If you've broken your iPhone 13's display, we recommend going to an Apple Store even if you don't have Apple Care Plus.

This is because the teardown of Apple's new flagship smartphones, including the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, has revealed that Face ID will no longer work for third-party repairs.

This is not the first time Apple has made a design choice that is a slap in the face to the third-party repair industry. The company adopted its own screws as far back as 2011, and just last year it was discovered that the iPhone 12's camera would not work properly unless it was repaired by an authorized Apple technician.

Now, however, Apple seems to have taken it a step further and made Face ID permanently unusable if the screen is replaced; both Phone Repair Guru and iFixit noted this during their iPhone 13 Pro teardowns. And we all know that screen replacement is one of the most common phone repairs.

Phone Repair Guru points out that Face ID has always made iPhone screen replacement tricky. Previously, the module itself was attached to the screen, and any scratches to it would affect the function of Face ID. iPhone 13 does not do this, and the iPhone's microphone and ambient light sensor can be replaced without issue.

However, Face ID data is now stored on a chip in the screen itself. And replacing the screen seems to disable that functionality; Phone Repair Guru tried to reset Face ID to see if that was the problem, but the iPhone just told them it was not available.

Phone Repair Guru noted that while it may be possible to transfer the Face ID data chip to a new screen, it would not be possible at a regular repair store.

Apple may release an update to fix this issue, as it has done in similar cases in the past, but there is no guarantee that it will be done this year. Therefore, unless otherwise notified, screen repairs should only be performed by Apple or Apple-certified technicians.

If you have AppleCare Plus, the only cost for screen repair is the standard $29 service fee. Otherwise, however, it is considerably more expensive: $229 for the iPhone 13 mini, $279 for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, and $329 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

On the other hand, AppleCare Plus for two years costs just $149 for the iPhone 13 and 13 mini and $199 for the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.

Apple has faced a great deal of criticism from right-to-repair activists as a result of this type of requirement. Apple obviously wants to be able to repair all iPhones in-house, but not everyone can afford to pay $279 for a cracked screen. Especially when the warranty has already expired, it is not surprising that some people will resort to third-party repairs, which can be done at much lower rates than usual.

Unfortunately, however, unless an update is provided, they will have to choose between an expensive Apple repair or losing Face ID. And since no other biometric security is available for the iPhone 13, that option may not be available.

All of this is another reason to set up a protective case for your new iPhone. We have a guide to the best iPhone 13 mini cases, best iPhone 13 cases, and best iPhone 13 Pro Max cases.