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What Can I Do About My iPhone 11 LifeProof Case Air Bubbles?

iphone 11 lifeproof case air bubbles

As someone who has gone through more than 20+ phone cases in my lifetime, I know for a FACT that there’s nothing more annoying than an improperly-fitting phone case.

At the top of this list has to be those darned air bubbles that can seemingly appear out of nowhere.

So if you’ve picked yourself up a nice new iPhone 11- and a nice new LifeProof protector to go with it- you may now have found yourself here wondering,

“What can I do about these iPhone 11 LifeProof case air bubbles?”

Thankfully, there are a few different things that can be done to get the bubbles out of your iPhone 11 LifeProof case.

To cut to the chase, it’s the screen protector that you have stuck onto the display that’s causing the bubbly issues.

There have been many users reports about tiny air bubbles or rainbow effects appearing between the phone and case, or between the screen protector and Corning glass display.

Don’t fret- you don’t have to peel away the screen protector right away!

Most of the time, it’s actually quite an easy problem to resolve. In fact, in most instances, there’s no need to remove (and reapply) the screen protector at all!

(Doing so can be risky and may result in more air bubbles, smudges, and marks if you don’t do it the correct way.)

You can usually get rid of those pesky air bubbles by using a credit card to press and pop them.

Alternatively, take them as close to the edges of the display as possible, and then finally lift the screen protector ever so slightly to let that trapped air escape!

How Did Air Bubbles Get Underneath My LifeProof Case?

How Did Air Bubbles Get Underneath My LifeProof Case

LifeProof is a well-known brand in the US that provides a variety of phone cases for iPhones and Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

The brand believes in offering stylish and waterproof phone cases that can withstand dust, dirt, snow, and physical shock when dropped from heights.

LifeProof has been the number one selling waterproof phone case in the US since 2018, according to The NPD Group/U.S. Retail Tracking Service.

The brand offers four types of iPhone cases- FRĒ, NÜÜD, NËXT, and SLΛM.

The FRE range of phone cases comes with a built-in screen protector. The Nuud range doesn’t have a screen protector, though you can apply one separately on your iPhone screen.

The issue with air bubbles mostly arises when LifeProof FRE cases are used because of the built-in screen protector. There are a variety of potential situations that can cause air bubbles to form:

  • Screen protectors need to be carefully applied to prevent air bubbles from forming. However, even if it appears to be a job well done, bubbles can sometimes still appear after a day or two following application.

  • Bubbles may also pop up if the phone gets wet (remember, LifeProof cases are waterproof). These are moisture bubbles, and they tend to go away on their own as the moisture dries up.

    Moisture bubbles look a lot like air bubbles but are created only when the phone comes into contact with water. Since LifeProof phone cases are all waterproof, many users carry their iPhones close to the water with nary a concern.

    Though the case fits tightly around the iPhone, it still allows a little bit of moisture to slip through the minuscule gaps. Moisture bubbles can be removed by applying gentle heat (nothing more than 125 Fahrenheit!).

  • Specifically, in terms of the case, the stretched silicon that is used looks similar to tempered glass and utilizes a form of adhesive/liquid to allow the cover to stick to a glossy surface.

    This can sometimes lead to tiny air bubbles that usually will disappear after a couple of days.
  • Air bubbles can also be caused by the friction between the plastic screen protector and the LCD phone screen.

    This may have the appearance of an oil slick or an oily smudge on the screen instead of an air bubble, at least initially. You can get rid of this smudge the same way as you would pop an air bubble.

The moral of the story is that, unfortunately, air bubbles can get under a LifeProof case no matter how careful you are. It just happens!

So, what would appear to be more important in the grand scheme of things is knowing how to get rid of them.

Find out how to do that in the next section!

How Do I Get The Bubbles Out Of My iPhone 11 Lifeproof Case?

How Do I Get The Bubbles Out Of My iPhone 11 Lifeproof Case

There are a couple of different ways to get the bubbles out of your iPhone 11 LifeProof case. In most cases, you won’t have to completely peel the screen protector off.

So how do you get rid of the air bubbles? Let’s take a look:

Credit Card

Credit Card

No, it’s not about buying your way out of trouble this time!

(Though I’m sure you could take your phone to a repair shop where they’d gladly sort it out for you for what I’m sure would be a very fair fee…)

Simply take a credit card and flatten it against the iPhone screen. Place it near the air bubbles and press hard.

Top Tip: Sprinkle some baby powder on the screen before using the credit card if you are worried about scratches.

Check if the bubble pops or smoothes out. If they don’t, continue applying pressure and gently push the air bubbles to the nearest edge.

The safest edge is one at the top of the screen, rather than the side of the phone. If the air bubble pops when it comes close to the edge, there’s nothing else you need to do!

If the air bubble remains at the edge, slowly peel up a tiny bit of the screen protector close to the air bubble to release the air.

Then, carefully place the screen protector back onto the screen- trying with all your might not to create more air bubbles in the process!

Physical Pressure

If you don’t have a card handy, another way to get rid of air bubbles is by holding the iPhone tightly in your hand and pressing the screen against your knee.

Rub it in the same direction a few times to release the air bubbles.

Alternatively, you can use your thumbs to press firmly against the screen. Make sure never to use any sharp-edged objects as they can cut through a plastic screen protector and cause scratches on the iPhone’s actual screen!

Related Questions

Will the air bubbles go away after a while?

Not likely.
It’s pretty rare for air bubbles to go away on their own. However, you can get rid of them quite easily.

Dust bubbles, on the other hand, are hard to remove. A dust bubble appears when you don’t clean the iPhone screen properly before applying a screen protector.

The only way to remove a dust bubble is by peeling the screen protector completely, cleaning the screen, and applying it again (very carefully).

In Summary

So, what can you do about the iPhone 11 LifeProof case air bubbles caused by the built-in screen protector?

Two of the most effective ways to get rid of those annoying air bubbles are by applying pressure and rubbing the screen’s surface with either your thumbs or with the flat side of a credit card.

Push the air bubbles towards the edge of the screen protector as much as possible, and then gently remove a corner of the film to let the air bubble pop off.

Once you’ve been able to accomplish that, press the screen protector back onto the screen carefully.

If you’ve done everything correctly, you’ll be left with a shiny, smooth iPhone screen- the way it was meant to be!

Apple has been the dominant pioneer of the mobile tech world for the past two decades. Learn more about what makes their iPhone an icon not just in the present day, but for the ages to come as well!

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