iPad 6 Wi-Fi Battery Replacement

Written By: Arthur Shi

Comments: 103

Difficulty

Very difficult

Steps

108

Time Required

2 - 4 hours

Introduction

Follow this guide to replace the battery in an iPad 6 Wi-Fi.

If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.

Be very careful when you isolate the battery using a battery blocker. The battery contacts are easily damaged, resulting in irreversible damage to the logic board. If you choose to complete the guide without isolating the battery, avoid using metal tools except when completely necessary (like when removing screws) to prevent shorting the battery and damaging sensitive circuit components.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

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

Step 2

While you're waiting for the adhesive to loosen, note the following areas that are sensitive to prying:
Front camera
Antennas
Display cables

Step 3

The next three steps demonstrate the Anti-Clamp, a tool we designed to make the opening procedure easier. If you aren't using the Anti-Clamp, skip down three steps for an alternate method.
For complete instructions on how to use the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
Pull the blue handle backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
Place an object under your iPad so it rests level between the suction cups.
Position the suction cups near the middle of the left edge—one on the top, and one on the bottom.
Hold the bottom of the Anti-Clamp steady and firmly press down on the top cup to apply suction.
If you find that the surface of your iPad is too slippery for the Anti-Clamp to hold onto, use tape to create a grippier surface.

Step 4

Pull the blue handle forward to lock the arms.
Turn the handle clockwise 360 degrees or until the cups start to stretch.
Make sure the suction cups remain aligned with each other. If they begin to slip out of alignment, loosen the suction cups slightly and realign the arms.

Step 5

Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.
If your screen isn't getting hot enough, you can use a hair dryer to heat along the left edge of the iPad.
For complete instructions on how to use a hair dryer, check out this guide.
Insert an opening pick under the digitizer when the Anti-Clamp creates a large enough gap.
If the Anti-Clamp doesn't create a sufficient gap, apply more heat to the area and rotate the handle clockwise half a turn.
Don't crank more than a half a turn at a time, and wait one minute between turns. Let the Anti-Clamp and time do the work for you.
Skip the next step.

Step 6

If your display is badly cracked, covering it with a layer of clear packing tape may allow the suction cup to adhere. Alternatively, very strong tape may be used instead of the suction cup. If all else fails, you can superglue the suction cup to the broken screen.
Once the screen is warm to touch, apply a suction handle to the left edge of the screen and as close to the edge as possible.
Lift the screen with the suction handle to create a small gap between the digitizer and the frame.
Insert an opening pick into the gap between the digitizer and the frame.

Step 7

Insert a second opening pick into the gap you just created.
Slide the pick toward the bottom-left corner of the device to separate the adhesive.
Leave the pick in the bottom-left corner to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.
Don't worry if you can see the opening pick through the digitizer—just pull the pick out. The LCD screen shouldn't be damaged, but you risk leaving behind hard-to-clean adhesive.

Step 8

If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, "roll" the pick along the side of the iPad to continue separating the adhesive.

Step 9

Slide the first opening pick towards the top-left corner of the device to separate the adhesive.
Leave the pick in the top-left corner to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

Step 10

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the top edge of the device for two minutes.

How do you heat the iopener?

Steve Passmore -

Step 11

Rotate the pick around the top-left corner of the device to separate the adhesive.

Step 12

Slide the opening pick along the top edge of the device, stopping just before you reach the front camera.
Avoid sliding the pick over the front camera, as you may damage the lens. The following steps will show how to prevent this.

Step 13

Pull the pick out until only the tip is between the digitizer and the frame.
Slide the pick above the front camera to separate the adhesive.
Leave the pick near the right side of the front camera before continuing.

Step 14

Re-insert the pick and slide it towards the top-right corner of the device to completely separate the top adhesive.
Leave the pick in the top-right corner to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

Step 15

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the right edge of the device for two minutes.

Step 16

Rotate the pick around the top-right corner of the device to separate the adhesive.

Step 17

Insert a new opening pick and slide it to the middle of the iPad's right edge.
The display cables are located approximately halfway from the bottom of the iPad. Stop sliding once you reach three inches from the bottom of the iPad.

There are sensitive display/digitizer cables no less than five inches from the bottom edge of the iPad. Insert the pick further down than this, or deeper than 1mm beyond this point and you risk irreparably damaging these cables.

Three inches is much too far down this side of the iPad to use picks.

rcrandall85 - 09/07/23

Step 18

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the bottom edge of the device for two minutes.

Step 19

Slide the bottom-left pick to the bottom-left corner to separate the adhesive.
Don't fully rotate the pick around the corner, as you may damage the antenna.
Leave the pick in the bottom-left corner before moving to the next step.

Step 20

Insert a new opening pick into the gap you just created on the bottom edge of the iPad.
Slide the pick over the antenna, stopping just before the home button.
Only slide the pick towards the home button and not away from it, as you may damage the antenna.
If you need to slide the pick over this section again, remove and re-insert it at the bottom-left corner.
Leave the pick to the left of the home button before continuing.

Step 21

Insert an opening pick into the gap you just created.
Slide the pick underneath the home button and towards the bottom-right corner, making sure only the tip is between the digitizer and the frame.
Only insert the pick up to 1 mm to avoid damaging the right antenna.

Step 22

Re-insert the pick and slide it towards the home button to completely separate the bottom adhesive.
Only slide the pick towards the home button and not away from it, as you may damage the antenna.
If you need to slide the pick over this section again, remove and re-insert it at the bottom-right corner.
Leave the pick to the right of the home button before continuing.

Step 23

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the right edge of the device for two minutes.

Step 24

Be very careful with this step. Take your time, ensure the adhesive is hot and soft, and make sure you separated all of the adhesive with a pick. Don't be afraid to stop and reheat.
Twist the two opening picks on the left corners of the iPad to lift the digitizer slightly, separating the the last of the adhesive in the process.
If there's a significant amount of resistance, reheat the edges and work along them with an opening pick.

Step 25

Lift the left edge of the digitizer upwards to further separate the adhesive along the right edge of the iPad.

Step 26

While supporting the digitizer, slide an opening pick between the two display cables to separate the last of the adhesive.

Step 27

Once all of the adhesive has been separated, open the digitizer like a book and rest it parallel to the iPad.
During reassembly, clean the remaining adhesive from the frame—and the digitizer if you're re-using it—with isopropyl alcohol. Replace the adhesive with our adhesive strips or pre-cut adhesive cards.
Be mindful of the display cables when reassembling the device. Make sure they are folded properly underneath the LCD screen to prevent any damage.

While reassembling, REALLY make sure the display cables and the home button cable won't be folded / bent while closing the digitizer. I'm not exactly sure what I did, but I broke the home button and touch ID since I bent the home button cable to the point that it broke. These ribbon cables are SUPER fragile.

op_ -

Step 28

Remove any tape obscuring the LCD screws.

Step 29

Remove the four Phillips #00 4.3 mm screws securing the LCD.

Both of the iPad 6th gen models i have seen so for (note they were cellular also) had the LCD secured with a grey silicone kind of adhesive in each corner under the screws. So you can’t just lift the LCD as you normally would after removing screws, it would break. I found you could pick at the corner closest to the rear camera easiest, slightly lift that corner and gently separate the other side next to the headphone jack. Then while supporting the LCD , lever the other end free with a up-and-down motion making slight progress each time.

Anvil Electronics - 29/06/18

I found the same thing on my 32GB wifi only ipad. Was unable to lift the screen off once I’d removed the screws so followed the instructions above and gently prized the screen up from the top left-hand screw bracket and it came away. Then moved onto the top right hand one.

mann134 - 03/11/19

One YouTube video said to dig all that glue out. I didn’t and it seems to not hurt to leave it there but you do have to break free from it.

Robin - 02/10/20

On my iPad 6, there were small rubber tabs covering the two screws on the front camera side. I carefully held them out of place with tweezers while unscrewing the screws.

Martin Winter -

Step 30

Do not attempt to fully remove the LCD. It is still connected to the iPad by several cables at the home button end. Lift only from the front-facing camera end.
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the LCD out of its recess just enough to grab it with your fingers. There may be glue around the screw holes that needs to be cut with a knife.
Flip the iPad LCD like a page in a book, lifting near the camera and turning it over the home button end of the rear case.
Be gentle and keep an eye on the LCD cables as you flip the display over.
Lay the LCD on its face to allow access to the display cables.
Set the LCD down on a soft, clean, lint-free surface.

When you replace the LCD be sure to make sure it is screwed in fully. It is easy not, especially on the cornet where the digitizer cables are. The LCD is very sensitive and if you bend it then it can stop working. I was just pressing the digitized in place at the end of a repair and the screen was covered in white lines.

hugh -

I have no idea of what the logic board looks like !!!

HenryFMora -

Step 31

These photos show what the battery connector looks like underneath the logic board. Use these photos as a reference while you safely disconnect the battery.
Notice that the battery connector has cantilever springs on the logic board that press against the battery contact pads. Since both the logic board and battery are glued down, you'll need to slide something thin and flexible between the contact points to disconnect the battery.

Step 32

Remove the single 2.3 mm Phillips #000 screw securing the battery connector to the logic board.
To reduce the risk of a short, you can use a battery isolation pick to disconnect the battery.
Slide the battery blocker underneath the logic board's battery connector at a 35 degree angle.
Don't push the battery blocker underneath the connector with excessive force. If you're having trouble fitting the battery blocker underneath the logic board, you can try using a playing card to disconnect the battery instead.
The battery blocker or playing card ideally should slide under the logic board without encountering any blockages. After insertion, it should rest at a 15 degree angle.
Leave the battery blocker in place as you work.

If you insert a regular pick without a gap then you can damage this connector and will need a new motherboard. If in doubt just insert into the left corner enough to raise it a tiny bit. Arguably, if you are not sure, then it is safer just power off and don’t power back on until everything is fully connected. A photo of how this connector looks with its cover off would really help for people that have not seen this type of battery connector before. You just need to get it to lift a tiny bit, Do not try to slide anything under the contacts….

hugh - 06/07/20

I bumped this darn thing several times, it was twisted and skewed making me freak out but the iPad still works. I am thinking you should pull it out and put the screw back in right after the LCD is removed. Then use it again just before putting the LCD screen back in. The pick is sticking out there waitng to be be bumped.

Robin - 02/10/20

Hi Robin,

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to pull the battery connector out of the logic board. If you try to pry this connector off, you will irreparably damage it. The easiest solution is to insert the battery blocker in-between to cut the power.

Arthur Shi - 02/10/20

The battery isolation pick or battery blocker is an outdated way of isolating the battery, as you risk damaging the battery pins underneath the logic board.

So what is the new method?

Wil Thieme - 05/12/20

This is my question as well. Seems like this phrase contradicts the instructions. Confusing. Any reply?

Melissa Hoffman - 25/01/21

We are currently working on a better isolation procedure! In the meantime, I’ve updated the warning to hopefully clarify the issue.

Arthur Shi - 26/01/21

Why do you need to “To reduce the risk of a short”? There does not seem to by any risk of a “short” in this process. I can see other reasons for disconnecting the battery. I am an electrical engineer so I would appreciate a professional grade answer to this question.

Rumboogy - 08/04/21

I’ll give it a shot!

When you remove the screw, it doesn’t disconnect the battery, as the connector uses spring contacts to touch the battery pads.

If you leave the battery connected, it leaves the logic board energized. As there are many exposed traces and SMT components on the logic board, there is a chance that you accidentally bridge a trace with a metal tool, resulting damage. In addition, the display connector contains tiny pins, and the pinout is such that if you pry the connector from an energized logic board, there is a chance that a voltage rail pin may accidentally touch something it shouldn’t, blowing out the backlight circuitry.

Arthur Shi - 09/04/21

My battery was dead when i did the repair. Did not really need to perform this step

Igor Kapitanker -

Take a waterproof playing card, cut out the shape of the battery blocker and slide that under. Battery blocked and pins not at risk of damage. Got that from a YouTube video made by a microsolder repair tech fixing the damage caused by jamming a blocker in between the contacts.

Melody Fraysier -

Thanks for the tip Melody! I’ve updated the instructions to include the playing card method.

Arthur Shi -

I could not for the life of me get the playing card in there, but my iPad was turned off, so I decided to ‘risk’ a short, instead of potentially damaging the battery connectors by jamming the card in there as hard as possible. My repair went fine, no short, however I realized AFTER closing everything up that I forgot to put the battery screw back in. Really hoping this doesn’t become an issue long term, because I don’t want to pry this brand new screen off just to put the battery in.

Janie Hughes -

Let us know! I wasn't able to use the screw again after removing the battery blocker. Now my iPad turns off and on every so many minutes and when it restarts it's 1% and then shows actual charge.

Martin Hinojosa -

When you come to screw this back together, do not overestimate how little force it takes to strip the thread on this #000 screw. I did, and I now I can't screw this back down and have the problem where the iPad restarts every 3 mins 20 sec after you turn it on due to a poor connection here. I've used card to pack this out so the LCD puts a little clamping force on the terminal once you screw it back in, but it's not really enough so the iPad still suddenly restarts occasionally.

Rory Condon - 09/02/23

I use a small screwdriver and pry underneath that brown bracket from the top edge by the camera (with the elongated metal cover removed of course) all the way before the battery, then lift up just enough for me to unhinged the battery out of the secure post. I don't know why Apple has to go through ALL THIS just to connect the battery since there is a small screw AND ADHESIVE securing it anyway. Nonetheless the whole job (replacing the lcd screen and battery was a major pain in the neck!

80s Guy -

Step 33

Remove the three 1.4 mm Phillips #000 screws from the display cable bracket.

I believe these are also Phillips #00, not Phillips #000.

Kevin Chatterton II - 10/02/20

I lost a 1.4mm screw where can I buy these small screws and how big are they? 1.4mm x? flared or flat head

ferdinando.gregis@gmail.com - 08/05/20

Is this part important? It seems like I lost it.

Will - 07/07/20

You don't have to remove any of this when replacing the battery but doing so will make the job easier and can prevent from accidentally knocking the adjacent cables.

80s Guy -

Step 34

Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry the display cable bracket straight up from the logic board.
The display cable connector is adhered to the underside of the bracket, so don’t push the spudger too far under the bracket, or you may damage the connector.

Step 35

Remove the LCD.

Step 36

Remove any tape covering the home button ribbon cable connector.

Step 37

Use the flat end of a spudger to flip the tab on the home button ribbon cable ZIF connector upward.
Carefully pull the home button ribbon cable straight out of the ZIF connector.

I'm confused about the home flex cable connector required for the 6th generation iPad. It was my understanding that this model required an 18 pin connector. But these excellent pictures clearly show a 14 pin connector, just like the one for the first generation iPad Air AKA the iPad 5. I know this is not the primary focus of this guide, but can anyone clarify this for me?

Bonnie Baxter - 31/03/21

I did the whole repair but this part is the problem HELP !!! I unlocked it but it took me 1 hour to carefully pull out the HOME BUTTON RIBBON CABLE. It finally came out with tweezers but now I CAN'T GET IT BACK IN and as a result my touch I.D. won't activate. It seems there was a tiny bit of black tape overlapping the connector on the ribbon which I carefully cut off exposing only the connector on the ribbon itself but how the heck does it slide in before you lock it. It seems easy on Youtube videos but mine just doesn't slide in with hand or with tweezers. OR in fact is there another connector that controls the TOUCH I.D. ???

Just a guy -

Failed this step- broke the connector. If I try this again, I'd be inclined try to remove the home button from the front panel without unplugging it. Everything else seems to work fine.

Sandy Kilday -

Step 38

Use a the flat end of a spudger or a fingernail to carefully pop the two digitizer cable connectors straight up from their sockets.
To avoid damaging your iPad, pry only on the connectors themselves, not on the socket on the logic board.
During reassembly, make sure that these connectors are completely seated in their sockets, or you may encounter display issues.

Where can I get a good used motherboard for a A1954 iPad 6 gen everywhere I look, there sold out ?...

Trent Weaver - 22/03/21

Step 39

Carefully peel the home button ribbon cable up off of the adhesive holding it to the rear case.

If you can make sure to not pull on the home button side, i would leave out this step. i replaced two displays so far, on the first i removed it, but left it connected on the second attempt. worked like a charm

Tommy Wienert -

Step 40

Remove the front panel assembly.
If you experience "ghost" or "phantom" touch input issues with your new display, this can be resolved by adding a layer of very thin insulating tape, such as Kapton (polyimide) tape, to the highlighted areas on the back of the panel. iFixit panels come with the proper insulation, and should not require the addition of any tape.
Without the proper insulation, these areas of the digitizer can ground out against other components, causing touch input malfunction.
The insulation is not visible to the naked eye, and is different from the foam dust barrier strips found on many iPads.

Step 41

Insert a spudger under the antenna cable closest to the edge of the iPad and lift upward to disconnect the antenna cable connector.

Skip to the step 98 or even 100 if you just need to replace the power button - I think you should even consider this to replace volume buttons. I am fixing mine right now and screwed up the speaker cable. I did follow the instruction but totally missed the cable right below the tape. I proceeded further, but I just realized I didn't have to go through all the troubles. I wish ifixit.com can manage this type of direction clearly so that dis-assembly is minimum.

msgfromside3 - 02/03/15

After you replace the Digitizer if you are getting random key presses it is likely to be because Kapton tape has not been applied to the edges of the digitizer. You need to cover the silver strip around the edge of the digitizer with kapton tape before reassembling. Works every time.

Richard - 06/08/15

This is my first ipad and when the battery dies, it will be my last, way overrated and no options like memory cards or mini usb ports, and the battery thing is ridiculous,I wish I would have never bought this knowing this stuff , and way over priced.

Gary - 31/10/15

It always helps to Google something before buying it. "iPad Air reviews" in Google would have saved you. I just find it funny how in this day and age, people STILL make "purchase mistakes" because they didn't take the time to research the several-hundred-dollar device they are about to commit to purchasing. You should have seen the amounts of research I did before buying my $1,399 Asus G751JY laptop. I'm absolutely pleased with it and am happy I don't deal with issues other people have. Just be weary, buddy. ALWAYS GOOGLE.

Scott S - 25/10/16

If you just want to replace the battery, skip to step 99. You can easily get to most sides of the battery without removing all other components. It worked for me. Good luck!

Thomas Van den Dries - 18/01/18

I wish I read this comment. Would have saved me a lot of time.

leo - 27/04/20

I followed your piece of advice and went to step 99. My new battery works just fine without removing all those components including the logic board - thanks a lot!!

Charlotte M -

An important note - as per the comments lower down, you can skip ahead to step 95 (unsticking the battery) just fine if you're just changing the battery, but after you've unstuck the battery you will need to go back to step 88 and soften the logic board adhesive so you can pry it up about a cm and lift the battery terminal up and over the post to remove it. I didn't realise the post was there, and broke off a piece of the original battery terminal that got stuck under the logic board. This prevented a good connection with the new battery, and caused random restarts after I put everything back together until I realised and went back to recover it.

Rory Condon -

Don’t skip to 99 because you need to remove the logic board.

Cesar Hernandez - 03/07/20

I have successfully replaced the Battery without removing any components other than the Screen Assembly and LCD. You can skip steps 44 thru 99 by using a spudger as a wedge to lift & hold the Logic Board high enough to lift the battery contact over the post that holds it in place… this will save you a lot of time and frustration and makes the repair sooo much easier.

firestormmedia -

My goal was to replace the battery. As some suggested I skipped some steps. I did Step 46 and left out 47 to 100. But I think Step 46 can be skipped too. iFixit probably does not recommend skipping these steps because it is riskier to bend the batteries and damage them. But if you work carefully enough and make sure the adhesive has been softened well, you should be fine. It was no problem for me. It saved me quite some time. (I will write a comment in Step 102 to help you get the batteries out without Steps 46-100.)

marcelflueeler -

Step 42

There are two large pieces of tape wrapped around the right antenna cable, securing it to the rear case.
Peel the tape up from the rear case.
While peeling the antenna tape up, leave it in place on the antenna cable to aid with reassembly.

You may partially skip steps 46 to 100, as it is not really mandatory to remove all those parts in order to remove the logic board and the battery.

Pierre-Aurélien -

Step 43

The antenna cable is anchored to the speaker with a small metal bracket. The bracket is permanently crimped to the antenna and adhered to the speaker enclosure.
Carefully insert an opening pick between the speaker enclosure and the antenna cable bracket.
Slide the pick toward the home button to cut the adhesive.
Push the bracket away from the speaker until it clears the tape underneath.

The pick was not thin enough but the razor worked.

Moon & Snow - 13/07/18

In my view there is a few destructive steps here. I have been able to remove this entire assembly by lifting only the adhesive tape anchoring it to the back without touching this fine metal bracket as touched in in Step 46 & 63 or tearing the foam in Steps 48 & 65 on both the left & right sides. Remove the screws as in Step 47 & 57 and the one’s either side of the charging port in 64 & 71. Once removed, the only thing securing these to the rear is adhesive tape. Lift the tape and walk the units out by nudging them from side to side.

Neil Cross - 17/03/19

Thanks. Made the whole next chunk much simpler :)

Sarah Ybarra - 17/04/21

Step 44

Remove the following Phillips #000 screws securing the right antenna:
One 2.3 mm screw
Two 1.4 mm screws

I would strongly advise not to follow this step and following ones: removing the 2 Wi-Fi antennas is not required for complete disassembly of the motherboard and battery, and you may potentially destroy your antennas: I scrupulously and foolishly followed this tutorial step by step and now I have severe Wi-Fi problems on my iPad because one of the 2 antennas has been damaged during the process (and by reading all the comments on this page you'll see that I'm not the only one to have this issue...).

=> As someone else already mentioned it in the comments, just skip most of these steps and go directly to something like step 79.

Pierre-Aurélien -

Step 45

Insert the flat end of a spudger between the antenna and the speaker assembly.
Slide the spudger toward the home button to cut the foam adhesive securing the antenna.

Este paso es innecesario, ya que con solo quitar los tornillos es suficiente, no hace falta despegar la goma espuma que mantiene la antena de la bocina.

Anthony Aguilar -

tout a fais il n'est pas nécessaire de décoller l'antenne du haut-parleur ! Il faut juste enlever les vis et continuer le démontage du haut-parleur en laissent l'antenne fixer a lui !!!

dordetivan -

Faire de même pour le deuxième haut-parleur !

dordetivan -

Step 46

Remove the right antenna from the iPad.

Step 47

Insert a spudger under the left antenna cable and lift upward to disconnect the antenna cable connector.

Step 48

There are five pieces of tape wrapped around the left antenna cable covering the right speaker cable connector.
Peel the tape up from the rear case.
Fold the antenna cable out of the way.

What can I do if I accidentally peel

off the speaker ribbon from both

speaker connecters? Can I get a replacement part?

mike -

This step was not very well explained. It fails to mention the speaker cable attached on to the tape. This caused the speaker cable to be torn since it is so thoroughly attached to the tape. Guide made no mention that it was under there or that you should be careful about it. Not even the usual remove the tape gently they just tell you to rip it right off no problem. Not sure how this was missed when the guide was so thorough about this beforehand.

Holden Bott -

Approx. 3/4 of an inch past the bend in the cabling underneath the tape lies the right speaker cable. Beyond this point proceed with extreme caution. Delicate cables and ZIF connectors underneath the tape will be torn or damaged if they aren't separated from the underside of the insulation tape first. Use fingernails or thin-edged tools.

rcrandall85 -

Step 49

A bend in the speaker cable makes it difficult to peel the tape up from the end.
Instead, grip the tape just under the speaker and peel it down, away from the edge of the case.
Be careful with your tweezers—only grab and peel the tape, and not the cable beneath.

Step 50

Peel the tape toward the home button to uncover the speaker cable connector.

Step 51

Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the right speaker cable connector.
Slide the speaker cable straight out of its ZIF connector.

Step 52

Remove the tape holding the speaker to the rear case.

Step 53

Carefully peel the LCD buffer tape up off of the rear case.

Step 54

Remove the 2.2 mm Phillips #000 screw securing the speaker to the rear case.

Step 55

Insert a fingernail or the flat end of a spudger in the groove in the speaker housing, near the corner of the rear case.
Pull the speaker down, away from the corner of the case.

It is really not necessary to remove either speakers for a logic board swap.

sergeymkl - 24/12/15

Step 56

Use a spudger to help pull the speaker out from under the edge of the rear case.
Remove the right speaker from the iPad.

When did you remove the blocker after installing the battery blocker? No photos with blockers after this procedure.

Prof.Sakamoto -

Step 57

Remove the three 1.4 mm Phillips #000 screws securing the upper component cable bracket.

Step 58

Remove the upper component cable bracket.
If you have the Wi-Fi/Cellular model, your iPad will look slightly different and will require the removal of two additional screws to access components covered by this bracket.

Step 59

There are two remaining pieces of tape securing the left antenna cable to the rear case.
Peel the tape up from the rear case.

Step 60

Carefully insert an opening pick between the speaker enclosure and the antenna cable bracket.
Slide the pick toward the home button to cut the adhesive.
Push the bracket away from the speaker until it is clear of the tape underneath.

Step 61

Remove the following Phillips #000 screws:
Two 1.4 mm screws
One 2.3 mm screw

I didn’t need to take the left antenna and speaker out. If you just get the wire and tape out of the way so you can unplug the speaker flex cables and take out the lightning connector, then you should still be able to get the logic board out. the left speaker isn’t in the way at all.

Reed Deemer - 19/01/18

Step 62

Insert the flat end of a spudger between the antenna and the speaker assembly.
Slide the spudger toward the home button to cut the foam adhesive securing the antenna.

Este paso es innecesario, ya que con solo quitar los tornillos es suficiente, no hace falta despegar la goma espuma que mantiene la antena de la bocina

Anthony Aguilar -

Step 63

Remove the left antenna from the iPad.

Step 64

Remove the tape covering the left speaker cable connector.

Pulled out the connector doing this step. Best to hold down cable while pulling tape.

doug - 27/04/21

Step 65

Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the left speaker cable connector.

Step 66

Slide the speaker cable straight out of its ZIF connector.

Step 67

Remove the tape holding the speaker to the rear case.

Step 68

Remove the 2.2 mm Phillips #000 screw securing the speaker to the rear case.

Step 69

Gently fold the left speaker ribbon cable up so that it will clear the battery when you slide the speaker enclosure out.

Step 70

Insert a fingernail or the flat end of a spudger in the groove in the speaker housing, near the corner of the rear case.
Pull the speaker down, away from the corner of the case.

Step 71

Use a spudger to help pull the speaker out from under the edge of the rear case.
Remove the left speaker from the iPad.

Step 72

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the front-facing camera connector from the logic board.
Pry up only on the connector—not on the socket itself.
Fold the front-facing camera cable out of the way.
There is a bit of conductive adhesive between the gold-colored cable contacts. Be sure to apply pressure to readhere these contacts during reassembly.

Step 73

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the rear-facing camera connector from the logic board.
Pry up only on the connector—not on the socket itself.
Fold the rear-facing camera cable out of the way.

Step 74

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the headphone jack connector from the logic board.
Pry up only on the connector—not on the socket itself.
Newer iPad units have a loop of tape connecting this connector to its socket on the the logic board. This tape must be cut in order to disconnect the headphone jack.
Fold the headphone jack cable out of the way.

Note for others. On this connector, i have some tape keeping it down, it's rather difficult to remove without ripping it. So i ripped the tape to remove it.

justin Booras -

"Ripping" the tape seems ill-advised. A sharp ceramic craft paper cutting knife or the very tip of a fine-tip Exacto blade work well. Once the tape is cut on one side, the blade slides through it like it's nothing. Zero force required.

Be careful not to insert a blade too far or it may come into contact with conductive components.

rcrandall85 - 10/07/23

Step 75

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the microphone cable connector from the logic board.
Pry up only on the connector—not on the socket itself.

Step 76

Remove any tape covering the upper button assembly cable connector.

Step 77

Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the upper button assembly cable connector.

Step 78

Slide the upper button assembly cable straight out of its ZIF connector.

Step 79

Remove the two 3.3 mm Phillips #000 screws securing the Lightning port.
To find these screws, hold the iPad vertically and look down at the Lightning port.

NOTE for others who might miss this: this picture is looking down, out the bottom of the iPad. There are four other screws near the lightning port, two for the speakers and two for the port. You see these four easily, looking down at the battery and motherboard. These two are additional to those, and perpendicular to them. Both pairs of lightning port screws, one set perpendicular to the other, must be removed.

Bonnie Baxter - 02/03/18

Where did the battery blocker go? It was introduced in step 35. Nowhere has it been said it can be removed . . . yet it is now absent in this picture. I took it out when I got to steps 93-96.

Randy Burgess - 10/12/18

Yes this is a deceptive image as the battery and connector strap seem to be missing. Hold your iPad vertically and look down at the lightning port and you’ll see these hidden screws.

Rusty - 24/01/21

Thanks for your comment! I’ll add a note in the step.

Arthur Shi - 26/01/21

Step 80

In the next steps, you will use an iOpener to apply heat to the rear case of the iPad to soften adhesive holding the logic board in place.
As you reheat and place the iOpener in each of the indicated locations, leave it in place for at least a minute to soften the adhesive through the rear case.
The adhesive is in the form of six pieces of black foam tape—refer to this step as you work at heating and prying to keep track of where each piece is located.

Thread a piece of dental floss under the tip of the logic board. Be careful when rounding the corner not to snag any ribbon cables. This easily released the foam tape up to the battery connector.

ROBERT MORELLA - 31/01/21

Les 2 images suivantes sont contradictoires. elles donnent l'impression de devoir enlever la carte mère.

Humair -

@totoy Effectivement, cela peut-être perturbant, mais ces images servent de référence et expliquent où se trouvent les six morceaux d'adhésif qu'il va falloir décoller au cours des étapes suivantes pour retirer la carte mère.

Claire Miesch -

Step 81

Place a heated iOpener over the rear-facing camera end of the iPad, and let it sit for at least a minute to soften the adhesive through the rear case.
More time won't hurt, but you may need to reheat your iOpener and reapply it if you leave it on the rear case for too long.

Step 82

As you complete the next few steps, prying adhesive securing the logic board in place, always start by testing gently to see if the adhesive is softened. If not, reheat the iOpener and reapply it to the back of the rear case.
Carefully insert an opening pick under the logic board, between the front-facing camera and the battery.
Slide the pick toward the front-facing camera connector, and stop at the bend in the logic board.

Step 83

Slide an opening pick under the logic board from the front-facing camera to the rear facing camera.

Step 84

Place a heated iOpener along the bottom edge of the iPad.
Again, let the iOpener sit for at least a minute to soften the adhesive through the rear case.

Step 85

The Lightning connector cable is stuck to the case with some adhesive. To detach the adhesive you will be sliding an opening pick between the cable and the case. Be very careful not to cut the Lightning connector cable itself.
Insert an opening pick under the Lightning cable where it meets the logic board.
Slide the pick down and around the bend in the cable.

Step 86

Continue to slide the opening pick under the cable, stopping before the cable bends to the Lightning connector.
Move slowly and carefully. If the opening pick does not slide easily, apply more heat and try again. If you use excessive force, you will likely slip and sever the Lightning connector cable.

Step 87

Finally, slide the opening pick between the battery and the Lightning connector itself to separate the last of the adhesive underneath the cable.

There are two screws holding the lightning connector to the rear case, I didn’t see them in this guide. I recommend removing them before you attempt to remove the lightning connector, otherwise you’ll look like an idiot struggling with it for around 1/2 an hour like I just did.

Will Young - 09/11/18

Did you skip this step?

Jeff Suovanen - 16/11/18

I had this problem too!!

Jocelyn Hall - 10/01/21

Will Young is correct. The two extra screws are horizontal - they are in addition to the vertical screws mentioned in step 82.

Randy Burgess - 10/12/18

@usablethought AFAIK there are only two screws securing the actual port to the chassis. You can tell by looking at the part—there are only two screw holes. Those additional screws can be left in place, as shown in the photos. At least, that was my experience. If you’re working on a different model, then of course you may need to improvise—the instructions are only for the model indicated.

Jeff Suovanen - 17/12/18

Step 88

Pull the Lightning connector straight out of its recess in the rear case.

there were two screws holding the lightening connector in place on my iPad

Nate Czupinski - 04/02/17

Yep! In this guide those screws are removed in Step 82, but you can remove them at any point prior to taking out the Lightning connector.

Jeff Suovanen - 06/02/17

CAUTION - there are two ‘hidden’ screws holding the lightning port that face the battery. Hold the iPad vertically and look down to see them. I almost broke the cable trying to remove it thinking it was just stubborn adhesive. Yes its mentioned at Step 82 but its a confusing illustration and easily overlooked.

Rusty - 24/01/21

Step 89

Place a heated iOpener on the left side of the rear case, where the logic board is adhered.
Let the iOpener sit for at least a minute to soften the adhesive through the rear case.

Step 90

Insert a plastic opening tool in the rectangular gap in the upper area of the logic board, and pry the logic board up from the rear case.
While keeping the opening tool underneath the logic board, slide it down the length of the gap to free the upper end of the logic board from the adhesive.

Step 91

Pry up the logic board at the lower edge of the rectangular gap, near the EMI shield.
Lift the end of the logic board slowly. If you encounter significant resistance, stop prying and reapply the iOpener.

Step 92

Slide an opening pick under the logic board between it and the battery.
Slide the pick from the base to the center of the logic board to cut the adhesive.
Take care not to cut the battery with the opening pick; a punctured battery can be very dangerous. If you encounter resistance, reheat and reapply the iOpener.

Step 93

Slide the pick up the length of the logic board.
Once the adhesive has been cut, pry the battery side of the logic board upward off of the rear case.

Don't touch the small components which are under the motherboard !!! If you do it your iPad is definitively dead.

Easy Repair - 15/12/18

Step 94

Continue to lift the logic board along the edge nearest the battery, until you can get an opening pick against the far edge of the logic board.
Cut any adhesive holding the outer edge of the logic board to the rear case.

Step 95

Remove the logic board from the iPad.

Nice guide, thank you, very helpful. There would be no way to guess where the glue stripes are located and a couple of connectors are very difficult to spot. I don't see any need to remove the antennas and the speakers though, they are not really an obstacle to remove the board and can be left in place. The lightning connector is secured in place by two other two horizontal screws which are not shown in the guide.

Thanks again !

arbaman - 26/03/17

Technically, you are correct. But those screws are holding a bracket-like piece for the lightning connecter to screw into- which if you think about it, it wouldn't be considered apart of the lightning port (or at least that's what i think). Not trying to start an argument, as this comment is old, but yeah.

AlexPlaysRoblox -

This is a bear of a job, and I wouldn’t have had any hope of completing it without this guide. THANK YOU for all your hard work!!!!

Bonnie Baxter - 02/05/18

Step 96

The following steps instruct you to use heat to soften the glue securing the battery. A safer alternative is to inject a solvent, such as iFixit adhesive remover, between the battery and rear case to dissolve the adhesive.
Reheat the iOpener in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Remember to be careful not to overheat the iOpener during the repair procedure. Wait at least two minutes before reheating the iOpener, and never microwave it for more than 30 seconds.
Place the heated iOpener in the center of the back of the iPad. Let it sit there for 90 seconds to soften the battery adhesive.
Move the iOpener to the right (away from the rear-facing camera), and let the iOpener sit for another 90 seconds.
Finally, move the iOpener to the right-hand edge of the iPad for 90 seconds.
The iOpener may cool significantly between sittings—if it does, reheat for another 30 seconds between each position.

Step 97

Throughout the following procedure, you'll be sliding thin plastic cards between the battery and rear case of the iPad, to separate the adhesive securing the battery. Be careful to keep the cards as flat as possible to avoid bending the battery, which may damage it and cause it to release dangerous chemicals.
Insert a plastic card under the lower battery cell, at the lower right-hand corner.
If you encounter significant resistance, re-heat the iOpener and repeat the previous step to give the adhesive more time to soften.

Did you skip Step 46 through 100, then this is for you: Because the logic board is still in, you will have less space to loosen the battery pack. Be extra careful not to bend it. Work from the sides that are more accessible like in Step 113 and slowly work your way underneath the battery pack to loosen it all over. As I was loosening the battery I had the heated iOpener underneath the part I was working on. This really helped a lot. And be patient. You do not want to force it.

marcelflueeler -

First of all, thanks @marcelflueeler and everyone else who gave advice on skipping ahead. This is definitely the way to go if you're just changing a battery! Once you've unstuck the battery you'll find you can't pull it out because it's stuck at the terminal though. Don't try and force it here! You'll need to return to step 88 and soften the logic board adhesive so you can pry it up about a cm, then you can lift the battery terminal up and over the locking post that's holding it in place. I didn't realise this and broke a piece of plastic off the old battery terminal, which got lodged under the logic board and prevented a good battery contact until I realised and retrieved it.

Rory Condon -

Step 98

With the card roughly halfway inserted, slide it toward the top of the iPad, stopping before the battery contact post.

Step 99

Lift the card up from the rear case slightly to allow it to pass over the battery contact mounting post.
Slide the card from the center of the battery cells to the upper right corner of the battery.

Step 100

Place a second plastic card about halfway under the left hand battery cell to prevent it from readhering when you reapply the iOpener.

Step 101

Place an iOpener on the right side of the battery, opposite the cards, to loosen the adhesive.

Step 102

Slide the card around the lower right corner of the battery.

Step 103

Slide the plastic card to the lower left corner of the battery.

Step 104

Press the card in further, breaking as much of the adhesive holding in the battery as you can.
Place the plastic card underneath the lower left corner of the battery.

Step 105

Slide the card around the upper right corner of the battery.
Be extremely careful to slide the card over the front-facing camera and headphone jack cables to avoid cutting them.

Step 106

Slide the plastic card to the upper left corner of the battery.
Be careful to slide the card over the front-facing camera and headphone jack cables to avoid cutting them.

Step 107

Press the card in further, breaking as much of the adhesive holding in the battery as you can.
Place the plastic card underneath the upper left corner of the battery.

Step 108

Grip both cards firmly and twist them to lift the battery off of the rear case.
Remove the battery from the rear case.

Finally done !

Easy Repair - 15/12/18

Apple aren’t stupid are they

bob - 05/05/20

It took me nearly 3hrs, but i finally made it. Thanks for the great instructions

Oliver Wegen - 30/05/20

New battery installed. Battery wont charge. Any ideas?

David F - 25/01/21

REASSEMBLY TIPS:

The adhesive strips that come with the iFixit battery have no labels to say which goes where. Look at them carefully and one side has a blue protective cover that runs the length of each strip. This faces up and is to be removed at the last moment when you’re ready to stick the screen down permanently. One strip has a narrowed section in the long length to clear the glass touch screen cables, so stick this one down first to avoid mistakes.

Before removing the protective strips, close the touch screen and boot the iPad. Test both cameras, wifi and speakers. (I found the rear facing camera connector hadn’t bedded properly which was easily fixed). Clean the screen and remove dust from LCD before bedding in touch screen.

The iFixit site has updated battery calibration instructions which differ from the card packed with the battery:

Charge it to 100% and keep charging it for at least 2 more hours.

Then use your device until it shuts off due to low battery.

Finally, charge it uninterrupted to 100%.

Rusty - 26/01/21

Great tip to boot the iPad before removing the adhesive from the battery. There are quite a few comments here about faulty batteries. Fortunately, mine worked just fine.

Jonathan Koehler - 15/02/21

The iFixit battery replacement kit worked great! The repair guide is very good also. So glad I didn’t just try buying the battery. While testing everything after finishing the battery replacement, the digitizer, volume controls and the sleep button did not work. I was very happy when I went back in and found the cable connections had just come loose. My wife couldn’t believe I fixed her iPad.

Randal Haufler -

The guide was pretty good but a few comments:

I didn’t liked the iOpener that much. I used an heat gun with good temperature control instead.

Any advice on how to remove the old glue residu would have been welcome. I used a combination of physical scraping and cleaning afterward with isopropyl alcohol.

An extra guide on how to apply the new adhesive strips would also be nice.

mlombaers -

Fixed!....The guide is very clear and well laid out. I also had issues with the iOpener not working, I needed more heat, used heat gun with temp control. Also used floss to remove the logic board. Would have appreciated more clearer instructions on adding the adhesive strips.....Thanks

hzulu88 Zulander -

The iOpener is really bad. It isnt hot enough to keep the iPad that cools down to roomtemperature in a few seconds. I used an hair dryer which was also not warm enough but at least made it warm enough to create a gap where I was able to fit my pics under. Unfortunately my Digitizer still died. Battery works but I cannot turn off my iPad now lol

Luca Steuer -

Very good guide to a very tedious project! Thank you for the detailed description of the digitizer separation. I didn’t sever any cables. The iOpener isn’t bad; it’s just too small. This project really requires the Anti-clamp, the acetone/isopropanol adhesive softener, and a heat gun that can be used at a low heat setting. I didn’t try a hair dryer, but I think that it might be too windy. Like other fixers,I skipped steps 47 thru 100 something and took my chances manhandling the battery. I opted to insulate the digitizer with Kapton tape. I only have a wide roll of Kapton, so I stuck it to the stiff plastic backing for the battery, then cut narrow strips and peeled them off the backing. Finally, I’d like to see a show of hands of the people who forgot to put in the four corner screws for the display. Maybe I’m the only one …

Laetiporus -

Conclusion

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

Author

Arthur Shi

Member since: 03/01/18

248651 Reputation

9 comments

analyzing the structure of the arrangement of the components, is it necessary to remove everything? I think you could only remove the battery without removing the logic card.

Vik Ledesma - 04/07/18

Hi Vik,

While it may not be necessary to remove the logic board to remove the battery, we found that it is the safest option. Removing the logic board first allows you to pry the battery around all the edges while keeping the bending to a minimum.

Arthur Shi - 05/07/18

Geez, 111 steps to remove the battery and how many to reassemble? Insanity!!

rudyfs2 - 14/11/18

Thanks for a great guide! I left out steps 47 to 100 as some suggested and it worked fine for just replacing the battery. I was aware that the issue may be the bending of the battery and, therefore, iFixit does not recommend skipping these steps. However it worked fine for me. My tip is to allow yourself enough time to loosen the battery from the adhesive and keep the heated iOpener always underneath the section of the battery that you are working on. This way the adhesive softens and allows you to loosen the battery step by step. - It took me 3 hours of which the first hour was trying to figure out how to get Step 9 done. It took me a while to have the iOpener at the right temperature. So, be patient.

marcelflueeler -

The guide worked perfectly, thanks! But now there is an issue with the battery after reassembling. The iPad can‘t be charged and it turns itself off every 5min.

Any ideas?

Jonas (Dschounäs) -

Unfortunately I have the same issue, did you fix this after all?

I M -

I attempted this but didn’t work for me. Lots of precision and macro vision work. Tablet is very easy to damage the ribbon cables. Had to replace “rear camera” and “Finger Print Button”. Still had issues. Next step was to replace The Digitizer which I didn’t do. Ended up buying a new iPad9.

HenryFMora -

If you're display is cracked replace the battery while you're at it.

If it's in one part don't try this, you're digitizer won't come out in one piece.

Mark Destreel -

Thanks for the guide! It worked well.

T C -