iPhone 15 Pro Taptic Engine Removal

Step 1

Let your phone's battery drain below 25% before starting this repair—a charged lithium‑ion battery may catch fire if damaged.
Unplug all cables from your phone.
Hold the power and either volume button and slide to power off your phone.

Step 2

If your screen or back glass is cracked, lay overlapping strips of packing tape over the glass to protect yourself and make disassembly easier.
Make sure there's a smooth area near the bottom edge that's big enough for a suction cup to stick to.

Step 3

If inserted too far, an opening pick can damage your device. Follow this step to mark your pick and prevent damage.
Measure 3 mm from the tip and mark the opening pick with a permanent marker.
You can also mark the other corners of the pick with different measurements.
Alternatively, tape a coin to a pick 3 mm from the tip.

Got to step 2 and realized the fix kit doesn't include an opening pick! Looks like a guitar pick, and I have those lying around. Is that expected? Looks like the pick is used in many steps below. There's a little blue crowbar that isn't mentioned in the instructions. Perhaps that replaces the opening pick?

Sloan Looney -

Hi! I can't see which guide you were using when writing this comment. Can you reply here with which guide and fix kit you used?

Clay Eickemeyer -

I see you posted this in Meta. I hope it's resolved soon! In the meantime, a guitar pick may work well enough for your repair.

Clay Eickemeyer -

what fix kit?

Meow Purr -

My fix kit didn't include an opening pick either

WILLIAM HARRIS -

Make sure you check inside the black boxes after emptying them. My pick was stuck inside one of the boxes.

AndyF -

My AliExpress refurbished screen came with a pick that has a coin-like circle that pops out, so no modification was necessary

Gijs Leegwater -

Step 4

Use a P2 pentalobe screwdriver to remove the two 7 mm‑long screws on either side of the charging port.

Step 5

The next four 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 four steps for an alternate method.
For complete instructions on how to use the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
The Anti-Clamp applies suction to both the screen and the back glass. To open the screen, you need to secure the back glass with tape. You can also check out the full instructions on how to use this tape.
Cut two strips of tape, apply them along the long edges of the phone, and fold them over the back glass to secure it.

Step 6

Pull the Anti-Clamp's blue handle backward to unlock the arms.
With the screen facing up, slide the arms over the left edge of your phone, with one suction cup on the screen and the other on the back glass. Center the suction cups near the bottom edge.
Support your phone so it rests level while between the Anti-Clamp's arms—a small box works well.
Squeeze the cups together to create suction.
If you find that the surface of your iPhone is too slippery for the Anti-Clamp to hold onto, use tape to create a grippier surface.

Step 7

Pull the blue handle forward to lock the arms.
Turn the handle one full turn (360 degrees) or until the cups start to stretch.
As the cups stretch, make sure they stay vertically aligned with each other. If they tend to slip, remove the Anti-Clamp and apply tape for the cups to stick to.
If you don't have tape, you may use your hands to clean the suction cups and warm them up to help them stick.

Step 8

Use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat the bottom edge of the screen until it's hot to the touch.
Be careful not to heat the phone hotter than this—the battery is susceptible to heat damage.
Wait up to a minute for the adhesive to separate and a gap to form between the screen and the frame.
If a gap doesn't appear after one minute, apply more heat and rotate the handle a quarter turn. Let the Anti-Clamp and time do the work for you.
Insert an opening pick into the gap.
Remove the Anti-Clamp using the pull tabs on the suction cups.
Skip the next two steps.

Step 9

Use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat the bottom edge of the screen until it's hot to the touch.
Be careful not to heat the phone hotter than this—the battery is susceptible to heat damage.

Step 10

Apply a suction handle to the bottom edge of the screen.
Pull up on the handle with a strong, steady force to create a gap between the screen and the frame.
Insert the tip of an opening pick into the gap.

Step 11

As you slice the adhesive securing the screen in the next steps, be careful of the following areas:
There are two delicate cables connecting the screen to the phone: one just above the action button, and the other near the middle of the left edge.
There are multiple spring contacts around the perimeter of the phone. Be extra careful not to insert your pick deeper than suggested in these locations to avoid bending the contacts.

Step 12

Don't insert your opening pick deeper than 3 mm along the bottom edge.
Slide your pick back and forth along the bottom edge to separate the adhesive.
Leave your pick inserted in the bottom right corner to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

Step 13

Heat the right edge of the screen until it's hot to the touch.

Step 14

Don't insert your pick deeper than 5 mm along the right edge.
Slide your pick around the bottom right corner of the screen and toward the power button until you feel a hard stop at a clip securing the screen.
Rotate your pick so the flat edge is under the screen.

Step 15

Twist the pick to increase the gap between the screen and the frame until the right clip releases.
Insert a second opening pick to the right of the first pick.

Step 16

Slide the first pick back to the bottom right corner of the screen.
Slide the second pick to the top right corner of the screen to separate the adhesive.
Leave these picks inserted to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 17

Heat the top edge of the screen until it's hot to the touch.

Step 18

Don't insert your pick deeper than 3 mm along the top edge.
Slide your pick around the top right corner and along the top edge to release the two clips and adhesive securing it.

Step 19

Heat the left edge of the screen until it's hot to the touch.

Step 20

Don't insert your pick deeper than 2 mm along the left edge to avoid the two cables connecting the screen to the phone.
Rotate your pick around the top left corner of the screen.
Slide your pick to the bottom left corner of the screen to separate the adhesive.

Step 21

Place a small box or stack of books to the left of your phone so you can prop up the screen while disconnecting its cables.
Swing up the right edge of the screen like the front cover of a book.
If the screen feels stuck, go back around the perimeter with an opening pick to separate any remaining adhesive.
Prop up the screen so you can access its cables without straining them.

Step 22

Use a Y000 screwdriver to remove the six screws securing the logic board cover:
Four 1.6 mm‑long screws
Two 1.3 mm‑long screws

Step 23

Rotate the bottom of the logic board cover counterclockwise and slide the top left corner out from under the ambient light sensor cable to remove it.
During reassembly, make sure the top left corner of the cover goes under the ambient light sensor cable.

Step 24

Use the tip of an opening pick to pry up and disconnect the battery press connector from the bottom right corner of the logic board.
To reconnect a press connector, align it over its socket and gently press down on one side until it clicks into place, then press down on the other side. Make sure it sits flat, as the insulating rubber around the sockets might prevent it from connecting fully.

Step 25

Use the tip of an opening pick to pry up and disconnect the screen cable from the center of the logic board.

Step 26

Gently slide the tip of an opening pick under the ambient light sensor cable near the top left corner of the logic board.
Lift the cable to disconnect it.

Step 27

Remove the screen.
During reassembly, follow this guide to apply new adhesive and install your screen.
Be careful not to damage any of the spring contacts as you clean the frame.

Step 28

Use a Phillips #000 screwdriver to remove the four screws securing the loudspeaker:
One 2.7 mm‑long screw
Three 2 mm‑long screws

Step 29

A plastic buffer is adhered to the top edges of the loudspeaker and Taptic Engine.
Lift the bottom edge of the loudspeaker until you can grab it with your fingers.
Peel the loudspeaker from the plastic buffer on its top edge and remove it.