Privacy/ Tinted Screen Protector
This guide illustrates techniques I've used successfully over many phones, and each time I get a PERFECT install, no dust or bubbles
and almost always perfectly even edge-to-edge positioning. Yes, you'll
need a steady hand and a bit of practice, but it's not as bad as you
think, and this technique has worked for me every time.
** Note: This guide is intended for self-adhesive (non-water based)
films, but the techniques should work for those other types like Zagg
which rely on a spray method. Some may also wish to use a mild soapy
solution and/or diluted isopropyl alcohol to help reduce static and ease
positioning, but I caution strongly (and would go so far as to
discourage it) as excess can seep into the phone and damage it. It also
will make any dust particles hard to see and even harder to remove.
Preparation:
- A clear, clean, well
lit work area. (An environment with higher humidity like a bathroom
where you've run hot water in the shower can help eliminate static that
can attract dust) - Adjustable height chair to get comfortably close to the phone
without straining (I recommend roughly chest height, so that you can
easily rest your arms on the work surface). - Sheet of paper or cloth to prevent scratches to phone and to present a clean work area.
- Screen protector of your choice.
- Lint-free cleaning cloth, either felt or microfiber. I don't
recommend toilet tissue (lint residue). Some paper towels are alright,
but rough until the fibers soften up, so be sure you allow them to get
damp. - Scotch (or other brand of clear) tape. Try not to use tape with
very strong adhesive such as clear packing tape, as it will be harder to
remove at the end of the procedure. - Cleaning solution such as Windex, or better yet, anything suitable
for optics or eyeglasses. What you want is something that won't leave a
residue.
Step 1:
Before you do anything, take a moment to lay the screen protector on top
of your phone and move it around a bit to examine how much room you
have on the edges. This will give you a sense of how much 'wiggle room'
you have and how close on any one edge you'll have to get when doing
the actual install. Some protectors are cut with closer tolerances than
others. This step will enable you to have a sense of spacing so that
you can more closely lay the sheet down with even spacing on all sides.
Also, make a note of the cuts and shapes. For example, the Inspire 4G
has a different radius at the top and bottom corners, and the screen
protector is cut accordingly. Note what happens in these two shots when
I flip the protector in the opposite direction:
Step 2:
- Once you've sized up your screen protector layout
against the target, prepare two strips of "scotch" (clear adhesive) tape
about 1"-2" long each, folding both sides side over to stick it to
itself as a 'flap' or 'tabs', which will give you an easy way to grab
the tape for removal after the screen protector is deposited onto the
phone. - Note: On some larger devices such as tablets, and in certain
cases even on smaller phones, using more than 2 tabs can be an aid. Use
your judgment. The beauty of this is that you can experiment with the
feel of handling the protector prior to application to get some
practice, and see how many 'tabs' you'll need.[Props to igalan] - Lay one on the edge from where you will be removing the film
backing. What you are doing here is to create scotch tape 'handles'
which you use to steer the protector onto the phone, instead of handling
the protector itself and risk getting fingerprints on the adhesive.
Step 3:
Clean the phone thoroughly. This is where the lint-free cloth and
cleaning solution come into play. Be sure that you've removed all the
fingerprints and dust specks. Use the condensation from your breath to
see any flaws or residue left on the screen. Often it helps to buff the
area when dry. It all depends on whether the residue you're cleaning
is greasy, sticky, or whatever. Some smudges respond better to one
method than the other.
Step 4:
- Lay phone on flat even surface and get your screen protector with its 'handles'.
- Holding the one tape 'handle' that you created near the tab, remove
the backing from the protector. You're going to get static electricity
from this. I've never seen a case where it didn't happen, so be
prepared for it, and do your best to keep the protector far enough away
from other objects in the area it might come into contact with. - Once you've successfully removed the backing, grab the second
'handle' and SLOWLY approach the phone with the protector, recalling the
spacing you saw when you first laid the sheet on top to size it up. - HINT: Rest your forearms or wrists on your work surface to
steady your hands, and roll your wrists or move your fingers back and
forth for position. Don't try to hover over the screen suspending the
protector with your entire upper arms, as this will introduce shake and
sway. Bigger distances introduce bigger errors. Smaller distances
require smaller corrections. A lesson I learned while taking watch
repair classes. - Hold the protector over the display (remembering the spacing you
observed earlier) and lay it down starting on one corner or one edge
(depending on its shape), and slowly let it fall into place. Do this by
starting at the corner or edge, rather than just plopping it down flat.
This way, it helps prevent air bubbles from forming in the middle
which can occur.
Step 5:
If you've been lucky enough to be in a dust-free environment, and slowly
applied the protector from one edge to the other, you should now have a
perfectly installed screen film. However, most of us are not that
fortunate. This is again where the scotch tape 'handles' come into
play.
- Create a 3rd length of scotch tape, but this time, only
fold it over on one edge, which is where you'll be handling it, and hold
it with one hand adhesive side up. This segment of tape will be the
'mop' used to remove any residue. - Find the spot that has the dust specks on it. Because any dust
particles will have almost certainly stuck to the backing of the
protector, as you pull up on one of the remaining 'handles' that are
still attached to the phone, the dust specks will adhere to the
protector, rather than the screen. - Note: Some very fine dust particles or fibers can lift the
protector from the screen surface just enough so that they'll appear as
though they're air bubbles. If you're concerned, follow this procedure
and be prepared with a 'mop' to address it.[Thanks, MuF123] - Slide the strip with your other hand to the spot where the dust
speck is, and let the film fall down again so that the tape comes into
contact with the adhesive, and LIGHTLY apply pressure. - Lift the protector up, peel the 'mop' away and it should take the dust speck with it. Repeat as necessary.
Final step:
- Presuming all went well, you have no dust
under your screen at this point. Remove the tape flap you made starting
from the center of the screen and peeling back to the edges, rather
than from the edges inward which would risk lifting the protector off
the display. - HINT: Do not lift the tape at a 90-degree angle to the surface
of the screen. See if you can pull it off as parallel to the surface as
possible, which again will reduce the risk you'll pull the protector
off the surface of the display. - If there are any air bubbles, they should be close to the edges,
easy enough to push out using your finger or a credit card covered with
your cleaning cloth to prevent any grit from the card from scratching
the protector.
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