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Featured Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

27

Time Required

                          45 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

3

  • Opening Procedure
  • 22 steps
  • Battery Connector
  • 3 steps
  • Display Assembly
  • 2 steps

Flags

1

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Introduction

Note that if you would like to maintain Touch ID functionality or your replacement part does not include a home button, you should follow the screen and digitizer replacement guide, which includes removing and transferring your home button to the new display panel.

What you need

Step 1

              Opening Procedure
  • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the left edge for two minutes.

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the left edge for two minutes.

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Step 2

  • Apply a suction cup halfway up the heated side.
  • Be sure the cup is completely flat on the screen to get a tight seal.
  • While holding the iPad down with one hand, pull up on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap.
  • Depending on the age of your device, this may be difficult. If you have trouble, apply more heat and try again.
  • Be careful to only lift the glass enough to insert an opening pick—any more and you risk cracking the glass.

Apply a suction cup halfway up the heated side.

Be sure the cup is completely flat on the screen to get a tight seal.

While holding the iPad down with one hand, pull up on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap.

Depending on the age of your device, this may be difficult. If you have trouble, apply more heat and try again.

Be careful to only lift the glass enough to insert an opening pick—any more and you risk cracking the glass.

Step 3

  • While holding the glass up with the suction cup, insert the point of an opening pick into the gap between the glass and body of the iPad.
  • Don’t insert the opening pick any deeper than 2 mm into the side of the display. Inserting the pick deeper than 2 mm could damage the backlight assembly, LCD display, or touchscreen.

While holding the glass up with the suction cup, insert the point of an opening pick into the gap between the glass and body of the iPad.

Don’t insert the opening pick any deeper than 2 mm into the side of the display. Inserting the pick deeper than 2 mm could damage the backlight assembly, LCD display, or touchscreen.

Step 4

  • Reheat and reapply the iOpener to the left edge for a few minutes.
  • Be careful not to overheat the iOpener during the repair procedure. Always wait at least ten minutes before reheating the iOpener.

Reheat and reapply the iOpener to the left edge for a few minutes.

Be careful not to overheat the iOpener during the repair procedure. Always wait at least ten minutes before reheating the iOpener.

Step 5

  • Insert a second opening pick alongside the first and slide the pick down along the edge of the iPad, releasing the adhesive as you go.
  • Throughout the rest of the procedure, if you encounter significant resistance while sliding the pick, stop and reheat the section you’re working on. Applying too much pressure with the pick can crack the glass.

Insert a second opening pick alongside the first and slide the pick down along the edge of the iPad, releasing the adhesive as you go.

Throughout the rest of the procedure, if you encounter significant resistance while sliding the pick, stop and reheat the section you’re working on. Applying too much pressure with the pick can crack the glass.

Step 6

  • Continue moving the opening pick down the side of the display to release the adhesive.
  • If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, “roll” the pick along the side of the iPad, continuing to release the adhesive.

Continue moving the opening pick down the side of the display to release the adhesive.

If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, “roll” the pick along the side of the iPad, continuing to release the adhesive.

Step 7

  • Take the first pick you inserted and slide it up toward the top corner of the iPad.

Take the first pick you inserted and slide it up toward the top corner of the iPad.

Step 8

  • Reheat the iOpener and place it on the top edge of the iPad, over the front-facing camera.
  • Be careful not to overheat the iOpener during the repair procedure. Wait at least ten minutes before reheating the iOpener.
  • If you have a flexible iOpener, you can bend it to heat both the upper left corner and the upper edge at the same time.

Reheat the iOpener and place it on the top edge of the iPad, over the front-facing camera.

Be careful not to overheat the iOpener during the repair procedure. Wait at least ten minutes before reheating the iOpener.

If you have a flexible iOpener, you can bend it to heat both the upper left corner and the upper edge at the same time.

Step 9

  • Slide the opening pick around the top left corner of the iPad to separate the adhesive.

Slide the opening pick around the top left corner of the iPad to separate the adhesive.

Step 10

  • Slide the opening pick along the top edge of the iPad, stopping just before you reach the camera.
  • As you reach the front-facing camera, pull the pick out slightly and continue sliding it across the top edge.
  • Avoid sliding the opening pick over the front-facing camera, as you may smear adhesive onto the lens or damage the camera. The following steps will detail how to best avoid disturbing the front-facing camera.

Slide the opening pick along the top edge of the iPad, stopping just before you reach the camera.

As you reach the front-facing camera, pull the pick out slightly and continue sliding it across the top edge.

Avoid sliding the opening pick over the front-facing camera, as you may smear adhesive onto the lens or damage the camera. The following steps will detail how to best avoid disturbing the front-facing camera.

Step 11

  • Leave the opening pick in the iPad slightly past the front-facing camera.
  • Take a second pick and insert it to the left of the camera, where the first pick just was. Slide it back to the corner to completely cut any remaining adhesive.
  • Leave the second pick in place to prevent the corner adhesive from re-sealing as it cools.

Leave the opening pick in the iPad slightly past the front-facing camera.

Take a second pick and insert it to the left of the camera, where the first pick just was. Slide it back to the corner to completely cut any remaining adhesive.

Leave the second pick in place to prevent the corner adhesive from re-sealing as it cools.

Step 12

  • Insert the previous pick deeper into the iPad and slide it away from the camera toward the corner.

Insert the previous pick deeper into the iPad and slide it away from the camera toward the corner.

Step 13

  • Leave the three picks in the corners of the iPad to prevent re-adhering of the front panel adhesive.
  • Reheat the iOpener and place it on the remaining long side of the iPad—along the volume and lock buttons.

Leave the three picks in the corners of the iPad to prevent re-adhering of the front panel adhesive.

Reheat the iOpener and place it on the remaining long side of the iPad—along the volume and lock buttons.

Step 14

  • Insert a new opening pick and slide it down the right edge of the iPad, releasing the adhesive as you go.

Insert a new opening pick and slide it down the right edge of the iPad, releasing the adhesive as you go.

Step 15

  • Continue sliding the opening pick down the right edge of the iPad, reheating the edge using an iOpener if necessary.
  • Be careful not to slice too deep near the bottom right corner, or you risk damaging the display cable.

Continue sliding the opening pick down the right edge of the iPad, reheating the edge using an iOpener if necessary.

Be careful not to slice too deep near the bottom right corner, or you risk damaging the display cable.

Step 16

  • Leave the opening picks in place and reheat the iOpener.
  • Remember not to overheat the iOpener—no more than once every ten minutes.
  • Set the reheated iOpener on the home button end of the iPad and let it rest for a few minutes to soften the adhesive beneath the glass.

Leave the opening picks in place and reheat the iOpener.

Remember not to overheat the iOpener—no more than once every ten minutes.

Set the reheated iOpener on the home button end of the iPad and let it rest for a few minutes to soften the adhesive beneath the glass.

Step 17

  • Insert a new opening pick at the bottom right corner of the display, below the last opening pick you used to slice down the right edge.
  • Rotate the new pick around the lower right corner of the device.

Insert a new opening pick at the bottom right corner of the display, below the last opening pick you used to slice down the right edge.

Rotate the new pick around the lower right corner of the device.

Step 18

  • Slide the pick from the bottom right corner along the lower edge of the device. Stop about half an inch shy of the home button.

Slide the pick from the bottom right corner along the lower edge of the device. Stop about half an inch shy of the home button.

Step 19

  • Insert a final opening pick at the lower left corner of the iPad, directly below the existing one.

Insert a final opening pick at the lower left corner of the iPad, directly below the existing one.

Step 20

  • Slide the pick around the lower left edge of the iPad.

Slide the pick around the lower left edge of the iPad.

Step 21

  • Continue sliding the pick at the lower left edge of the display toward the center of the iPad, until it is roughly half an inch from the home button.

Continue sliding the pick at the lower left edge of the display toward the center of the iPad, until it is roughly half an inch from the home button.

Step 22

  • Twist the two picks at the top edge of the iPad to break up the last of the adhesive holding the display assembly in place.
  • Lift the display from the top edge to open the device.

Twist the two picks at the top edge of the iPad to break up the last of the adhesive holding the display assembly in place.

Lift the display from the top edge to open the device.

Step 23

              Battery Connector
  • To avoid stressing any cables, hold the display assembly perpendicular to the body of the iPad until it is disconnected.
  • Remove the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws over the battery/display connector bracket.

To avoid stressing any cables, hold the display assembly perpendicular to the body of the iPad until it is disconnected.

Remove the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws over the battery/display connector bracket.

Step 24

  • Remove the battery/display cable bracket.

Remove the battery/display cable bracket.

Step 25

  • When disconnecting any press connectors from the logic board, be sure to lift the connector straight up to avoid ripping the socket off the board.
  • Use the flat tip of a spudger to disconnect the battery connector from its socket on the logic board.
  • Bend the battery connector ribbon cable up slightly to prevent it from making contact and powering on the iPad.

When disconnecting any press connectors from the logic board, be sure to lift the connector straight up to avoid ripping the socket off the board.

Use the flat tip of a spudger to disconnect the battery connector from its socket on the logic board.

Bend the battery connector ribbon cable up slightly to prevent it from making contact and powering on the iPad.

Step 26

              Display Assembly
  • Use the flat tip of a spudger to disconnect the display data connector from its socket on the logic board.
  • Disconnect the digitizer cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat tip of a spudger to disconnect the display data connector from its socket on the logic board.

Disconnect the digitizer cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

Step 27

  • Remove the display assembly.

Remove the display assembly.

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

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                    Evan Noronha

Member since: 02/05/2015

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nyestyerov - Jul 25, 2018

Reply

why after replacement power button doesn’t lock screen, where is those smart cover sensor are located?

ryandasilva23 - Dec 3, 2019

Reply

great guide but u dont discuss reapplying the adhesive strips .. which is very important.