When your iPad screen cracks, you’ve broadly got two choices: book in with Apple, or visit a local independent repair shop. Both can do a good job, but they differ in ways worth knowing before you decide.

Turnaround time. Apple Store appointments often need to be booked days in advance, and repairs are frequently sent away to a service centre, meaning you could be without your iPad for several days. Independent shops like Phone Heroes typically repair iPad screens on the spot, the same day, with no appointment needed.

Cost. Apple’s official pricing is generally higher, particularly for iPad Pro models, and rises further if your device is out of warranty or AppleCare+. Independent repairers often use quality, properly sourced parts at a noticeably lower price point.

Convenience. You don’t need to book ahead at most repair shops — simply walk in. Apple Store appointments, by contrast, can be hard to come by at short notice, especially at busy London stores.

Parts and warranty. Apple only fits genuine Apple parts, which matters to some owners, particularly with newer Face ID-equipped iPads. Reputable independent shops use high-quality alternative parts and back every job with their own warranty — at Phone Heroes, that’s a full year on parts and labour.

Older models. Apple eventually stops offering repairs for older iPads once they’re classed as “obsolete,” sometimes leaving owners with no official option at all. Independent repair shops, including Phone Heroes, continue supporting older iPads — from the original iPad Mini right through to the latest Pro — long after Apple has moved on.

There’s no single right answer — it depends on what matters most to you. But for most people, an independent specialist offers a faster, more affordable, and more flexible alternative without compromising on quality. At Phone Heroes in Earl’s Court, we repair every iPad model, with free diagnosis, same-day turnaround in most cases, and a one-year warranty as standard. Call 020 3397 7407 or visit phoneheroeslondon.co.uk to find out more.

Spilled a drink near your iPad, or had it land in a puddle, the bath, or a sink full of washing up? Unlike many iPhones, most iPads aren’t water resistant, so what you do in the next few minutes really does matter. Here’s the right way to respond.

1. Get it out of the water immediately and power it off. Don’t try to check if it still works — the longer it stays powered on with moisture inside, the greater the risk of a short circuit damaging the logic board.
2. Don’t charge it, and don’t press any buttons unnecessarily. Plugging in a charger while the device is wet is one of the fastest ways to cause irreversible internal damage. Avoid pressing the home button or power button repeatedly to “check” it.
3. Dry the outside thoroughly with a soft cloth. Pay particular attention to the speaker grilles, charging port, and any buttons, gently dabbing rather than rubbing or pushing moisture further inside.
4. Skip the rice, and skip a hairdryer. Rice doesn’t draw out moisture from sealed gaps the way people assume, and warm air from a hairdryer can push liquid further into the device or melt internal components. Leaving it somewhere dry and at room temperature is safer than either.
5. Get it to a repair shop as soon as you can. The sooner a technician opens the device and cleans the internals professionally, the better the chance of stopping corrosion before it spreads to the battery, logic board or connectors.

Liquid damage gets worse the longer it’s left untreated, even if your iPad seems to power back on briefly the next day — minerals left behind by the water continue to corrode components over time. At Phone Heroes in Earl’s Court, we offer a thorough liquid damage clean and diagnosis for all iPad models, with no obligation to proceed until you know the full picture. Call 020 3397 7407 or visit phoneheroeslondon.co.uk

A few minutes of troubleshooting can sometimes save you a trip to the repair shop — and if it doesn’t, it’ll help our technicians diagnose the fault faster. Before you assume the worst, work through these six checks.

1. Try a different cable and adapter. Cables fray internally long before they look damaged on the outside, and this is genuinely the most common reason an iPad appears to have stopped charging.
2. Inspect the charging port for debris. Pocket lint and dust build up inside Lightning and USB-C ports over time and can physically block the connector from making contact. A soft brush or a wooden toothpick (never metal) can sometimes clear it gently.
3. Try a different power outlet or socket. It sounds obvious, but a faulty wall socket or extension lead is an easy thing to overlook when you’re focused on the iPad itself.
4. Restart your iPad. Hold the top button and either volume button (or just the top button on older models) until the slider appears, then power back on. Occasionally a charging fault is software-related and clears after a restart.
5. Check for a “Liquid Detected” warning. Newer iPads will refuse to charge and show an alert if moisture is detected in the port, even from humidity rather than an obvious spill. Leave it somewhere dry for a few hours and try again.
6. Look closely at the connector pins. If they appear bent, discoloured, or pushed in on one side, the port itself has likely failed and will need professional attention rather than a quick fix.

If you’ve worked through all of the above and your iPad still won’t charge, the fault is most likely the charging port itself, the battery, or the connector cable inside the device — all repairable. At Phone Heroes in Earl’s Court, we diagnose charging faults for free and most port or battery repairs are completed the same day, backed by a one-year warranty. Call 020 3397 7407 to book.

A cracked iPad screen is one of those moments that ruins your day — a single drop and suddenly you’ve got a spider-web of cracks across the glass. Before you panic or reach for a DIY fix, here’s what’s actually worth doing, and what to steer clear of.

Do stop using it straight away. Continuing to tap and swipe on cracked glass can push small shards further into the digitizer or LCD beneath, turning a glass-only repair into a much more expensive full screen replacement.

Do check if the touchscreen still works. If the display lights up and responds to touch, the damage is likely limited to the glass. If areas have gone unresponsive, dark, or are showing odd colours or lines, the LCD itself may also be affected.

Do cover it for transport. A strip of clear tape over the worst of the cracks will stop glass fragments from coming loose in your bag and reduce the risk of cutting yourself while carrying it to be repaired.

Avoid pressing on the cracks to “test” them, and avoid using a case or screen protector to disguise the damage and keep using it — pressure and moisture can both work their way into a damaged screen and cause further internal damage over time.

Avoid cheap online repair kits. Many require you to fully remove the original adhesive seal and battery connector, and a botched DIY attempt is one of the most common reasons we see iPads arrive in a far worse state than when the screen first cracked.

Avoid waiting too long. Dust and moisture can creep in through even a small crack, eventually affecting the battery or logic board underneath — so the longer it’s left, the higher the risk of additional damage.

At Phone Heroes, we replace cracked iPad screens across every model — from the original iPad Mini through to the latest iPad Pro — usually within the same day. Every repair is backed by a one-year warranty and uses quality parts. Visit us at the Warwick Road entrance of Earl’s Court Underground Station, or call 020 3397 7407 to book.

Your iPad is one of the most-used devices in the house — for work, school, streaming or just browsing on the sofa. But no matter which model you own, the battery inside will degrade over time, and unlike the iPhone, iPads don’t show you a battery health percentage in Settings. Here are five clear signs yours needs replacing.

1. It drains far faster than it used to. If your iPad used to last a full day and now needs charging by lunchtime, the battery has lost a meaningful chunk of its original capacity. This is the single most common complaint we hear at our Earl’s Court repair shop.
2. It shuts down with charge still showing. A tired battery can struggle to deliver power consistently, so your iPad may switch itself off even when the screen still shows 20% or more remaining. This is a strong sign the cells inside are nearing the end of their life.
3. The case feels warm or slightly swollen. A battery that’s beginning to expand is a safety issue, not just a performance one. If the back panel bulges, the screen lifts at the edges, or the device feels warm during light use, stop charging it and get it checked straight away.
4. Charging takes far longer than before. Worn batteries often take hours longer to reach full charge, and some plateau at 80–90% no matter how long they’re left on the charger. If overnight charging has slowed right down, the battery is the likely cause.
5. Performance feels sluggish for no clear reason. A failing battery can’t always supply the power newer apps and updates demand, leading to lag, stuttering, or apps closing unexpectedly — symptoms many people mistake for their iPad simply getting old.

At Phone Heroes in Earl’s Court, we replace iPad batteries on most models the same day, using quality parts backed by a full one-year warranty. Not sure if it’s actually the battery? Walk in for a free diagnosis and our technicians will give you an honest answer before any work begins. Call 020 3397 7407 or visit phoneheroeslondon.co.uk to book.