iPhone Screens by Model
This is the model side of the iPhone screen guide. Pick your generation, check which panel it takes, then follow the fitting notes for that chassis.
Three routes, and you only need one of them
Take the route that matches the generation you are working on.
Current models
Take this route for the newest handsets, where panel supply and pairing behaviour are still settling. Stock decisions here are different from older models.
High-volume models
Take this route for the generations that come through the door most often. These are the panels worth holding in more than one grade.
Older and budget models
Take this route when the repair value is tighter. Older chassis are forgiving on the bench but the panel cost has to leave room for margin.
What changes between generations
Three things actually change from one iPhone generation to the next, and each one changes what you order.
Panel type and connector layout
The display technology moves first: LCD on the older chassis, then OLED from the X onwards, with soft and hard OLED variants appearing later. Alongside that, the flex layout and connector position shift, which is why a panel that fits one generation physically may not connect cleanly to the next. Ordering by generation rather than by screen size is what stops the wrong part arriving: an iPhone 12 and a 12 Pro share dimensions but not necessarily the same display options.
Heat, adhesive and opening technique
Adhesive strength and chassis rigidity change with every generation, and so does the opening method that works. The models that come apart with a suction cup are not the ones that need a heat mat, and the ones with the tightest tolerances are the ones where a metal tool marks the frame. Reading the generation-specific notes before starting saves the panel, which is the most expensive part on the bench and the easiest one to crack on removal.
What actually decides the right panel — four things
Four checks that stop the wrong part being ordered, and only the first one is about the model name.
The exact model identifier
Generation names overlap. Confirm the model number in Settings or on the SIM tray before ordering, not the name the customer used.
The display technology fitted
LCD, OLED, soft OLED and hard OLED are not interchangeable across generations, and the price gap is real.
The connector and flex layout
Physical fit is not the same as electrical fit. The flex route has to match the board, or the panel fits and does not work.
What the customer is paying for
The grade should match the price quoted. Fitting a budget panel on a premium quote is how shops create their own comebacks.
Where to go from here
Once the model is confirmed, the next question is which grade of panel to fit.
iPhone model questions
The short answers, each linked to the article set behind it.
How do I confirm which iPhone model I am working on?
Use the model number, not the marketing name. It is in Settings under General then About, and also printed on the SIM tray on most generations. Matching by screen size alone catches people out on pairs like the 12 and 12 Pro, which look alike but are not the same part.
Do all iPhone generations use the same panel technology?
No. The older chassis use LCD, the X onwards moved to OLED, and later generations split into soft and hard OLED grades. Each has a different price and a different appearance, so the generation decides which grades are even available to you.
Which models should a repair shop stock panels for?
The ones you see weekly, in the grades your customers actually buy. Everything else is better ordered to job, because holding three grades of every generation ties up cash in slow-moving parts that may be superseded.
Why does the same repair cost more on a newer iPhone?
Because the panel is the expensive part and the newer the generation, the fewer suppliers there are and the higher the panel cost. Labour is broadly similar; the difference sits in the part and in the risk of damaging it during removal.
Is it worth repairing older iPhones?
Often yes, if the panel cost leaves margin. Older chassis are easier to open and the parts are cheap, so the repair competes well against replacement for customers who like the device. The exception is when the board also has damage, which changes the economics entirely.
Send the model number and we will confirm the panel
Give us the exact model identifier, the grade you want to fit and how many you use in a month. You will get the panel options that genuinely fit that generation, with the tooling and pairing notes attached.
Ask for a model check