How to Take Off a Phone Case (Properly)

While once upon a time, we had tank-like cell phones that barely needed protective cases, a sturdy phone case is practically a necessity in the day of huge-screened phones like the iPhone 13 Pro Max, Pixel 6 and Samsung Galaxy S22. But what happens when you need to take your phone out of its case?

By nature, phone cases are a little bit snug. The point is to keep your phone protected from drops, dings and scratches when you’re going about your daily life, taking it with you on the trail, the dance floor and — let’s be honest — pretty much everywhere else. So, although a well-fitting case is a necessity of modern living, sometimes it can be hard to take off. But don’t sweat it because removing your case is surprisingly easy with Pela.

Our eco-friendly phone cases are made of fully compostable, plant-based materials with a rigid back and impact-absorbent edges to keep your phone in great shape. They’re simultaneously stylish and protective to keep your expensive phone well-protected and help you express yourself. Because they have a flexible design, they’re easy to take on and off so you don’t feel like you have to commit to a case for months at a time.

When Do You Need to Take Off Your Phone Case?

Although you’ll want to keep your phone in its case the vast majority of the time, there are a few instances when the case might need to come off. Cleaning out dirt and grime inside the phone case is the most common. Even the best cases can accumulate tiny specks of who-knows-what inside, especially if you forget to clean your phone before putting it in the case.

Wireless charging is another common reason to remove a phone case. Some cases, unfortunately, aren’t compatible with wireless charging. (Pela cases, on the other hand, will let you charge wirelessly with no problem!) Some people also remove their wallet phone cases to avoid potentially damaging their credit cards and/or RFID badges with magnetic fields.

Finally, you might just be in the mood for a change! Lots of people like to switch up their cases as fashion accessories, and we’re not ashamed to say we encourage it — after all, you could buy 10 of our eco-friendly compostable phone cases and still create less waste than one plastic case!

How to Remove a Pela Case

Here’s how to properly remove a flexible phone case without damaging your phone or the case. The method below will work with removing your Pela case and other flexible and skin-style phone cases.

• Wash your hands. Thoroughly wash and dry your hands to ensure that you don’t get any fingerprints or smudges on the screen or the camera. 
• Pop off the case at the top corner. Firmly hold your phone in both hands and use your thumb to pop off the case at the top right corner, making sure not to stretch out the material. 
• Avoid touching any screens or openings, including your headphone, charging jacks and camera lenses. Keep in mind that most cameras also have front-facing lenses. Even clean hands have oil and residue on them, so do your best to avoid touching any sensitive areas with your hands.
• Peel off the rest of the case gently. You can use this method with all of our cases, including our phone cases with a phone card holder and our clear phone cases.
• Be careful with your “naked” phone. Leaving your phone unprotected for even an hour could be devastating in the event of a drop, so make sure to put a case back on immediately after cleaning.

How to Remove a Hard Phone Case

Although our phone cases are flexible, many people struggle to take off a hard case without damaging their phone. Hard phone cases can be a bit more challenging to remove because they’re more rigid and tight-fitting than flexible cases. This often requires you to use a bit more force, which can be risky. 

However, you can use the same approach as above — using pressure to pry off the case with your thumb — but just make sure to apply gentle pressure and don’t push too hard. With a hard-sided phone case, you may need to apply gentle pressure on both sides simultaneously in order for it to pop off. 

How to Put on a Phone Case

To put your flexible phone case back on, simply place the phone inside the case and peel the edges of the case around the sides, ensuring that the phone is securely in place. Before you put your case back on, we always recommend taking this moment to deep clean your phone and make sure it’s equipped with a screen protector. 

Even the best cases have a tendency to trap dirt, lint and grime when in use. After all, they see the inside of pockets and the bottom of bags on the regular. Make sure to follow the instructions from your phone’s manufacturer on how to properly clean your phone. For example, Samsung and Apple both recommend using a soft, lint-free cloth to clean your phone. 

Pela Makes Protection Easy

Taking your phone case off shouldn’t be hard. Just make sure to be gentle with the phone and case and avoid touching any openings or lenses. 

When you can easily swap out your phone case, you can express yourself with unique new designs as often as you want! And when Pela offers so many striking options for both Android and iPhone cases, we totally understand if you can’t choose. Browse our whole selection of sustainable phone cases now!