Privacy screen protectors sound like a smart idea, but there are drawbacks that many users only discover after buying one.

Chris Thomas was a reporter at Android Police from 2022 until 2025. The overwhelming majority of glass screen protectors proudly boast of their 9H hardness rating, but that means almost nothing.

While a screen protector can’t save your phone from a nasty drop — that’s what a good case is for — it’s still worth having. It can keep your screen safe from cracks and scratches that make scrolling ...