I recently found myself on a quest to help my friend search for the perfect screen protector for her brand-new iPhone 12. The dilemma? Only the ones for iPhone 11 are available, and then I went on a different quest to see whether it will fit.
Technically, an iPhone 11 screen protector can fit an iPhone 12 because both have similar screen sizes.
However, their screens differ in some aspects, so the iPhone 11 screen protector will be shorter on all sides and only cover part of the screen, leaving a part of the iPhone 12 screen’s edges exposed.
Indeed, there’s more to it than meets the eye. In this post, we’ll look closely into the iPhone 11 and 12 display specifications to help you understand whether they can use the same screen protector or protective cases without issues.
Are iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 screens the same size?
If we’re talking specifically about the base models of iPhone 11 and iPhone 12, the answer to this question would be a resounding “Yes!” On paper, Apple lists the screen size for both devices at 6.1 inches, indicating they’re similar.
However, you have to consider the other available models for these lineups because that’s where things become tricky.
As such, the similarities of their base models aren’t enough to justify whether or not an iPhone 11 screen protector fits an iPhone 12.
After all, the iPhone 11 models have different screen sizes, so the same should apply to iPhone 12 models. Therefore, you must first identify the models you want to compare before you can reliably judge whether they have similar screen sizes.
Until then, coming up with an answer regarding two devices’ screen sizes is impossible without something to stand on.
We’ve compiled the different iPhone 11 and 12 models and their corresponding screen sizes in the table below for your reference.
| iPhone Model | Screen Dimensions |
| iPhone 11 | 6.1 inches, 90.3 cm2 |
| iPhone 11 Pro | 5.8 inches, 84.4 cm2 |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 |
| iPhone 12 | 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 |
| iPhone 12 Mini | 5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 |
| iPhone 12 Pro | 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 |
Looking at the above table, it’s evident how different the screen sizes are between iPhone 11 and 12 models. In particular, only three devices share similar screen sizes, including the two base models and the iPhone 12 Pro.
If you own a model aside from those three, your iPhone’s screen isn’t comparable to the other devices.
In such cases, you must stick to specialized accessories for your iPhone because using something meant for other models is inadvisable and pointless.
Besides, you must understand that similar screen measurements don’t make your iPhone 11 and 12’s displays identical.
Considering other factors before deciding on these devices’ similarities is essential, especially when choosing a suitable accessory.
If you didn’t know, an iPhone’s screen size is a diagonal measurement from the upper-left corner to the bottom-right corner of its display.
However, this measurement isn’t a sufficient basis because it disregards other elements in a phone’s display screen.
For example, it doesn’t tell you whether or not the displays you’re comparing have similar designs and edges. After all, a curved edge will look and feel different from a flat edge regardless of the similarity in their diagonal measurements.
Surprisingly, this will significantly affect the approach to creating an accessory for your iPhone 11 or 12.
Although the difference may seem subtle, most developers will consider even minor details to ensure their product is compatible with the target device.
Doing so can dictate whether or not the accessory they’re making will be a popular choice among their consumers. It proves that similar iPhone screen sizes can have overwhelming differences, making the same accessories unusable in this case.
Knowing all these, how can we know whether an iPhone 11 screen protector will fit an iPhone 12? Let’s dive right in.
Will an iPhone 11 screen protector fit the iPhone 12?
Because of the massive similarities between the iPhone 11 and 12’s displays, it’s safe to say that they can use the same screen protector. Of course, this only applies to their base models and the iPhone 12 Pro because they all sport a 6.1-inch display.
These three devices have similar display nudges and won’t have much trouble adapting to the same screen protector. It’s no wonder the screen protectors for newer iPhone models have similar designs, even though they can differ in size.
Therefore, trying the same screen protector on an iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Mini, and iPhone 12 Pro Max is meaningless.
If you have these models, you must buy a specialized screen protector compatible with their display screens.
However, although the base iPhone 11’s screen protector can fit your iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, that doesn’t mean it would look perfect.
As mentioned, screen size alone isn’t enough to make two displays identical because you must consider other factors.
Surprisingly, there are many differences between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12’s display, even though their screen sizes are the same. These differences will play a significant role in dictating whether or not the same screen protector will fit perfectly.
After all, you don’t want your iPhone’s screen protector only to cover its entire display’s surface.
More importantly, it should fit down to the edges of the display, ensuring that no excess or shortage of protection can affect how the device looks at a glance.
Otherwise, you might find your screen protector’s edges protruding awkwardly if incompatible with your iPhone display’s edges.
It’s understandable when this happens because of an imperfect installation since you can redo and fix its placement anytime.
However, an incompatible screen protector will look bad regardless of how meticulous you are at installing it on your iPhone.
Besides, you can feel it in your hands when a screen protector’s edge is protruding because it can be distracting and uncomfortable.
Ideally, you want your iPhone’s screen protector to blend seamlessly with the display. An inconspicuous screen protector is better because it doesn’t affect your device’s aesthetics and display quality, which users find appealing about Apple devices.
It’s also essential when choosing a suitable screen protector for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro because these devices boast an OLED display. Installing a terrible and non-fitting screen protector to a superior display panel might as well be a crime.
Sometimes, it’s challenging to determine whether your iPhone 11’s screen protector will fit an iPhone 12 because they can vary based on the product’s developer. Trying the extra screen protector is wise if you bought a pack for your old device.
Fortunately, you don’t have to install it directly on your iPhone 12 to confirm whether it fits perfectly.
We recommend placing it over the display without removing its adhesive so you can eyeball if the edges are compatible with your device’s display screen.
Are iPhone 11 and 12 screens interchangeable?
It’s reasonable to think your iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 display panels are interchangeable because they have similar screen sizes.
However, this isn’t the case since Apple has never released a device with a backward-compatible screen thus far.
It means the display panel from a newer Apple device won’t be compatible with an older device, so you can’t interchange them. You can swap between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro’s screens because they’re precisely the same panels, but that’s it.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are exceptions because they’re from the same lineup, and Apple released them simultaneously. From a business perspective, using the same display panel on both devices should be better for them financially.
In most cases, you can only use the screen from the same model as a replacement if you break your phone’s display panel. Therefore, even if you can fit your iPhone 11’s screen protector on an iPhone 12, that doesn’t make their displays identical.
Additionally, you must understand that iPhone displays are challenging to replace, even if you can fit the screen from different models.
Apple is notoriously against third-party repairs because they lose sales from the prevalence of counterfeit replacement parts.
As a result, you can’t just stick a replacement display from one iPhone to another and hope it works perfectly. In particular, you’ll lose the True Tone feature if you swap in another display screen willy-nilly without programming it beforehand.
When this happens, an “Important Display Message” will pop up on your iPhone’s screen, letting you know your new display isn’t genuine or defective. However, this message can appear even if you use a genuine display panel from another device.
After all, your iPhone checks the serial number of the display panel you installed on it. It has to match the serial number of the old screen to trick the device into thinking you didn’t replace it with a new one.
Thus, you must copy this serial number using a programmer tool to ensure your screen replacement will work correctly.
But if you don’t mind losing True Tone or seeing the pop-up message, you don’t have to worry about bypassing this anti-repair mechanism.
What are the differences between iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 screens?
The many differences between the iPhone 11 and iPhone screens are the most significant reasons they’re not interchangeable.
Even if you can swap them somehow, you’ll notice these differences immediately because they’re impactful and conspicuous.
For example, the brightness level is the most visible difference between an iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 screen. It’s more noticeable when you place both devices in a dark room because one will display sharper, brighter, and more colorful images.
The reason for this is the iPhone 12’s superior OLED display panel, which beats the older model’s IPS display any day of the week. The OLED display produces more vibrant images for less power, improving the device’s mediocre battery capacity.
Another noticeable difference between their screens is the thinner bezels on the iPhone 12, making its display wider than what the iPhone 11 has to offer.
Surprisingly, the slimmer bezels give it a magnificent 86 percent screen-to-body ratio.
It’s a significant leap from the iPhone 11’s 79 percent screen-to-body ratio, which makes sense for a new model because it has to feel like an upgrade.
The visible difference is essential since Apple typically receives flak for only adding “minimal device changes.”
The iPhone 12’s screen also promises better durability with its brand-new “ceramic shield” glass protection. Apple says it’s more durable than the scratch-resistant glass they put on older devices, which explains why they keep using it for new iPhones.
However, this improved durability doesn’t remove the need for an extra layer of protection. Installing a screen protector on an expensive device like an iPhone 12 is always advisable, regardless of Apple’s improvements to its display screen.
But does that mean you should try to fit your iPhone 11’s screen protector on your iPhone 12? Although you can do this, installing a specialized screen protector for your device remains the best option to ensure a perfect fit.
After all, even if your iPhone 11’s screen protector can cover your iPhone 12’s display, minor differences can affect how well it fits. For instance, the edges on the former’s screen are curved, while the latter has flat edges.
As a result, your iPhone 11’s screen protector might fall short on each side because of adjustments for the curved edges. Therefore, it’ll only cover the light-up parts of the screen, giving you less protection because of the exposed edges.
iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 Display Specifications:
Check the display specifications for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 for a summary of their differences.
Note: These specifications are for the base models only.
| iPhone 11 | iPhone 12 |
| Liquid Retina IPS LCD panel 625 nits brightness 6.1 inches screen size 828 x 1792 resolution Scratch-resistant glass protection | Retina XDR OLED panel 1200 nits brightness 6.1 inches screen size 1170 x 2532 resolution Ceramic Shield glass protection |
Will an iPhone 12 protective case fit the iPhone 11?
Whether your iPhone 12’s protective case can fit your iPhone 11 is a different story. Regarding their builds, the former is slightly smaller, so any protective case that fits perfectly on the latter should work in theory.
However, these devices have different designs, so whether the size difference is minuscule doesn’t matter. At first glance, it’s not noticeable because both devices almost look identical, creating a very misleading illusion of similarity.
Upon close inspection, you’ll notice how different both devices’ overall designs and shapes are. Furthermore, you have to account for their button placements, which Apple placed differently.
As a result, it doesn’t matter whether you can make an iPhone 12 protective case fit your iPhone 11 because the holes won’t align with the buttons.
Plus, some buttons, ports, or slots might become inaccessible because the screen protector is incompatible.
Of course, that’s assuming you can make the protective case fit, which isn’t likely to happen in some cases. It’s possible with some jelly cases because their stretchability makes them adapt to the size difference without any issues.
However, that doesn’t solve the unalignment with your iPhone 11’s buttons and ports. Therefore, even attempting this is pointless because of the regrettable results you can expect.
If you flip the scenario, you’ll encounter the same problems concerning button and port misalignment.
It’s a shame because a protective case would have been a helpful tool to hide the imperfections of fitting an iPhone 11 screen protector on your iPhone 12.
The Best iPhone 12 Screen Protectors You Can Find
Instead of forcing an iPhone 11 screen protector to fit your iPhone 12, we recommend buying a compatible one.
This way, you don’t have to bother with the imperfections this unholy pairing causes, resulting in misaligned buttons, ports, and slots.
Besides, screen protectors aren’t challenging to come by, so there’s no reason to resort to an incompatible alternative. The market for screen protectors is saturated enough that you’ll find one that fits your budget and quality standard.
However, this list will focus on the best screen protectors you can install on your iPhone 12. After all, we don’t recommend using a low-quality screen protector because it’ll only butcher your device’s beautiful OLED display.
As promised, here’s a rundown of the best-quality screen protectors for the iPhone 12 in no particular order. We’ll include the link for these screen protectors so you can order one for your phone immediately after deciding which to buy.
- ZAGG – Glass Elite VisionGuard+ ($49.99)
- ZAGG – Elite Privacy+ ($44.99)
