The iPad 8th gen came out in September 2020 and Apple stopped selling it in September 2021. It looks almost exactly like the 9th gen: 10.2-inch screen, Home button, Lightning port. The big differences are inside (an A12 chip instead of an A13) and in how long Apple will keep updating it.
What Apple charges
| Repair | Apple price | With AppleCare+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cracked screen or other damage | $249 | $49 accidental damage fee |
| Battery service | $99 | $0 below 80% capacity |
| Front glass only (DIY part from iFixit) | $59.99 part | n/a |
Apple doesn't replace just the glass. A crack is priced as "other damage," and Apple typically swaps the whole iPad.
The good news: the glass comes off on its own
On iPad Air and Pro models, the glass and display are fused together. On the 8th gen, the touch glass and the LCD are separate layers. iFixit sells the iPad 7/8 screen digitizer as "only the front glass" with the LCD not included. So if the picture still looks normal, a shop can usually replace only the glass.
The bad news: updates have stopped
When Apple announced iPadOS 27 in June 2026, the iPad 8th gen was cut from the list. It tops out at iPadOS 26. It'll keep working and should still get security fixes for a while, but new features are done, and over time some apps will stop supporting it.
That doesn't mean don't fix it. It means don't spend new-iPad money on it.
How to tell what's broken
- Cracks, but the picture and touch are fine: glass-only repair.
- Touch dead in a strip or corner: usually still the glass, since touch lives there on this model.
- Lines, black spots or a bright patch: the LCD is damaged too. Now you're paying for two parts.
- iPad bent: pass. A bent frame makes a clean repair hard and Apple will price it as other damage anyway.
Easy things to do first
- Back up in Settings > your name > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
- Cover the cracks with clear tape or a screen protector so nobody gets cut.
- Check AppleCare+. $49 versus $249 is a big gap. Most AppleCare+ on a 2020 iPad has expired by now unless it's been renewed monthly.
Apple or a shop?
Apple ($249) gets you a replacement unit with a warranty. On a tablet that no longer gets new iPadOS versions, that's a lot. It's worth it mostly with AppleCare+.
A local shop is the better bet for a glass-only crack. Ask:
- Glass only, or glass and LCD?
- Will you transfer my Home button so Touch ID still works?
- What warranty do I get?
- What's the total, tax included?
Is it worth fixing?
A cheap glass-only repair? Sure, especially for a kid's video iPad or a kitchen recipe screen. Apple's $249? Probably not, unless you have AppleCare+. For context, Apple's current basic iPad (A16) starts at $449, gets current software, and is far faster. If the battery is also fading, read our iPad 8th gen battery guide before spending on two repairs.
All prices are on the iPad 8th generation page. Apple prices checked October 14, 2026.
