Kokothemonkey
Newbie
Please share your secrets. 
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Best way to apply a screen protector without getting bubbles?
- Thread starter Kokothemonkey
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Gmash
Extreme Android User
Please share your secrets.
from our very own Phandroid, this is a good tutorial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhybitbtd-c
kool kat2
Android Expert
And that is how i perfectly apply my screen protectors. Before that it was like bubble wrap
It sounds weird, but bear with me 
I'd to stick a screen protector on my EEE Pad transformer (given the size of the screen, that was about 50 times more annoying than doing one for the phone) and what worked for me was doing it in the bathroom. I put the shower on its hottest setting for 5 minutes, turned it off, closed all doors and windows and left the room for about half an hour. When the steam turns to water and falls to the floor, it takes the dust with it meaning there's less floating about to get on the screen. Once you're satisfied the air is dry enough to not make your device damp, head in and apply like Chris (he also mentions the shower method at the end of the video).
Like I say, it's potentially a tad weird, and I can totally understand not wanting to apply it that way, but it worked for me.
I'd to stick a screen protector on my EEE Pad transformer (given the size of the screen, that was about 50 times more annoying than doing one for the phone) and what worked for me was doing it in the bathroom. I put the shower on its hottest setting for 5 minutes, turned it off, closed all doors and windows and left the room for about half an hour. When the steam turns to water and falls to the floor, it takes the dust with it meaning there's less floating about to get on the screen. Once you're satisfied the air is dry enough to not make your device damp, head in and apply like Chris (he also mentions the shower method at the end of the video).
Like I say, it's potentially a tad weird, and I can totally understand not wanting to apply it that way, but it worked for me.
B2L
Android Expert
It sounds weird, but bear with me
I'd to stick a screen protector on my EEE Pad transformer (given the size of the screen, that was about 50 times more annoying than doing one for the phone) and what worked for me was doing it in the bathroom. I put the shower on its hottest setting for 5 minutes, turned it off, closed all doors and windows and left the room for about half an hour. When the steam turns to water and falls to the floor, it takes the dust with it meaning there's less floating about to get on the screen. Once you're satisfied the air is dry enough to not make your device damp, head in and apply like Chris (he also mentions the shower method at the end of the video).
Like I say, it's potentially a tad weird, and I can totally understand not wanting to apply it that way, but it worked for me.
This is exactly what I do, and it works perfectly every time.
I like the Zagg protectors that come with an application liquid and squeegee. It took me 3 tries to get my Iconia right, 2 for the t-bolt and 2 for my mom's Kindle Fire. You spray the sticky side of the protector and your fingers, which also helps prevent fingerprints on that side, get it in position, then squeegee it on. After a few days, most imperfections have worked out, in fact I was concerned with how the tablet came out but after a few days you could hardly tell it was there (except that it wasn't perfectly smooth glass anymore).
If it's not on right, or you need to get some bubbles out, you can remove it in the first couple hours, as long as you're careful not to stretch it.
If it's not on right, or you need to get some bubbles out, you can remove it in the first couple hours, as long as you're careful not to stretch it.
AntimonyER
CHANGED FROM AF ADDICT MIKESTONY
I also use the zagg, and the trick is to not be shy with the application fluid, both on the sticky side, your fingers, and the non sticky side. also I always lay out a cloth napkin on the table. and thoroughly clean the phone, and wash my hands beforehand. Then just align the screen protector along the bottom, and slowly allow it to curl down onto the phone, checking that no dust lands on the phone (the shower idea is great, I might have to do that next time). Then once it is on the phone, and aligned, I put the phone on the cloth napkin, squeegy in one hand and the supplied cloth in the other, and starting in the middle I squeegy out the excess application fluid from underneath, using the cloth to absorb it as it emerges from under the screen protector, so as not to get into the crevices of the phone. If you spray the non-sticky side well, you can press as hard as you want with the squeegy without worrying about stretching the material. Finally once all that is left is small "micro-bubbles" which don't visibly cause the screen protector to bubble up, its done, and I let it dry. By the morning, its crystal clear with no bubbles.
Sharondippity
Dismember
I always have the person at the kiosk in the mall do it for me
tommy_ed
Android Expert
I posted this on Macrumors a while back, and I figured I'd share it
I work at a cell phone store and I've put on hundreds of these things so here's my method:
1.) As most people have mentioned, dust is bad. It's the #1 reason for bubbles. So clean that baby with surgical precision, not one spec of dust should be left on there, not even a tiny one. (I've never used the shower trick but I can definitely see how it would help for this)
2.) Once all the dust is off and I mean ALL of it (can't stress that enough) line up the protector with the film still on it just to see how it lines up.
3.) Start at the bottom. Make sure you line up the home button but equally important make sure the sides line up. If you don't have it lined up perfectly straight this is where you'll get screwed, because you'll have to pull it back up and re-align it. If that DOES happen, don't panic. Just peel all the way up to one of the bottom corners and rotate the screen protector where you need it. This is where a dust-free environment is important. ANYWAYS once you're lined up as best you can tell, peel a little bit back at a time, squeegeeing as you go. Seeing as how big the screen is, it would be a good idea to take your time and try to get most of the bubbles (especially the ones toward the center) out now to avoid complications afterward.
4.) Now that you have the whole screen protector on there, it's likely there will be a few bubbles. This is normal. If you paid attention and made sure there was NO DUST anywhere, you should be able to get every single one of them out with the squeegee. Get most of these with the outer protective film still on. Then peel it off and attack the rest of the bubbles, laying this film over those areas to protect your actual screen protector. You should be able to get all of the bubbles out and have a crystal clear display.
Remember the number one rule:
ABSOLUTELY NO DUST! Not even the tiniest little spec of it.
Good luck!
I work at a cell phone store and I've put on hundreds of these things so here's my method:
1.) As most people have mentioned, dust is bad. It's the #1 reason for bubbles. So clean that baby with surgical precision, not one spec of dust should be left on there, not even a tiny one. (I've never used the shower trick but I can definitely see how it would help for this)
2.) Once all the dust is off and I mean ALL of it (can't stress that enough) line up the protector with the film still on it just to see how it lines up.
3.) Start at the bottom. Make sure you line up the home button but equally important make sure the sides line up. If you don't have it lined up perfectly straight this is where you'll get screwed, because you'll have to pull it back up and re-align it. If that DOES happen, don't panic. Just peel all the way up to one of the bottom corners and rotate the screen protector where you need it. This is where a dust-free environment is important. ANYWAYS once you're lined up as best you can tell, peel a little bit back at a time, squeegeeing as you go. Seeing as how big the screen is, it would be a good idea to take your time and try to get most of the bubbles (especially the ones toward the center) out now to avoid complications afterward.
4.) Now that you have the whole screen protector on there, it's likely there will be a few bubbles. This is normal. If you paid attention and made sure there was NO DUST anywhere, you should be able to get every single one of them out with the squeegee. Get most of these with the outer protective film still on. Then peel it off and attack the rest of the bubbles, laying this film over those areas to protect your actual screen protector. You should be able to get all of the bubbles out and have a crystal clear display.
Remember the number one rule:
ABSOLUTELY NO DUST! Not even the tiniest little spec of it.
Good luck!
FWIW, the Zagg protector for the iPhone is a "dry install", the install is very much like tommy posted (I've done one). The Zagg protectors for MOST other devices (my 5th-gen iPod when they were still shield zone, the TB, the Iconia, the Kindle Fire) are wet installs as I described above. The wet installs don't have the alignment mask like the iPhone 4 one does, they have a mask on the non-sticky side but it's more hinderance than help.
ninja_reject
Android Enthusiast
I always have the person at the kiosk in the mall do it for me
Plus one for that method! I head to my local Radioshack, the guys there are so helpful and nice. I buy my protectors there, and they do it me.
Gmash
Extreme Android User
blackepoxy
Android Expert
Cheaters! Lol
Yeah, that's cheating!
I used to hate having to apply these. After about 10 tries and many trashed films, I have gotten it down.
Even, One tiny particle will cause bubbles.
Using the credit card, after peeling back about a half inch and sliding down with the card works great for me! Then using the other mask to cover over the film to smooth any other bubbles you have left without scratching the actual screen protector. Using two pieces of scotch tape to pull up the protector and take off any particles/fibers worlds well also. Makes it perfect!!!
Great video & thread!
*500th post*