WHAT IS A SCREEN PROTECTOR AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
A screen protector is a transparent layer of strong material that you can attach to your phone to protect its screen. If you've ever used a device without a screen protector, you know the screen is vulnerable to cracks, scratches - and in some cases, total destruction. But with a screen protector, if your phone falls off your desk, gets shuffled around in a pocket or purse, or takes an impact, the screen protector, not the screen, breaks.
So, when your screen protector breaks but your phone screen doesn't, you know it did its job so you don't have to pay for an expensive screen replacement.
WHAT IS THE BEST SCREEN PROTECTOR FOR MY DEVICE?
The answer to that question can be different for everyone. With so many screen protector options available, it can be hard to find the right one for your device and the way you use it. It's smart to start shopping by focusing on two primary things: materials and types of screen coverage.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT MATERIAL
Screen protectors can be made from a variety of materials, and it's important to know which one best fits your needs.
PET/TPU
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and thermoplastic (TPU) screen protectors are 0.10 mm protective layer that feel like glass and preserve touch-sensitivity and clarity. They're easy to apply with our Easy Align tray, and bubbles are easy to remove. PET screen protectors won't crack, chip, or break, and they are rated 3H on the Pencil Hardness Scale, which means they offer moderate scratch resistance, but little impact protection. You can also choose PET/TPU screen protectors that provide edge coverage or are water resistant.
Tempered Glass
Tempered glass screen protectors consistently land among our top-selling products. They provide multi-level protection, minimizing damage from daily wear and tear, as well as occasional drops and impacts, without causing deep-level damage. These screen protectors, are rated 9H† for hardness (The highest score possible on the pencil scale). That means these screen protectors are scratch-resistant and stay crystal clear, giving you the same user experience as if you were using the device's screen itself. Belkin tempered glass screen protectors are also designed to be anti-fingerprint, reducing fingerprint smudges that can interfere with a clear view of the screen.
InvisiGlass Ultra
To protect phones that may be vulnerable to hard impacts, you can choose InvisiGlass Ultra screen protectors, which are 40% stronger than tempered glass. InvisiGlass Ultra is chemically engineered using single-ion exchange, which results in glass with greater strength but that's still smooth to the touch. Our InvisiGlass Ultra screen protectors are also ultra-slim - only measuring 0.29 mm thick, to preserve touchscreen sensitivity. InvisiGlass Ultra also has anti-fingerprint properties that help keep the screen clear.
UltraGlass
For the highest degree of screen protection, choose UltraGlass, 2x stronger than tempered glass*. These next-generation screen protectors, available exclusively through Belkin, are manufactured using double-ion exchange to chemically strengthen the glass. They're tough but every bit as sleek as our other screen protectors, smooth to the touch, resistant to fingerprint smudges, and ultra-slim at 0.29 mm for precision touchscreen sensitivity.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TYPE OF SCREEN COVERAGE
Once you know which material you need, you also need to decide whether you want a flat or curved screen protector.
Edge to Edge Coverage (E2E)
Screen protectors with edge-to-edge coverage are designed to cover maximum screen area while maintaining case compatibility. In some instances, they don't exactly reach the edge of the screen, but when compared with flat protectors, they provide extended coverage**.
Flat Coverage
Depending on the design of your device's screen, you may benefit more from flat screen protectors, which are typically stronger than E2E products and cover the active area of the screen. Flat screen protectors are also compatible with more case options and typically sell at a lower price point than E2E protectors.
SPECIAL FEATURES THAT PROTECT YOU AND YOUR DEVICE
After you choose the right screen protector material and coverage for your device, be sure to consider protectors that provide you with added benefits.
Treated screen protectors
Everywhere we go, our phones collect microbes from our fingers, pockets, purses, or car seats. The glass contains an antimicrobial agent to protect the product from microbial growth that causes discoloration and degradation.
Privacy screen protectors
You can also choose a screen protector that provides you with privacy. Whether you're working remotely and accessing company data at an event, checking your email while commuting, making a purchase, or even texting with friends, a privacy screen protector ensures no one else can read your screen. Using 3M's patented micro louver technology, the side filter works like tiny vertical blinds - only the person directly in front of the screen can see it while in portrait mode. If you want to share your screen's content with others around you, simply adjust the phone to landscape mode.
SCREEN PROTECTORS FOR TABLETS, LAPTOPS AND OTHER DEVICES
Screen protectors aren't only for phones. You can extend the protection from impact, scratches, fingerprint smudges to your tablet, laptop - even your smartwatch. You can choose from screen protectors made of the same materials and special features that are used in screen protectors designed for phones, and they're designed to look and feel just like your device's screen. These screen protectors also offer easy, at-home application, and they're backed by warranty. Our laptop screen protectors are also anti-glare, and removable and reusable.
Shop Screen Protectors for MacBook >
A FEW MORE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN CHOOSING A SCREEN PROTECTOR
There are a few more things to consider when you're shopping for a screen protector:
Case compatibility
Look for a line of screen protectors that gives you options for materials, coverage, and special features without limiting your choice of phone cases. You need to ensure you can choose both a screen protector and a case that will provide you with the right level of protection - and give you options to express your personal style.
Industry partnerships
Consider brands that have well-established relationships with leading device manufacturers. Such partnerships ensure your screen protector is tested to work with your device and won't interfere with your phone's performance. It also means you'll be able to find a screen protector that's designed for your device.
Application
You'll get the most value from a screen protector when it's applied correctly. We offer a patented at-home application system that includes a step-by-step guide that makes it simple for you to add a screen protector to your device like a pro - easily and bubble-free. If you prefer, you can choose in-store application with our TrueClear Pro application system.
Warranty
Remember how you can tell if a screen protector did its job? It breaks. That's why it's so important to understand the terms of your screen protector's warranty. Belkin screen protectors come with a limited lifetime warranty in the Americas and Europe only and a 2-year limited warranty in other parts of the world.
WHY BELKIN?
When you add it all up - cutting-edge technologies including UltraGlass, our patented application system, and a wide range of products covered by a reliable warranty - our screen protectors are the clear choice.
Our partnerships with leading smartphone manufacturers also enable us to optimize our designs and perform testing to offer you a product that really works - it breaks so your device's screen doesn't.
We're also committed to sustainability, working to replace plastic with compostable packaging and recycled materials - so we can help save the world, as well as your screen.
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†Rated 9H against low-carbon steel at 5H, using the ASTM D3363 Film Hardness by Pencil Test Hardness
*Based on drop tests of lithium aluminosilicate versus single-tempered aluminosilicate glass, using rough sandpaper. 80% of samples survived a drop height 2x higher than conventional single-tempered aluminosilicate glass.
**Screen protector has been optimized for case compatibility and may not reach the edge of the iPhone screen.
***Based on third party lab results conducted under the JIS Z 2801-2010 test standard. Contains a biocidalproduct: Dimethyloctadecyl[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ammonium chloride
