The iPhone SE, 8 and 7 are the iPhones people keep because they like the home button. They are small, tough and cheap to repair, and many are still used daily by people who see no reason to change. The faults are different from the newer phones, and worth knowing before you book.
Blue Apple repairs the iPhone SE (2020 and 2022), the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus and the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam. Each model has its own page with the repairs we offer for it: start at the iPhone repair page.
What is different about the iPhone SE, 8 and 7
- Touch ID in the home button. The home button holds the fingerprint sensor, and it is paired to the phone. If the screen is replaced, the original home button has to be moved across, or Touch ID stops working.
- LCD screens on all of them. Unlike the later OLED models, the SE, 8 and 7 have LCD displays. They are simpler and usually cheaper to repair.
- Glass back on the 8 and SE. The iPhone 8 and the SE (2020) have a glass back and wireless charging; the 7 is aluminium.
- The iPhone SE (2022) is faster than it looks. It looks like an iPhone 8 and has the chip of a much newer phone, which is why many keep it going.
What usually goes wrong with the iPhone SE, 8 and 7
- Home button or Touch ID that stops working. Worn buttons, or a button that was replaced without being moved across properly.
- Cracked screen. The most common repair. Because the home button belongs to the phone, it has to be treated with care when the display comes off.
- Battery that is worn out. On a phone from 2016 to 2020 it is nearly always the first thing to replace.
- Audio faults, especially on the iPhone 7. The 7 and 7 Plus are known for a fault in the audio chip: a greyed-out speaker button, no sound on calls or a microphone that does not work. It is a board-level repair we can do.
- Lightning port that is loose. A charge that comes and goes, or a cable that falls out.
The iPhone SE, 8 and 7 models we repair
Every model below has its own page, with the repairs we offer for it and what each one costs.
iPhone SE 2022, iPhone SE 2020, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7.
Repair or replace?
These phones are cheap to repair and cheap to replace, so we compare honestly. A battery or a screen is worth it for a phone that works well. If it is stuck on an old iOS and has several faults at once, replacing is sensible.
Looking after your iPhone
- Take care of the home button. It cannot be swapped for a new one without losing Touch ID.
- Replace the battery when the phone shuts down. It is the best value repair here.
- Keep it out of back pockets. Even a small flex can crack the glass back on the 8.
How a repair works at Blue Apple
Open your model on the iPhone repair page, choose the repair and you see the price straight away. You can bring it to our workshop at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, have it collected (pickup and delivery) or send it by post. If your fault is not in the list, the custom repair form lets you describe it, and we come back with a price before any work starts.
Questions about repairing an iPhone SE, 8 or 7
Will Touch ID still work after a screen repair?
Yes, if the original home button is moved to the new screen, and that is how we do it. A replacement home button from another phone will not work with Touch ID.
Can the audio chip on an iPhone 7 be repaired?
Yes, it is a board-level repair, and a common one for this model. After the diagnosis we say what it costs.
More reading
In short
For the home-button iPhones a battery or a screen is a small repair, and the home button has to be treated with care. See the iPhone repair page for the models and repairs, or send us a request. You will find us at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, and you can call 020 239 11 93 with a question first.
