iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi Home Button Assembly Replacement

Step 1

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 - 06/12/16

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 - 29/12/16

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 - 30/01/17

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 - 19/07/17

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 - 16/09/17

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

ian cheong - 22/06/19

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 - 13/07/19

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 - 28/12/19

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 - 29/12/19

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 - 05/01/20

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 - 01/02/20

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 - 24/07/20

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 - 11/10/20

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 - 11/10/20

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 - 16/11/20

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 - 10/01/21

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 - 05/02/21

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 - 07/02/21

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 - 03/04/21

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 - 23/04/21

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 - 22/05/21

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 - 06/06/21

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 -

Step 2

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 - 22/12/16

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 - 13/01/17

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 - 14/07/17

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 - 29/08/17

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 - 12/09/19

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

dave - 01/12/17

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

Patrick Storey - 01/01/18

I agree with this.

Jarl Friis -

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

mark fitzgerald - 24/04/18

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 - 06/07/18

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 - 30/01/19

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 - 24/02/19

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 - 30/04/19

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 - 13/10/19

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

Berard Romain - 23/12/19

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 - 23/12/19

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 - 24/07/20

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 - 05/02/21

Get a heat gun.

alesha adamson - 09/09/20

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 - 31/01/21

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 - 23/06/21

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 -

Step 3

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 - 22/07/18

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 - 24/07/20

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

John - 07/09/20

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 - 02/10/20

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 -

Step 4

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 - 08/01/24

Step 5

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 - 19/07/18

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

stephenwithph - 28/11/18

The picture is a picture of an ipad 4 lol

iCare Electronic Repair - 05/04/21

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

Daniele Carminati - 05/04/21

Step 6

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 - 27/03/17

So true, the adhesive is really strong.

Benjamin Black - 16/09/18

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 - 19/05/20

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 - 21/07/20

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 - 23/07/20

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 - 07/02/21

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 -

Step 7

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 - 06/01/18

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 -

Step 8

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.

Step 9

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.

Step 10

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 - 06/04/21

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 - 22/05/21

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 - 23/05/21

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 -

Step 11

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 - 03/02/21

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 -

Step 12

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 - 17/11/17

“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 - 20/06/18

A quick google search will give you the answer

Stranger Danger - 19/07/18

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 - 23/02/20

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 - 13/03/20

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 - 11/06/20

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 - 07/02/21

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 - 19/07/22

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 - 09/02/23

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 -

Step 13

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

Step 14

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

Step 15

Insert a third pick by the front-facing camera.

Step 16

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

Step 17

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

Step 18

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

Step 19

Slide the right opening pick roughly halfway down the display.

take care not to insert more than 4mm!

tobiasscholand - 11/06/20

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 -

Step 20

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

Step 21

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

Step 22

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 - 08/01/21

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 -

Step 23

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 - 26/01/21

Step 24

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

Step 25

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

Step 26

Repeat for the left-hand pick.
Reheat and reapply the iOpener as needed. Always wait at least ten minutes before reheating the iOpener.

Step 27

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 - 07/02/21

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 - 10/04/21

Step 28

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 -

Step 29

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

Step 30

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 -

Step 31

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 - 31/05/18

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 - 15/10/21

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 - 26/07/19

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 - 26/07/19

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

Brendon Gould - 15/07/20

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 - 12/02/24

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 - 06/03/24

Step 32

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.

Step 33

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 - 18/05/20

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 - 18/05/20

Can’t you just disconnect the battery?

Pontus Sennerstam - 21/07/20

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

Orochi - 13/10/20

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

Subtle Hyperbole - 22/11/20

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 - 16/12/20

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 - 17/12/20

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 - 06/04/21

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 - 06/04/21

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 - 11/05/21

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 -

Step 34

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 -

Step 35

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

Step 36

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 -

Step 37

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 - 19/05/19

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 - 14/09/20

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 - 28/11/20

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 -

Step 38

Lay the display assembly facedown.
Use a plastic opening tool to pry the bracket off the back of the Home Button.

May require pushing back some tape to access the slot for the opening tool

Terry Dactil - 12/03/20

Step 39

Remove the Home Button bracket and peel up the tape connected to it.
During reassembly, after installing the home button, you'll need to glue this bracket into place to secure it
Scrape off as much of the old adhesive residue from the bracket as you can, then clean it with acetone or high-concentration (90% or greater) isopropyl alcohol.
Secure the bracket with hot-melt glue, superglue, or high-strength double-sided tape. Make sure the bracket is aligned correctly before allowing your adhesive to cure, or the home button will not click when pressed.

attention à cette étape de ne pas décoller en même temps la gappe du bouton. Celui ci peux etre tordu et difficile à remettre.

jipilabont - 25/07/18

Step 40

Peel up the tape covering the Home Button ZIF connector.

Recommendation -> Buy replacement tape ahead of time if you don’t have it. I used iFixit Polyimide Tape.

This special tape does not restick. Had this been mentioned in the steps, I would have purchased it ahead of time. The tape was hard to find, and search results (including recommendations for alternatives) were confusing - as was the purpose for the tape. Also, tape was not widely available and I had to wait a week to get it. It is used elsewhere in devices such as this iPad, and in other places within this iPad, including over the 2 speaker ZIF connectors. (I did not remove all the parts in the steps for replacing the battery, so there could be other places here that I did not come across.) Research showed tape to be temperature resistant and an electrical insulator. One place said an anti-static version is available. This last may be the main purpose for it and don’t know if iFixit’s meets this. Recommend that you confirm your choice for yourself to be safe.

Dolores Bass -

Step 41

Use the flat end of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the Home Button cable socket.

Step 42

Disconnect the Home Button ribbon cable.

Step 43

Use the flat end of a spudger to peel up the Home Button ribbon cable and Touch ID control chip.

Step 44

Peel up the remaining corner of the Home Button ribbon cable.

What is the purpose of the contact finger that is exposed on the corner of the home button ribbon cable. What connects to this?

Steven Teraoka - 19/05/20

Step 45

Reheat your iOpener and lay it over the bottom edge of the display to loosen the adhesive on the Home Button gasket.
Wait about two minutes for the adhesive to soften before moving on to the next step.

Most screens don’t come with the home button adhesive so during reassembly the residue from the home button gasket is enough but the bracket needs new glue.

Thaddeus Lee - 15/12/17

Step 46

In the following steps, you will be separating the home button gasket from the iPad's front panel. This gasket is extremely delicate and can tear easily. If the gasket does not separate easily from the front panel, reapply heat using the iOpener before continuing.
Use the pointed end of a spudger to gently pry the Home Button assembly up from the display.

Another option… heat it up a bit and then apply gentle pressure from the front of the button. Start with one “corner” and work your way around.

Mine came out like very smoothly with this process.

Good luck!

John Monahan - 07/11/18

Step 47

Continue working the tip of the spudger around the edge of the gasket until the gasket is fully separated from the front panel.

Salve tra il pannello anteriore e il tasto home nuovo va messa della colla?

Alessia -

Step 48

Remove the home button assembly.
If you are replacing your LCD assembly, some assemblies have a slightly different home button connector placement that will require you to fold over the home button cable in a "S" shape like shown in the picture.

There is also a plastic waster around the hole which can be lifted and placed on the new screen - not just the grommet.

John McDonnell - 19/05/19

Yeah, that’s a big problem with this guide. Not to mention the home button bracket needs the little magnet in the circle dimple. I broke my original home button from trying to get the darn thing to work using a new home button bracket until I used the old bracket with the tiny magnet and suddenly it worked. Since the original home button ribbon had broken I can no longer use touch ID.

Overall this guide is really lacking in critical details, like how exactly the home button assembly is put together and taken apart, like where the little plastic washer, and grommet go.

Grant Godfrey - 29/11/19

And this picture is out of focus, making it hard to differentiate the items that are mentioned/warned about in the written portion.

Evan A Boyle - 12/04/20

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi Home Button Assembly Replacement

Introduction

Tools

Parts

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