# Cyanoacrylate and Smartphone Glass **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 8, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736 "2021-12-08T21:41:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/1 "2021-12-08T21:41:16Z")
I may have mentioned that my fiancee is blind. This makes certain aspects of operating her smartphone more complex. For instance, when she’s on a call, it doesn’t always respond to her spoken command to disconnect. Since she doesn’t have physical buttons on the screen, it’s difficult to find the “hang up” icon. This morning, while I was using Superglue to make a minor household repair, her sister suggested that I put a single drop of it on the appropriate spot, so that when it dries, there will always be a tactile bump on the screen that she can easily find. While this is true, I have some concerns that I’d like to clear up before proceeding with this _ahem_ unauthorized field change. First, is there any chance that such an artifact on the screen of a smartphone (iPhone 13, ftr) might render it non-functional in any way? Pretty sure the glass is not quite the same as in the bedroom window pane. Also, and _perhaps_ less importantly, should the day come when she wants to upgrade, would this affect her phone’s eligibility to be traded in? TIA for knowledgeable responses. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/2 "2021-12-08T21:53:59Z")
I don’t have an answer as to whether the superglue will damage the phone screen (though I doubt it) but what if you put a plastic or glass screen cover over the screen and put the superglue on that? ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/3 "2021-12-08T21:54:29Z")
Maybe try it with a tempered glass screen protector on top first? That way, if it doesn’t work, just take the screen protector off, and it’s gone. ETA: ninja’ed! ---
**Author:** ![Chopstick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Chopstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopstick)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/4 "2021-12-08T22:08:31Z")
Voice control r fun, not. Anyway, I’d be leery of superglue or even highmark. Touchscreen tech varies, but usually anything between glass & flesh will make the screen not sense touches. Example, i put layer of shirt between screen and finger and it wont sense touch. More comments after dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2021, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/5 "2021-12-09T00:31:45Z")
Touchscreens used on phones are capacitive, so, up to a point, if there is a solid material on the screen it doesn’t tend to cause any issues. The slightest air gap and it fails. Screen protectors rely on this. Messing about with a screen protector rather than the glass proper is a great idea. However CA glue may have trouble staying stuck. I have a feeling they choose plastics with pretty low surface energy. My suggestion would be to try the opposite. Get a screen protector and punch a small hole in just the right place. The edge of the hole should be easy enough to feel. It isn’t as if screen protectors are expensive. You can try all manner of ides. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2021, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/6 "2021-12-09T00:49:25Z")
[This company](https://www.speeddots.com/) has iPhone screen protectors with dots placed to make it easier for blind and visually impaired people to use the phone, along with the screen reader feature of iOS. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2021, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/7 "2021-12-09T01:13:57Z")
Just stick something quasi-removable to that spot instead of super glue. A bedazzled bead or something would probably work fine. ---
**Author:** ![Carlarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Carlarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlarm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2021, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/8 "2021-12-09T04:20:01Z")
Silicone RTV sticks really well to glass. Can be removed from glass with a razor blade. Super glue outgases as it cures and will leave a cloudy film on the screen that possibly cannot be cleaned off. The outgassing of super glue is used by police to develop finger prints on objects. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2021, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/9 "2021-12-09T06:30:12Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Since she doesn’t have physical buttons on the screen, it’s difficult to find the “hang up” icon. Pressing the physical power button on the side of the iPhone will hang up the call. It won’t work if the phone is on speaker or while using a headset (I think). ---
**Author:** ![KMS94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ad7895/32.png) [@KMS94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KMS94)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/10 "2021-12-09T19:46:06Z")
They’ve got Jenny’s phone number messed up… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/11 "2021-12-09T21:06:27Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > Just stick something quasi-removable to that spot instead of super glue this made me think of Colorforms ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2021, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyanoacrylate-and-smartphone-glass/955736/12 "2021-12-10T08:13:21Z")
Use a sticker or something else with a non-permanent adhesive.