this, The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified radiofrequency from phones as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. However, more investigation and research is still required before the extent of the health risk smartphones pose can be conclusively stated. Therefore, smartphones may already be giving off harmful radiation, so if the phone’s internal systems are exposed through cracks, there could be a greater risk of radiation exposure for its user.

So, if you, like me, are using a smartphone with a cracked screen (which we’ve established is dangerous) and have been for a while now, maybe it’s time to take it in for repairs? Perhaps purchase your own repair kit and boot up YouTube? Or even treat yourself to a new phone!

SupportWise may not repair phones, but laptops, monitors, computer towers along with other IT peripheries are our thing, so if you’ve been experiencing problems with your tech, get in contact. We’d love to help!

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