A cracked screen is more than just an eyesore—it can actually cause bigger problems under the surface. One of the most common questions we get is: does a cracked screen affect your phone battery? The short answer? Yes, it can.
When your screen breaks, it’s not just the glass that suffers. The impact of that drop can mess with the delicate internal components of your phone, and that includes your battery. Many people notice their phone starts draining faster after the screen cracks—and that’s not a coincidence.
Let’s not waste time. A cracked screen can absolutely lead to faster battery drain.
Here’s why: when your screen is damaged, it may send false signals to your phone’s processor (like ghost touches or constant screen activity). Your phone works harder to make sense of the input, burning more power in the process. And if the drop that cracked your screen also damaged other internal components—like the digitizer, battery connection, or display controller—that’s even more reason your phone may be working overtime just to stay functional.
You might be surprised how much power your phone wastes just trying to deal with a damaged screen. Here’s how it adds up:
When your screen cracks, the digitizer underneath (which detects your touch) might start sending random signals. These “ghost touches” can trigger apps to open, scroll, or run in the background—without you doing anything. That kind of nonstop activity burns battery life fast.
Sometimes, cracks confuse your phone’s sensors. Your screen might keep waking up randomly or stay brighter than normal. More screen time = more battery drain.
If parts of your screen are damaged or unresponsive, your phone’s processor works harder to render graphics and compensate for glitches. That extra strain forces your GPU and CPU to use more power than usual.
In some cases, a cracked screen can lead to micro-cracks in internal wiring or even short circuits. That electrical strain can drain your battery—or worse, damage it entirely.
Even if your phone still turns on and the battery looks physically fine, a drop can do more damage than you think.
The impact might loosen or damage connectors between your screen, battery, and motherboard. These loose connections can cause power loss or rapid draining.
If the battery gets jostled out of place or slightly punctured, it can swell, overheat, or discharge unevenly. That’s dangerous—and definitely not good for battery life.
Internal chips, like the screen controller or parts of the motherboard, can crack or fail after a hard hit. When that happens, your phone may glitch, overwork itself, or struggle to manage power efficiently.
Watch for red flags like:
If any of these sound familiar, your battery issues could be tied to the screen damage—or deeper hardware problems caused by the drop.
Wondering if you're the only one dealing with battery issues after a cracked screen? You're not. There are plenty of people online sharing the same frustrations.
In one Reddit thread, a user with a cracked Nexus 5 noticed a major battery drain—even when their phone was in airplane mode. After the drop, their battery went from lasting all day to barely surviving a few hours. And they weren't alone—others chimed in with similar stories.
On Android Stack Exchange, users discussed how cracked screens might not directly kill your battery, but the damage from the drop can. The consensus? Internal strain, ghost touches, and damaged display components can all lead to faster battery drain.
While it might not happen with every cracked screen, the connection between screen damage and poor battery performance is a known problem. If your phone’s acting weird after a drop, chances are it’s not just in your head.
Not all cracked screens cause battery problems—but if you start noticing issues, don’t ignore them. Here’s when you should take action:
If your phone starts getting hot, especially when you're not using it much, that’s a red flag. Overheating is often tied to internal damage or overworked components.
Is your screen glitchy or registering random touches? That could be the digitizer acting up—and that constant input keeps your phone running in the background.
Your phone should barely use power while sitting still. If your battery drains fast even when idle, something’s wrong—and a cracked screen could be the cause.
If you’re noticing any of these signs, it might be time for a screen repair—and possibly a deeper look at your phone’s internals.
If your cracked screen is draining your battery, there are steps you can take—whether you want to fix it now or prevent further issues down the line.
Just because your phone turns on doesn’t mean it’s fine. A cracked screen can quietly wreck your battery life and stress out your phone’s internals. Repairing it stops ghost touches, power drain, and the risk of deeper hardware damage. It’s worth the fix—especially before things get worse.
Until you can get your screen repaired, use built-in battery-saving tools:
These tweaks won’t fix the screen, but they can reduce the strain on your battery.
Prevention matters too. Screen protectors and shock-absorbing cases help avoid future cracks and drops that could wreck your phone all over again.
If your phone’s battery life has tanked, don’t just guess—have it checked out. Technicians like Abu from Pull Up Phone Repair can run diagnostics on both the screen and battery. He’ll come to you, test your phone, and repair what’s needed—usually in under 30 minutes. For residents in Maryland, Pull Up Phone Repair provides cracked phone screen repairs in under 30 minutes.
A cracked screen isn’t just a cosmetic issue. It can cause your phone to burn through battery, overheat, glitch out, or even suffer internal damage. So if you’re asking, “does a cracked screen affect your phone battery?”—the answer is yes, and it’s not something to ignore.
The sooner you get it fixed, the less likely you’ll run into deeper issues or expensive repairs down the road.
Need help? Reach out to a mobile repair expert like Abu at Pull Up Phone Repair. He’ll fix your screen, test your battery, and have your phone running like new—without you ever leaving the house. Book a phone repair today.