It is not a loud bang. It is that sickening and dry crunch of glass hitting concrete. You freeze. You stare at the phone lying face down on the pavement. For a split second you play a little game with yourself. You think that maybe it is fine. You hope you got lucky. -> iPhone 17 Pro Max Repair Cost
Then you pick it up.
The spiderweb crack across your beautiful iPhone 17 Pro Max display is not just cosmetic damage. It is a bill. If you are like most people in the UK right now then it is a bill you really did not need this month.
We get it. At Phone Clinic we see that look on customers faces every single day. It is a mix of frustration and regret. There is also the looming worry about how much this is actually going to cost.
Is it going to be a small expense or a massive one?
Let us cut through the noise. We are going to be completely honest about the iPhone 17 Pro Max repair cost landscape in 2026. We will compare what you pay at the big official stores versus what you can expect from local specialists like us.
The Reality of Repair Costs in 2026
First off let us acknowledge the truth. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is a beast of a machine. It is built with titanium and ceramic shield glass. The internals are more powerful than most laptops. It is not a cheap toy so fixing it is not going to be pennies.
But it does not have to be a ransom payment either.
If you walk into the manufacturer store without insurance like AppleCare+ you are going to feel it. Official repair pricing has crept up alongside the cost of the phones themselves.
The Official Price Tag
- Screen Replacement: You are looking at upwards of £349.
- Back Glass: Thanks to the new design this has dropped but it is still hovering around £169 to £199.
- Battery: Expect to pay over £100 just to keep the lights on.
That hurts. Especially when you consider that for £349 you could buy a decent refurbished phone or pay for a month of groceries for a small family.
The Phone Clinic Difference This is where we come in. We do not believe you should be punished for an accident. By sourcing high quality components directly and handling repairs in house right here on your high street we strip away the corporate overheads. This means we can offer you a significantly lower iPhone 17 Pro Max repair cost without sacrificing the quality of the fix.
Screen Repair: More Than Just Glass
Here is something a lot of people do not realize. Your screen is not just one piece. It is a sandwich.
When you ask for a quote you need to know exactly what you are paying for because not all screens are created equal. The iPhone 17 Pro Max uses a stunning LTPO OLED panel. That is a fancy way of saying it has perfect blacks and vibrant colours. It also has that silky smooth 120Hz refresh rate known as ProMotion.
The Glass Only Scenario
Sometimes the universe smiles on you. If you have dropped your phone and the glass is shattered but the picture underneath is perfect you have got a glass only repair. This means there are no black blobs and no flashing green lines. In our workshops we can often refurbish these screens. It is cheaper and it is greener. It also keeps your original Apple OLED panel intact.
The Full Display Scenario
If your screen looks like a glitched out TV from the 90s then the OLED panel is dead. You need a full replacement. Warning: Be careful with super cheap quotes here. If a shop offers to fix your Pro Max screen for £100 you should run away. They are likely using a cheap LCD or a standard 60Hz OLED. If you put one of those on your phone you lose ProMotion. Your £1200 phone will suddenly feel like a £200 budget handset.
At Phone Clinic we use premium OLED panels that match the original specs. We want your phone to feel exactly as snappy and bright as it did the day you unboxed it.
Is Your Battery Giving Up?
It is 2026. We use our phones for everything. We pay for the tube and unlock our cars and track our health. That puts a massive strain on the battery.
Even with the optimized A series chip physics is still physics. Lithium ion batteries degrade. If you are charging your 17 Pro Max twice a day or if it shuts down when it says 15% then it is time for a swap.
Official outlets often treat battery replacements like major surgery. You have to book a slot and back up your data and wipe the phone and wait.
We treat it like a tyre change.
- Time: 30 to 45 minutes.
- Data: Safe because we do not wipe your phone.
- Cost: Significantly less than the £100+ official fee.
We use high capacity cells that meet strict safety standards. No overheating and no swelling. Just all day power again.
The Back Glass: A Design Win
We have to give credit where it is due. Apple finally made the back glass easier to fix starting with the 15 Pro and that carried over to the 17 Pro Max. In the old days cracking the back meant replacing the entire chassis of the phone. It was wasteful and wildly expensive.
Now it is a removable panel.
However it is still tricky. The back glass sits right on top of the wireless charging coil and the magnetic ring. One slip with a pry tool and you have severed the charging cable.
Our technicians use precision laser equipment. We laser the adhesive off the back frame which allows us to gently lift the broken glass away without forcing it. We then bond a new panel in place with factory strength adhesive. This restores the water resistant seal and makes your phone look brand new.
Charging Port: The Invisible Problem
We hear this complaint daily. “My phone will not charge!”
Panic sets in. You wiggle the cable. You try three different chargers. Nothing happens. You assume the charging port is broken and you need a motherboard repair.
Spoiler Alert: It is usually just fluff. Pocket lint is the enemy of the Lightning and USB C ports. It gets compacted in the bottom of the port every time you shove the plug in. Eventually it forms a wall that blocks the connection.
Before we quote you for a repair we do a professional deep clean. Most of the time that solves it. If the port is actually damaged we can solder in a new flex cable while you wait.
Why Local Is Better Than Official
Look the Genius Bar is great. But have you tried to get an appointment lately? It can be days. And once you are there you are just a ticket number in a crowded room.
Phone Clinic is different. We are your neighbours. We have stores in Loughton and Southampton and Stoke and across the UK. When you walk in you speak to the person who is actually going to fix your phone.
- We do not judge. We have seen phones dropped in toilets and run over by cars and chewed by dogs. We just want to fix it.
- We keep your data. We know that backing up 500GB of photos to iCloud is a pain. We work on the hardware leaving your software alone.
- We are fast. We know you feel naked without your phone. Most repairs are done within the hour.
The True Tone and Unknown Part Message
Let us get technical for a second. Apple loves to lock their parts to the motherboard. If you swap a screen your phone might pop up a message saying “Unknown Part” or you might lose the “True Tone” feature.
This is where the cheap shops fail. They just swap the part and ignore the software.
At Phone Clinic we use specialized programming tools. We copy the serial data from your old broken screen and write it onto the new one. This preserves True Tone functionality. While the “Unknown Part” message is sometimes unavoidable due to Apple software locks we do everything physically possible to make the repair seamless.
The Economics: Repair vs Replace
Is it worth it? This is the big question.
A new iPhone 17 Pro Max is an investment of over £1200. Let us say you have a smashed screen and a weak battery. The total iPhone 17 Pro Max repair cost with us might be around a quarter of the price of a new phone.
- Repairing: You spend £200 to £300. You get a phone that looks and works like new. You keep your photos and your apps and your settings.
- Replacing: You spend £1200 or more. You have to set everything up again. And what do you do with the broken one? It has almost no trade in value when it is smashed.
Repairing is the financially savvy move. It is also the eco friendly move. Electronic waste is a massive problem. Keeping your device in circulation for another two years is a huge win for the planet.
Ready to Fix It?
If you are reading this on a cracked screen stop squinting. You do not have to live with it.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is an incredible piece of technology. It deserves to look its best and you deserve a phone that works properly.
Check out our locations at phoneclinicrepair. You can get an instant quote online or just pop into your nearest branch. We will pour you a coffee and take a look at the damage and give you an honest price.
Let us get that phone back to 100%.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How much does iPhone 17 Pro Max screen repair cost in the UK?
A: In 2026, official manufacturer repairs for the iPhone 17 Pro Max screen typically cost around £349. However, independent specialists like Phone Clinic often offer premium OLED screen replacements for significantly less—usually between £220 and £280—depending on whether you choose a refurbished original or high-quality aftermarket panel.
Q: Is it worth fixing a broken iPhone 17 Pro Max screen?
A: Yes, absolutely. With a replacement value of over £1,200, spending £200–£300 on a repair is financially smarter than buying a new device. Additionally, fixing the screen restores the trade-in value of the phone, meaning you will get hundreds of pounds more when you eventually upgrade or sell it.
Q: Will my Face ID still work after a screen replacement?
A: Yes, provided you choose a reputable repair centre. The Face ID sensor is separate from the screen, but it is paired to the motherboard. At Phone Clinic, we carefully transfer your original Face ID module to the new screen assembly to ensure facial recognition works perfectly.
Q: Does replacing the battery or screen ruin water resistance?
A: Opening any iPhone compromises the original factory seal. However, professional repair shops will apply a new water-resistant adhesive seal during reassembly. While this restores protection against rain and splashes, we advise against submerging your phone underwater after any repair, regardless of where it was fixed.
Q: How long does an iPhone 17 Pro Max repair take?
A: Most standard repairs at Phone Clinic are completed while you wait. A battery replacement typically takes 30 to 45 minutes, and a full screen replacement takes about 45 to 60 minutes. This is significantly faster than the 3-5 day turnaround often quoted by main dealers.
Q: Why does my iPhone show an “Unknown Part” message after repair?
A: This is an automated notification from Apple that appears when a part is changed, even if that part is genuine. It does not affect the performance of your device. We use specialized programming tools to copy your original screen data to the new panel to minimize issues, but the notification is simply a software acknowledgement of the repair.