The screen of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 smartphone is one of the most vulnerable elements of the design, subject to daily mechanical stress. Despite the use of durable glass Gorilla Glass, microcracks and deep scratches can occur even from carrying a gadget in your pocket with keys.
The process of sticking the protective glass is often feared by owners because of the risk of bubbles or dust getting under the glue layer. However, if you follow a certain algorithm of actions and prepare the workplace, you can do this task in 5-10 minutes even without special skills. In this article, we will discuss all the stages of preparation and installation in detail, so that the result will please you for a long time.
It's important to understand that 90 percent of the success of the whole operation depends on the quality of the preparatory work. Degreasing the surface and removing the smallest villi are critical steps that cannot be ignored. Neglecting these steps often leads to glass having to be reglued, which reduces adhesion of the adhesive layer.
Choosing the right protective glass for the Redmi Note 8
The first step to successful protection is to buy the right accessory. The market is full of offers, but not all of them are of equal quality. For the Redmi Note 8 model, it is important to consider the curved edges of the display (2.5D), which require a special approach in the production of glasses. Cheap analogues are often smaller and do not cover all the usable area of the screen, leaving unprotected areas.
Special attention should be paid to the type of adhesive layer. There are silicone-based glass and those that use a special optically transparent adhesive (OCA). For this smartphone, it is better to choose the options with full coating, as they provide better sensor sensitivity and higher impact resistance. It is also worth checking for a black frame that will hide the boundaries of the screen and make the installation more accurate.
When choosing, consider the Mohs hardness, 9H is considered the optimal indicator, which means high resistance to scratches from metal objects. Softer variants can quickly lose their appearance, covered with a network of micro scratches that will interfere with the view and reduce the brightness of the image.
Tools and workplace preparation required
A good sticker is not possible in a dusty room or on a rickety table. The ideal place to do the procedure is in a bathroom where a hot shower or tap will nail all the dust flying in the air. If that's not possible, just wipe the table surface with a damp cloth and let it dry to minimize the amount of flying particles.
Complete with most quality glass for Xiaomi comes a set for installation. It usually includes wet and dry wipes, as well as a sticky sticker to remove dust. If there is no such set, it is easy to assemble yourself using microfiber and scotch. The main thing is not to use paper towels or tissues for the face, as they leave the pile.
Before starting work, make sure you have:
- 🧼 Wet alcohol wipe for deep cleaning.
- 🧻 Dry lilaless fabric (microfibra).
- 🏷️ Sticky Scotch or Special Dust Sticker.
- 💡 Powerful light source (lamp or phone flashlight).
It's also important to turn off your smartphone before you start work, not only will it protect you from accidental taps, but it will also allow you to see the contamination on the black screen in sidelights, and the display that's off works like a mirror, reflecting every speck of dust, making it easier to clean.
Step-by-step: cleaning and degreasing the screen
The most critical step is to prepare the display surface, and any remaining greasy film or finger stain will produce "lens" -- areas where the glass will not stick and will create optical distortion -- start by thoroughly wiping the screen with a wet wipe, moving from center to edge in circular motions.
After wet treatment, you should take a dry microfiber, and your goal is to get the surface to be perfectly smooth and dry, and at this point you can use a flashlight, pointing the light at a sharp angle at the screen to see the swellings, and if you have any, repeat the cleaning until the tracks are gone.
The final touch is to use a sticky sticker, which is to go all over the surface of the display, gently pressing and tearing it off, and it will remove the tiny villi and static dust that the fabric has not removed, and it's the static dust that most often causes small bubbles to appear after the glass is sticked.
☑️ Checklist before sticker
Technology of proper adhesion of protective glass
When the surface is ready, there's a moment of truth. Take the security glass behind the side edges, trying not to touch the adhesive side with your fingers. Carefully combine the bottom edge of the glass with the frame of the smartphone, focusing on the speaker and the front camera. In Redmi Note 8 models, it's important to get exactly into the cutouts so that the proximity sensor works correctly.
Once you've made sure the glass is flat, press the center slightly, the glue will spread from the center to the edges, displacing the air, don't press hard right away, let the process go naturally, and if the glass is good, it will stick to the display in a few seconds.
If you notice that the glass is crooked, don't panic. Until the glue is fully grasped (in the first 5-10 seconds), you can gently lift it from one of the corners and correct it, but it is not recommended to do this more than once or twice, as dust can get into the adhesive layer.
⚠️ Warning: Never try to press the glass with force if you see a large bubble with air in the middle underneath it. First, try to move it to the edge.
Once the glass has fallen, walk a dry napkin all over the surface, paying special attention to the edges, ensuring a tight fit around the perimeter and preventing peeling in the future. Uniform pressure ensures that the sensor layer will work without delay throughout the area.
Removing defects: bubbles and dust under glass
Even in the artisans, sometimes dust gets under the glass, and if you notice a dark dot with circles diverging from it (the rainbow effect), you've got a mote of glue, and you can remove it by gently lifting the edge of the glass above the defect with a thin needle or tape, and then gluing it back.
Air bubbles that do not contain dust usually disappear within a few hours. 24-48 If you don't want to wait, you can try to push them to the nearest edge by pressing your finger through a napkin, and the movements should be smooth and confident, without jerking.
The table below shows the main types of defects and methods of their elimination:
| Type of defect | Cause of the occurrence | Elimination method |
|---|---|---|
| Small white dots | Dust under the glue | Using Scotch to Lift Edge and Remove Smolt |
| Large air bubbles | Insufficient pressing | Extracting finger from center to edge |
| Rainbow divorces | Fat spots on the screen | Re-gluing after re-degreasing |
| Separation at the edges | Geometry inconsistency | Warming up with a hair dryer or replacing it with a model with a smaller area |
What to do if the glass cracks when the sticker is applied?
Features of operation and care for protective glass
Once installed successfully, it is important to let the glue fully polymerize. Although the glass appears ready immediately, the full clutch cycle takes about a day. In the first 2-3 hours, try not to put the phone down and avoid moisture in the speaker area.
Regularly wipe the screen with a soft cloth. Using aggressive chemicals or alcohol on a regular basis can damage the oleophobic coating of the glass itself, making the finger less slippery and greasy marks more noticeable.
If you carry your phone in a case, make sure it is compatible with the protective glass installed.Some cases have high sides that can press on the edges of the glass and over time lead to its detachment or cracks ("white web") around the perimeter.
💡
Rub the screen in circular motions, not along or across, and this helps to evenly distribute the residue of the cleaning product and avoid stripes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I put glass on the already broken screen of the Redmi Note 8?
Why did the sensor sensitivity disappear after the sticker?
How long does a quality protective glass last?
Do I need to remove the old glass before the new one is labeled?
💡
Properly pasted protective glass is not only protection against scratches, but also the first line of defense of the screen when a smartphone falls.