Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

24

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

5

  • Pentalobe Screws
  • 1 step
  • How to open the iPhone SE 2022 for repairs
  • 9 steps
  • How to Disconnect the Battery in the iPhone SE 2022
  • 3 steps
  • How to Remove the Display Assembly iPhone SE 2022
  • 5 steps
  • Wi-Fi Diversity Antenna
  • 6 steps

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Introduction

This guide was performed on the A2783 (international) model.

Note: This guide instructs you to fully detach and remove the display assembly; this is highly recommended for easier handling and to prevent damage to the display cables. If you feel comfortable removing the Wi-Fi Diversity Antenna while keeping the display cables attached, you can skip the steps for disconnecting the display.

If you do not replace the adhesive seals when reassembling, your device will function normally, but will most likely lose its water protection.

You’ll need replacement adhesive to reattach components when reassembling the device.

What you need

Step 1

              Remove the pentalobe screws
  • Power off your phone before beginning disassembly.
  • Remove the two 3.4 mm pentalobe screws on the bottom edge of the iPhone.

Power off your phone before beginning disassembly.

Remove the two 3.4 mm pentalobe screws on the bottom edge of the iPhone.

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Step 2

              Heat the front panel adhesive
  • Prepare an iOpener and apply it to the screen for at least two minutes to loosen the adhesive underneath.
  • A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

Prepare an iOpener and apply it to the screen for at least two minutes to loosen the adhesive underneath.

A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

Step 3

              Insert an opening pick
  • Secure a suction handle to the lower half of the front panel, as close to the home button as possible.
  • If the rear glass is cracked, the suction handle may not stick. Try lifting it with strong tape, or superglue the suction handle in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.
  • Lift the front panel with the suction handle to create a small gap between the front panel and the frame.
  • If you have trouble creating a gap, apply more heat to the bottom half of the screen to further soften the adhesive. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap you created.

Secure a suction handle to the lower half of the front panel, as close to the home button as possible.

If the rear glass is cracked, the suction handle may not stick. Try lifting it with strong tape, or superglue the suction handle in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.

Lift the front panel with the suction handle to create a small gap between the front panel and the frame.

If you have trouble creating a gap, apply more heat to the bottom half of the screen to further soften the adhesive. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.

Insert an opening pick into the gap you created.

Step 4

              Slice the adhesive
  • Slide the opening pick to the bottom right corner to slice the front panel adhesive.
  • Insert a second opening pick at the bottom edge of your phone.
  • Slide the opening pick to the bottom left corner to slice the adhesive.
  • Leave the opening picks in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Slide the opening pick to the bottom right corner to slice the front panel adhesive.

Insert a second opening pick at the bottom edge of your phone.

Slide the opening pick to the bottom left corner to slice the adhesive.

Leave the opening picks in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 5

              Slice the adhesive
  • If the adhesive becomes hard to cut, it has most likely cooled down. Use your iOpener for two to three minutes to reheat it.
  • Slide the bottom left opening pick along the left edge of your phone to slice the adhesive.
  • Stop near the top left corner of the display.
  • Do not try to pry the top edge of the display away from the rear case, as it is held in place by plastic clips that may break.

If the adhesive becomes hard to cut, it has most likely cooled down. Use your iOpener for two to three minutes to reheat it.

Slide the bottom left opening pick along the left edge of your phone to slice the adhesive.

Stop near the top left corner of the display.

Do not try to pry the top edge of the display away from the rear case, as it is held in place by plastic clips that may break.

Step 6

  • When you slice along the right edge, insert only the tip of the opening pick (~ 2–3 mm) to avoid damaging the display flex cables.
  • Slide the bottom right opening pick along the right edge of your phone to slice the adhesive.
  • Stop near the top right corner of the display.

When you slice along the right edge, insert only the tip of the opening pick (~ 2–3 mm) to avoid damaging the display flex cables.

Slide the bottom right opening pick along the right edge of your phone to slice the adhesive.

Stop near the top right corner of the display.

Step 7

              Lift the screen
  • Remove the opening picks.
  • Gently pull up on the suction handle to lift up the bottom edge of the display.
  • Do not raise the display more than 15º or you’ll risk straining or tearing the ribbon cables connecting the display.
  • Remove the suction handle.

Remove the opening picks.

Gently pull up on the suction handle to lift up the bottom edge of the display.

Do not raise the display more than 15º or you’ll risk straining or tearing the ribbon cables connecting the display.

Remove the suction handle.

Step 8

              Slice the remaining adhesive
  • Slide an opening pick underneath the top left corner of the display.
  • Slide the opening pick around the top left corner and along the top edge of the phone to slice the remaining adhesive.

Slide an opening pick underneath the top left corner of the display.

Slide the opening pick around the top left corner and along the top edge of the phone to slice the remaining adhesive.

Step 9

              Disengage the front panel clips
  • Slide the display assembly slightly down in direction of the charging port to disengage the clips holding it to the rear case.

Slide the display assembly slightly down in direction of the charging port to disengage the clips holding it to the rear case.

Step 10

              Lift up the display
  • Open the phone by swinging the display up from the left side, like the back cover of a book.
  • Don’t try to fully separate the display from the phone assembly yet, as several fragile ribbon cables still connect it to the logic board.
  • Lean the display against something to keep it propped up while you’re working on the phone.

Open the phone by swinging the display up from the left side, like the back cover of a book.

Don’t try to fully separate the display from the phone assembly yet, as several fragile ribbon cables still connect it to the logic board.

Lean the display against something to keep it propped up while you’re working on the phone.

Step 11

              Unfasten the lower display cable bracket screws
  • Remove the four Phillips screws securing the lower display cable bracket:
  • Two 1.2 mm-long screws
  • Two 2.8 mm-long screws
  • Throughout this guide, keep careful track of your screws so that each one goes back where it came from during reassembly. Installing a screw in the wrong place can cause permanent damage.

Remove the four Phillips screws securing the lower display cable bracket:

Two 1.2 mm-long screws

Two 2.8 mm-long screws

Throughout this guide, keep careful track of your screws so that each one goes back where it came from during reassembly. Installing a screw in the wrong place can cause permanent damage.

Step 12

              Remove the lower display cable bracket
  • Use a pair of tweezers to carefully remove the lower display cable bracket.

Use a pair of tweezers to carefully remove the lower display cable bracket.

Step 13

              Disconnect the battery
  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the battery by prying the connector straight up from its socket.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the battery by prying the connector straight up from its socket.

Step 14

              Disconnect the display and digitizer cables
  • The display and digitizer cables run on top of each other. To avoid cable damage always start by disconnecting the upper cable first and never try to disconnect both at the same time.
  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the bottom two display cables by prying the connectors straight up from their sockets.
  • To re-attach press connectors like this, press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is even slightly misaligned, the connector can bend, causing permanent damage.

The display and digitizer cables run on top of each other. To avoid cable damage always start by disconnecting the upper cable first and never try to disconnect both at the same time.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the bottom two display cables by prying the connectors straight up from their sockets.

To re-attach press connectors like this, press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is even slightly misaligned, the connector can bend, causing permanent damage.

Step 15

              Unfasten the front sensor assembly bracket screws
  • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the three 1.2 mm-long screws securing the front sensor assembly bracket.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the three 1.2 mm-long screws securing the front sensor assembly bracket.

Step 16

              Remove the front sensor assembly bracket
  • Use a pair of tweezers to carefully remove the front sensor assembly bracket.

Use a pair of tweezers to carefully remove the front sensor assembly bracket.

Step 17

              Disconnect the front sensor assembly cable
  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the front sensor assembly by prying the connector straight up from its socket.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the front sensor assembly by prying the connector straight up from its socket.

Step 18

              Remove the display assembly
  • Remove the display assembly.

Remove the display assembly.

Step 19

              Unfasten the Lightning connector bracket screws
  • Unfasten the three screws securing the Lighting connector bracket:
  • One 1.2 mm-long Y000 screw
  • One 2.7 mm-long Phillips screw
  • One 2.9 mm-long Phillips screws

Unfasten the three screws securing the Lighting connector bracket:

One 1.2 mm-long Y000 screw

One 2.7 mm-long Phillips screw

One 2.9 mm-long Phillips screws

Step 20

              Remove the Lightning connector bracket
  • Use a pair of tweezers to remove the Lightning connector bracket.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the Lightning connector bracket.

Step 21

              Loosen the Wi-Fi diversity antenna flex cable
  • Carefully slide an opening pick between the antenna flex cable and the top of the speaker.
  • This portion of the flex cable is lightly adhered to the speaker. If you’re struggling to separate the cable from the speaker, apply a little heat from an iOpener or hair dryer to soften the adhesive. This will make it easier to separate the flex cable safely.

Carefully slide an opening pick between the antenna flex cable and the top of the speaker.

This portion of the flex cable is lightly adhered to the speaker. If you’re struggling to separate the cable from the speaker, apply a little heat from an iOpener or hair dryer to soften the adhesive. This will make it easier to separate the flex cable safely.

Step 22

              Disconnect the Wi-Fi diversity antenna
  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the Wi-Fi diversity antenna by prying its connector straight up from its socket.
  • The socket of this connector sits loosely between the speaker and the Taptic Engine and it’s a bit fiddly to disconnect the cable. To make the disconnection easier, you can use an opening pick to hold down the connector socket during this procedure.
  • Reconnecting this cable can be tricky. Make it easier by using tweezers to hold the flex cable so the connector aligns with its socket. Then, gently press straight down on the connector with the flat of your spudger until it clicks into place.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the Wi-Fi diversity antenna by prying its connector straight up from its socket.

The socket of this connector sits loosely between the speaker and the Taptic Engine and it’s a bit fiddly to disconnect the cable. To make the disconnection easier, you can use an opening pick to hold down the connector socket during this procedure.

Reconnecting this cable can be tricky. Make it easier by using tweezers to hold the flex cable so the connector aligns with its socket. Then, gently press straight down on the connector with the flat of your spudger until it clicks into place.

Step 23

  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the Wi-Fi diversity antenna from the logic board by prying the connector straight up from its socket.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the Wi-Fi diversity antenna from the logic board by prying the connector straight up from its socket.

Step 24

              Remove the Wi-Fi diversity antenna
  • Use a pair of tweezers to remove the Wi-Fi diversity antenna.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the Wi-Fi diversity antenna.

If possible, turn on your device and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing.

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

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

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.

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                    Dominik Schnabelrauch

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