iPad Screen Repair Cost UK (2026): Glass vs Full Screen, Every Model
A cracked iPad screen is one of the most misunderstood repairs in the UK – mostly because there are two completely different repairs hiding behind the same phrase. On some iPads you can replace just the cracked glass for under £100. On others, the only option is a full fused display that runs into the hundreds. Knowing which camp your iPad falls into is the single biggest factor in what you'll pay.
This guide gives you the real numbers for every iPad model – iPad Pro 11", 12.9" and 13", iPad Air, the standard iPad, and iPad mini – straight from the celltech iPad repair price list. More importantly, it explains the glass-only versus full-screen distinction that most repairers gloss over, so you can work out which repair you actually need before you part with a penny.
Direct answer: iPad screen repair in the UK typically costs between £39.95 and £849.95 at celltech. The price is driven by three things: whether your iPad uses a separate glass layer (a cheap glass-only repair) or a fully fused display (a pricier full-screen replacement); the model tier (a standard iPad is far cheaper than an iPad Pro); and the panel technology (basic Retina versus laminated Liquid Retina or ProMotion). A standard iPad glass repair starts around £124.95–£139.95; an iPad Pro fused display can be £599.95–£849.95.
iPad Screen Repair Cost: Every Model
Below are celltech's current published prices for iPad screen work. Where a model offers a glass-only repair (replacing just the cracked top glass or digitiser), that price is shown alongside the full display price. A dash (–) means glass-only isn't offered for that model because the display is fully fused – the glass, touch layer and panel are bonded into one part, so the whole assembly has to be replaced.
| iPad model | Glass-only repair | Full screen replacement |
|---|---|---|
| iPad Pro 13" (M5) | – | £849.95 |
| iPad Pro 11" (M5) | – | £649.95 |
| iPad Pro 13" (M4) | £599.95 | £799.95 |
| iPad Pro 11" (M4) | £499.95 | £619.95 |
| iPad Pro 12.9" (5th / 6th Gen) | – | £349.95 |
| iPad Pro 11" (4th Gen) | – | £245.95 |
| iPad Pro 11" (3rd Gen) | – | £229.95 |
| iPad Air 11" (M3) | – | £249.95 |
| iPad Air 11" (M2) | £119.95 | £194.95 |
| iPad (11th Gen) | £139.95 | £159.95 |
| iPad (10th Gen) | £124.95 | £139.95 |
| iPad (9th Gen) | £124.95 | £139.95 |
| iPad (8th Gen) | £59.95 | £114.95 |
| iPad (7th Gen) | £99.95 | £159.95 |
| iPad mini (A17 Pro) | – | £189.95 |
| iPad mini (6th Gen) | £119.95 | £329.95 |
| iPad mini (5th Gen) | – | £119.95 |
These are transparent, published prices – not a "from" figure designed to get you through the door. Many UK repairers hide tablet pricing behind a quote-wall precisely because the glass-versus-fused distinction lets them quote high. Older iPad Pro 12.9" (1st–4th Gen), older iPad mini, and the standard iPad 2nd–6th Gen are all covered too; if your exact model isn't shown above, contact us for a quote.
Glass-Only vs Full Screen: The Distinction That Saves You Money
Here is the bit almost nobody explains properly. An iPad "screen" is really two parts working together: the digitiser (the clear glass layer that senses your touch) and the display panel underneath (the LCD or OLED that produces the image). How those two parts are joined together decides whether you can do a cheap repair or an expensive one.
Older and standard iPads: separate glass
On the standard iPad line and older models, the digitiser glass sits as a separate layer on top of the display, with a small air gap between them. If you drop one of these and only the top glass cracks – while the image underneath is still perfect and touch still works – we can replace just the glass and leave the working panel alone. That's the glass-only repair, and it's why an iPad (8th Gen) glass swap is £59.95 rather than £114.95 for the full display, or an iPad (7th Gen) glass repair is £99.95 versus £159.95.
iPad Pro, Air and newer: fused displays
Apple's premium iPads – every iPad Pro, the iPad Air, and increasingly the newer standard models – use a fully laminated (fused) display. The glass, touch sensor and panel are bonded together into a single, ultra-thin unit with no air gap. This is what gives those screens their gorgeous, "painted-on" look, but it has a price: when the glass cracks, you cannot separate it from the panel without destroying the panel. The only reliable fix is a full display assembly. That's why there's no cheap glass option on an iPad Air 11" (M3) or an iPad Pro 13" (M5) – the part itself is one fused piece.
A few fused models (such as the iPad Pro M4 and iPad mini 6th Gen) do show a lower glass-only price. That reflects a specialist re-lamination service: where the panel underneath has survived the drop and still displays a clean image, we can replace just the cracked glass layer and re-bond it, saving you the cost of a whole new panel. It only works when the display itself is undamaged – which leads to the most useful question you can ask yourself before booking.
The 10-second self-check: Power the iPad on. Is the image underneath the cracks still clear, with no black patches, lines, discolouration or dead spots – and does touch still respond everywhere? If yes, you may qualify for the cheaper glass-only repair. If the display is blank, lined, blotchy or unresponsive, the panel is damaged and you'll need the full screen.
Why Fused Retina, Liquid Retina & ProMotion Displays Cost More
Beyond the glass-versus-fused split, the panel technology itself drives the price. iPads use progressively more advanced displays as you move up the range, and each step adds parts cost and repair complexity:
- Standard Retina (non-laminated): the basic iPad's display. Separate digitiser, modest brightness, no anti-reflective coating. Cheapest to repair – and the only tier where glass-only is routinely possible.
- Liquid Retina (laminated): the iPad Air and 11" Pro panels. Fully fused, brighter, with True Tone and a laminated, anti-reflective finish. More expensive parts, full-assembly only.
- Liquid Retina XDR & ProMotion: the larger iPad Pro panels with mini-LED or tandem OLED, 120Hz ProMotion, and reference-grade colour. These are the most costly display modules Apple makes for a tablet, which is exactly why an iPad Pro 13" (M5) full screen is £849.95.
There's a second hidden factor: Face ID and True Tone. On Face ID iPads (the Pro and recent Air), the TrueDepth components and ambient-light sensors are paired to your specific device. A screen swap done carelessly can disable Face ID or break True Tone auto-brightness. We transfer the original sensors and programme the replacement so both keep working – the kind of detail that separates a proper repair from a cheap one.
What Drives Your iPad Screen Repair Cost
To summarise the five levers that decide your price:
- Glass-only vs full display: the biggest single factor. A working panel under cracked glass can mean a repair at a fraction of the full-screen price.
- Model tier: a standard iPad is built to a budget; an iPad Pro is a flagship. The repair cost tracks the device cost.
- Panel technology: basic Retina is cheap; Liquid Retina XDR and ProMotion are the most expensive tablet panels in production.
- Parts grade: we tier our parts honestly – genuine and OEM-grade options to match Apple's spec for brightness, colour accuracy and touch response, rather than the cheapest aftermarket glass that yellows or ghosts within months.
- Face ID / True Tone transfer: on premium iPads, preserving these features is part of doing the job correctly.
iPad Screen Repair: celltech vs Apple
Apple's out-of-warranty iPad screen service is priced per model and, like all Apple repairs, comes with a 90-day warranty. Apple's published pricing for iPad screen repair spans a wide range depending on model (subject to change), and Apple does not offer a glass-only option at all – every cracked iPad is treated as a full-unit service, often by swapping your iPad for a replacement device entirely, which means your data and your original hardware are gone.
The celltech difference is threefold. First, the glass-only route: where Apple would charge for a whole new display (or a whole new iPad), we can often replace just the glass. Second, the guarantee: our screen repairs carry a 27-month warranty – more than double the 12 months most independent UK repairers offer, and far longer than Apple's 90 days. Third, your data stays put: a screen repair never touches your storage, so your apps, photos and settings are exactly as you left them. If you also own an iPhone, the same logic applies – see our iPhone screen replacement cost guide for how Apple's flat fees compare there.
Is It Worth Repairing Your iPad Screen?
For most iPads, yes – and more so than for almost any other device, because iPads hold their value remarkably well. A well-kept iPad Pro or Air can be worth several hundred pounds years after launch, so a screen repair usually protects far more value than it costs. A simple way to decide:
- Repair if the repair costs less than roughly half of what the iPad is worth working – almost always true for any Pro, Air, or current-generation iPad or mini. A £139.95 screen on an iPad that resells for £250+ is an easy call.
- Repair the glass rather than the full screen wherever your panel still works – it's the cheapest way to get years more life out of the device.
- Think carefully only on the very oldest, lowest-value iPads, where a full display can approach the resale value. Even then, a glass-only repair (from £39.95 on the oldest models) often still makes sense.
Repairing also keeps a working iPad out of landfill and preserves the data on it – both wins over replacement. The same value logic applies to Android tablets; if you're comparing across ecosystems, our Samsung Galaxy Tab screen repair cost guide covers the equivalent numbers on that side.
How celltech's Mail-In iPad Repair Works
celltech is a UK-wide, mail-in specialist, so you don't need to live near a workshop to get a proper repair. The process is simple and the device never leaves a tracked, insured chain:
- Book online and tell us your exact iPad model and whether the display still works (this decides glass-only versus full screen).
- Post it in using our tracked, fully insured mail-in service – covered in both directions, so your iPad is protected from your door to our bench and back again.
- Free diagnostics on standard repairs confirm whether the cheaper glass-only route is available before any work begins, with no surprises on price.
- We repair and test, transferring Face ID and True Tone components where applicable, then post it back to you fixed.
You get transparent published pricing, a 27-month guarantee on the screen repair, and the reassurance of an established specialist covering roughly 2,467 device models with a 4.8-star rating. To get started, head to our iPad repair page and select your model.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fix an iPad screen in the UK?
Anywhere from £39.95 for a glass-only repair on the oldest iPad mini to £849.95 for a full fused display on the iPad Pro 13" (M5). For the most common devices, expect around £124.95–£159.95 for a standard iPad, £194.95–£249.95 for an iPad Air, and £229.95 upwards for an iPad Pro. The exact figure depends on whether your model supports a glass-only repair or needs the full screen.
What's the difference between glass repair and screen replacement?
A glass (or digitiser) repair replaces only the cracked top layer and reuses your working display panel – cheaper, and possible on iPads with a separate glass layer or where a fused panel survived the drop. A full screen replacement swaps the entire display assembly and is needed whenever the panel itself is damaged (black patches, lines, dead touch). Our diagnostics confirm which one your iPad needs.
Why is iPad Pro screen repair so much more expensive than a standard iPad?
Two reasons. The iPad Pro uses a fully fused Liquid Retina XDR or ProMotion panel – the most advanced and costly tablet display Apple makes – so there's no cheap glass-only shortcut and the part itself is dear. A standard iPad uses a simpler, often non-laminated Retina display with a separate digitiser, which is far cheaper to source and frequently repairable at glass level alone.
Can you replace just the cracked glass on a newer iPad?
Sometimes. On fully fused models it's only possible when the display panel underneath is undamaged, in which case we re-laminate a new glass layer (for example, the iPad Pro M4 or iPad mini 6th Gen glass-only prices in the table above). If the panel is cracked, lined or blank, the whole fused assembly must be replaced. The 10-second self-check – clear image and full touch response – tells you which applies.
Will I lose my data when you replace the screen?
No. A screen or glass repair only touches the display – it never goes near your storage. Your apps, photos, messages and settings remain exactly as they were. We always recommend a backup before any repair as good practice, but a screen job does not put your data at risk.
Will the screen repair break Face ID or True Tone?
Not when it's done properly. On Face ID iPads the TrueDepth sensors are paired to your device and must be carefully transferred from the original screen; True Tone likewise needs the replacement programming correctly. We handle both as standard, so Face ID and automatic colour balancing keep working after the repair – a step cheaper repairers often skip.
How long is the warranty on an iPad screen repair?
celltech screen repairs carry a 27-month guarantee – more than double the 12 months most independent UK repairers offer, and far beyond Apple's 90-day cover. If anything related to the repair develops a fault within that window, we put it right.
How does the mail-in repair work if I'm not local?
celltech is mail-in only and covers the whole UK. You book online, post your iPad to us with our tracked and fully insured service (protected both ways), we run free diagnostics on standard repairs to confirm the price, complete the repair, and post it back to you fixed. You never need to set foot in a shop.