Cracked Glass vs. Black Spots: Understanding the Different Types of Screen Damage

Posted on | by Ronnie Gonenc

Written By: Ronnie Gonenc

Cracked Glass vs. Black Spots: Understanding the Different Types of Screen Damage

We have all experienced that heart-stopping moment: your phone slips from your hand, tumbles in slow motion, and lands face-down on the pavement. You hesitate to pick it up, dreading what you might find.

When you finally turn it over, you usually see one of two things: a spiderweb of cracks across the surface, or worse—a dark, inky blob spreading across the display.

While both look terrible, they are fundamentally different types of damage. One is superficial “cosmetic” damage, while the other indicates a critical failure of your device’s internal display panel.

At CT Fix Wireless, we diagnose hundreds of broken screens every month. In this guide, we will help you identify which type of damage you have, why those mysterious “black spots” appear, and what your repair options are.

Section 1: Understanding Your Screen’s Anatomy

To understand the damage, you need to know that your phone screen isn’t just one piece of glass. It is actually a “sandwich” made of three distinct layers fused together:

  1. The Top Glass: This is the protective outer layer (Gorilla Glass or Ceramic Shield). Its only job is to protect the expensive components underneath.
  2. The Digitizer: This transparent layer acts as a sensor grid. It tracks your finger’s movement. If this breaks, your phone gets “Ghost Touch” (clicking things on its own) or becomes unresponsive.
  3. The LCD or OLED Panel: This is the bottom layer that actually lights up and shows you images. It is the most expensive and fragile part of the assembly.

Section 2: Scenario A — Just Cracked Glass (The “Good” News)

If you drop your phone and see cracks, but the image underneath looks perfect, you have likely only damaged the top layer.

Symptoms of Glass-Only Damage:

  • The cracks look like a spiderweb or single hairline fractures.
  • You can still see the entire picture clearly.
  • The touch screen still works perfectly (though we don’t recommend swiping over shards of glass!).
  • There are no colored lines or dark spots.

Is it urgent? While your phone is still usable, the structural integrity is gone. The next drop—even a small one—will almost certainly destroy the LCD underneath. Additionally, moisture from sweat or rain can now easily enter the cracks and fry the motherboard.

Section 3: Scenario B — Black Spots and “Screen Bleeding” (The Bad News)

If you see black dots, ink-like blotches, or vertical lines, you have damaged the actual LCD or OLED panel. This is not a surface crack; the “pixels” inside your screen are dying.

What are those black spots? On LCD screens (common in older iPhones and some Androids), the liquid crystal material is literally leaking out of its cells. This is often called “screen bleeding.” On OLED screens (newer iPhones, Samsungs), this damage appears as a deep purple or black void where the organic diodes have shattered.

The “Spreading Virus” Effect Unlike a crack in the glass, which stays the same, black spots almost always get bigger. Because the internal pressure of the screen has been compromised, the “ink” will slowly spread. A small dot in the corner today can turn into a completely blacked-out screen by next week.

Other Signs of LCD/OLED Damage:

  • Vertical Lines: Bright green, pink, or white lines running down the screen.
  • Flickering: The screen strobes or flashes brightness levels.
  • Blackout: The phone vibrates and rings, but the screen stays pitch black.

Section 4: The Repair Myth — “Can’t You Just Replace the Glass?”

A common question we get at our shop is, “Since only the glass is cracked, can you just peel it off and glue a new piece on for cheap?”

Ten years ago, this was possible. Today, it is very difficult. Modern screens are fused together with optical adhesive at the factory level. Separating the glass from the LCD requires freezing the phone to -180°C or using dangerous heating machines.

Why we recommend Full Assembly Replacement: Trying to replace only the glass often results in:

  1. Touch issues: The new glass doesn’t respond as quickly.
  2. Dust bubbles: Trapped between layers.
  3. Weakened structure: The screen becomes more likely to break again.

At CT Fix Wireless, we perform Full Assembly Replacements. We swap the entire “sandwich” (Glass + Digitizer + LCD). This ensures your phone looks, feels, and acts exactly like it did when it came out of the box.

You can get a price estimate for this service in seconds using our Instant Quote Widget.

Section 5: How to protect your phone from “The Black Spot”

Once you have repaired your screen, you want to make sure it never happens again.

  1. Tempered Glass is Mandatory: A $10 screen protector is cheaper than a $200 screen repair. It is designed to shatter instead of your actual screen, absorbing the shock.
  2. The “Lip” Test: When buying a case, look at the front. does the case have a raised “lip” that sits higher than the glass? This prevents the screen from hitting the ground directly if dropped flat.
  3. Avoid Compression: Believe it or not, many “black spots” aren’t caused by drops, but by pressure. Sitting on your phone while it’s in your back pocket can crush the LCD pixels without cracking the glass.

Section 6: Conclusion

Whether you have a simple crack or a spreading black blotch, the solution is the same: don’t wait until the phone becomes unusable. A compromised screen can lead to “Ghost Touching” (where the phone calls people on its own) or total data loss if the display dies before you can back it up.

Don’t let a broken screen ruin your day. We can fix most screens in under an hour. Check out our Buy and Sell page if you think it’s time to trade it in, or contact us below to book a repair.

External and Internal Links Checklist

Here are the resources and pages referenced in this guide to help you navigate your repair options.

Internal Links (CT Fix Wireless)

External Links (Authoritative Sources)

Disclaimer: While we provide information on screen damage, we strongly advise against using a phone with shattered glass due to the risk of injury from loose shards. Always seek professional repair for glass or LCD damage.