iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi Battery Replacement

Written By: Evan Noronha
  • Comments: 249
iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi Battery Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

77

Time Required

1 - 3 hours

Introduction

Does your battery no longer hold a charge? Follow the steps in this guide to replace a faulty or aging battery in an iPad Air 2 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. 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.

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    • We recommend that you clean your microwave before proceeding, as any nasty gunk on the bottom may end up stuck to the iOpener.

    • Place the iOpener in the center of the microwave.

    • For carousel microwaves: Make sure the plate spins freely. If your iOpener gets stuck, it may overheat and burn.

    I didn't find this to be as hard as I had built it up in my mind to be; HOWEVER, saying that I need to say years ago I was the local Nokia service center in my town. But many years ago right after they got rid of analog times. Yeah. A classic installer/repairer mistake when starting something they haven't fixed or installed before is picking up the instructions, flipping through them; maybe even reading a section that is new-then tossing the instructions over the shoulder. "I got this." This usually comes right before something major gets broke. And I can tell you when you try to do it yourself and then mess it up horribly then take it to the repair shop. Well we called that "I can do it myself" syndrome and charged extra to put back together what they brought in in the box. Now knowing all this - I can't stress this enough because I am stupid, stupid, stupid. COVER YOUR SCREEN IN CLEAR BOXING TAPE AND READ ALL THE INSTRUCTION BELOW THROUGH TO THE END BEFORE EVEN ATTEMPTING THIS FIX. Take my advise.

    windizy -

    I didn't have an iOpener, so I used a wheat type heat bag. If you do this though, make sure you put a layer of plastic between your Mac and the bag, or you'll get condensation in places you don't want it.

    Martin Gray -

    I started out using the iOpener but switched to my wife's hairdryer. A heat gun or hair dryer proved to be much more convenient and is a time saviour. You can heat more and the glue becomes more fluid make the next steps with the opening picks much easier

    Jan Van Puymbroeck -

    I know this is obvious, but backup your iPad with iTunes before you start. I'd also turn off your passcode if you have one.

    Laurie Higgins -

    Ther first time you heat up the iOpener for this repair when its room temperature I had to heat it up for more than 30 seconds. I remember I had to heat it up for around 45 seconds. However, after that when you need to reheat it again during the repair 30 seconds will be enough.

    Yousef Ghalib -

    I used the wheat bag in a sensor microwave heating up to 65-70 deg C (155 def F).

    ian cheong -

    Get yourself a cherry pit bean bag the size of your iPad. Heat it, put the iPad on it for 3 to 5 minutes or so, reheat the cherry pit bean bag, again put your iPad on it. Then heat the iOpener and start working. The cherry pit bean bag will have to be reheated several times, but it will soften the adhesive so you have less problems with the iOpener

    Tim Feyaerts -

    The heating can be done very effectively (and quickly) with 3d printer heated bed. Make sure the bed is clean. Set the temperature to 60c, (130f ) and put the ipad face down for +/- 10 minutes. Repeat as needed throughout the “gentle prying” stages.

    polleyphony -

    The iOpener did not work at all for me.

    I had to use a heat gun and bring the edges of the case up to ~200 degrees (used an infrared thermometer to measure) before the glue would weaken. This obviously superheated the metal frame, so I also had to wear gloves to handle the phone while prying the back off with the included picks.

    Mike Jeanette -

    Repair instructions worked like a charm. Had to be patient with the iOpener and getting the screen off. I tried repeatedly without success until shifting the suction cup a bit to the left side where perhaps the glue had loosened up a bit more.

    Kyle -

    The iOpener, in my opinion, is of no help. Many warnings to say “don’t warm it too much”, but the glue doesn’t melt if not warm enough. As a result, a complete waste of time and energy. In addition, too much liquid in it, so it doesn’t lay on the device on a sufficient surface. I took a hairdryer and it worked much much better.

    laurentvidu -

    I used an immersion bath to heat this to 180F and applied it to the device until the outside temperature of the opener read 150F with an IR thermometer. Removing the screen took very little force with this method.

    breadandbits -

    My experience. I was replacing the screen which had been cracked and a little shattered in some places. The iopener is pretty much useless, so was the suction cup. The suction cup would probably be more useful if I was doing something besides the screen. Also you probably want the clean the screen before using it so it can get good suction. I used a hair dryer on high for a couple of minutes at a time (someone on this tread suggested that). I used my exacto knife and a razor blade to get into the adhesive. First the exacto to get the initial cut, then the razor blade to go a little deeper. Could have probably just used the razor blade, but the exacto has a little more finesse. I got the razor blade in and a little under the glass then I used the picks to wedge in. I didn’t want to risk anything using the razor blade too much. Used tape to keep the shattered glass together.

    trebor65 -

    My experience pt2

    Fortunately the shattering was mostly on the edges and most of it had adhesive on the back so it stuck together. Just take your time and work your way around following the guide to get the screen off. Have some goof off or goo be gone to clean the frame when putting the new glass on or putting the existing one back. (someone suggested that also, very good idea). Be careful of the LCD (you should know that). The cable on my LCD was pretty tight, so I propped it up while taking the cable cover off and when I put it back on I did the same thing. I just put a bottle on the battery and leaned the back of the LCD on that while attaching the cables and putting the screws back on the cover. Also be careful with the home button and the bracket on the back of it. I had enough old adhesive on left on the bracket that it stuck back to the new glass fine. So far only 12 hours in, so we will see how that holds up when the kids get at it.

    trebor65 -

    Another alternative if you do not have the iopener is to use a bed time hotwater bottle. Do not over fill it though. Just put enough hot water in to support the phone while you work around the adhesive.

    I use both the hot water bottle and iopener together on Samsung's. It makes life easier

    gazza667 -

    I followed the directions and heated my iOpener for 30 seconds in a 1000 watt microwave, and it came out at 160 degrees F, as verified by a infrared thermometer. This allowed me to separate the last bit of the back of my Samsung S8, which was already coming off due to a swollen battery (hence the reason for the repair).

    Dennis -

    Hallo,habe den Akku erfolgreich getauscht.Doch seitdem gibt es bei Telefonaten eine Rückkopplung für den anrufenden.Bei mir ist alles normal.Woran liegt das?Mfg

    Manu R -

    If you follow these instructions, you will crack your screen like I did. Heating the iOpener for 30 seconds, using it to melt glue, then waiting 10 minutes to reheat is useless. The iOpener can be used to maybe warm the glue on whatever side you aren’t working on. You need a hairdryer and/or a heat gun to melt the glue and separate the glass from the iPad.

    Anyone want to buy an old iPad with broken glass and a dead battery?

    mpulliam -

    Not everybody has a microwave. You should provide a target temperature for the iOpener and instructions for a conventional oven, or pot of warm water, or whatever. Although I will probably use a heat gun …

    Esmond Pitt -

    Three times heating opener and no luck. Tried pressing down gently on opener with a towel, and the opener broke. Wondering if I now replace table mats, fancy table cloth, etc. or will this stuff wash out.

    Not impressed so far. Maybe the hair dryer next.

    doug -

    I support the comments about the iOpener. Everyone has a hair drier, FHS, so get a cheap IR thermometer (£18) and blow heat until the area is 60+ deg C. Still takes w while, and getting the screen off is v scary, but just add more heat if you feel resistance.

    The rest of the kit is good, esp the magnetic screwdrivers.

    Richard O'Brien -

    No, everyone does not have a hairdryer. Some of us don’t even have hair. Thank goodness I already had an IR thermometer, though.

    nin10doh -

    #### WARNUNG WENN MINIMALSTER SPRUNG IM DISPLAY IST FUNKTIONERT DAS NICHT!!! ######

    Hatte einen winzigen, minimalen Sprung im Display. Ich dachte es könnte gehen, weil der Sprung “abgeschlossen” war. Er hat in einer Ecke ein winzige Glasteil rausgeschnitten. NEIN! Geht nicht. Habe alles mit viel Geduld dem iOpener und einem Föhn erhitzt. Es ist trotzdem sofort über das komplette Display zersprungen…

    T z -

    I’ve started with iOpener but changed very quickly to a heatgun. That was more efficient.

    Mizzoo, s.r.o. -

    I could not get the iOpener hot enough to melt the glue on my ipad 6. I heated for 45 seconds once and it was boiling and it still never worked. Thank goodness contributors mentioned using a hair dryer. Using an 1700w hair dryer on high did the trick to get the screen off. Still took some time and the case got pretty hot but be patient. It took twice as long and a lot more patience to get the battery out.

    Randal Haufler -

    I have an Ipad with touch screen issue, if i replace this part it should be Ok?

    janderson martin -

    WARNING - DO NOT MICROWAVE ON A METAL MICROWAVE RACK

    The metal microwave rack can heat up and melt through the iOpener cover letting the contents leak out.

    Not a big issue for me as I have a heat gun and used that instead.

    Run Up A Tree -

    I opened my iPad with the iOpener. Be patient! It may take quite a bit longer to it the iOpener in the microwave than it says in the guide. My microwave can only do 800W and I had to put the iOpener in several times (maybe a total of 90-120 seconds). I recommend that you have the transparent side up an watch the bag carefully. As long a the bag doesn't bloat up and the liquid doesn't start bubbling you should be fine. But I recommend to take the iO out from time to time to check it. (More comments in Step 6.)

    marcelflueeler -

    I gave upon the I opener and used a hairdryer. (Fixed an iPad 6)

    Tom Weber -

    iPad mini gen5. I used the iOpener. My microwave is 1200w with carousel. 30 sec got the iOpener to 155ºF. For the 2nd heating, after 10 minutes sitting, the temp was still around 125º so I only cooked it for 15 sec. Not enough increase so +5 sec more which me to 165-170ºF. This should be considered ballpark info because who knows the real output of the various microwaves and the quality of the IR tool used to determine temp.

    To successfully open my iPad mini I applied the iOpener twice to the left edge and twice to bottom. & once to R edge. Using the suction cup was difficult for me (I'm in my 70's so my hands don't work too well anymore). I had trouble holding the guitar pick and slipping them in (at an downward angle). In the end, sliding my thumbnail along the edge opened it very slightly and allowed the pick to get into the gap. I marked the ends of all my picks with a sharpie pen for the recommended 2mm insertion to avoid going in too deep. To get the screen open it took me approx 1 hour.

    jharrison -

    Can’t you just use a hair curler instead?

    Aspect22 -

    A hairdryer or heat gun works, if heating is kept around 100 deg C (212 deg F - boiling point of water). But… heating this way is cumbersome. Using a hotplate, set to 100 deg C, measured carefully with a fairly inexpensive IR gun, is simpler and easier, if you can afford the hotplate (I used an old pancake griddle with a thermostat knob). It works great for phones, setting them face down for 2 minutes, then picking them up with insulated gloves - cheap, wool gloves work fine. This may require repeated reheating to continue the display removal, but its much simpler.

    Because its almost impossible to repeatedly lay an iPad/tablet on the hot plate, I propose an alternative.

    Initially lay the larger iPad/tablet, face down, for 2 min, to heat all of the adhesive surrounding the display. Lift and begin the picking process describe in your removal steps. Then lay an iOpener on the hotplate for 2 min (already set to the exact, desired temp) to bring it to working temp for the remaining operations.

    Dan Smith -

    For iPads in particular, it makes sense to construct a simple, aluminum window frame, laid on a hotplate (see my comment above) that only touches the edges of the display, heating only the adhesive underneath. This prevents general heating of the entire device. Four strips of aluminum, placed together as a frame, would be the simplest and allow variations for all devices - envision it as a pinwheel of strips, radiating outward. Use it for any size device.

    Dan Smith -

    BTW, always read all comments at each step. New, and possibly useful, suggestions appear on occasion that can be crucial.

    Dan Smith -

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    • Heat the iOpener for thirty seconds.

    • Throughout the repair procedure, as the iOpener cools, reheat it in the microwave for an additional thirty seconds at a time.

    • Be careful not to overheat the iOpener during the repair. Overheating may cause the iOpener to burst. Do not attempt to heat over 100˚C (212˚F).

    • Never touch the iOpener if it appears swollen.

    • If the iOpener is still too hot in the middle to touch, continue using it while waiting for it to cool down some more before reheating. A properly heated iOpener should stay warm for up to 10 minutes.

    I had to heat mine up for more than 30 seconds. After 30 seconds on high it was only warm. It had to keep trying different times and checking it until it got hot. I think the initial time that I put it in for was over a minute.

    whale13 -

    DO NOT USE IN NON ROTATING MICROWAVE! It will pop a hole. I had it in for 45 seconds the first time. It wasn't very hot inside and I saw it started to leak on the paper towel I put under it. Just a fair bit of advice. I think I will just stick with the heat gun. Loud but useful.

    Alex Jackson -

    I heated mine up for 30 seconds, tested, then again for 30 seconds. It felt adequately hot. Leaving it on the left side, per the instruction, for a minute did not loosen the adhesive. I ended up pulling the suction cup hard enough to shadder the old screen. Moral of the story, I don't think it gets hot enough safely to have an affect.

    Travis Dixon -

    There is a clear problem here with the heating part using the iopener things....no details are given. Whoever is testing them needs to make it clear - What temperature does it need to be? And for which phone models, because they differ in what's needed. It's only £10-15 for a laser guided temp sensor unit, and the designers/repairers should have one of those already for doing these kinds of repairs. Explaining half a repair, is worse than not explaining at all :-(

    assortedrubbish -

    All phones/devices differ it’s unrealistic and unsafe to put a exact time/temperature needed to soften the adhesive. It’s really quite simple you warm the device evenly and in a controlled manner just enough to enable pry tools and picks to begin separating. Best tool in my opinion but again this is because I have experience is a hot plate and heat gun both of which are used at nearly the lowest settings and I can handle flat palming the plate for almost 10 seconds I leave the device to conduct heat until approx it’s about 110 at most 120 ish this will be plenty to soften all the adhesive if any problem areas I use heat gun while prying. Again you need go slowly and learn with a throw away phone

    Greg Latta -

    I used a hot water bottle, works well as it covers the whole screen and stays hot for longer.

    dave -

    If I may suggest include your microwave wattage so people can get an idea on time for there own

    Patrick Storey -

    I agree with this.

    Jarl Friis -

    I ended up using a hair dryer. That iOpener thing took forever.

    mark fitzgerald -

    30 seconds sure isn’t cutting it… 45 didn’t get the screen of my iPad air 2 to budge either… even after resting on the ipad for 4 minutes.

    60 seconds in the microwave, the iOpener burst.

    I’ll get a new one and try once more with heating it 45 seconds and repeat that for 30 minutes like others have said here. If that doesn’t work it’ll have to be the heat gun.

    K

    Karl Marble -

    I can’t recommend the microwave. If the the iOpener becomes too hot, it bursts. Better put the opener in cooking water. Dry it and use it. Instead of an iOpener you can use hot/cool packs as well.

    Bernhard Keim -

    Great idea with using the heat packs. I will try that next time. Thank you

    Collins -

    Trust the directions! I forgot and left it in the Microwave too long and after 1 minute I had Mt Vesuvius - the iOpener burst and spewed the goodies out. The problem is, the Digitizer can be damaged by a hot air gun, so I had to tough out and remove the glue the hard way. I made it … with lots of patience! Tough lesson.

    Larry Bennett -

    I also used a hairdryer. I used it on the low setting and I cut a piece of carboard to protect the rest of the screen. The iFixit tool and method is vert tedious and very time consuming in comparison. With the hairdryer method you can literally have the display apart in a few minutes. Using your other hand nearby the area you are heating it should be very hot but not enough to burn your hand. You only have to heat metal part of case near glass edge. If you have a cellular model then you need to be very careful because the black antenna area is plastic. So less heat and work your way up in adding heat just enough to separate around the area but not so much you melt the plastic!

    Fixrights -

    iOpener was the worst part of the kit. Followed directions for :30 in microwave and took 4 trips to the microwave to loosen adhesive on left side of home button. I thought I was figuring it out and it was working well… even set a timer to wait 10 minutes between heating it up. Was on the right side and was on my 12th heat up when it exploded in the microwave. My only tip is that if you set it clear side up, as soon as you see any bubbles or boiling in the liquid, STOP! If you put a pot holder over the iOpener and press slightly to make good surface contact, that seemed to help. I finished heating with a “Corn Sack” that held heat better than the provided iOpener.

    digital_only -

    Mon iopener n'a pas tenu une réparation. Je ne vous conseille pas ce produit

    Berard Romain -

    Bonjour,

    Nous sommes désolés que votre réparation ne se soit pas déroulée comme prévu. Il se peut que le produit était défectueux. Veuillez contacter notre service client support@ifixit.com (boutique américaine) ou eustore@ifixit.com (boutique européenne) en décrivant ce qui s’est passé.

    Claire Miesch -

    Readers looking for temperature advice might check the comments of the previous instruction, as there are more there. I used an immersion bath to heat this to 180F and applied it to the device until the outside temperature of the opener read 150F with an IR thermometer. Removing the screen took very little force with this method.

    breadandbits -

    Thank you for posting some actual temperatures. I have a heat gun with a very fine self-temperature regulation setting capability.

    I will set it for 150-180 F, and use that to soften the adhesive.

    G Trieste -

    Get a heat gun.

    alesha adamson -

    I followed the directions and heated my iOpener for 30 seconds in a 1000 watt microwave, and it came out at 160 degrees F, as verified by a infrared thermometer. A second heating about 15 minutes later in the micro and it came out at 190 degrees F. Plenty hot enough to soften the adhesive for removing the back on my S8. Based on the comments above I think people just need to use more patience.

    Dennis -

    I used various time settings. It got very hot. It would soften the glue but not a whole lot. If my screen had been intact and I was replacing something that was not a digitizer, it may have worked. A broken screen makes the process significantly more difficult. I ended up breaking the home button cable. Good bye TouchID…

    cvela90 -

    After reading previous comments I didn't even use the i-opener. Used the heatgun ( hairdryer ) which works great for me. Maybe I was lucky as this is my first attempt at replacing a cellphone battery. Motoz 3

    Collins -

    It appeared 30 seconds were not enough, so I heated it more, by 5 seconds at a time until I got the right temperature about 70 degrees Celsius (measured with infrared pistol) to get the screen heated up to 60 C, the best for softening the glue. But the heat was quickly dissipating by the big aluminum back cover, so the best I got in 2 minutes of applying iOpener was around 45 C, which made the procedure difficult and having risk of breaking the screen. So I eventually abandoned iOpener and user a hot air gun with precise temperature setup. I set it to 90 C, which allowed me to open my iPad quickly and safely.

    Sergey Kofanov -

    I, too, ended up using a hot air gun. I’ve done earlier versions of iPad before but the adhesive used on this IPad 5 A1822 was particularly difficult to remove.

    Also, while the suction cup worked great when the glass is in tact, any cracks in the glass make the suction cup useless.

    manningrl -

    You need to remember here are different sizes of microwaves. I had the same issue.

    Heating on a smaller unit I used 45-60 seconds. That worked but was time comsuming

    William Draheim -

    Yeah, the iOpener didn't work for me either.... ended up using a hair dryer and that worked. The iOpener was too warm to soften the glue in my case.

    Andrés Vettori -

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    • Remove the iOpener from the microwave, holding it by one of the two flat ends to avoid the hot center.

    • The iOpener will be very hot, so be careful when handling it. Use an oven mitt if necessary.

    I did this repair. I used a hair dryer, I think it works better: gets very hot fast.

    Cobus de Beer -

    I did too, you get far more control and no expense on fancy equipment.

    Billinski -

    Readers looking for temperature advice might check the comments of the previous instruction, as there are more there. I used an immersion bath to heat this to 180F and applied it to the device until the outside temperature of the opener read 150F with an IR thermometer. Removing the screen took very little force with this method. I don’t know how much microwaves vary in heating consistency with these pads, but knowing how inconsistent the temperature of a bowl of plain rice gets in my microwave, I wasn’t interested in even trying to use it for this.

    breadandbits -

    I used an electric griddle set to the lowest setting. It seemed to work very well.

    John -

    I vote for the hair dryer. The other methods work too but if you aren’t having any luck, switch to the hair dryer. While holding the iPad in my hand, I found that I am aiming the dryer at my finger at the same time and it gauges how hot it is. I stop when my finger can’t take it - maybe five seconds up close. Repeat as needed like I did.

    Robin -

    This thing melts when placed up side down in the microwave…

    Mark -

    If the maximum temperature for this iOpener is lower than the gadget glue minimum temperature, this device does not make sense.
    I think the maximum temperature for this iOpener is below 100⁰C and most gadget glue minimum temperature is higher than 100⁰C. So the iOpener is useless for many opening steps in repair guides. But who knows because temperature range is not specified for this iOpener.

    Jarl Friis -

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    • If you don't have a microwave, follow this step to heat your iOpener in boiling water.

    • Fill a pot or pan with enough water to fully submerge an iOpener.

    • Heat the water to a boil. Turn off the heat.

    • Place an iOpener into the hot water for 2-3 minutes. Make sure the iOpener is fully submerged in the water.

    • Use tongs to extract the heated iOpener from the hot water.

    • Thoroughly dry the iOpener with a towel.

    • The iOpener will be very hot, so be careful to hold it only by the end tabs.

    • Your iOpener is ready for use! If you need to reheat the iOpener, heat the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and place the iOpener in the water for 2-3 minutes.

    What do I do if I don’t have a iopener?

    alexdelarge103@gmail.com -

    Use a hair dryer

    Edited To the max -

    2 or 3 cups Rice in a sock, heat for about 2 minutes. But, I recommend the iopener.

    Robert Garcia -

    When boiling in water you can put the iopener in a ziplock to keep it dry.

    Robert Garcia -

    Even if you don't put in a ziplock bag, I found that the surface is mostly hydrophobic so drying it is very easy. I also didn't have tongs, but the bag is denser than water, so it sank and I attached clothes pins to the ends and was able to remove it with those.

    Jack Adrian Zappa -

    2-3 minutes in near boiling water, then 2-3 minutes on my s10+ and it was super easy to cut the glue off.

    Kipras Bielinskas -

    I have a question, if I have a pan, and I have water, and a mean to boil the water, won't it be easier and cheaper to just use that.

    Ollie Tan -

    Have you tried it? Water limits your temperature to 100℃, whereas 'pan on the stove' can easily get up to twice that. If your pan is even slightly warped, you'll have a few hot spots of direct conduction with convection everywhere else, heating things unevenly. Assuming you get the device up to temperature, how will you get it out without scratching it or burning yourself? After you're finished, do you really want to prepare food in the pan you warmed up adhesives and trace manufacturing substances in?

    .

    Boiling something form fitting to heat your device with is a lot more foolproof, and not being foolish is easier and cheaper. Direct pan heating can work, but you are leaving yourself open to a lot more problems than just taking the safe route.

    James Beegle -

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    • 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.

    Why does it says in red letter to be sure not to damage the LCD screen? I thought the whole point of this guide is to replace a broken screen and the new screen comes with a new LCD since apparently they cannot be separated

    Stranger Danger -

    Because some people are opening the ipad to replace the battery! Like me~

    stephenwithph -

    The picture is a picture of an ipad 4 lol

    iCare Electronic Repair -

    The opening procedure is the same on many iPad models, so some photos are reused for all models.

    Daniele Carminati -

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    • The following steps involve using an iOpener to soften the adhesive holding the front panel assembly in place. When using the iOpener, be sure to heat it in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds.

    • Handling it by the tabs on either end, place a heated iOpener over the top edge of the iPad.

    • Let the iOpener sit on the iPad for two minutes to soften the adhesive securing the front panel to the rest of the iPad.

    Yeah, this part took longer than written. Over 30 minutes and had to reheat the iOpenner since it got cool enough to only feel warm.

    Christopher Lowder -

    So true, the adhesive is really strong.

    Benjamin Black -

    I would recommend using a hair dryer on high instead. Heat a certain area 60 seconds at a time and keep the hair dyer moving at a slow but constant speed.

    Alexander Chrisman -

    Hi!

    Is the quality of the iOpener so different, that for some people this guide works. but for most people including me, this 30 sec do not hotten the iOpener enough..

    Couldn't anybody do a new guideline with proper info, how many sec on which watt, etc. Pretty please!

    BUT, with that said, I would like thank You people on ifixit.com, for make all this tools. I f. love it! But plz make a new guide for at least iPad Air 2, screen replacement!

    Big love from Sweden and me Magni =) <3

    Magnifika Mole -

    Hello Magni!

    Microwave power can be vary, so you may need to microwave your iOpener longer in order to get it hot enough. The iOpener should be hot to the touch, about 80-100°C.

    Arthur Shi -

    Why do these instructions say to heat the top of the iPad for 2 minutes, but then prior open the bottom? The instruction below seem to indicate heating the side that you are about to pry open.

    mpulliam -

    I saw in some “How To”videos, the repair shop had expensive heating pads to assist in screen removal. If I ever find myself making a similar repair to an iPad of iPhone, I’m going to try using a heating pad I have for my back. Set it to high and let the iPad/iPhone set on it screen down for 15 minutes or so. Should do the trick.

    Charles Meitin -

    결국 히팅건을 사용했습니다. Bosch GHG 500-2 패드 알루미늄이 뜨거워질 때까지 가볍게 가열하십시오. 손가락으로 만지면 견딜 수 없을 정도로 뜨거워질 때까지 천천히 가열했습니다. iopener는 시간이 많이 걸리고 성공하지 못했습니다.

    jinwoo KIM -

    I used a heat gun from about 3 feet away with my hand right next to the iPad to gauge how hot it was. In the end you need the edge of the screen almost but not too hot to touch

    Rich Pepp -

    Did it with the IOppener! Just be patient. It seems the les harmfull way of doing it. I just had to reheat it few times.

    Lucarelli Dorian -

    Wish I'd have known alk these tools were here before I tried replacing the battery on my iPad Air 2 only to mess up the digitizer or the LCD screen one. Since they come together in replacement guess doesn't really matter which one is messed up. Or does it? Hmmm.

    Darlene -

  7. vbug1VOBMObXrrNJ
    vbug1VOBMObXrrNJ
    lM2svovREMXARVPx
    QQCvcb1RJlUkbUQW

    • While the iPad looks uniform from the outside, there are delicate components under certain portions of the front glass. To avoid damage, only heat and pry in the areas described in each step.

    • As you follow the directions, take special care to avoid prying in the following areas:

    • Home Button

    • Front Facing Camera

    • Main Camera

    you should be careful with the screen connector on the bottom right when opening

    Elyazee Eble Altenawe -

    I accidentally cut the volume cable as when I tried to gently pry that corner area with the iFixit triangular plastic openers, one needed to be pushed quite hard to open the screen and slipped, the cable was stuck to both the screen digitiser glue and the case, so when I pried the screen off, the cable tore. iPad still works but annoying the glue is so strong.

    Mork Olimorph -

    Well, there is actually only 2mm at the bottom just around the home button. Be careful! I broke mine since iFixit didn’t point that out!

    Konzentrat -

  8. Q5FtuQZL3oOjHQa5
    Q5FtuQZL3oOjHQa5
    DAMCYJfrKmf3Mq4s
    yWnWSu3TVTEBXDuV

    • The next two 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 two steps for an alternate method.

    • For complete instructions on how to use the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.

    • Elevate the iPad enough for the Anti-Clamp's arms to rest above and below the screen.

    • Pull the blue handle towards the hinge to disengage opening mode.

    • Position the suction cups near the top edge of the iPad—one on the front, and one on the back.

    • Push down on the cups to apply suction to the desired area.

    • If you find that the surface of your device is too slippery for the Anti-Clamp to hold onto, you can use packing tape to create a grippier surface.

  9. OEGqbTUaOHP6nJa3
    OEGqbTUaOHP6nJa3
    OJHmdJnLMOLLYIma
    tAncPpcqfOpGiEDW

    • Push the blue handle away from the hinge to engage opening mode.

    • Turn the handle clockwise until you see the cups start to stretch.

    • Make sure the suction cups remain aligned to each other. If they begin to slip out of alignment, loosen the suction cups slightly and realign the arms.

    • Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.

    • Insert an opening pick under the screen 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 two steps.

  10. rpaBWg5X1LUnivHt
    rpaBWg5X1LUnivHt
    NXKEJYkJ5HpXf5cV

    • Place a suction cup over the iPad's front-facing camera and press down to create a seal.

    • To get the most leverage, place the suction cup as close to the edge as possible without going past the edge of the display.

    This is the trickiest and scariest part of the procedure. (read all of the comments in Steps 1 and 2 and at the end of the guide). The iOpener also did not work for me - it simply would not soften the glue enough. I used a blowdryer. Have lots of patience and be gentle! I did not pull up on the suction cup very much. I softened the glue enough that I could get my fingernail under the glass, then I was able to wedge the pick in beside it. The rest of the screen removal went easy with the blowdryer and blue picks.

    Nancy Hansen -

    It helps to know that the adhesive is v narrow (2-3 mm) tapes, not great globs of bitumen. Once the seal is broken, you’ve won. Also, the shiny bezel is part of the metal body, not the screen, so get your widget between the glass and the bezel. And be patient. Even with a heat gun and IR thermometer it still took me 30 mins to get the screen off.

    Richard O'Brien -

    The screen glass can only be pulled up a fraction of a millimetre, just enough to insert the mere tip of an opening pick.

    The glue then gives way very slowly. Give it time to release before moving the pick slowly further in. If you pull the pick out without wedging the gap open with another pick the glue will re bind and you are back where you started.

    I used a very cheap Aldi laser thermometer to check temperatures. The glue seems to loosen at 41C+, although the heat takes time to penetrate.

    David Kennedy -

    When I purchased a new replacement battery, it came with a suction cup. That cheap cup wasn’t able to hold on the screen. luckily I had a set of heavy duty suction cups when I made a repair on my iMac. I recommend investing in the heavy duty cups.

    Heavy-Duty Suction Cups (Pair)

    These provide an excellent vacuum seal and leverage to lift the screen. Be careful and make sure you soften up the adhesive or you will crack the screen.

    Charles Meitin -

    I agree with Charles, the suction cup from the kit just kept slipping off the screen. I too, have the heavy -duty cups from a Mac repair

    William Draheim -

  11. mJCqfjEDtJeihiXC
    mJCqfjEDtJeihiXC
    LhCLCjtgwcD4eQVo
    nZkUghUs1xfKEWTf

    • Firmly pull up on the suction cup to create a small gap between the front panel and the rear case.

    • Do not pull too hard or you may shatter the glass.

    • Once you've opened a sufficient gap, insert an opening pick into the gap to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

    Even using a heat gun in an effort to soften the remarkably tenacious adhesive, I found it impossible to use the suction cup to lift the edge of the screen sufficiently high to insert a pick. I ended up using an exacto knife and a single-edge razor blade to make the initial opening, after which I was able to insert and use picks per the instructions.

    James Steffy -

    If you have the screen hot enough then it does lift and leave a small gap. I was really surprised. I was using the stronger suction cup that you can buy separately though

    Rich Pepp -

    Indeed, heat and apply time matter. I took the shattered glass off from my LTE iPad Air 2 more easily than on the donor wifi iPad Air 2, I couldn't seem to separate it on the donor device. I decided to increase heating and apply time: heated the iOpener 1 minute, and applied the heat for 5 minutes (doubled everything) and yes, it now moved just enough and I could get the picks in!

    fbr -

    As others have said, this is the hardest part. Heat and time are your friends, I folded a piece of aluminium foil around the edge of the iPad and the iOpener to help the heat transfer. Left it like this for five to six minutes and then the adhesive yielded to physics.

    Martin Walter -

  12. UBZTHwdRqbwRLJAl
    UBZTHwdRqbwRLJAl
    RTJrYjnQCiMxQGEw
    4TraNDygnvQCXDJV

    • Slide the pick along the edge of the display, towards the headphone jack.

    • If there is still a considerable amount of resistance when sliding the opening pick, repeat the iOpener heating procedure and apply additional heat.

    • Be careful not to let the opening pick slide between the fused LCD and front panel, as doing so can permanently damage the display.

    • A good rule of thumb is to never insert the opening pick more than a quarter inch (6 mm) into the iPad.

    I think I accidently slid my tool into the fused lcd and front panel and now the entire screen is doing weird lines and different colors and just is not natural its not even usable. I was gonna replace the battery because the batter was popping the entire front panel and lcd off of the base of the device and then when i was openingit up the rest of the way I slipped and it hit something and now its all glitchy. what should i do?? is it even worth fixing anymore? it;s too old for apple care and I already voided the warranty and displays are expensive what should I do? email me @ andrew.heidorn1@gmail.com thanks :)

    Andrew Heidorn -

    “a quarter of an inch” might be OK for the US/UK… what about pretty much the rest of the world using the metric system? When giving measurements, please always include them also in mm/cm

    Denis Hay -

    A quick google search will give you the answer

    Stranger Danger -

    Metric is for engineers. Last place on earth to use inches is US car industry. NASA uses metric. You know it makes sense.

    Peter Goodall -

    I shattered the glass on my iPad during this step.

    To melt the adhesive, you have to heat the glass A LOT, to at least 80°C. I was using a portable infrared thermometer while doing this. Heating the iOpener in my microwave for 60 seconds only raised its temperature to about 90°C, and leaving it on the glass for a few minutes didn’t raise the temperature of the glass to more than about 40°C. I switched to a hair dryer and heated the glass to about 70°C, which was barely enough to be able to insert one pick. As soon as I tried to slide it across, the glass broke.

    I recommend having a reliable way to measure the temperature, and finding something that can heat more effectively than the iOpener. Also take caution to heat all along the top, not just the point where you’re inserting the pick. In theory the iOpener is designed for this, but it doesn’t get hot enough.

    I wish the iOpener came with a specific heat rating. It has many warnings against overheating it but it’s not clear exactly how much is too much.

    Daniel Corks -

    6mm is far too much at the side. There is only 4mm from edge of glass to the display unit . I guess I damages my display because the pledge had gone between glass and display.

    tobiasscholand -

    The picks should have a 5mm indent on them so you can’t push them in to far, at least on one of the tips

    mpulliam -

    warning! The gap just below the home button is 2mm. Be very careful. It is the thinnest space!

    jinwoo KIM -

    Yep, this is the single most important instruction and where I like others screwed up. You really can't insert the pick more that 4mm otherwise it risks going between the screen and the digitiser. There is almost no resistance so it is very easy to do. It is almost worth marking a 4 mm depth on each pick before starting. Getting the adhesive to lift was really easy it the screen is hot enough, sticking the pick in too far is also too easy :(

    Rich Pepp -

    Purchase an electric griddle for pancakes, etc. Set the temp control until the hotplate measures 100 deg C, using a cheap IR thermometer to check the surface temp. Lay the display face down.

    Leave the device (iPad, smartphone, whatever) directly of the plate for about 2 minutes. Use heatproof gloves or thick cotton gloves to lift the device off the plate, placing it on a flattened towel, face up, to begin the prying process. Heating the entire device allows you to continue all the way around the outer edge without reheating, but work quickly.

    Plastic picks should be trimmed to 2mm or 4mm, tapering the edge down with sandpaper until it can slip between the display and the frame. Use a very thin knife blade, single edge razor blade, or thin stainless steel spudging blade to start the lifting process. Do NOT cause any bending distortion of the very thin LCD glass - it will break instantly! You must be below the front glass AND the LCD screen. Be absolutely sure!

    PATIENCE! Go no faster than the adhesive will release.

    Dan Smith -

    I was unable to use the pick provided to get my first opening or separation. I use the knife from the upgrade parts kit. Being a former bench tech. That was the tool I used most often to crack open laptop cases. After I had separation I did use the plastic pick as suggested.

    William Draheim -

    All the following stages of detachment are very risky because it is VERY easy to break the glass, especially on the side of the Home button. In particular, if the glass already has a crack (even a small crack) it is practically impossible to detach it without breaking it even more.

    Orsuem -

  13. y34OmvNZddjUsgJf
    y34OmvNZddjUsgJf
    dKyTUwZlqudvsrwS

    • Insert a second opening pick by the front-facing camera.

  14. VlouIlKDBobp21ht
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    • Slide the second pick along the top edge of the iPad, towards the Sleep/Wake Button.

  15. QItKpaRbXb1UvjCF
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    • Insert a third pick by the front-facing camera.

  16. SB6QxHsLajVvHKLF
    SB6QxHsLajVvHKLF
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    bfWiL6JjqPuCHktD

    • Bring the right opening pick down and around the top right corner of the iPad.

  17. iEwCprM5hUbjMa5M
    iEwCprM5hUbjMa5M
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    ZeLYciNptnjMD5sN

    • Bring the left opening pick around the top left corner of the tablet.

  18. fpXSlsGA4PuXZwtC

    • Reheat the iOpener and lay it over the right edge of the display to loosen the adhesive underneath.

  19. bYJQLgFB46cU2pVJ
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    s1wTnCHfVesRTpQu

    • Slide the right opening pick roughly halfway down the display.

    take care not to insert more than 4mm!

    tobiasscholand -

    100% agree with the above comment - this wrecked my screen

    Nicholas Giles -

    Difficult when glass is shattered. Any tips for that?

    fbr -

    You need to heat it for more than 2 minutes, more like 4 minutes. I cracked my glass a few cm above the middle. This part needs a caution added to it.

    HenrikJLarsson -

  20. JMuZWuybr3UclCyZ

    • Reheat the iOpener and apply heat to the left side of the iPad.

  21. IQRxoNTBSGtLM3i2
    IQRxoNTBSGtLM3i2
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    • Slide the left-hand opening pick about halfway down the edge of the display.

  22. GReHqx2PqZURrOmS
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    QoZPMgkyQQwPXR6j

    • Slide the opposite opening pick down to the bottom right corner of the iPad.

    • If necessary, reheat the adhesive on the right edge to loosen the display assembly.

    This is it. This was the step where I cracked the screen and ruined the device. Things had been going so well up to this point. Like many others I struggled with the iOpener, so I used a heat gun along with a temperature sensor and very carefully and slowly went back and forth along the edges keeping the temperature at exactly 200 degrees F. I got the pick in, went around the top corners, down the sides to the middle. But on this step where you finish sliding the pick to the bottom right corner, I got 3/4ths of the way down and CRACK. The glass shattered pretty badly in the corner, and there’s a crack running diagonally along the entire device. I put clear packing tape on top to keep it from cracking further, but sections of the screen are non-responsive. I can’t tell you how upset my 5 year old is going to be when he wakes up tomorrow and I have to tell him daddy wrecked his iPad. :( I believe strongly in the Right to Repair and this kit is fine. But GO SLOWLY, and BE CAREFUL.

    George Mann -

    I also cracked the screen at this same point. The glue has to be heated well, and the sliding should be smooth and easy, not too tight. Go slow, and heat frequently.

    arunpgi -

  23. wwPbdKhkSwI5hQMG
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    • Slide the left-hand opening pick down the edge of the display until you reach the corner.

    I made it one step farther than the person above me. Made it about 1 inch from the bottom left corner and the screen shattered. I probably let it cool too much as I think I was getting a little impatient by now. The kit is great though. I successfully removed the rest of the screen even after it broke with no damage to anything else. I continued on to replace the battery and bought a new LCD (This was a roughly $130 mistake). I stress, go slowly, heat often. Kit worked great otherwise.

    Joseph Eichinger -

  24. UsPELiDHRgD5GTqy

    • Use the iOpener to apply heat to the bottom edge of the iPad.

  25. wygPNSUXUUeMhjok
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    • Bring the right-hand opening pick around the bottom corner of the iPad.

  26. xfVKIvrVyEGfeDkD
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    • Repeat for the left-hand pick.

    • Reheat and reapply the iOpener as needed. Always wait at least ten minutes before reheating the iOpener.

  27. IUNdFVqTQHS6UKiG
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    • Remove the right-hand opening pick at the bottom of the iPad.

    F…ing cracked the glass. This repair is a waste of time and money. The iOpener is b.s. You need to use a heat gun and/or a blow dryer. I had used the heat gun and a blow dryer to successfully separated the glass from the body until I reached the bottom. This is becuase I had left the heated iOpener on the bottom for at least 20 minutes. I used the blow dryer for the top and sides and it worked. When I turned the corner on the bottom, the glass shattered. The tip of pick was not in very far, maybe 2mm. Guess my only option now is a new iPad.

    mpulliam -

    same here, and I’m not using their $2 dinky microwave palm rest, I have a head gun and I’ve been heating this thing for 20 mintues side by side. Still cracked the class. Don’t attempt this, to do this successfully you should’ve had cracked 10 screens.

    Hussam Almuayad -

  28. XSUmMZChFquPbMVK
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    • Slide the left-hand opening pick along the bottom edge of the display, then remove it from the bottom right corner of the iPad.

    • Be very careful to not insert the pick more than 2 mm below home button to avoid damaging the button.

    • Be very careful to not insert the pick more than a quarter inch (6 mm) into either side of the home button to avoid damaging the display cables underneath.

    warning! The gap just below the home button is 2mm. Be very careful. It is the thinnest space!

    jinwoo KIM -

    Well, there is actually only 2mm at the bottom just around the home button. Be careful! I broke mine since iFixit didn’t point that out!

    Konzentrat -

    Thanks for the comments! I’ll add the warning into the step.

    Arthur Shi -

  29. nXVJJRDnIVIEyZPZ
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    • Twist the remaining pick by the front-facing camera to separate the top edge of the display assembly from the rear case.

  30. QWKcSeh1aCYKYnXa
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    • Continue lifting the display assembly from the front-facing camera side.

    • Pull the display slightly away from the bottom edge to completely separate it from the rear case.

    • Keep lifting until the display assembly is roughly perpendicular to the body of the iPad.

    • Do not attempt to remove the display yet—it is still attached to the rear case by three delicate ribbon cables.

    The display must remain perpendicular to the back panel (frame) during these next steps. Because it can easily get away from you, place the back panel on a non-slippery surface with the display propped open as shown, against a stack of books or a solid object. This will allow you to work without performing a balancing act needing more hands. Do NOT apply any tugging forces on the attaching cables.

    Dan Smith -

    At step 30, I knew I was in trouble. Wrong instructions provided. After 4 plus hours of getting the glue separated, the glass came up as shown, but not the display screen. That had 4 screws holding it down. Bracing the glass, for it had wiring attached, I unscrewed screen. And there was the battery. Success! It was short lived. I was sent the wrong battery!! Re glue, I used both I opener and a hair dryer and proceeded slowly and carefully. Patience grasshopper…

    MacT -

    In the iPad Air 2 the screen is firmly glued to the glass, and is not secured with screws. It is impossible to peel off only the glass. I think you're talking about another model here.

    Orsuem -

  31. XYMMKOF1oTMisLOB

    • Remove the single 1.8 mm Phillips screw securing the battery terminals to their contacts on the logic board.

    Be very careful when replacing the screws not to lose them. They are micro small. I would even think about ordering a couple extra of each size just in case.

    David Christoff -

    What I did was, initially using a magnetic screwdriver bit, after removing putting them on a magnetic mat, then after removing cables I screwed them back into the original holes to hold them in safe place while completing the repair.

    Yes, those screws are some of the tiniest screws I have seen, on par with mechanical watch mechanism screws.

    Drop one of them, and you are screwed.

    G Trieste -

    I have damge this battery terminals to their contacts on the logic board when I remove the battery. So how to fix this? Can buy that hardware to make replacement? Urgent! Need Help!

    jackwong.123 -

    Hi jackwong,

    If you are talking about the small springs that contact the battery, there is no easy way to replace them. You can try removing the board, applying a lump of solder on the contact with the broken spring, and see if that will be sufficient to connect to the battery contact when the board is screwed down.

    Arthur Shi -

    If the LTE version being worked on, ensure the sim tray is removed before attempting to isolate the battery.

    Brendon Gould -

    Is the logic board on the iFixit battery replacement thicker than the Apple battery? I can’t screw in this 1.8mm screw.

    Taylor Kosiba -

    same issue i cant screw it back in, do i need a new replacement screw, i rechecked and the screw does go in but when putting back in it just doesnt tighten with the bracket on top to keep the battery and connectors together

    Christopher Mackintosh -

    The black screw is for the battery. The metal cover is attached to the logic board, that is not clear in here. I skipped from #37 to #67 and removed the battery by sitting the housing on a metal beam heated to about 150F. As the iPad back warmed up, a few strips of a flat side from a milk carton (2-3" x 5") were made as long as the battery. The IFixit credit card size separators were used were there was room and not touching any electronics. Between the milk carton and IFixIt separators (stronger, stiffer, dont soften as much with heat) the batter was separate and left sitting on the carton strips to prevent reattachment. With battery still attached - - By this time the logic board was eager/easy to lift and the battery tab UNDER the logic board was lifted enough for the old battery tab to clear the case stud. New one installed immediately.

    William Lane -

  32. pcoFBimLUsdJnAMu
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    • 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 springs on the logic board that press down against the battery contact pads. You'll need to slide something thin and flexible between the contact points to disconnect the battery.

  33. yX6hroVZgWwj5lJU
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    • To reduce the risk of a short, you can use a battery isolation pick to disconnect the battery.

    • 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.

    • Slide a battery isolation pick underneath the battery connector area of the logic board, and leave it in place while you work.

    • Alternatively, make a battery blocker using a playing card and slide it underneath the logic board connector to disconnect the battery.

    Where am I supposed to get this part? I got the ifixit pro toolkit and didn't get this isolation pick

    Raid One -

    Since the battery blocker is a specialized tool used only for iPad repairs, we do not include it in the toolkit. You can purchase one here, or you can make one yourself by cutting a notch out of an opening pick.

    Arthur Shi -

    Can’t you just disconnect the battery?

    Pontus Sennerstam -

    So if this method is outdated, what is the current method to disconnecting the battery?

    Orochi -

    Orochi: right?? Come on guys, don’t tell us the method is outdated and then not explain what the better method is

    Subtle Hyperbole -

    A couple points: 1) You have piqued my interest! I’m now looking for the new, improved way to isolate the battery before embarking on the repair. 2) I have an iPad Air 2 with LTE, the area on ifixit.com for the LTE variant of the model does not have all the procedures that this WIFI only variant page has.

    bentley -

    Hey bentley,

    If you find a way to safely isolate the battery without the risk of damaging the connector pins, keep us posted!

    Arthur Shi -

    I did not do this part and had no problems. Just don’t bridge any metal parts with the screwdriver. (at least I assume this is what would cause a short)

    Nancy Hansen -

    Actually you can cause some shorts with your fingers too. You can skip this step, but you must bee very carefull going on.

    Daniele Carminati -

    Heat motherboard then use plastic stick or guitar pick to gently unstick motherboard enough to insert peace of paper where battery contacts are.

    Thank me later.

    Popka Durak -

    I took a business card and notched it like the shown pick. Just wide enough to fit and notched to clear the screw post. Worked like a champ.

    Charles Meitin -

    마더보드는 바닥판에 접착되어 있습니다. 이것은 배터리 접점에서 들어 올려져야(약간 구부러져야) 합니다. 사진을 자세히 보시면 터미널의 좌우 기판도 보입니다.

    jinwoo KIM -

    jinwoo KIM’s comment translated:

    The motherboard is glued to the bottom plate. This must be lifted (slightly bent) from the battery contacts. If you look closely at the photos, you will also see the left and right boards of the terminal.

    G Trieste -

    I recently successfully replaced a battery on this unit.

    I did not see why the warning at the top of this repair guide is necessary, as the battery is connected via several contacts surrounding the screw hole, and the insulating pick they show, or something similarly shaped, should work at isolating the battery. Of course this is only my observation, so take it as you may, I make no assurances of anything.

    Removing/replacing the battery is whole ‘nother ballgame however.

    The ipad’s contacts are pressed down on the battery contacts, around the hole, that screw hole has an elevated bump which the battery connections have to be slid up and over that bump, requiring the lifting of the ipad connector and possibly part of the motherboard — which is also thermal glued to the case; you may have to heat up the bottom of the case to release that enough to lift.

    I am going to post this info also on the battery replacement repair section for this model.

    G Trieste -

    I broke a pin here. My kit came with a tool that resembles a pick with a cutout, so I used it, rather than modify a pick. It would not stay in as pictured and would not go in as far. So I kept pushing it in and expecting it to go further. There is an opportunity for more detailed explanation here. I was able to bend back one of the small pins, but the other bent one broke while I attempted to bend it back. So, there were 3 little pins, now there are two. I put it back together, anyway, and am happy it all works. I am hoping it is a redundant system, and will not overheat the battery right away and explode. If anyone knows the tale of the three little pins, I would like to know.

    Bruce Irla -

    Although I put it together anyway with the broken battery connector pin and it worked, it would not charge. iFixit is out of replacement motherboards. It may be that the thumbprint button is keyed to your original motherboard, so changing either without the other will lose that capability? It cost the same as a motherboard to ship it out for micro soldering a new battery connector. The connector is like $2. I ordered one and will take my chances microdesoldering the old battery connector off and micro soldering the new one on.

    Bruce Irla -

  34. RELW2JOPllmB1aFx
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    • Remove the three 1.3mm Phillips screws from the display cable bracket.

    • Remove the bracket.

    Re-assembly tip: when I took the screws out, they showed residu of Loctite. Remember to put a tiny bit of Loctite on them before re-assembly.

    fbr -

  35. CTwg34oOHr163CSZ
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    • Disconnect the display data connector from its socket on the logic board.

  36. pOqSqJMekhiJLXXO
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    bYGGeHEmRGQE5bsF
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    • Disconnect the two remaining digitizer cables underneath the display data cable.

    I don’t know where this repair guide is going at this point.

    It is supposed to be a guide to replace the battery, but goes on to a complete disassembly of the iPad. You don’t have to disassemble the whole iPad to replace the battery.

    The battery is inserted underneath the motherboard’s power connection slot. There is a screw that secures it, which is removed during battery replacement. The screw hole is on an elevated bump which the battery contacts have to be slid up and over, requiring the partial lifting of the motherboard at the battery connection — if necessary heat up the bottom of the case there to lift it up.

    When secured, the insert contacts sit around the hole. The tricky part is lifting that part high enough so that the battery connector can get over the bump, and the holes line up.

    I have found a hack that makes this a lot easier. Simply snip a small slot at the front of the hole of the battery connector. This way it does not have to lift over the bump, but can slide around it on both sides.

    G Trieste -

    I would love to see a guide on how to replace the charging/data connector.

    There was a comment under the part-page that mentioned it was tricky to replace due to the soldering involved.

    Do i need a hot-air station or will my fine tipped iron be enough?

    Mark Hoekman -

    I agree with G Trieste, there is no reason for complete disassembly to replace the battery. I placed a pick on the battery side of the battery connector underneath the new battery, gently pried up on the motherboard next to the battery connector and was able to slip the battery connection right into place.

    mswink1 -

  37. sdnDxOhZkyInRRv1

    • Remove the front panel assembly from the rear case.

    • If you plan to reuse your display assembly, you will need to replace the display adhesive. Follow our iPad Adhesive Guide to reapply your display adhesive and reseal your device.

    Note on my iPad Air there was a little plastic cover around the front facing camera. Take that off an put it to one side as you will need it later for reassembly.

    John McDonnell -

    At this stage I found you do not need to do most of the rest of this guide although it does come with a warning. The battery is tethered to a metal ring which is the base of the retention screw in step 29. After Step 33, you can separate out the batteries from its adhesive now with a blow dryer or the iOpener (step 56). You will then find the battery free but hooked onto the ring. Take the blue opening tool (see step 55 for which tool this is) and wedge it where the battery is to make a gap. You can then lift the battery contact from its hook. After removing the battery, insert the new one into the small gap created by the wedge. The caveat is that you are bending the logic board a bit with the wedge so use this technique at your discretion.

    Raza Toosy -

    Thanks a lot! For my Celluar version (A1567 Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular), I followed the instructions to step 45 to remove all cables and connectors around the battery. Then I also jumped to step 56. To remove the middle part of the battery, I used a longer tool, a ruler, in addition to the enclosed "Plastic Cards". The glued battery could be removed by using the iOpener several times. In the end, the battery was only hanging on the clamp.

    Only now I understood that the battery was hanging on an eyelet on the back. The lever with the "iPad Battery Isolation Pick" was not enough. Therefore I cut an additional credit card with a small slot. The clamping point slipped out of the eyelet. The clamping point of the new battery could be plugged in again immediately.

    Josef Emmer -

    Thank you Raza for this shortcut. I used it as you explained and made a slight change. I noticed that the eye on the battery’s contact is not really locking the battery in place. It is the powerful glue that does. In addition, the screw in step 29 secures the contact assembly. So, to facilitate the positioning of the replacement battery, I cut the eye to make it a U, so that I could slide the eye around the holding ring without risking to bend the logic board.

    Richard Jacquot -

    I understand the process and reasoning for snipping the ring of the new battery to get it around that post, but how are you removing the old one without bending the logic board? You still have to get the ring of the old one up and over that raised post portion?

    Jason McCOy -

    2022-02-27 update: Manage to skip step 35 onward. I can change the battery without removing the logic board for my iPad Air 2 . It’s similar to the steps in iPad Air LTE Battery Replacement. Thanks Raza for the tips.

    Wex -

    This is a very important passage and should be explained (and illustrated) better in the guide. The battery is not only glued but is also hooked, at the screw hole, to a rear metal pin. So after unscrewing it and unscrewing the screw, it is necessary to lift it very gently from behind at the connector, so as to release it from the pin. I used a fairly long screwdriver, insulated with plastic tape. Be careful, of course, not to damage the logic board.

    In any case, you don't need to disassemble the entire iPad as shown in the next steps.

    Orsuem -

  38. xMDjvRa3X23Kq5xn
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    SiHYDp1igcrjLAQM

    • Remove the following four Phillips screws securing the upper component cable bracket to the tablet.

    • Two 1.6 mm

    • Two 1.3 mm

    • Slide the upper component cable bracket out from under the protective flaps and remove it from the iPad.

    Reinstalling the upper component bracket was tricky for me. It is difficult to get the bracket in proper orientation to replace screws and under the flaps at the same time.

    David Christoff -

    From this step I went to step 63 and removed the battery without removing the logic board and the other components. This went very well and is much quicker and saver in my eyes.

    Gert Knoop -

  39. ndTnjhfqNpCS3MFT
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    llmEsLdtbXNoytJU

    • Remove the tape covering the two speaker ZIF connectors.

    This step did in my sound. The tape pulled the connectors off, as well as the tape. The tape was so secure it damaged the connectors. I was able to finish the repair no sound from speakers of bluetooth. The headphone jack still works. Better option maybe to just remove battery leave the logic board alone.

    Just have to heat the batter more to free it from the case.

    William Draheim -

  40. NLST5cO2w1mCKdOA
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    • Use a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the left speaker's ZIF connector.

    This is where I screwed up, thinking these were like the other push-fit connectors, not reading the instructions thoroughly, and not being able to see how the connectors worked. I levered up the connectors with the spudger, and totally destroyed them.

    No sound now, but headphones still work OK. Found a lot of fluff sticking to the adhesive strips, turned out to be from my dressing gown.

    Next time I’ll do it in short sleeves and read the flipping instructions. Heat gun or hair drier, and cheap IR thermometer, vital.

    Richard O'Brien -

  41. WrkCuQwqK5qFPQcA
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    • Slide the left speaker cable out of its ZIF connector.

  42. fvVGiXbOgWgcWvtL
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    • Use a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the right speaker's ZIF connector.

  43. CpCgZuUFPg22IIX1
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    • Slide the right speaker cable out of its ZIF connector.

  44. lNSGfFJ3mXgxrHGr
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    • Use a spudger to gently pry up the antenna cables from their sockets.

    Mine appeared to have 3 and glue - gently turn them side to side to release.

    Eddie -

    Thanks Eddie. Mine had only 2 but certainly needed tweaking side to side to break free.

    Michael Case -

    Mine had 3 and glue too (LTE model). I still managed to pry them up. You need to ensure not to put pressure on the electronic components just next to them.

    Nicolas Fonrose -

  45. tGgsHFBGD3mheI2Q
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    • Firmly grasp the antenna cable and peel up the grounding tape attaching it to the logic board.

    • Upon reassembly, it is important to reattach the antenna cable to the logic board with grounding tape properly adhered on the copper tape.

    My iPad has a third antenna cable, presumably for LTE functionality.

    Stephen Monk -

    Same here but the third cable goes opposite of the antenna cables

    Tim Frazier -

  46. MmmecCKp4mDDhrSW
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    • Remove the 1.2 mm Phillips screw securing the bracket covering the volume control cable connector.

    • Remove the bracket.

  47. 3JFTNOyB4tueQaVW
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    • Detach the volume button cable connector by prying it straight up from its socket.

  48. IRw1JBPVL1LoWhqB
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    • Pry up the rear facing camera cable connector from its socket.

  49. NJMnwBMpoqaXUxDt
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    • Pry up the home button/microphone ribbon cable connector from its socket.

    Shouldn’t this be “Power button/microphone ribbon cable” ?

    Stow -

    Yes, and now mine doesn’t work, not sure why as the reconnection seems ok.

    Mork Olimorph -

  50. qjZBO3WHgM3WH5DQ
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    • Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the Facetime camera connector from its socket on the logic board.

    • Pry up the adhesive attaching the Facetime camera cable to the audio jack cable underneath.

    • Fold the Facetime camera cable up and out of the way.

    My camera connector has an extra branch going under the rubber frill and black plastic to the right of the camera.. I did not risk pulling the ribbon connector all the way.

    David Kennedy -

    Mine also had an extra connecting tape about 1/3 from the camera.

    Michael Case -

  51. dWMm5aEAR1S3AqUH
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    • Disconnect the headphone jack cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

    • Pry the cable up to free it from the adhesive securing it to the rear case.

    • Pull the audio jack cable out of the way of the logic board below.

    !!!! WARNING !!!!! If you have an LTE model, you MUST carefully remove the tape on the left side of the connector, and remove the ZIF connector for the upper LTE antennae **BEFORE** you attempt to pull the headphone jack cable all the way back!! Amazing this step isn’t in this guide already.

    frederico -

    !!!! WARNING !!!!! If you have the LTE model, this guide also fails to note the upper right (from the back) LTE antennae connector, located right next to the microphone/power button connector. If you don’t carefully remove it with a spudger and lift the stiff ribbon out of the way, you will break said ribbon. And then you will be very sad, as I am now. Crud. Is this part available?

    frederico -

  52. HFJK5bxrMcnMntCN
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    • Use tweezers to peel up the rightmost grounding tape attaching the antennas to the logic board.

    • Bend the antenna wire back and out of the way of the logic board.

  53. HHEFIYkMfhqcwi3d
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    • Peel up the tape covering the top left edge of the logic board.

    This step is pointless. Skip it.

    Isaac -

    Agree, leave this alone, it's just really fiddly to get back in place.

    Michael Case -

  54. w1vedASjmMTg4NJE

    • Remove the four 1.6 mm Phillips screws attaching the lightning port to the rear case.

    At step 50: before removing the four screws, remove the tape that covers the upper two screws.

    Hans Ottens -

    Yes, sticky tape needs taking away from over two of the screws.

    Michael Case -

  55. hywfkxIGO5BCj2TZ
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    • 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 underneath the Lightning cable where it meets the logic board.

    • Slide the opening pick towards the bend in the cable.

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

  57. qTPVbAJFUIYvyPkC

    • Prepare an iOpener following the steps in the iOpener Heating Guide.

    • Place the iOpener along the top of the back of the iPad for 2-3 minutes to soften the adhesive holding the logic board in place.

    I found the iOpener to be very useful for removing the logic board. I heated it up, placed it on the table, and set the required section of my iPad on top of it (back side down - so exactly the opposite of the photo above). This way, I could work on removing the logic board while the iOpener provided a constant source of heat for softening the glue.

    Nancy Hansen -

  58. XF4UcoWL4MCYaUV3
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    • Insert an opening tool underneath the logic board below the FaceTime camera.

    • Pry the left edge of the logic board up.

    • Lift the end of the logic board slowly. If you encounter significant resistance, stop prying and reapply the iOpener.

  59. T6febvJqqeyDR6OB
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    • Insert an opening pick underneath the portion of the logic board pried up in the previous step.

    • Slide the opening pick towards the volume control buttons, and stop at the bend in the logic board.

    ATTENTION: For A1567 model (2014, WiFi + Cell) you also need to detach the power+camera connector & the 4G antenna connector, otherwise you'll break them.

    Pedro -

  60. jqXWERLHBOkDhGPC

    • Place a heated iOpener on the lefthand side of the back of the iPad for 2-3 minutes.

  61. 5ECkSEQWhjgFRnr3
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    • Insert a plastic opening tool underneath the logic board, inside the rectangular cut out, and gently pry the logic board up.

    • Slide the opening tool down the length of the gap while continuing to pry the logic board up.

    • Lift the logic board slowly. If you encounter significant resistance, stop prying and reapply the iOpener.

    i have no rectangular cutout. in fact is appears to be a small enclosure with air holes - am I in the wrong line (queue)? hahahaha

    Tim Frazier -

    There won't be a rectangular cutout on the LTE version. Just work your way around the outside of the board. Also a good idea about this time to remove the SIM tray, if you haven't already.

    Cliff -

  62. k3ZGCymRCvg12WGT
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    • Insert an opening tool underneath the logic board on the other side of the rectangular cut out and pry it up.

    • Slide the opening tool down the length of the gap while continuing to pry the logic board up.

    • Lift the the logic board slowly. If you encounter significant resistance, stop prying and reapply the iOpener.

  63. VneZdXVlIMvENe5w
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    • Insert a plastic card underneath the logic board.

    • Slide the card down the length of the logic board to release the adhesive.

  64. rcp6CWiqbMACHP3x
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    • Slide a plastic card underneath the center of the logic board, pushing it in as far as it will go.

    • Slowly swing the left edge of the logic board up, while making sure it doesn't snag against any of the disconnected cables.

    • If any portion of the logic board requires excessive force to pry up, stop prying, re-apply the iOpener, and re-perform the corresponding guide steps to fully release the adhesive.

  65. uoOtWHrIqoPTAnxX
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    • Remove the logic board.

    When reassembling be very careful not to have the ZIF connectors below the logic board. You can't get them out again without removing the logic board. This mistake happened to me *twice*. Fortunately it was not too difficult to fix. Also during reassembly you have to put the battery disconnector clip back in its place while dropping the logic board on the battery connector. DO NOT push the logic board onto its adhesive near the disconnector clip because it can break the board. Only fasten the board to the adhesive after the disconnector clip has been removed.

    thorsten.stocksmeier -

    I second that. I didn’t notice the volume button cable getting trapped, though managed to free it with the spudger and forceps.

    Richard O'Brien -

  66. lDjl5vrSCd6CUhQd
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    • 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. Keep it there for 90 seconds to soften the battery adhesive.

    • Move the iOpener to the right (away from the rear-facing camera), and keep it there for another 90 seconds.

    • Finally, place the iOpener near the right-hand edge of the iPad for 90 seconds.

    • You will likely need to repeat this step several times throughout the rest of the procedure to ensure the adhesive remains soft.

    • The iOpener may cool significantly. If so, reheat it for another 30 seconds between each position.

  67. Hh6eStdBYS1IDK5q
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    • 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.

    • Once the adhesive has had a couple minutes to soften, flip the iPad over, battery-side up.

    • Insert a plastic card underneath the battery contacts.

    • There is a metal standoff under the battery contact. You will need to lift the contact up slightly to clear this standoff and insert the plastic card.

    • Push the card about an inch under the battery to begin breaking up the adhesive holding it in place.

  68. dEbFlORYEGufJIRB
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    • Slide the plastic card up along the edge of the battery until the card is even with the top edge of the battery.

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    • Insert a second plastic card underneath the battery contacts.

    • Rotate the plastic card around the lower right corner of the battery to begin breaking up the adhesive along the lower edge.

    • Carefully maneuver the card over the top of the speaker ribbon cables so as not to damage them.

  70. qiRigsECYSnfavEx
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    • Slide the second card along the bottom edge of the battery to continue breaking up the adhesive holding it to the rear case.

    • You may need to reheat the iOpener and lay it across the bottom of the iPad to soften the adhesive securing the bottom edge of the battery.

  71. W4TbqrpIEUEaMxTQ
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    • Push the plastic card about two inches underneath the battery, and lift it up to pry the first battery cell off the rear case.

    • If the battery begins to bend, use an iOpener to apply heat to the back of the battery and repeat the previous two steps to adequately break up the battery adhesive.

  72. 1JZvWH5YNfCNOrli
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    • Remove the card from the bottom of the battery and slide it between the battery and rear case, along the side and underneath the seam where the two battery cells meet.

    • Push the card as far underneath the battery as you can.

  73. juadF15sASvulvAB
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    • Firmly grasp the first card you inserted underneath the battery and push it as far as you can underneath the battery.

    • You may need to add more heat to soften the adhesive before completing this step.

  74. wQ6RpkAGJAkviihw
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    • Slide a third card underneath the top edge of the battery, on the right side.

    • Carefully maneuver the card past the upper component cables so as not to damage them.

    • Push the card in as far as it will go, breaking through as much of the adhesive underneath the battery as you can.

  75. WhKjUAuChNfOtpcx
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    • Remove the card and slide it under the top edge of the battery again, on the left side near the edge of the iPad.

    • Be extremely careful to slide the card over the front-facing camera and headphone jack cables to avoid cutting them.

    • Push the card in as far as it will go, breaking through as much of the adhesive underneath the battery as you can.

    It would be really useful to have a photo here showing where the glue is on the back of the battery.

    it’s about 8mm. In from the edge of each of the two battery cells, with none along the whole side that has the battery connector. The glue tidily forms straight lines except where it goes around the apple symbol at the center of the back case.

    David Kennedy -

  76. ZUIyCw2SH3kHvuK2
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    • Remove the card and again slide it under the top edge of the battery, near the center.

    • Be extremely careful to slide the card over the front-facing camera and headphone jack cables to avoid cutting them.

    • Slide the card in as far as it will go, breaking through as much of the adhesive as you can.

    • Lift up on the card to pry the second battery cell up from the rear case.

    • If there is significant resistance from the battery when you try to pry it up, reheat the adhesive with an iOpener and repeat the previous 3 steps to break apart the adhesive as necessary.

  77. ahuywClvKCUldZGQ

    • Remove the battery.

    But you don’t need the heat gun or iOpener to reassemble. %#*@ adhesive strips stick to everything.

    Richard O'Brien -

Conclusion

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

Author

Evan Noronha

Member since: 06/02/15

223244 Reputation

57 comments

Can the iPad air 2 battery be replaced without removing logic board or do all the internal components have to be dismantled before battery can be replaced?

AMT -

The battery contacts are pinned underneath the logic board, so it's difficult to remove with the logic board in place. There's also very little room to work with the logic board installed, so there's an increased risk of damaging something with a wayward swipe of your card or pry tool. But yes, it's possible. You can reference this guide for tips on the procedure (it's for a different model but the same overall strategy will work).

Jeff Suovanen -

I just finished this repair successfully. Don't force ANYTHING Find something, a steel plate, aluminum plate, a heat gun and heat the plates not the iPad. Then it does not over heat, it is even and does not get cool. That makes it really easy. I used a piece of 6" of channel beam and blew the heat in the channel, measuring the top with a laser thermometer (140F target) after step #37, it worked so much better. I lifted the battery w/o touching electronics, and logic board too. It was easy with separators from IFixIT and slabs from a milk carton.

I don't think anything was risky this way and should have used the beam for the 1-37 steps.

Thanks to all who contribute here.

William Lane -

I've just completed this fix (among 4-5 others previously). First comment here b/c this was an unusual repair. The biggest surprise about this fix (or anything to do with the internals of an iPad): the size of the screws! I'm surprised it isn't mentioned at the top, along with the PN000 driver: these things are literally the size of a grain of sand! So, taking them out is the easy part. Putting them back in is a trick. The secret: place them on the holes first, in whichever direction, then maneuver them btw fingernail and driver into correct position. You'll need something to anchor the screen in a vertical position to use both hands. Not mentioned in Jeff and AMT's comments: there is a loop in the battery contact. Not removing the logic board means you'll be breaking the loop on the old battery to remove it, and you'll need to snip the loop on the new battery to insert it. It all worked for me. It made the actual fix a fraction of the steps from the written one (just 4 screws removed), but it's risky.

Thomas Linder -

I bought the $20 repair kit to go along with the lithium ion battery. The suction cup and the heating tube did not work even after multiple attempts to use the heating tube. I had to resort to a hair dryer and use a straight razor to pry the edge just enough to slip a pick in there. I did find incredible use for the magnetized screw drivers and spudgers.

I bought the iFixIt lithium ion battery replacement and once reassembling the iPad Air 2 (double checking each connection for fit and order), it still does not turn on. ugh…

Robert Kachinski -

Please provide a link for the Genuine Battery to buy

Pravi Sush -

You can’t buy genuine batteries separately, as Apple will not provide them. If you want an Apple Genuine battery, you will have to take the iPad to an Apple Service Agent and have them replace it for you.

Adam Duffy -

Please provide the link Or Source to Buy the Original Battery. Thanks

Pravi Sush -

Really no need to remove the logic board. Use a syringe to apply some Goo B Gone around the outside edge of the battery and in the gap in the center, but not the edge next to the logic board - also, don’t flood it and make a mess, just enough to make contact with the adhesive. Let sit for about an hour and then use heat and playing cards as usual. Once the battery is free, heat the back of the tablet where the logic board sits and again use playing cards to lift the logic board just enough so that the battery contact board can clear the alignment peg. I’ve used this procedure a few times now with no issues - just take your time…

Kevin -

Hi

Can ipad air 2 battery be used for ipad air 1?

Thanks

chopstixchen -

When you are replacing the screen, do you need a sticky pad to fix the screen in place ? If you where can I purchase? I don’t see anything mentioned about replacement for existing screen on iPad Air 2.

ıllı Sρlιηтεя ıllı -

If you’re using the iFixit kit, it comes with replacement adhesive for the screen. If not, you’ll need to get either pre-cut adhesive strips (recommended) or use some strong double-sided adhesive tape like Tesa 61395.

Jeff Suovanen -

And how does the new battery get stuck back in? Just spread adhesive around or something?

Does the repair pack come with adhesive?

thanks.

Paul Hannon -

Finally fixed it!

Long story short I wasn’t able to open my iPad using iOpener. Tried really hard, even too hard and scratched the metal surface a bit. It would not move. Then I spent $20 dollars on a heat gun. That was the key. Frankly I cannot imagine how anyone could do it with iOpener. Even if you managed to open the iPad then it still has many steps where heat gun was life saver. Esp. the final boss - battery.

Changed the batter, re-assembled in something like 30 mins. Before closing I tried to turn the iPad on. It worked! Added adhesive and hopefully closed it forever.

Great tutorial!

Vilius Paulauskas -

I used a hairdryer because the iOpener didn‘t worked. But after the replacement and functional tests I plugged in the power supply over night. Nothing happens even though the battery icon changed to loading battery icon. Can you give me a tip what could be defect? Thanks.

Christian Hollstein -

I have this issues too. Be great to get a little help.

Paul Hannon -

Excellent tutoriel !

Durée 4 heures et encore avec un redémontage pour avoir coincé une nappe sous la carte mère que j’ai dû décoller de nouveau. Tout focntionne à merveille.

J’ai préféré coller l’écran avec la colle B 7000.

Gérard, 75 ans (ben oui !)

anonymous 4329 -

I do not user the opener tool, I have my own heating pad. However, the instructions are accurate. There is a faster way to do this, but you have to delicate.

Johnathan Heckbert -

Does it work with LTE version

Steven Tran -

You need to navigate around the antenna on the top part and remove a few more connectors, but I successfully replaced the battery of an iPad Air 2 LTE by mostly following this guide.

If you're removing the screws from the top antenna assembly, you're going too far. It's not necessary to give the logic board enough space to be taken out.

anonymous 3741 -

I always use goo gone on my credit card. I Apple some goo gone to a paper towel and rub a small amount on the edge I am wedging under the battery. Reapply every time you take out the card. Clean the case with rubbing alcohol to remove any oil after the battery is removed.

mamashannon4u -

Did this repair but the battery won’t charge. The green battery icon shows up but the percentage of charge goes down. Brand new battery.

Paul Hannon -

Installed a new ifixit battery. while it is slightly smaller than the original the “taped side” made it difficult to place so that the logic board could be put back. Just takes a bit of work.

I also think “just do the reverse” when this is so compact, perhaps some instructions or a list would help.

Thanks for the person who put this together! It is a good guide to take apart the iPad Air 2

Carl Schultz -

If you’re really supper careful you can change he battery having only to take the screen off. I did it yesterday, the only issue is that the battery connector has a hole in it that a screw goes through. One the screw is removed the battery doesn’t simply pull out as the hole sits over the threads that the screw goes into. So you have to (very gently) lever the connector up to clear this post.

you also have to be careful when installing the new battery as you have to get the connector properly in place before you stick the battery down in place. I did this by using battery glue removal cards and placed them to that the battery would slide on them then once in place I removed the cards and the battery dropped into place and I stuck it down.

kenny.j -

Can I put iOpener into an electric oven or into hot water instead of a microwave? - I don’t have one

kluker1979 -

If you don’t have a microwave, you can place the iOpener in boiling water for about a minute (if you place the iOpener inside a temperature-safe plastic bag you can keep it dry and make it a bit easier to remove from the hot water. Don’t place a wet iOpener on your electronics, and try to handle the iOpener only by the tabs on the end, especially if using sharp tongs to remove it from the water.

Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat the device. If you are using the heat gun, be careful not to overheat the device.

Arthur Shi -

I have fitted my battery without removing the logic board and snipping the hoop on the battery connector, to allow reinsertion . Battery only lasts 3 hours and charges pretty fast. Battery indicator also behaves strange. Ie gets stuck at low percent for ages.

Do I have a dud battery, a bad connection or some other issue causing high current draw?

AndyHook1970 -

I purchased the ifixit iPad 2 battery replacement kit but only with the tools since I got the battery elsewhere. After going through the instructions now I see I need to replace the adhesive strips. Is this really necessary? (old adhesive damaged during disassembly?) I would have to order them and wait before putting things back together.

Ivan Nieto -

Hi Ivan,

For the battery, you can use any double-sided adhesive (or Tesa tape) to hold the battery. You don’t want the battery to loosen and move around, as it can potentially strain and damage the power connector. As for the display, you can try to re-use the adhesive by re-heating it with a hair dryer. However, it may not hold the display sufficiently, and you don’t want the display to fall off during use—we strongly suggest replacing the display adhesive.

Arthur Shi -

If you have a cellular antenna make sure you disconnect it from the motherboard before removing the motherboard or you will rip the ribbon.

David Christoff -

Uh, yup. There’s actually two, one on the headphone jack ribbon cable (ZIF), and one hidden by tape on the motherboard “leg”; and yes, I’m sad I didn't see it.

frederico -

Catastrophy, paid 50€ to have a damaged iPad afterwards which was close to new beside battery before. Display did not broke but is anyhow showing just crude lines now.

Tobias Scholand -

I just completed this little project following these steps and it was a success!! thanks

Patrick wolf -

The tutorial was great and worked, though one of the tools was shaped differently and that caused a slight panic (the one that’s supposed to prevent a possible battery shortage in step 29). A separate tutorial for the reverse instructions IS NEEDED. I ended up getting parts stuck under the logic board and didn’t notice until I couldn’t find them to reconnect them - then I had to back track 5 steps. This happened a couple of times and was very frustrating. A reassembly tutorial could have listed all of the possible components that you have make sure are above the logic board before you move on to the next step. Even if they wrote instructions below the original tutorial pictures under the title: REASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS and then listed the steps, it would be helpful (that way you don’t have to make a separate page or post new pictures). But it is needed.

I did heed other people’s warnings and used hot packs in addition to the iOpener, especially for the bigger sections.

Thanks!

twizzlercraze72 -

Merci pour ces explications. Avec mon Ipad 2 Air, J’ai pu suivre ce tuto jusqu’au point 56. A partir de là j’ai préféré décoller la partie de la carte mère côté batterie pour pouvoir dégager celle-ci . Avec des cartes de plastiques et pas mal de sueurs froides… j’y suis parvenu ainsi! Ouf! c’est vraiment galère, pourquoi les concepteurs s’acharnent-ils à ne pas prévoir de batteries amovibles, c’est scandaleux!

nonjef -

Thankyou for a wonderful guide, and a great kit of parts. I found the replacement to be challenging, but the result is perfect. I found the iopener didn’t adequately soften the adhesive, so used an industrial hair dryer. I also found a microscope (Nikon 645) was invaluable, plus some rounded tip tweezers (Weller 2ASA) for manipulating the various connectors.

Now my old iPad is like a new one.

Suzy Jackson -

Completed this battery replacement and now my screen does not work. Please advice.

Brandon Long -

I really, really wish someone had modified this guide for the LTE model; there are four crucial steps, one of which I missed, that will break your iPad if overlooked.

frederico -

Certes c’est long, mais au final en prenant son temps tout fonctionne à merveille. Le plus long étant de décoller l’écran, la carte mère et la batterie. Apres ça va tout seul.

bruno -

Repair completed. Mostly successfully.

The time estimate to perform the repair if it’s ones first time is somewhat optimistic. However reassembly much quicker than disassembly because no glued parts to take apart.

The glue holding the screen is strong but gave with heating and non-trivial physical effort: I would have been much warier of breaking the screen had it been a newer iPad.

Unit switched on ok after reassembly. However my iPad’s forward-facing camera had morphed into a heater to the point where the screen above it was too hot to touch. Removed the camera which resolved.

Jeff Hill -

nice write-up. i always use a heat gun so not sure how effective the i-opener is. i wanted to shortcut not removing the logic board but since this is a customer’s ipad I did not want to risk it. removing the logic board is not difficult AT ALL. the most delicate part of this process is removing the screen, because you do not want to chance cracking it.

Akeem Scrubb -

Beste Anleitung EVER!!!

SupersonicGladiator -

Great instructions and photos - thank you very much! The hardest/scariest part is Step 8 - I left a comment there explaining how I did this part without breaking the glass. The rest just requires patience and attention. I had a sheet of paper and clear sticky tape beside the iPad. Every time I removed screws or a part, I taped them to the paper and wrote down which step they were for. Putting it all back together was pretty fast and easy. Phew!!!

Nancy Hansen -

Gute Anleitung!

Nachdem ich den Akku gewechselt hatte, war mein iPad kaputt. Ich war wohl zu ungeschickt.

fries-andreas -

To reassemble just reverse steps? Some instructions on the adhesive strips would be helpful.

John Evans -

Je viens de suivre le tutoriel très complet réussi du premier coup merci

RUPERT -

I feel like “difficult” is not strong enough. This should be reserved as punishment for our worst criminals. 4 hours only to find at the end that the display was damaged in the process.

William Brown -

Needs reassembly instructions. When working backwards through the disassembly instructions it is possible to overlook and trap connectors behind reassembled parts.

David Kennedy -

Removing of Mainboard isn‘t nessecary. But Skill is needed to handle it out from underneath the Board. Battery should Not be crinkled or pressed … any Damage can cause Fire. The foil should Not be damaged, Oxygen can also cause Fire, if unfortunatly opened close it immediatly with tape.

Isoproanol and warming helps to removing it.

(i have great pain with german keyboard and autocorrection)

Conter Ganix -

To make this guide even better: provide some explanation as how the provided adhesive (stickers) from the kit are supposed to be A. placed on the device and B. the proper order in applying them (e.g. removing which film first and and placing it first on the screen or the aluminum case.)

Jonathan DB -

I just successfully completed this repair on my LTE iPad Air 2. This guide is specific to the WiFi version, so there were some steps which were missing (but supplemented by comments from other people).

I ended up following the directions for removing the screen, then I followed the instructions until I reached the point where the logic board needed to be removed. At this point, it looked like there might be some differences between the LTE and WiFi versions, so I decided that I would not loosen the logic board from the top, but instead loosen it from the bottom. You just need to be careful not to put too much stress on the logic board when lifting it up. This way, I was able to pull up the logic board far enough to unhook and remove the battery contacts without the need to possibly damage some LTE connections at the top end of the logic board.

Once I installed the new battery, I reversed through the steps that I had taken. So far, it appears to have worked successfully.

vendoremail -

My first electronic repair and it went great!

I was faced with either replacing my iPad for about $600 or trying to DIY a battery replacement for about $55. The DIY won out with the extra expense of a magnifying light because, well, I’m old. A little less than $90 and a couple hours later, and my iPad Air 2 that I figured was bound for the landfill is working great!

I ordered the battery and tools kit, followed the instructions all the way through and back (for reassembly), and didn’t have any issues. Make sure you read through ahead of time and pay attention to the instructions for adhesive placement when it comes time to put the screen back on.

lmantrom -

2022-02-27 update: Manage to skip step 35 onward. I can change the battery without removing the logic board for my iPad Air 2 . It’s similar to the steps in iPad Air LTE Battery Replacement

Wex -

One of the most difficult repairs ever--I had to use two larger suction cups; the one provided is way too weak.

wmpruett -

Did this, but only released the screen and heated up the logic board from the rear, making it possible to tilt the logic board slightly. That way can remove the battery, and slide in the new one, and the process is actually really simple and takes a lot shorter time.

The iOpener works surprisingly well btw. Thank you!

birgerflones -

Muchos pasos innecesarios, lo mas complicado fue quitar la bateria del conector, que hay que hacerle un poco de palanca desde abajo, para que la pequeña plaquetita salga del eje circular, pero es mucho mas simple si se hace asi, que arriesgar a quitar la placa base.

alejandro zunino -

Can ipad air 2 still be able to update ios after replacing an non-genuine battery?

Wai-fong Lee -