Buff with toothpaste or polish (risky, last resort only)

Apply a small amount of non-gel white toothpaste or a specialized screen polish to a cotton swab and gently rub the scratch in circular motions. This is a widely circulated method, but it rarely works well and frequently damages the oleophobic coating, making the screen look worse.

Steps

1. Apply a tiny amount of non-gel white toothpaste or a specialized glass polish (such as Displex) to a cotton swab or soft cloth.
2. Rub the scratch gently in small circular motions with very light pressure for 15-30 seconds.
3. Wipe the screen clean with a slightly damp cloth.
4. Inspect the result. Stop immediately if the scratch looks worse or the coating appears hazy.

Tips

• This method carries significant risk — it can strip the oleophobic coating, leaving fingerprint smudges permanently worse
• Only attempt on very minor surface scratches you have nothing to lose on
• Avoid baking soda pastes, which are far too abrasive for modern phone glass
• If the scratch is on a screen protector rather than the glass itself, just replace the protector instead