Replacing the Touchscreen Digitizer on Your HTC One M8
When a smartphone is dropped or hit with a hard object, the most common damage is to the glass digitizer screen, which can crack or shatter. A broken digitizer can be replaced to restore your HTC One M8 to working condition. Here's some information to help you diagnose the problem with your screen and find suitable replacement parts if necessary.
What is a touchscreen digitizer?The digitizer may seem like it's just a glass plate that protects your smartphone's LCD display, but it's actually a sensitive electrical device that detects finger touches. The glass plate contains a grid of invisible sensors sandwiched between panes that detect the presence of your fingers and transmit the coordinates of touches to the smartphone's processor. The digitizer can track your finger touches in real time, making the the detection of complex gestures possible.
What are the signs that a digitizer needs replacement?Your smartphone's touchscreen digitizer can fail in different ways. Here are a few of them:
- Physical damage: When the glass pane of the digitizer is shattered, chances are its electrical layer will also be damaged. You'll notice right away if the phone stops recognizing touch input.
- Dead spots: Another problem that can develop is failed spots on the device's sensor grid. If you pay close attention, you might notice that certain spots on the screen fail to detect your touches.
- Bad cable or connectors: The digitizer can also suffer from a failed cable or connector, which will disable the entire touch screen or cause it to stop detecting touches intermittently.
You can find screen replacement kits that contain a new touch digitizer, front frame, and LCD display as a single unit. Because the LCD display is often damaged at the same time as the digitizer and kits often contain the tools you'll need, buying a repair kit can be the most convenient option. These kits will also include a detailed set of instructions to follow.
What's needed to replace an HTC One M8's touchscreen?Replacing this smartphone's screen is a fairly elaborate process because you'll need to disassemble the phone to remove the damaged screen. As a result, there are several tools you'll need. Here's a list of the essential items:
- A new HTC One M8 touchscreen or screen assembly
- A Phillips #00 screwdriver
- A T5 Torx screwdriver
- An iOpener or heat gun
- A plastic spudger or pick