Abstract: A device surface of a device (e.g., a screen or touchpad of a mobile phone or a portable media player) may be protected from damage by the application of a protective film with an adhesive. However, it may be difficult for a user to achieve an accurate alignment of the film with the device surface, resulting in cosmetic and functional disadvantages. Presented herein are techniques for achieving an accurate alignment of the film to the device surface through the use of an applicator, comprising one or more anchors that respectively couple with one or more projections of the device surface (e.g., a plug conformant with a headphones port). The film may be positioned with respect to the applicator, such that when the anchors of the applicator couple with corresponding surface projections of the device surface, the film is accurately and precisely aligned with the device surface.