Why tempered glass
A tempered glass screen protector is a thin sheet of toughened glass that sticks to the screen and takes the scratches and knocks in its place. It looks and feels like the phone's own glass: clear, smooth and quick under the finger. If it cracks in a fall, you peel it off and fit another, which costs far less than a new screen. That is why tempered glass is the protector most people choose first.
The glass in this range
The protectors here today are clear, high-definition tempered glass, sold in packs, so there is a spare when one cracks or picks up a speck while fitting. There are packs made for many iPhone models from the iPhone 11 on, and for Samsung Galaxy A and Galaxy S phones. Choose your exact model on each product page. For glass that comes with its own fitting tray, see fitting kits and alignment tools, and for glass with a matte finish, anti-glare screen protectors.
What the numbers on the box mean
Most glass protectors are sold as "9H". That is a pencil hardness test, in which graded pencils are drawn across the surface. It is not the Mohs scale used for minerals. On the Mohs scale, quartz, which is most of sand, is 7, and ordinary window glass about 5.5, so no protector is proof against grit in a pocket. Treat 9H as a sign of hard glass, not a promise.
How to choose tempered glass
Your model
Glass is cut to one screen. An iPhone 15 Pro and an iPhone 15 Pro Max need different glass, so check the full name, including Pro, Plus, Max or Ultra.
Your case
Glass that stops just short of the screen's edge leaves room for the lip of a case. If your screen curves at the sides, look at full-cover glass, which follows the curve, or hydrogel film.
Unlocking
On Samsung phones with the fingerprint reader in the screen, Samsung advises registering your fingerprints again after fitting a new protector. On an iPhone, Apple says anything covering the TrueDepth camera at the top of the screen can stop Face ID working, so check the glass leaves it clear.
Questions people ask about tempered glass
How do I fit it without bubbles?
Clean the screen, line the glass up, then press from the middle out. The guide to fitting a screen protector goes through it step by step.
Does it affect the touch screen?
A well-fitted glass protector should not. If touch seems slow, check for dust under one corner or a case pressing on the edge.
More to look at