10 Steps To Ensure A Dust-Free Glass Screen Protector Install

I've spent way too much time with screen protectors. I've installed 100's of them over the last 10 years from various brands and here are the 10 steps I take to ensure a perfect, dust free, screen protector install.

--How To Get A Perfect Screen Protector Install--

Step 1. Turn off your furnace or central air. Run your air purifier if you have one for a bit before install. You want to minimize the amount of dust floating around when you’re doing the screen protector install. If you have pets? Keep them in a different area.

Step 2. Make sure your install area is clean and clear. Wipe your table with a microfibre cloth. Make sure your install area is well lit.

Step 3. Wash your hands well. If you have an apple watch with hand washing turned on, this might be the only time you want to do it as long as Apple thinks you should be.

Step 4 If your device has a case and/or screen protector on it, take it off and clean your device with a damp cloth. Dry it off with a microfibre cloth.

Step 5. Do a dress rehearsal. Over the last 10 years, I’ve installed hundreds of different screen protectors. Every brand has their own method of installation. So go through the instructions and make sure you understand what you need to do.

If you don’t have an install frame and just have a piece of glass that came with a case, the purpose of your dress rehearsal is to make sure you have an idea of where your screen protector sits when centered properly. Take note of the distance between the screen protector edge and the edge of your device on all sides.

Step 6. Start the install BUT before you start peeling all the tiny stickers for dust removal, do yourself a favor and take a lint roller and run your device over with it. Painters tape is also good for this step. Again, you’re trying to remove as much dust as possible.

Step 7. Go through the install as described by the screen protector manufacturer. If you don’t have instructions, my preferred method is to remove the adhesive backing, line the corners up based on the distance you figured out from step 4 and gently place one side of the screen where you want it and lower the other side as slowly as possible, getting as close as you can to the device before letting go.

Once you’re close, place the screen protector on the device and run your finger through the middle length wise. Rub out all the bubbles if you can.

Step 8. Celebrate if you’ve installed the screen protector and there is no dust. If there is dust, goto to the next step

Step 9. Alright, so there’s dust or bubbling. For bubbling along the edges, most screen protector adhesives will fix the problem after a couple of days. If the bubbling is in the middle, keep watching and do exactly the same thing in this step, minus the actual dust removal.

Take one of the used dust stickers and dab the edge that you’re going to be peeling back. Or use the painters tape. You want to make the area is dust free.

The #1 thing about removing dust from underneath your screen protector is NOT to bend the glass.

Here’s what you need to do so that doesn’t happen. Get a finger nail under the screen protector and lift it up slightly. The moment you can slide the pad of the finger between the glass and device, do so. You’re going to peel off way more of the screen protector but you’re minimizing the amount that it is bending.

Step 10. Use the dust sticker. It will most likely be on the screen protector and not your device. Get to the problem area and and use the dust sticker. Once that’s done, reinstall the screen protector.

Step 11. Repeat until all the dust is gone. Just a heads up, you can only do this step 1-2 times before more dust magically appears on your screen protector. That’s my experience anyways.

In this video:

0:00 Intro
0:21 Step 1
0:42 Step 2
1:04 Step 3
1:12 Step 4
1:35 Step 5
2:33 Step 6
2:57 Step 7
3:36 Just The Glass Install
4:43 Step 8
4:52 Step 9 - Dust/Bubble Removal Part 1
6:20 Step 10 - Dust Removal Part 2
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[MobileReviewsEh]

For the shower/steam method, I found that condensation would accumulate underneath the screen protector and so the install would fail. Now if you wait long enough, the condensation will go away. But as you're waiting, you can't use the bathroom because using a facial tissue or toilet paper (my hand towels were terrible for dust) will re-introduce dust back in the air and you have to go through the entire process. It can be done but I found just being diligent in the immediate install area being more effective.

[stevebyrum]

One tip I recently discovered which finally kept me from getting dust under the screen protector. If you have a good tactical flashlight, once you THINK you've gotten all the dust off, shine it at an angle onto the screen right before you install the protector. I promise you'll see 1-2 dust specks that you didn't see before. I only wish I had tried it earlier and saved some headaches!

[iu]

I watched this hoping to find something I hadn't been doing. Sliding your finger down the middle is something I hadn't been doing but it's genius. Great video!

[doughope]

I've done more than 200 screen protector installs for family and friends and myself. This is the way-extremely solid advice. I do the same steps on dust prevention and I also wear nitrile gloves because skin can flake off and behave just like dust does.
Thanks.

[akashvyas]

I come back to watch this every time i need to install a new screen protector and after following all of the instructions i always have a perfect install. thank you so much!!!

[TheSrAtlanta]

Appreciate your videos! I bought the Zagg ZTR2 glass for my iPhone 14 Pro. Zagg had great instructions and included tools. For the first time ever, I installed the glass myself and it went flawlessly! Thank you! Love Montie. He's too cute!

[someEmoguy]

Love this video! Great tips. I feel like I have mastered the screen protector at this point. Such an under appreciated piece as I usually see people's screens with dust and/or air bubbles from not installing properly.

[mirleeo]

Your dog is literally the cutest!! Thank you for this video! I didnt ever think of some of these ways to ensure dust-free, it makes sense and so much easier

[kymmoulds]

Hey Sir take a bow. A great video and you simplify the process so well for us who don't use screen proctors all the time. A BIG thumbs up and thanks for taking the time and effort to make the video and help others.

[akkarparkiamopas]

I watched your previous video about top 5 screen protector kind of staff. And you recommended the Flolab one. Yeh ! That Flolab One Time installation kit is just so so easy to apply. I did it flawlessly with no dust, all the sides fit corner to corner. Love it!

[roofoofighter]

The easiest screen protector I ever used with no bubbles was IQ Shield brand. You apply a detergent spray to the sticky side of the film and then you put it on the screen. The liquid lets you slide the protector to be perfectly aligned with the phone cutouts. Then once the protector is where you want it, you squeegee out the liquid from the middle, like how they install window tint. It’s cloudy at first but the screen clears up after a few hours and there are zero bubbles and no dust specks. 😊

[TongueJedi]

Silly me. I always install my protectors in a desert or on the beach during windy days.

[lesliegraham]

I'll be watching this over and over again!

[KingTechHD]

Great tips. I worked at a cellular store for 7yrs and we all hated installing screen protectors. Time consuming if you want it perfect

[NYY]

Monty- always on point with outfit and video supervision.

[jamesmarchetti]

This video is a Keeper for somebody's first time so of course I'll save in case I need to share to a first-timer and I also learned a few tips !! 😀 !

[jjrusso]

Love all your videos man. Great work again

[ChrisSnider]

Spigens 14 pro screen protector installer is next level, comes in the package ready to go and was by far the easiest one I’ve ever installed

[docbooth]

My attempt with screen protectors of any consequence was my wife's Galaxy s7 FE 12.4" screen. My first attempt was great except for 2 dust eyes at the bottom or last part of the screen lay down. By the time I quit there was 7. I have a new protector on the way and am planning on using the public library at a table as far from an A/C air register as I can get. As I live in the desert and everything has a perpetual fine layer of pink dust from the red rocks and soil, I thought that was my best option. With your information I am sure I will succeed. Thanks VERY MUCH. I will be checking your channel regularly for generic phone & tablet info and would subscribe but you are iphone specific. It is hard for me to even write that manufacturers name without throwing or breaking something or both. Your video is the only video that spoke English that was pleasant, understandable, explained completely and to my knowledge provided a complete training on those pesky little screen protectors.

[dexterday]

Very impressed with your editing in this video. Love seeing Monty too.