Ipad 3G Front Panel Assembly Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

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Sections

Display Assembly
11 steps
Ambient Light Sensor
2 steps
LCD
11 steps
Front Panel Assembly
5 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Display Assembly

If your display glass is cracked, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping the glass.
Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPad’s display until the whole face is covered.
This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the display.
Do your best to follow the rest of the guide as described. However, once the glass is broken, it will likely continue to crack as you work, and you may need to use a metal prying tool to scoop the glass out.
Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes, and be careful not to damage the LCD screen.

If your display glass is cracked, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping the glass.

Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPad’s display until the whole face is covered.

This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the display.

Do your best to follow the rest of the guide as described. However, once the glass is broken, it will likely continue to crack as you work, and you may need to use a metal prying tool to scoop the glass out.

Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes, and be careful not to damage the LCD screen.

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Step 2

The iPad shown in the photos may look slightly different from your iPad, but the procedure is the same.
Insert a metal spudger between the right edge of the display assembly and the rear panel assembly.
Rotate the spudger away from you to release the tabs along the top edge of the display.

The iPad shown in the photos may look slightly different from your iPad, but the procedure is the same.

Insert a metal spudger between the right edge of the display assembly and the rear panel assembly.

Rotate the spudger away from you to release the tabs along the top edge of the display.

Step 3

Insert a second metal spudger between the top edge of the display assembly and the rear panel assembly to keep the tabs from snapping back into place.
Pry the display assembly away from the rear panel.

Insert a second metal spudger between the top edge of the display assembly and the rear panel assembly to keep the tabs from snapping back into place.

Pry the display assembly away from the rear panel.

Step 4

Continue prying the display assembly away from the rear panel along the bottom and left edges of the iPad.
Use extreme caution as you approach the top edge of the iPad. The digitizer ribbon cable is located near the edge of the rear panel and can easily be damaged.

Continue prying the display assembly away from the rear panel along the bottom and left edges of the iPad.

Use extreme caution as you approach the top edge of the iPad. The digitizer ribbon cable is located near the edge of the rear panel and can easily be damaged.

Step 5

Lift the display assembly away from the rear panel assembly by its bottom edge.
Do not excessively lift the display assembly off the rest of the iPad, as a fragile antenna cable with very little slack still connects the two components.

Lift the display assembly away from the rear panel assembly by its bottom edge.

Do not excessively lift the display assembly off the rest of the iPad, as a fragile antenna cable with very little slack still connects the two components.

Step 6

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the antenna connector closest to the bottom of the iPad up off its socket on the communications board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the antenna connector closest to the bottom of the iPad up off its socket on the communications board.

Step 7

In the following steps, you will disconnect the three cables attaching the display assembly to the logic board. The cables are for the following components:
Digitizer
Ambient Light Sensor
Display Data Cable

In the following steps, you will disconnect the three cables attaching the display assembly to the logic board. The cables are for the following components:

Digitizer

Ambient Light Sensor

Display Data Cable

Step 8

Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to flip up the retaining flaps holding the digitizer ribbon cables in their sockets on the logic board.
Be sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Pull the digitizer ribbon cables straight out of their sockets.

Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to flip up the retaining flaps holding the digitizer ribbon cables in their sockets on the logic board.

Be sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Pull the digitizer ribbon cables straight out of their sockets.

Step 9

Use an iPod opening tool to remove the ambient light sensor connector from its socket by gently prying upward.

Use an iPod opening tool to remove the ambient light sensor connector from its socket by gently prying upward.

Step 10

Disconnect the display data cable from the main board by flipping up the metal retainer by its black plastic pull tab.
Pull the cable connector away from its socket.
Pull the connector parallel to the face of the logic board.

Disconnect the display data cable from the main board by flipping up the metal retainer by its black plastic pull tab.

Pull the cable connector away from its socket.

Pull the connector parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 11

Remove the display assembly from the rear panel assembly.

Remove the display assembly from the rear panel assembly.

Step 12

              Ambient Light Sensor

If necessary, peel the strip of foam tape off the ambient light sensor.
It is not necessary to completely remove the foam tape attached to the antenna.

If necessary, peel the strip of foam tape off the ambient light sensor.

It is not necessary to completely remove the foam tape attached to the antenna.

Step 13

Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to carefully pry the ambient light sensor board off the adhesive securing it to the display frame.
Once you’ve gained enough clearance, peel the ambient light sensor off the LCD.
If necessary, attach the plastic view window to your new ambient light sensor before installation.

Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to carefully pry the ambient light sensor board off the adhesive securing it to the display frame.

Once you’ve gained enough clearance, peel the ambient light sensor off the LCD.

If necessary, attach the plastic view window to your new ambient light sensor before installation.

Step 14

LCD

If present, remove the strip of foam tape along the long edge of the display assembly near the digitizer cable.

If present, remove the strip of foam tape along the long edge of the display assembly near the digitizer cable.

Step 15

While holding the digitizer cable down, carefully peel back the piece of tape connecting the digitizer cable to the display frame.

While holding the digitizer cable down, carefully peel back the piece of tape connecting the digitizer cable to the display frame.

Step 16

Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to peel the antenna off the adhesive securing it to the top edge of the display.

Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to peel the antenna off the adhesive securing it to the top edge of the display.

Step 17

Remove the three T5 Torx screws securing the clips and LCD brackets covered in EMI tape near the home button switch.
Carefully peel the display clip and its attached tape off the black plastic display frame.
If you are replacing the LCD, be sure to transfer these pieces of EMI tape and their attached clips to the new LCD.

Remove the three T5 Torx screws securing the clips and LCD brackets covered in EMI tape near the home button switch.

Carefully peel the display clip and its attached tape off the black plastic display frame.

If you are replacing the LCD, be sure to transfer these pieces of EMI tape and their attached clips to the new LCD.

Step 18

Remove the remaining T5 Torx screws securing the LCD to the black plastic display frame.

Remove the remaining T5 Torx screws securing the LCD to the black plastic display frame.

Step 19

Remove the small strip of tape securing the antenna lead to the LCD.

Remove the small strip of tape securing the antenna lead to the LCD.

Step 20

Insert the edge of an iPod opening tool under one of the ears attached to the steel LCD frame.
Twist the iPod opening tool to gently pry the LCD up off the adhesive securing it to the front glass panel.
Be sure not to excessively bend the LCD, as it is made of glass.

Insert the edge of an iPod opening tool under one of the ears attached to the steel LCD frame.

Twist the iPod opening tool to gently pry the LCD up off the adhesive securing it to the front glass panel.

Be sure not to excessively bend the LCD, as it is made of glass.

Step 21

Repeat the process detailed on the previous step to pry up the display around the three sides opposite the digitizer cable side of the display.

Repeat the process detailed on the previous step to pry up the display around the three sides opposite the digitizer cable side of the display.

Step 22

Lift the LCD from its free end, and remove it from the display frame.
Carefully peel the adhesive securing the long side of the LCD to the display frame, then remove the LCD.

Lift the LCD from its free end, and remove it from the display frame.

Carefully peel the adhesive securing the long side of the LCD to the display frame, then remove the LCD.

Step 23

If it is still stuck to the front panel, remove the strip of EMI tape near the ambient light sensor socket.
If necessary, transfer this to your new LCD.
If it is attached to the LCD and you are reusing the LCD, skip this step. If you are replacing the LCD as well, transfer the strip of EMI tape to your new LCD.

If it is still stuck to the front panel, remove the strip of EMI tape near the ambient light sensor socket.

If necessary, transfer this to your new LCD.

If it is attached to the LCD and you are reusing the LCD, skip this step. If you are replacing the LCD as well, transfer the strip of EMI tape to your new LCD.

Step 24

If they are still in good shape, transfer the clips and EMI tape near the bottom of the LCD to your new LCD.

If they are still in good shape, transfer the clips and EMI tape near the bottom of the LCD to your new LCD.

Step 25

              Front Panel Assembly

Remove the two T5 Torx screws securing the home button switch to the plastic display frame.
Remove the home button switch board from the front panel assembly.

Remove the two T5 Torx screws securing the home button switch to the plastic display frame.

Remove the home button switch board from the front panel assembly.

Step 26

If you are reusing your LCD, use the edge of a plastic opening tool to lift up a corner of the foam tape attached to the LCD.
Remove the tape from the perimeter of the glass face of the LCD.

If you are reusing your LCD, use the edge of a plastic opening tool to lift up a corner of the foam tape attached to the LCD.

Remove the tape from the perimeter of the glass face of the LCD.

Step 27

Be sure the face of the LCD is perfectly clean before proceeding.
Stick the tape down to the frame of the front panel assembly along the long edge of the LCD.
Carefully lower the LCD down into its recess in the new front panel frame, being sure it is properly positioned.

Be sure the face of the LCD is perfectly clean before proceeding.

Stick the tape down to the frame of the front panel assembly along the long edge of the LCD.

Carefully lower the LCD down into its recess in the new front panel frame, being sure it is properly positioned.

Step 28

Hold back the strips of EMI tape along the lower edge of the LCD as you remove the two T5 Torx screws securing the retaining clips shown.
Stick the tape down against the new clips and reinstall the two T5 Torx screws.

Hold back the strips of EMI tape along the lower edge of the LCD as you remove the two T5 Torx screws securing the retaining clips shown.

Stick the tape down against the new clips and reinstall the two T5 Torx screws.

Step 29

Remove the two pieces of protective film from the inner side of the GPS antenna.
Stick the GPS antenna down against the LCD.

Remove the two pieces of protective film from the inner side of the GPS antenna.

Stick the GPS antenna down against the LCD.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need