Does an Apple Watch need a Screen Protector

Are you wondering if you’ll need a screen protector for your Apple Watch? It really depends on what model of Apple Watch you have and your tolerance for wear and tear:

The Difference Between Glass and Sapphire Displays

The Apple Watch comes with both Glass and Sapphire Crystal displays. The Aluminium and SE Apple Watch has an Ion-X glass display. The Stainless Steel models of the Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Ultra have sapphire displays.

The sapphire display will be much more scratch resistant than the glass display. Sapphire as a material is harder than steel.

I’ve had both an Aluminium Apple Watch with Glass display and my current Apple Watch is Stainless Steel with Sapphire. My Aluminium Watch did get the odd scratch on the display. This was similar to how an iPhone without a case will get slight scratches too and most of the time you never even know they are there.

My Stainless Steel Apple Watch has no scratches on the display. And I don’t use a screen protector. I’ve been wearing this model for a couple of years and it looks as though it’s brand new. The stainless steel on the side (mine is black) is also scratch free. Which I’m pretty amazed by.

Do You need a Screen Protector for an Apple Watch?

If you have a Stainless Steel Apple Watch or the Apple Watch Ultra you don’t need a screen protector. Screen protectors can reduce the sensitivity of inputs. The Sapphire display is hard enough to prevent scratches in everyday use. A screen protector might offer a tiny bit of crack protection.

If you have an Aluminium Apple Watch which has a glass display a screen protector can prevent scratches. Apple doesn’t recommend it. And personally I don’t think you’ll need it either. Any scratches won’t be easily visible, especially with an always on display. The glass is pretty tough and everyday use won’t cause it to scratch.

If you’re the type of person to freak out over patina (the general wear of a device) , then yes a screen protector is probably worth it. If you don’t want to worry about scratches, go with a stainless steel model. While you’d think the shiny surface would be a magnet for scratches I’ve found it holds up really well (although I personally only have experience with the black stainless variant)

If you are going to get a screen protector, the ones that just fit over the screen seem to work best. You can get cases that cover the entire watch. In testing I’ve found these to be a combination of ugly, uncomfortable and they can interfere with certain Apple Watch chargers. But they will give you more protection against cracking the screen.

Most importantly – remember an Apple Watch is not designed to sit on a nightstand looking pretty. It’s designed to be worn!