I tried the iPhone screen protector that’s going viral on social media (and it didn’t disappoint)

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A few weeks ago, I started seeing a lot of ads on Instagram for a particular brand of screen protector that promised quick and easy application and great protection. As someone who goes through a lot of screen protectors (I’ve broken three on my iPhone 17 Pro Max<!–> already), my curiosity was piqued. 

Also: I wanted a privacy screen protector – until I put one on my Galaxy S25 Ultra

However, my attention span being what it is, I forgot. Then people started asking me about those Magic John screen protectors. Are they any easier to apply and more durable than the others out there, or is it just marketing? 

There was only one way to find out. I bought a Magic John screen protector kit–> for my iPhone.

Not come across them before? Here’s a demo of the product:

Screen protectors have come a long way from the simple plastic sheet you used to stick on your phone. They’re now tempered glass sheets with a high level of hardness and scratch resistance, and they come with an applicator — a big contraption consisting of a frame to help with alignment and getting the fit right, so there’s no more having to peel the protector off to realign.

I like having a screen protector because it shields the screen from scuffs and damage, preserving resale value. I also believe that it does minimize — not eliminate — serious screen damage.  

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And dust — the scourge of applying screen protectors — is also pretty much a thing of the past, as the screen protector features a dust removal sheet that’s used just moments before the protector is applied.

Magic John 3rd-generation screen protectors claim to be faster and easier to apply than earlier models. I haven’t used the previous generation versions, but I can say that these ones are extremely quick and easy to apply. I gave the phone screen a cursory wipe with the included alcohol wipes (not adding the obligatory sprinkle of dust to the screen that they all do in the demo videos to show how good they are at removing the dust), popped it into the alignment contraption, pulled the tab, and the protector was applied.

No fuss. No dust. No bubbles. 

In terms of quality, the screen protector looks and feels like the display on my iPhone, and touch operations don’t seem affected in any way whatsoever. I chose the privacy screen, so it has a limited field of view to prevent snooping, but this in no way affects the performance, speed, or reliability of the Face ID mechanism (a problem I’ve had in the past with some screen protectors).

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But how tough is it?

Well, since my kit came with two, I decided to sacrifice one of the protectors to some testing. While you can’t recreate real-world usage, I had to improvise — abusing the protector in a variety of ways, from trying to scratch it with rocks to bashing it with hard objects. 

It seemed to have no issues, shrugging off most of my abuse. 

As is the case with all screen protectors and glass in general, you can break it if you try. For example, hit it with something like carbide, and it’ll break — well, not on the first hit.

Second try is a charm.

Still, despite the fact that it broke — eventually — it’s a super-tough screen protector. I had to really try to actually break it.

ZDNET’s buying advice

I’ve fitted hundreds of screen protectors onto various devices, from the earliest phones and PDAs (remember the iPAQ?) to GPS units and smartphones. This Magic John 3rd-generation kit<!–> is, hands down, the quickest, easiest one to apply. (It helps that it’s avaialble for various other products, too, including Android phones and gaming consoles.)

And once applied, it’s virtually invisible, doesn’t affect the touchscreen or Face ID, and boasts high optical clarity.

Also: I’ve tried every iPhone 17 model, and my golden rule for upgrading is changing in 2025

It’s a tough screen protector, and it resists scratches and impacts really well. I’ve been using the screen protector on my daily driver for a couple of weeks, and it still looks like new. (Considering that I’ve gone through several screen protectors already for my new iPhone, this protector has already outlasted the ones I used before.) 

For $26 for two screen protectors–> (Magic John also a privacy screen protector<!–> that costs $21 for two), it sounds expensive, but it’s a decent price for a decent screen protector that seems to last (so far, at any rate).