No cut-out is needed. The front camera and Face ID sensors sit under Apple's own front glass, and the Dynamic Island is just an area of the display drawn around them. A protector covers the whole top of the screen. That's why the iPhone 18 Pro's smaller island doesn't change protector fit.
What the Dynamic Island is
Since the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple has placed the front camera and Face ID hardware in a pill-shaped cut-out in the display panel, beneath a continuous sheet of front glass. iOS draws a black shape around that cut-out and animates it for alerts and Live Activities. From the outside, the glass is flat and unbroken, so a protector has nothing to cut around.
Notch-era protectors were different
On notched iPhones up to the 14, some protectors had a notch-shaped cut-out or a thin border around the earpiece. That design has mostly disappeared, but listings for older models sometimes still show it in their pictures. It isn't needed on any Dynamic Island iPhone.
The iPhone 18 Pro's smaller island
Apple describes the iPhone 18 Pro's Dynamic Island as smaller. Before launch, some reports claimed that would stop iPhone 17 Pro protectors fitting. It doesn't: the island's size changes what's drawn on the display, not the shape of the glass on top. Apple lists identical outer dimensions for the 18 Pro and 17 Pro, and protector makers sell one product for both. More on the iPhone 18 Pro page.
Real problems at the top of the screen
- Dust along the top edge. The earpiece grille collects lint that falls onto the adhesive while you're fitting. Clean the grille gently with a soft brush first.
- Dark printed borders. Some cheap glass has a black border that extends over the sensor area and can upset Face ID or the proximity sensor. See Face ID problems.
- A bubble near the island. Usually dust; lift and clean. See bubbles.
Questions people ask
Do iPhone 18 Pro screen protectors have a Dynamic Island cut-out?
No. Mainstream protectors cover the whole top of the screen. The island sits under Apple's front glass.
Why does my protector have a dark mark over the Dynamic Island?
That's usually the island itself showing through, which is normal. If there's a separate grey patch, it may be a printed border or a bubble over the sensors.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 14 September 2026: