If you are reading this with a cracked screen and you didn't buy the plan, you have a few options:

Even with AppleCare+, screen repairs are not free—but $29 is far better than $379. If you tend to drop your phone, AppleCare+ pays for itself after just one screen repair.

It happens in slow motion. One minute you are texting, walking, or simply moving your phone from the coffee table to your lap. The next, there is that sickening slap of glass against pavement. You pick it up, turn it over, and there it is: the spiderweb. A shattered display that turns your sleek, futuristic device into a hazard to your fingertips.

When using Express Replacement, Apple puts a temporary authorization hold on your credit card for the full value of the replacement device (this can be over $1,000). Once they receive your broken device and verify the damage is covered (i.e., it's just a cracked screen and not liquid damage or a disassembled phone), they release the hold and only charge you the $29 deductible.

AppleCare+ turns a catastrophe (a $379 repair bill) into a minor inconvenience (a $29 fee).

However, if you drop the phone and the back glass shatters, or the aluminum frame is bent, or the camera lens cracks, this falls under "Other Accidental Damage." The deductible for this is higher (usually for iPhones).

If you purchased AppleCare+ recently, you are in even better shape than you used to be.

The AppleCare+ protection plan covers up to 2 incidents of accidental damage, including cracked screens, per year. This coverage includes:

✅ Bottom line: AppleCare+ does cover cracked screens, but you’ll pay a small deductible per repair.