At IFA 2025, you can order a custom Zagg screen protector like a coffee

Screen protectors are Android phone accessories that feel almost mandatory to keep your gadgets safe against cracks and scratches. However, as a review that tests many phones and even more screen protectors, I find them to be wildly inconvenient. They're difficult to apply, it can be hard to find them in stock at stores near you when you need them, and can need replacing often. There might be a better way, and I tried it at the Zagg booth at IFA 2025.

Zagg's On-Demand InvisibleShield machine is sort of like a kiosk for custom screen protectors. Name just about any device model and pick a film screen protector variant, like matte or privacy, and order it like you would a coffee. There is information for thousands of devices stored in the Zagg On Demand machine, with the precise measurements for each.

This wide-ranging support for phone and device models is extremely useful for niche models, or new and old ones. For instance, if you want to get a screen protector in your home country for a phone that isn't generally available there — think using an Honor Magic V5 in the U.S. — you're probably out of luck at a big box retailer. However, a shop with an On Demand machine can cut a film for your uncommon device or ten-year-old phone in minutes.

After you name your device, you'll need to pick a film screen protector type. A notable limitation of the On Demand machine is that it can't cut tempered glass screen protectors, only TPU film. A Zagg representative told me that's why there aren't as many Zagg On Demand service providers in the U.S. as there are in Europe; the American market prefers tempered glass over film.

Personally, I find matte film screen protectors to be the perfect mix of feature set and protection. The matte finish helps diffuse sunlight for better visibility, and the film protects your screen from scratches without being another thing for you to crack.

You can choose from Zagg's InvisibleShield Defense, Elite, or Extreme film screen protector types depending on the feel you're looking for. From there, you can choose either Ultra Eco (biodegradable), Ultra Matte (anti-glare), Elite VisionGuard (blue-light blocking), or Privacy Matte versions. After that, an operator will put your chosen film into the machine, it'll precision-cut it, and soon it'll be ready to be applied.

In just a few minutes, you'll end up with something like I did in the photo above — a phone with a cut-to-order screen protector. I was fascinated by the process, and find there to be a few major advantages to this kind of service. For one, you're getting an expert to install your screen protector. If you don't like how it turns out, you can address that right then and there without having to go through a return or warranty process.

There's also the fact that this process allows stores to provide screen protectors for far more devices than they ever could with pre-packaged kits. It's an approach that uses less waste as well. Even large retailers like Best Buy struggle to keep a variety of screen protectors in stock for same-day pickup, but with Zagg On Demand, it's nearly instant.

Zagg has been using On Demand machines for over five years now, and I hope they catch on more. It's cool to watch, and has too many practical benefits for both businesses and customers to ignore.