Accessories, How-To

How to Remove an iPad Screen Protector

Your screen protector is the only thing separating your iPad from an early trip to the tech graveyard. Whether you’re swapping your cracked iPad screen protector for a new one or simply switching to a more effective material, you need to know how to remove an iPad screen protector. 

In this guide, we simplify the process with step-by-step instructions. Our advice is safe, simple, and won’t put a dent in your bank balance. In fact, we’ve only included tools that you’re likely to already have in your home.

a person's hand is shown peeling a screen protector off of an iPad's screen, while the device is on a wooden surface next to an Apple Pencil

Before you begin 

Wondering how to remove an iPad screen protector? Before you even touch your screen protector, you need to prepare yourself and your device. 

  1. Clean your hands: Avoid smudges and unnecessary cleanup by thoroughly washing your hands.
  2. Get your iPad ready: Safeguard your notes, illustrations, and any other work by switching your iPad off. 
  3. Find a flat surface: Clear your desk and create ample space to remove your iPad screen protector. 

The last piece of prep involves tools. Without knowing the type of iPad screen protector you have — more on that soon — we can’t give you a complete checklist. Regardless, there are a few essentials you might want to add to your toolkit, including: 

  • Plastic card: To slide underneath your iPad screen protector.
  • Microfiber cloth or sponge: To rid your screen protector of dirt, lint, and streaks. 
  • Tape: To tape over cracks and protect your hands. 
  • Hairdryer: To loosen stubborn adhesive. 
  • Gloves: To protect yourself from sharp edges. 
  • Isopropyl Alcohol: To clean your screen and screen protector with zero residue
Remove your screen protector with normal house hold items

Identify your screen protector type 

Before you learn how to remove an iPad screen protector, you need to know which type of screen protector you’re dealing with. Different screen protectors have different removal methods, and you need to find the right one to protect your iPad screen during the removal process. 

Plastic film screen protectors are common. You’ll be able to bend this type of protector, unlike the tempered glass type. Here’s an easy way to tell the difference: press a butter knife to the corner of your screen protector. If it leaves an indent or a scratch, the likelihood is that it’s plastic.  

Tempered glass screen protectors are arguably the most hardy type, offering the best level of protection against scratches. Tempered glass has been heat-treated to increase its strength and make it shatter-resistant, and the heating and cooling process leaves it with smooth, rounded edges. It’s thicker than standard plastic screen protectors and may also have a thin layer of adhesive visible on the edges. 

Hydrogel screen protectors are typically made from soft TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), a flexible, elastic plastic. They tend to be thin and clear and have a rubbery texture that sets them apart from their super smooth counterparts. They also have self-healing properties, meaning minor scratches can disappear with time. 

Liquid skin screen protectors are comprised of a liquid solution that typically contains silica. As it dries, it bonds with your iPad’s screen at a molecular level. This material is extremely scratch and fingerprint-resistant. Ultimately, liquid skin screen protectors are permanent. In other words, once applied, they become part of your device. 

How to remove a plastic film screen protector 

a gif showing the removal of an iPad screen protector by peeling it off of the screen
Easily peel off plastic film screen protectors, like Paperlike’s

Let’s start with the simplest method, which we’ll call the peel method

  1. Grab a plastic card — or use your nail — and gently lift the corner of the screen protector. Don’t be too forceful or you might damage your screen. 
  2. Once one side of your screen protector has lifted, you can use the plastic card to lift the rest. A gentle back-and-forth motion should be fine. 
  3. Now that most of the screen protector has lifted, you should be able to peel the rest away.

One of the most common roadblocks when removing an iPad screen protector is the corners. If your corners are refusing to budge, you might need to grab your hair dryer. 

  1. Turn the heat to low.
  2. Position the hair dryer at least six inches away from the screen.
  3. Point the nozzle at the stubborn corner. 

At the 10-second mark, check the corner. The heat from your hair dryer should have activated the adhesive, making it far more pliable and easy to handle. Now you can follow our step-by-step instructions on how to remove your plastic iPad screen protector. 

Once the screen protector is off, you might notice bits of adhesive on your iPad screen. Here’s what you need:

  • 70%-80% strength isopropyl alcohol or a screen cleaner 
  • Microfiber cloth 

If you opt for isopropyl alcohol, only use a small amount. And the cloth doesn’t need to be soaked — a small amount of either cleaner should get the job done. We recommend using a circular cleaning motion to remove the remaining bits of adhesive. 

Good to know: Rock Paper Pencil is an iPad screen protector that uses static cling, an alternative to the sticky adhesive on most plastic protectors. It’s super easy to install and remove, making it a solid choice for anyone who wants to avoid a headache. 

How to remove a tempered glass screen protector 

For tempered glass, your best bet is the heat method

You’ve got little to no chance of pulling or peeling a tempered glass screen protector off with force alone. Any attempts to do so could damage your iPad screen. The material is heavier than plastic, meaning it needs heavy-duty adhesive to stay in place. 

Thankfully, the solution is simple. When used correctly, a hair dryer will soften the adhesive, giving you wiggle room to do what you need to do. Here’s a full breakdown of the heat method: 

  1. Grab a hair dryer or a heat gun. 
  2. Turn the heat setting down to low. 
  3. Hold the dryer (or gun) six inches away from your iPad. 
  4. Wait for 10 – 15 seconds.

So, how do you know when to stop? You’re waiting for the adhesive to activate, or, in other words, to become sticky. If you’re unsure, use your nail or a plastic card to gently pry the protector from your iPad screen. If it budges, the adhesive is ready to go. Then you can use your nail or grab a plastic card to gently lift a corner of the screen. 

Still not budging? You could try the floss method, which involves — you guessed it — holding a piece of floss taut and sliding it underneath your screen protector. That, plus the stickiness of the adhesive from the heat method, should be enough to remove the protector. 

For tempered glass iPad screen protectors, there’s one big stumbling block. If your screen has a crack (or is shattered entirely), you could hurt yourself. After all, it is glass. You can handle this in a few ways: 

  • Wear gloves: Protect yourself from shattered glass with a thick pair of gloves. 
  • Use sticky tape: Cover the cracks with a piece of sticky tape. This will ensure the protector stays together when you peel it off, meaning you don’t have to worry about rogue shards of glass. 
  • Ask a professional: When all else fails, consider taking your iPad to an Apple Store for professional help. 

Now it’s time to clean your iPad screen. For tempered glass and plastic screen protectors, the same rules apply. You need a microfiber cloth and either a dedicated iPad glass cleaner or 70%-80% strength isopropyl alcohol. As always, gentle circular motions are the most effective course of action. 

How to remove a hydrogel screen protector 

90% of articles that explain how to remove an iPad screen protector forget about hydrogel protectors. This is partly down to how easy it is to remove them! The process is a lot simpler than removing plastic or tempered glass, but we won’t leave you hanging — here’s how to remove a hydrogel iPad screen protector.

  1. Use your fingernail or a plastic card to lift a corner of the protector. 
  2. Slowly peel the protector away. 

It really is that easy! And because hydrogel has self-healing properties and is much softer than tempered glass, you don’t have to worry about dangerous shards.

There’s no need to use a heat source. But if your hydrogel screen protector isn’t budging, you might want to try a hair dryer on the lowest setting. 

Hydrogel protectors are designed for easy installation, removal, and cleaning. You’re unlikely to see any residue on your iPad screen once you’ve removed the protector. But if you do, we recommend taking a small amount of isopropyl alcohol or screen cleaner and wiping your screen in circular motions. 

How to remove a liquid skin screen protector 

True to the name, liquid skin screen protectors aren’t designed to be removed. Once applied, the liquid layer dries and fuses to your iPad screen, basically becoming part of the device. 

Trying to remove it could damage your screen, so we only recommend installing a liquid skin protector if you’re 100% sure about it. 

Post-removal screen cleaning tips 

a screen being cleaned after the removal of an iPad screen protector via a white microfiber cloth
Be sure to use a lint-free cloth to clean your screen

We’ve already covered our post-screen removal cleaning tips, but here’s a quick reminder.

  • Use 70%-80% strength isopropyl alcohol or a screen cleaner spray. 
  • Put a small amount of the cleaner on a microfiber cloth.    
  • Use gentle circular motions to clean your screen. 

You may want to use handy alternatives, but beware: using the wrong cleaning tools could damage your iPad screen, or even your screen protector if you wish to use it again. 

We recommend avoiding: 

  • Window cleaning spray
  • Any cleaning spray containing hydrogen peroxide 
  • Compressed air
  • Aerosol sprays 
  • Solvents 
  • Ammonia
  • Abrasive products (like wire scrubbing brushes) 

How to deal with cracked iPad screen protectors 

the corner of a tablet with cracked glass on a white background
Cracks in a glass screen protector or the screen itself can be dangerous.

Even though most of us have dropped our iPads at one point or another, there is little advice on how to remove a cracked iPad screen protector. We’ve already mentioned a few tips for dealing with cracked screen protectors, but it’s worth reiterating. 

For small cracks, the chances are that you can follow our step-by-step instructions for whichever iPad screen protector you have. Use your best judgment to decide whether you need to take more safety precautions. 

For full-screen cracks, you might have to pull out the big guns. We recommend pressing tape across the cracks to hold them together. Fingers crossed, when you follow our steps and gently lift the corner of your plastic or tempered glass screen protector, it should lift off in one piece. 

To reduce the likelihood of cutting yourself, consider wearing gloves. 

Generally speaking, you probably won’t have this problem with hydrogel or liquid skin screen protectors. The nature of the materials allows them to either 1) absorb energy from accidental drops without cracking or 2) gradually repair cracks over time. 

Good to know: To protect your iPad from accidental cracks, we’ve put together a list of the best iPad Pro cases.

Conclusion 

There’s plenty of advice online about how to remove an iPad screen protector, but few guides talk about the different types of materials you might encounter. Plastic, tempered glass, hydrogel, and liquid skin iPad screen protectors all have different properties and require different levels of care and consideration. 

And when you throw cracked screens into the mix, you have a very real health and safety problem. But at Astropad, we’ve removed iPad screen protectors a thousand times. If you use our tips and tricks, you should have no problem safely removing your iPad screen protector. 

FAQs

When should I replace my screen protector? 

When you notice signs of deterioration, it’s time to replace your screen protector. Scratches and cracks compromise the integrity of your screen protector and, if your protector has more cracks than screen, your iPad isn’t as protected as it could be. Plus, a damaged protector can hamper your ability to see text messages, videos, and games.

Scratches and cracks can also be frustrating for graphic designers, digital drawers, and notetakers who use Apple Pencils. Your Apple Pencil might get caught in the groove of a scratch, interrupting your workflow and pushing back deadlines. 

So, if you’ve experienced any of these issues, you need to replace your iPad screen protector.

What’s the best way to remove a cracked iPad screen protector? 

Wondering how to remove a cracked iPad screen protector? The solution is simpler than you think: your best bet is to put tape over the cracks. The tape should hold the plastic or shards of glass in place while you follow these steps: 

  1. Wear a pair of thick gloves.
  2. Use a plastic card to gently lift the corner of your iPad screen protector. 
  3. Slide the plastic card underneath the protector until it lifts entirely.

There you have it, you’ve removed your cracked screen protector without getting shattered glass everywhere. 

Should I turn off my iPad before removing the screen protector? 

Here’s why you should turn off your iPad before removing the screen protector: 

  • Static electricity: Turning off your iPad reduces the likelihood of producing static electricity, meaning there’s less chance of getting a shock. 
  • Removal process: When the screen is black, the edges of the screen protector will be more obvious. 
  • Safety: There’s no chance of sending accidental texts when your iPad is off. 

How can I get rid of leftover adhesive after removing the protector? 

Most screen protectors leave some form of residue on your iPad screen. But don’t panic, removing leftover adhesive is super easy. 

Here’s what you need: 

  • A microfiber cloth 
  • 70%-80% strength isopropyl alcohol or an iPad screen cleaner 

The trick is to gently wipe the adhesive away with circular motions. Be careful not to be too rough, because you might damage your iPad screen. 

Does a cleaning solution actually help? 

A cleaning solution can help, but only if it’s a dedicated iPad screen cleaner. Some people mistakenly think that a standard window cleaner is a good alternative, but anything not specifically designed for iPad screens can actually damage your device.

Rock Paper Pencil: A Pen-On-Paper Experience for iPad

Want the protection of an iPad screen protector but are looking for one that can be taken off and remain useable? Rock Paper Pencil is for you!

Rock Paper Pencil packaging with ballpoint pencil tips, and nanocling screen protector hovering over ipad
Rock Paper Pencil – Draw and write on iPad like ballpoint pen on paper

Designed to create the most realistic pen-on-paper feel for iPad – Rock Paper Pencil includes a reusable, paper-feel iPad screen protector and two ballpoint Apple Pencil tips. 

Built with nano-texture technology, Rock Paper Pencil adds subtle friction between your screen and Pencil, giving you more control while drawing or writing.

  • NanoCling Screen Protector: Securely bond your screen protector to your iPad using static cling. Easy application, non-adhesive, removable and reusable.
  • Matte Texture: Subtle friction mimics the feel of paper (no more slippery glass!)
  • Precision Apple Pencil Tips: Smoother, more controlled strokes