Repair Guides
Phone Repair Guides
Straight answers from our repair bench at Taigum Square: what to do when something goes wrong, what's worth fixing, and how to keep your phone going for longer.
Around Brisbane
What living on Brisbane's northside means for your phone: storm season, the bay, the train and big nights out. Written at the shop, with the sources listed at the end of each article.
Taking Your Phone to the Beach: Salt, Sand and Sun at Sandgate, Shorncliffe and Redcliffe
Salt spray, sand in the port, sunscreen on your hands and a hot car park: how a day by the bay wears on a phone, and the simple habits that stop it.
· 6 min readYour Phone in a Hot Car: Brisbane Summers, the Dashboard and the Car Park
A parked car heats fast, and a phone on the dash for maps gets sun, charging and GPS at once. What Apple and Samsung say, and what to do when it's too hot.
· 6 min readChristmas Gifts From the Phone Shop: A Brisbane Guide by Who It's For
Phone accessory gift ideas for a Brisbane Christmas, sorted by who they're for: the traveller, a grandparent, a teen, a new phone, the beach and a smartwatch.
· 5 min readTravelling With a Power Bank: Flights, Cruises and Road Trips From Brisbane
Flying out of Brisbane, cruising from Pinkenba or heading up the Bruce? The power bank rules airlines changed in December 2025, what to buy, and what to pack.
· 6 min readStorm Season in Brisbane: Getting Your Phone Ready, and What to Do After
When a Brisbane storm cuts the power, your mobile is your torch, radio and only phone. How to get it ready, which alerts to turn on, and what to do after.
When something goes wrong
Broken, wet, hot or acting up: what to do first, and when it needs a repair.
Phone Dropped in Water? What to Do in the First Hour
Dropped your phone in the pool, the sink or the toilet? What to do in the first hour, why rice can make it worse, and when a wet phone needs a repair.
Screens · 3 min readCracked Phone Screen: Can You Keep Using It?
When a cracked screen can wait and when it can't: the risks of using a broken phone screen, quick ways to protect it, and what a screen replacement involves.
Charging · 4 min readPhone Not Charging? 8 Checks Before You Pay for a Repair
Won't charge, charges slowly, or only at an angle? Eight checks to tell whether it's the cable, the charger, lint in the port, the battery or the port.
Charging · 4 min readCharging Port Cleaning: The Five-Minute Fix Before You Buy a New Battery or Phone
Charging slowly, only at an angle, or not at all? A packed port is the usual cause. The signs, why home cleaning goes wrong, and what a proper clean involves.
Batteries · 3 min readSwollen Phone Battery: What to Do Right Now
A bulging back or a lifting screen means a swollen battery. How to make it safe, what never to do, and how to get it replaced or recycled in Brisbane.
Pop-ups and scams · 5 min readPop-Up Ads Taking Over Your Phone? How to Stop Them on iPhone and Android
Ads popping up over everything, fake virus warnings, junk in your calendar? Where they come from, how to stop them on iPhone and Android, and when it's a scam.
Scams · 6 min readScammed on Your Phone? What to Do in the First Hour, and When to Reset It
Clicked a fake toll text, gave a caller remote access, or typed bank details into the wrong site? What to do in the first hour, and when a phone needs a reset.
Batteries and screens
How long a battery should last, what the screen options mean, and how to protect both.
iPhone Battery Health: When Is It Time to Replace the Battery?
What the Battery Health percentage on your iPhone means, why 80% matters, how to check the cycle count, and the signs a battery replacement will fix.
Batteries · 3 min readHow to Check Battery Health on a Samsung Galaxy or Oppo Phone
Where to find battery health on Samsung Galaxy and Oppo phones, what "Normal", "Weak" and the percentages mean, and when a new battery is worth it.
Screens · 3 min readGenuine vs Aftermarket Phone Screens: What's the Difference?
OLED, soft OLED, hard OLED, incell LCD: how replacement phone screens differ in picture, battery life and price, and what to ask before a repair.
Your rights, parts and data
Warranties, insurance, genuine and aftermarket parts, and keeping your data safe.
Does a Third-Party Repair Void Your Phone's Warranty? (Australia)
The maker's warranty and your Australian Consumer Law rights are different things. What an independent phone repair can and can't change.
Your rights and repairs · 3 min read"Unknown Part" on Your iPhone After a Repair: What It Means
Why an iPhone says it can't verify a genuine battery, screen or camera after a repair, where Parts and Service History is, and what it changes.
Insurance · 4 min readClaiming Insurance for a Broken Phone? How a Damage Report Works
Insurers want a repairer's report before they pay for a broken phone. What they ask for, what a damage report says, and what to do if a claim stalls.
Upgrading and recycling
Repair or replace, moving to a new phone, and recycling the old one properly.
Everyday tips
Small settings and the right accessories that make a phone easier to live with.
Phone Too Quiet? How to Make the Ringtone, Calls and Alerts Louder on iPhone and Samsung
Missing calls because the phone's too quiet? How to turn the ringer up properly, choose a ringtone that's easier to hear, and add a flashing light for calls.
Charging · 4 min readWorking Somewhere Dusty? How to Keep Dust and Lint Out of Your Charging Port
Dust and pocket lint pack into charging ports until the cable won't click in. How a dust plug or a case with a port cover stops it, and how to clean a port.
Watches · 5 min readSmartwatch Bands: The Right Size, a Band for a Queensland Summer, and a Fit That Works
Which Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch bands fit your watch, which materials cope with Queensland humidity, and why a snug fit matters for fall detection.