A broken TV screen can be the worst thing to happen to your flatscreen — not to mention your living room. But, before you do anything drastic that ends up in you losing an arm and a leg, know there are ways to salvage the situation.
A broken TV screen can be fixed by gently rubbing into its hairline or spiderweb crack and dead pixels. If the damage is significant, replace the entire TV screen or dispose of the unit by selling its components.
It certainly looks bad, but you need not make it worse. In this guide, we’ll walk you through two simple tricks showing you how to fix a broken TV screen; plus, we’ll give you ways to avoid such a messy scenario and deal with it if worse comes to worst.
Can a broken TV screen be fixed?
A broken TV screen can be fixed if the damage is minor such as spiderweb cracks. But major cracks, including vertical and/or horizontal lines, will require professional service.
| WARNING: Before you touch your TV and DIY any repairs, make sure you check out the warranty. A super extended warranty, for instance, is like insurance and could cover a defective screen. |
A broken TV screen with jagged or sharp edges can only be fixed by performing a complete replacement. However, it’s usually not worth the trouble as the cost can be prohibitive.
If your TV screen only suffers from minor damage, you might get away with using simple remedies to fix the issue. The good news is it won’t cost you much with a little elbow grease.
How do I fix a broken TV screen?
There’s no reliable way to fix a broken TV screen except by replacing the entire LCD panel of the unit to fix the hardware issue. In the case of a damaged TV screen, you can perform simple remedies depending on the damage sustained.
We recommend two troubleshooting tricks to fix a TV screen with minor damage, such as hairline cracks or dead pixels. You can refer to the instructions below and follow them step by step to address these types of TV screen issues.
1. Fix hairline cracks on your TV screen.
Believe it or not, hairline or spiderweb cracks on a TV screen are repairable, as they can be removed using a simple trick. An effective way to fix these hairline or spiderweb cracks is to make them fade using a soft object to rub them gently.
Please note that this method only works on cracks that haven’t penetrated the TV screen and caused damage to the hardware located below it. Any cracks that have gone through the TV screen are no longer fixable this way.
You’ll know when a crack needs a professional repair service if it’s too big and it results in some horizontal or vertical lines forming on display. In such a case, your only option is to have the broken TV screen panel removed and replaced.
You can tell if the hairline or spiderweb crack on your TV screen is minor if you don’t feel any protruding glass edges when gently wiping it with a thin, soft cloth. It’s your telltale sign that this simple method might work on the cracks of your TV screen.
To begin this procedure, you’ll need a soft pencil eraser as it’s the ideal material to rub the cracks on the screen with. Since the pencil eraser can leave some residues on the TV screen that may get stuck, you need a cloth to wipe the spots you rub into.
Use a pencil eraser to rub the hairline cracks and scratches on the TV screen.
| Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 3 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 20 seconds |
| Things Needed | A pencil eraserA soft and thin cleaning cloth |
Step 1: Rub the hairline or spiderweb crack on your TV screen gently with the pencil eraser. Note: Run the hairline or spiderweb crack gently and slowly. Avoid applying too much force as it might cause more damage to the TV screen. |
Step 2: Use the soft and thin cleaning cloth to wipe any pencil eraser residue on the TV screen. |
| Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the cracks on the TV screen start to fade or disappear. Note: It’s okay if the hairline or spiderweb cracks don’t fully disappear as long as it’s no longer prominent and conspicuous when watching on your TV screen. |
If the hairline crack or scratch on your TV screen is noticeably shallow, you can also get away with applying petroleum jelly or Vaseline to fill in its gaps. This is a quick and easy way to make the hairline cracks on the TV screen less distracting.
Apply petroleum jelly or Vaseline on the shallow cracks of your TV screen.
| Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 3 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 seconds |
| Things Needed | Petroleum jelly or Vaseline healing jellyA soft and thin cleaning clothA screen or scratch repair kit |
Step 1: Smear the hairline or spiderweb crack on your TV screen with petroleum jelly or Vaseline healing jelly to fill in its gaps. |
| Step 2: Step 2: Use the soft and thin cleaning cloth to wipe away excess jelly on the surface of the TV screen. |
Step 3: Use the tip of or finger to rub and wipe the remaining jelly that the cleaning cloth can’t remove. Note: It’s okay if the hairline or spiderweb cracks don’t fully disappear as long as it’s no longer prominent and conspicuous when watching on your TV screen. |
You can also use a scratch or screen repair kit to fix a broken TV screen if an eraser, petroleum jelly, or Vaseline healing jelly cannot remove the hairline scratches and cracks. Screen repair kits can be bought online and will cost around $10 – $25.
Refer to the instructions on the TV screen repair kit to get an idea of how to use it properly. That’s your cue.
However, things could be much worse. If none of these suggestions work on the hairline or spider web crack on your TV screen, your only remaining option is to replace the LCD panel or buy a new unit.
2. Fix dead pixels on your TV screen.
| Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 2 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 – 15 seconds |
| Things Needed | A pencil eraserA soft non-abrasive cleaning clothA touch screen stylus |
Dead pixels are one of the most common display issues you can experience with your TV screen. By definition, dead pixels are dots on your flatscreen that fail to display the intended color.
But, you’ll have to make a judgment call here. Very tiny dead pixels are usually unnoticeable, so you don’t need to apply any remedy to them.
If it isn’t broken, there certainly is no need to fix it. So dead pixels should not bother you unless they’re distracting and affect your viewing experience.
The good news is dealing with the issue (if you have to) is a walk in the park. You can also remove dead pixels on your TV screen by rubbing onto them using a pencil eraser, cleaning cloth, or touch screen stylus.
It must also be done gently as putting too much pressure on the TV screen runs the risk of causing more damage to it.
Also, it’s essential to make sure that you’re TV screen is suffering from an actual dead pixel issue. Sometimes, small dirt can get stuck on your TV screen that you might mistake as a dead pixel instead.
We recommend giving your entire TV screen a thorough wipe with a clean cloth to remove any dirt on the surface that looks like a dead pixel. You can then refer to the instructions below on fixing a broken TV screen with dead or stuck pixels.
Step 1: Rub gently around the dead pixel on your TV screen using a pencil eraser, cleaning cloth, or touch screen stylus. |
| Step 2: Keep rubbing onto the dead pixel until it’s no longer visible. Note: Please avoid using abrasive objects that might scratch the TV screen instead. We also recommend not rubbing into the dead pixel for too long as it might also result in further TV screen damage. |
Another thing you can try to revive any dead pixels on your TV screen is to play a video loop of blinking red, blue, and green lights. Rapidly switching colors on the TV screen is a known way of reviving dead pixels.
You can do this by opening the YouTube app on your TV to search and play a video loop like that. If your TV doesn’t support YouTube, you can also download the video into a PC and transfer it to a USB stick that you can plug and play into your device.
How much does it cost to repair my broken TV screen?
The cost to fix a broken TV screen with only minimal hairline scratches or cracks doesn’t amount to much as you can do it using simple materials. What’s expensive is repairing or replacing a broken TV screen that received major damage.
Believe it or not, the LCD panel of a TV covers about eighty percent of the unit’s entire cost, which is why replacement is costly. It’s also the biggest reason that TV screen replacement isn’t advisable and not worth it in most cases.
If you add the labor cost for replacing the TV screen, the price will be close to or higher compared to buying a new unit. The only exception to this is if your TV is covered by warranty, which makes the replacement free.
There’s no reliable market for buying replacement TV screen panels except for ones salvaged from other broken units. Thus, a $1000 TV unit will most likely be equipped with an LCD panel that costs $800 to produce, including shipping costs.
These panels are also very fragile and can easily sustain damage during shipment, which is a huge risk for their manufacturers. These are why replacement LCD panels aren’t commonly sold in the market.
Does my warranty cover a broken TV screen?
A broken TV screen due to mishandling or accidental drop and impact isn’t covered by a product warranty. It will only be covered if the damage to the TV screen is due to a manufacturer defect under a limited time frame, which you also need to prove.
If the broken TV screen was also a result of an accident during the delivery or a natural disaster, your product warranty won’t cover it. You’ll be forced to purchase a new TV unit unless the damage is so minor that you can fix it yourself.
You need to contact your TV vendor to find out if the damage to your TV screen can be covered by its warranty. While most TV warranties share similar coverage plans, you never know until you’ve confirmed it directly from the store you got the unit from.
In most cases, your product warranty won’t be able to cover a broken TV screen as it’s usually the result of accidental impacts or mishandling.
It’s also challenging to prove that the damage was due to a workmanship or manufacturer defect, which is unfortunate.
However, a super extended warranty is a totally different animal. The insurance policy is usually more expensive than your run-of-the-mill standard warranty but will cover accidental damage such as a broken screen.
How to Dispose of a Broken TV
If you cannot fix a broken TV screen by yourself or through a repair service, you don’t have many options apart from disposing of your defective unit. Do note that you can still get something out of it, as valuable components are inside.
You should research which components are valuable on your TV to take them apart or keep them intact and get rid of them as is. Below are some recommended ways to dispose of a broken TV.
Throw away the broken TV.
The most straightforward way to dispose of a broken TV is to throw it away if it’s no longer useful. Please note that this doesn’t mean you can just throw your TV at any trash bin you can find in your area.
Mind you, there are regulations for the disposal of electronics.
We recommend contacting the waste disposal department in your municipality or city to check if they handle e-wastes. If yes, you can send them your broken TV so they can properly dispose of it and recycle any components that are still usable.
Retailers such as Apple and Best Buy also offer recycling programs that will help get rid of your electronic waste for you. Please note that these recycling programs will cost you money, especially when shipping your broken TV to them.
Websites like Earth911 can also locate nearby electronics recyclers in your area. You only need to select “television” on the search bar and enter your zip code to get a list of local electronics recyclers you can contact.Sell your broken TV.
As mentioned earlier, even a broken TV will have some valuable components inside that you can sell to get some of your money back. For one, the power supply board, main board, and T-con board can be sold for $50 – $150 based on the condition.
You can take your broken TV apart to secure these valuable components so you can sell them online or to a local repair shop that might be interested. If you’re not good at handling an electronic device, you can sell the unit with everything still intact.
If you can get a good amount of money from selling the components of your broken TV, you can use it to purchase your replacement unit. It’s also easier to dispose of your TV when disassembled since parts can be sorted based on their materials.
Keep the valuable components of your broken TV.
Instead of selling your broken TV’s valuable components, you can keep them in case you need replacement parts for another compatible unit. If you plan to get the same TV model, you can keep them as a backup for future use.
Doing so will make disposing of your broken TV easier since you’ll only get rid of the components you don’t have a use for. It’s also a good habit to recycle your electronics and try to reuse them whenever possible.
How to Avoid Getting a Broken TV Screen
Various preventative measures can be employed so you won’t reach a point where you need to fix a broken TV screen. You don’t have a surefire way to prevent your TV from breaking, but these can help lower the odds.
Below is a list of simple and effective preventative measures to protect your TV screen from break damage. Please note that the overall handling of your TV will still be the ultimate factor that can prevent it from having a broken screen.
- Mount your TV on a wall to prevent it from falling due to an earthquake or being accidentally knocked over by an object or person.
- Apply a screen protector on your TV screen to limit the possibility of scratches and cracks if it falls over or hits a hard object.
- Keep children away from your TV as their movements can be unpredictable, especially when they’re fond of running around the house.
- Be careful when playing video games with children, as they tend to accidentally throw their controllers to the TV screen if their grip isn’t good enough or if they’re not good at handling their emotions when losing.
- Make a rule for kids and adults not to play ball inside the house or in the room where the flatscreen TV is displayed.
Indeed, prevention is better than cure. The best way to deal with a broken TV screen issue is to ensure it doesn’t happen under your watch.
FAQs about Broken TV Screens
How much is the cost of repair labor for TVs?
Repair labor can cost $75 – $250, depending on what the technician has to deal with on your TV. The price can also go much higher depending on the components that need replacing, especially if it’s the more expensive ones like the boards.
Where can I get a replacement TV screen?
There’s no reliable market to buy a replacement TV screen. Your best bet is to find a broken TV unit similar to yours that has damage on anything except its LCD panel so you can harvest it for replacement.
Doing this might still be costly, but sometimes you can get lucky if somebody tries to make a quick buck on their broken TV. You can also try researching what other TV brands and models use the same LCD panel as your unit to expand your options.
Can I still use my TV if its screen has a crack?
You can still use your TV depending on the severity of the crack on its display screen. Most cracks are visible but tolerable as long as you can clearly distinguish the images on your TV display screen.
If the crack caused lines or black spots to appear on the TV screen, you might not be able to enjoy watching shows on it. If you can get behind the crack on your TV screen or it’s not too severe, you can continue using it until you get a new one.
What can cause a TV screen to crack?
The impact from a hard object and falling are the common causes of cracks on most TV screens. It can also occur due to ambient conditions, such as an extreme rise in temperature that can cause the TV screen to expand and crack from the pressure.
Cold temperatures can also cause dead pixels, resulting in colored lines appearing on the display screen. This isn’t a physical crack on the TV screen panel, but its effects can be as severe, if not more.
