How to Apply a Screen Protector On Your Moto X with No Bubbles

I prefer phones with no case, and only a screen protector.

My wife is far more prone to hand her high-end communications device to a three-year-old with peanut butter on his fingers than I am. Thus, we knew that getting her both a case and a screen protector was an inevitable part of the process of switching to Republic Wireless.

We got both case and a three-pack of screen protectors on Amazon (and thanks to our prime membership got the shipping for free). Disclosure: none of the links below are affiliate links thanks to North Carolina lawmakers and Amazon not playing nicely, though I do get a free screen protector from the manufacturer by leaving a review (not necessarily a positive one) on a public website.

Here’s a link to the case we got.
The short version of my review of the case: It’s very protective, but makes the buttons on the side extremely hard to push and sometimes the flash on the camera washes out photos by reflecting off of the case. That said, it’s well worth 7 bucks.

Here’s a link to the screen protector.

The screen protector is very good, and very easy to apply (given that I have a history as a professional applier, your individual results may vary. I’ll give you some insider tips in just a sec.) As long as you center up the protector, it does not interfere with this particular case.

Quick tutorial on applying the Halo screen protector

The key to applying the protector is two finger-length pieces of clear Scotch Magic Tape. Also extremely helpful is a can of compressed air. But the clear tape is mandatory.

In a well-lit area, clean off the surface of the phone as thoroughly as possible. Pay close attention to dust, as it is the primary bubble-culprit.

Peel off the first (phone facing) side of the protector’s packaging, and blow on the screen one last time to remove any dust. Center up the screen protector by gently folding it in half vertically to form a semi-circle (don’t crease it) and lining up the microphone cutout and the speaker cutouts. Allow the protector to come to rest on the screen by letting go of the two sides.

If you are some sort of magician, you’ll have gotten this right the first time. If you are like the rest of us, it’ll be slightly off center and have at least three bubbles on the screen despite your best efforts of getting the dust away. No matter if it’s centered up perfectly or bubble free, at this point I peel off the second piece of packaging.

If your screen protector looks good, congrats. You can stop reading and go work on your other magic tricks.

If there are bubbles, you’ll need your pieces of tape.

Use one piece of tape to pull the protector partly off the screen (if you are centered up correctly) or fully off the screen (if you need a total redo). Then, using the other piece of tape, isolate the dust particles causing bubbles, and use the tape to pick them up. Some will be on the screen and others will be on the protector.

Once you’ve gotten all the bits of dust, your protector will be virtually invisible. The Halo protector seems thus far to be quite durable, as we’ve wiped peanut butter off of ours several times.

Enjoy!