Best iPad Screen Protectors
Glass, Paper-Feel & Privacy

30-second answer: Apple Pencil users — buy the Paperlike. Everyone else — buy a tempered glass like Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit (iPad) or Supershieldz.

The iPad protector decision

iPads are different to phones. They live on coffee tables, in laptop bags, get used by kids — and most importantly, increasingly get drawn on with Apple Pencil. The "right" protector depends entirely on what you do with it.

If you use Apple Pencil — for note-taking, sketching, or graphic design — a matte/paperlike film transforms the experience. The slick glass-on-glass feel of an unprotected iPad is the single most common complaint from artists. A textured film mimics the friction of pencil on paper, dramatically improving control. The trade-off: slightly diffused video and reduced colour pop.

If you don't use Apple Pencil, glass is the right call. iPads have huge displays — 13" on the iPad Pro — and the cost of replacing one if it cracks is colossal (£499+ at Apple Stores for the Pro). A £15 tempered glass is cheap insurance.

By iPad model

iPad Pro M4 (2024) — 11" and 13"

The Tandem OLED display is gorgeous and expensive. Apple charges £499 for an 11" Pro display swap, £599 for the 13". Both Paperlike and Spigen have variants tuned to the new dimensions. See our dedicated iPad Pro M4 protector guide, or browse on Amazon UK →

iPad Air M3 (2025) and M2 (2024) — 11" and 13"

The iPad Air now comes in two sizes matching the Pro. Most "iPad Air 11"" protectors fit the iPad Pro 11" too — they share dimensions. Same for the 13" siblings. iPad Air protectors →

iPad (11th gen, 2025) — 10.9"

The "standard" iPad — the one most parents buy for their kids. amFilm and Supershieldz dominate this category with affordable 2- and 3-packs. Standard iPad protectors →

iPad mini 7 (2024)

The 8.3" mini is the most popular tablet for reading and gaming. Paperlike and Spigen both make mini-specific variants. iPad mini protectors →

iPad legacy (9th gen, older Pro/Air)

If you've got an older iPad still in service, protector availability is excellent and prices are at rock bottom. The older iPads also tend to live longer in family use, where a multi-pack budget option (amFilm 3-pack) makes sense. Legacy iPad protectors →

Apple Pencil and screen protectors — the full story

Two factors matter for Pencil users:

1. Friction. Bare iPad glass is slippery, almost frictionless under the Pencil tip. This makes precise drawing surprisingly difficult — there's no resistance to control. Paperlike-style matte films add roughly the same friction as pencil on cartridge paper. Most artists say they couldn't go back after trying one.
2. Tip wear. The Apple Pencil tip wears against any surface. On bare glass, it lasts ~6 months of heavy use before becoming visibly flat. Matte films wear tips slightly faster (most say 4–5 months); cheap rough films can wear tips in weeks. Paperlike is calibrated for slow, predictable tip wear.

If you draw: Paperlike. If you only occasionally annotate PDFs: glass is fine, the marginal Pencil benefit isn't worth the display trade-off.

Recommended for iPad — by use case

iPad-specific FAQ

Will Apple Pencil 2 / Pencil Pro still work through a glass screen protector?

Yes. Both Pencil 2 and Pencil Pro work normally through any quality tempered glass — the Pencil's tilt and pressure detection isn't affected by the protector layer. The hover feature on Pencil Pro continues to work, just with a slightly reduced range.

Will Touch ID (Power Button on iPad Air) still work with a glass protector?

Yes — the Touch ID sensor is in the Power Button, not on the screen. No screen protector affects it.

Should I buy "anti-glare" iPad glass?

Anti-glare glass reduces reflections but at the cost of clarity and colour vibrancy. Modern iPad displays are bright enough that glare isn't a major issue indoors. We'd choose clear glass + Paperlike for serious Pencil use over anti-glare in nearly every scenario.