Anti-Yellowing Clear Cases

Clear cases made to stay clear for longer

A clear case shows off the phone's own colour and finish, which is why so many people choose one. Almost all of them turn yellow in the end. An anti-yellowing clear case is made with stabilisers added to the plastic to slow that change down. A case comes onto this page when its own name or description says it is anti-yellow or anti-yellowing.

Why clear cases turn yellow

It is not dirt. Clear plastics, and TPU most of all, react slowly with oxygen in the air, and ultraviolet light from the sun and heat both speed that up. The reaction makes the plastic absorb blue light, so the case looks yellow. A coloured case is shielded partly by its own pigment; a clear case has nothing to protect it. Oils and sweat from skin are also said to speed it up. Because the change happens inside the plastic, washing does not take it out.

What an anti-yellowing case does, and does not do

The stabilisers slow the reaction. They do not stop it, so an anti-yellowing case still changes colour over time, only more slowly than a plain one. How long it stays clear depends on how much sun and heat it sees, so this page gives no figure in months.

Two other things help. Cases with a stiff polycarbonate back and a soft TPU edge tend to keep the back clearer than cases made all of TPU. And a frosted or tinted clear case hides yellowing far better than a glass-clear one. See clear cases and hard and slim cases.

How to keep a clear case clear

• Keep the phone out of strong sun, off a hot car dashboard and away from radiators, because heat and ultraviolet light are the main causes.
• Clean it gently and often, so skin oils and grime do not build up. Apple's advice for clear cases is to take the phone out and wipe the case inside and out with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth, without window cleaners, household cleaners, sprays or solvents.
• Let it dry completely before the phone goes back in.

Questions people ask about anti-yellowing cases

Can I clean the yellow out of an old case?

No. Cleaning removes the grime on the surface, which can make it look a little better, but the yellow tint is in the plastic itself.

Is it yellowing or dirt?

Dirt is patchy, darker at the edges and round the buttons, and comes off with a damp cloth and mild soap. Yellowing is even across the whole case, inside too. Hold the clean, dry case against white paper: if it still looks yellow all over, it is the plastic. The guide to phone case materials explains more.

More to look at

• Clear cases
• Silicone and soft cases
• Hard and slim cases
• Clear phone accessories
• TPU accessories
• Guide: Phone case materials: silicone, TPU, polycarbonate and leather
• Guide: How to clean your phone safely