Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

16

Time Required

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Sections

3

  • Rear Panel
  • 6 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 7 steps
  • Display
  • 3 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Rear Panel
  • Please be aware that removing the rear panel from the back of the iPod will cause considerable damage to the rear panel. We highly recommend purchasing an additional rear panel to properly reassemble the iPod.
  • Before opening your iPod, ensure that the hold switch is in the locked position.

Please be aware that removing the rear panel from the back of the iPod will cause considerable damage to the rear panel. We highly recommend purchasing an additional rear panel to properly reassemble the iPod.

Before opening your iPod, ensure that the hold switch is in the locked position.

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Step 2

  • The rear panel is secured to the front case by eight clips permanently attached to the rear panel. These clips lock onto small tabs machined into the front case.
  • To free the tabs, they must be pushed toward the center of the Nano. Note the location of all tabs on the rear panel. When using an iPod opening tool to free the rear panel, be sure to work the tool at the location of these clips.
  • To aid in visualization, the two clips boxed in red are located closest to the headphone jack.

The rear panel is secured to the front case by eight clips permanently attached to the rear panel. These clips lock onto small tabs machined into the front case.

To free the tabs, they must be pushed toward the center of the Nano. Note the location of all tabs on the rear panel. When using an iPod opening tool to free the rear panel, be sure to work the tool at the location of these clips.

To aid in visualization, the two clips boxed in red are located closest to the headphone jack.

Step 3

  • Opening the iPod can be challenging. Don’t get discouraged if it takes you a few tries before the iPod is opened.
  • Insert the large iPod opening tool into the seam between the front case and rear panel of the iPod, above the dock connector. The tool’s edge should point toward the rear panel to prevent any accidental scratching of the anodized aluminum front case.

Opening the iPod can be challenging. Don’t get discouraged if it takes you a few tries before the iPod is opened.

Insert the large iPod opening tool into the seam between the front case and rear panel of the iPod, above the dock connector. The tool’s edge should point toward the rear panel to prevent any accidental scratching of the anodized aluminum front case.

Step 4

  • Insert a small iPod opening tool into the seam on the headphone jack side of the Nano, with the edge of the tool pointing toward the rear panel.
  • Gently enlarge the existing gap by pressing/wiggling the small iPod opening tool into the gap near each of the the two tabs attached to the rear case, pushing the clips toward the center of the Nano until both have been freed.

Insert a small iPod opening tool into the seam on the headphone jack side of the Nano, with the edge of the tool pointing toward the rear panel.

Gently enlarge the existing gap by pressing/wiggling the small iPod opening tool into the gap near each of the the two tabs attached to the rear case, pushing the clips toward the center of the Nano until both have been freed.

Step 5

  • The large iPod opening tool is no longer needed to gain access to the left side of the iPod.
  • Repeat the same procedure listed in the previous step to free the three clips along the hold switch side of the Nano.

The large iPod opening tool is no longer needed to gain access to the left side of the iPod.

Repeat the same procedure listed in the previous step to free the three clips along the hold switch side of the Nano.

Step 6

  • Insert an iPod opening tool into the gap near the top left corner of the Nano and work to free the three clips along the top edge of the rear panel.
  • After ensuring all tabs are free, separate the two halves of the iPod.
  • The rear panel is now free from the iPod.

Insert an iPod opening tool into the gap near the top left corner of the Nano and work to free the three clips along the top edge of the rear panel.

After ensuring all tabs are free, separate the two halves of the iPod.

The rear panel is now free from the iPod.

Step 7

              Logic Board
  • With the rear case removed, the back side of your Nano should now look like this.

With the rear case removed, the back side of your Nano should now look like this.

Step 8

  • Remove the following six screws:
  • One 1.8 mm Phillips.
  • Three 1.9 mm Phillips.
  • One 2.4 mm Phillips.
  • One 2.6 mm Phillips.

Remove the following six screws:

One 1.8 mm Phillips.

Three 1.9 mm Phillips.

One 2.4 mm Phillips.

One 2.6 mm Phillips.

Step 9

  • Using a spudger, flip up the brown click wheel ribbon cable retaining clip.
  • The clip is hinged at the end nearest the edge of the case.

Using a spudger, flip up the brown click wheel ribbon cable retaining clip.

The clip is hinged at the end nearest the edge of the case.

Step 10

  • Use the tip of a spudger to slide the click wheel ribbon cable out of its socket.
  • The logic board is still connected to the iPod by the display ribbon cable.

Use the tip of a spudger to slide the click wheel ribbon cable out of its socket.

The logic board is still connected to the iPod by the display ribbon cable.

Step 11

  • The logic board is still connected to the front case by the display ribbon cable, located on the headphone jack side of the logic board.
  • Lift the logic board assembly out of the front case from the click wheel connector side (the cable you just disconnected). Rotate the logic board assembly about the display ribbon cable and lay it next to the front case.

The logic board is still connected to the front case by the display ribbon cable, located on the headphone jack side of the logic board.

Lift the logic board assembly out of the front case from the click wheel connector side (the cable you just disconnected). Rotate the logic board assembly about the display ribbon cable and lay it next to the front case.

Step 12

  • Use a spudger to flip up the display ribbon cable retaining clip.
  • The retaining clip is hinged about the end nearest the battery.

Use a spudger to flip up the display ribbon cable retaining clip.

The retaining clip is hinged about the end nearest the battery.

Step 13

  • Slide the display ribbon cable out of its socket.
  • The logic board is now completely disconnected from the front case.

Slide the display ribbon cable out of its socket.

The logic board is now completely disconnected from the front case.

Step 14

              Display
  • A layer of adhesive around the perimeter of the display holds it securely to the front case. The following steps require prying up on the display with a spudger to free it from the adhesive.
  • The display is inherently delicate due to its thin glass construction. In the next few steps it is essential to work slowly and gently while prying the display from the front case.
  • Insert a spudger in the gap between the front case and the display near the top right corner. Slowly and gently pry the display up at several points along the top edge of the display, working your way toward the left corner.

A layer of adhesive around the perimeter of the display holds it securely to the front case. The following steps require prying up on the display with a spudger to free it from the adhesive.

The display is inherently delicate due to its thin glass construction. In the next few steps it is essential to work slowly and gently while prying the display from the front case.

Insert a spudger in the gap between the front case and the display near the top right corner. Slowly and gently pry the display up at several points along the top edge of the display, working your way toward the left corner.

Step 15

  • Continue prying up slowly and gently on the display, this time starting at the top right corner and working your way down the right side.
  • Repeat this procedure on the left side of the display, working down from the top left corner.

Continue prying up slowly and gently on the display, this time starting at the top right corner and working your way down the right side.

Repeat this procedure on the left side of the display, working down from the top left corner.

Step 16

  • When the adhesive has yielded enough to create a gap large enough to fit your fingers between the display and the front case, lift the display and gently peel off the remaining adhesive to remove it from the front case.
  • Display remains.

When the adhesive has yielded enough to create a gap large enough to fit your fingers between the display and the front case, lift the display and gently peel off the remaining adhesive to remove it from the front case.

Display remains.

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

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                    Walter Galan

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otobern - Oct 5, 2012

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Richard Hubert - Dec 23, 2016

Reply

Never have I seen such ridiculous design. Despite what this blog claims there is no way the blue plastic tool or guitar picks will remove the back cover. The only way I was able to even slightly part the side seam was with a sharp flat bladed screw driver driven in by a clamp - which bent up the aluminum frame. Now using to the blue plastic “tool” (junk) I pretty much destroyed it working it around. The sharp metal back cover just cuts right into it shreds it. Back to metal flat bladed screwdrivers.

Got back over off - but frame no longer straight. Carefully straightened, Replace the battery & re-assembled. Unit beeped - Screen came on and shows cracks and stress marks but no menu.

Because of awful design I destroyed the screen just trying to get the back cover off to simply replace battery.

So - since Apple was so determined not to let me perform a simple battery replacement I am now equally determined NEVER to buy any Apple product again. So much for being a good design company - Total crap.

JOhn - Mar 15, 2019

Reply

It’s funny that Chinese companies that make ipod nano clones managed to attach the back case with 2 or 4 tiny screws. Apple also refuses to sell any parts to repair older electronics. Their agenda seems to be” Why would you want to repair an older product when you can just buy a new one?”.

Logan Bruh - May 27, 2021

Because adding screws is much cheaper. Plus these were made more then a decade ago. That’s like asking Samsung to sell pieces for a Note 5 or Nokia to sell parts for their Nokia 3310 phone. Devices have advanced more then 8 gigabytes and there’s a lot of places that scrap and sell parts.