Best iPhone SE (2020) screen protectors 2024

Iphone Se 2020 Hero
Iphone Se 2020 Hero (Image credit: iMore)

The iPhone SE 2, released in 2020, isn't the latest model, but you take good care of your tech and hang onto it for a while. You'll want a screen protector to keep your second-generation iPhone SE's screen pristine over time. Here are some of the best iPhone SE (2020) screen protectors you can buy.

Do you really need a screen protector?

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I learned a couple of things about screen protectors during the time I worked at an Apple Store. First of all, you definitely do need one on your iPhone SE or any iPhone. A screen protector may not be 100% effective in keeping your actual iPhone screen from breaking in a fall, but I saw plenty of customers come in to replace cracked screen protectors while their iPhone screens remained perfect. Even if you never subject your iPhone to any kind of trauma, the phone screen will develop micro-scratches over time from normal use. I found that out the hard way when I went without a screen protector for a couple of months. A screen protector will take all of that damage instead of your phone screen.

Second, I do not trust myself to install a screen protector free hand. At Apple, we had "machines" to help us install screen protectors perfectly every time. The inclusion of some sort of installation frame is helpful for guiding applications; sticker hinges are better than nothing. I really like the tray installation kit included with our pick from Power Theory. It reminds me of the machines we used at Apple.

Which is the best iPhone SE (2020) screen protector for you?

Note that the dimensions of the iPhone SE 2 and newer iPhone SE 3 (2022) are the same as the older iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 screens, so screen protectors made for one iPhone model should fit the other three just as well, but check the listings to be sure.

Most screen protectors listed here (unless otherwise noted) feature high-definition tempered glass, 9H hardness, oleophobic screen coating, and ample room around the edges for your favorite case. My favorite is the Power Theory set, purely because of the installation kit that it comes with.

MANTO's Full Coverage iPhone Screen Protector may seem like an odd pick since it doesn't have as much space around the edge for a case, but I love the experience of an edge-to-edge screen protector — and think you will too. Once it's installed, it seems to melt into the bezels of the iPhone, so you hardly notice it's there. Just note that if you do go with this one, you'll want to be sure to have a case that doesn't have a lip that extends too far over the iPhone's screen. Speaking of cases, don't forget an iPhone SE (2020) case!

Most importantly, choose a screen protector that fits your budget and has your desired feature set. The best iPhone SE 2020 screen protector is the one that's actually on your iPhone!

Karen S Freeman
Contributor

Karen is a contributor to iMore.com as a writer and co-host of the iMore Show. She’s been writing about Apple since 2010 with a year-long break to work at an Apple Store as a product specialist. She's also a contributor at TechRadar and Tom's Guide. Before joining iMore in 2018, Karen wrote for Macworld, CNET, AppAdvice, and WatchAware. She’s an early adopter who used to wait in long lines on release days before pre-ordering made things much easier. Karen is also a part-time teacher and occasional movie extra. She loves to spend time with her family, travel the world, and is always looking for portable tech and accessories so she can work from anywhere.