iPhone 4 (GSM/AT&T) Screen Replacement

Written By: Andrew Optimus Goldheart
  • Comments: 334
iPhone 4 (GSM/AT&T) Screen Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

31

Time Required

1 hour

Introduction

Use this guide to replace your iPhone's screen, which will give you a new front glass panel, digitizer, and LCD. The LCD is adhered to the glass at the factory and the two parts are not separable without damage.

After successfully replacing the screen, protect your new display from scratches by installing a screen protector.

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    • Before you begin, discharge your iPhone battery below 25%. A charged lithium-ion battery can catch fire and/or explode if accidentally punctured.

    • Power off your iPhone before beginning disassembly.

    • Your iPhone 4 rear cover may have either two #000 Phillips screws or Apple's 5-Point "Pentalobe" screws (second image). Check which screws you have, and ensure you also have the correct screwdriver in order to remove them.

    • Remove the two 3.6 mm Pentalobe or Phillips #000 screws next to the dock connector.

    • Be sure the driver is well seated when removing Pentalobe screws, they are very easy to strip.

    using something like the 18-compartment tray will GREATLY help with this one; there are over a dozen groups of parts. For re-assembly having a digital calipers to measure the 2.4 vs the 2.6mm screws also helps greatly.

    awr -

    My method for hardware management during delicate phone surgery is to take and print out on 8.5"x11' paper, one or more pictures of the open phone in various stages of disassembly, and then tape the screws to the appropriate spots on the pictures. Also write numbers on the pictures next the screws to indicate the order in which you removed them.

    lens42 -

    I use a plastic egg tray, I drop all the screws and small parts (like the camera) for each step into the same egg indentation. You can see that the screws are different lengths, so I don't put one screw into it's own spot. I used 5 egg indentations to replace my screen.

    Mangled Jargon -

    I did a successful surgery on my iPhone, be warned this is not for the faint of heart!

    I've done iPod screen replacements, battery replacements, this is by far much more difficult and intricate.

    Great write up! Thanks a million.

    Jaysen Strange -

    I've changed some iPod screens as well and that has been the least pleasant experience so far. Glue and the main connector that has to be unwrapped and connected from the rear where you have no feel or control where it belongs.

    iPhone repair is complex, but doable and has very few "traps".

    mcbohdo -

    Couldn't even get both screws out of the bottom of the case. One was easy and other refuses to budge. Screws so small I can't see if it is turning or screw driver is properly seated. Sad I too have done screen replacements on other phones. Don't know any secrets to get the screw out

    ckracht -

    I also have a problem with seeing what is happening with some of those tiny little screws and parts. For other projects that I do, I use an Opti-Visor. It slips over your head and provides 10x magnification. ( You can find them on Amazon).

    Yeah, it adds cost to the project and you would have to wait for delivery, but it sure makes a world of difference in seeing what you are working with / on.

    jhow -

    On an early iPhone 4 I found that the #000 Phillips bit included in the 54 Bit Driver Kit didn't actually fit the screws. However the JIS #000 also in the kit did fit quite well. This is due to the JIS bits "thinner" design to prevent camming out of the slot. Otherwise everything went well. Looking forward to replacing the battery in my other phone that has the pentalobe screws. Glad I got the 54 Bit kit!

    etler -

    Use a vacuum duster and a sharp tool to pry out the dust, this can increase the volume insanely!

    Dpairs -

    What does the park that is gold and next to the 4.8mm screw for the antenna? Looks like I am missing that part and almost positive that is why I can't pick up or connect to any wifi signals. I have the screw and the antenna from another phone that is working and tried it on the broken phone and still doesn't work. Only thing different is that gold metal piece to the left of that 4.8 mm screw. Can I buy that part? how do I attach it?

    Jay Pennington -

    great instructions did it the first time

    Mr J -

    For organisation of the parts and for a much easier process of rebuilding i use a big magnetic flat surface with a grid drawn on it. Then I use a dry erase marker to make any notes I need and to number the parts in order as i disassemble . Believe me it saves a lot of time and hassle especially if you drop one of those tiny screws good luck finding it but when your working over the magnet and drop a screw its going to be right where it fell. At first I tried the piece of paper to keep organised but all it takes is one small slip and you move the paper too quick and your left with a jumbled bunch of screws and parts and a painstaking task of putting it all back correctly, aka a big waist of time and effort.

    case-yg -

    I found it very useful to use a magnet sheet when doing these repairs. I use electrical tape or a sharpie to make a grid, and place each micro screw in a separate box on the grid.

    I work directly over the magnet sheet, so that if something drops I have a better chance at not losing it.

    If you do lose a screw, go over the work area with a fridge magnet. It will pick it up if it hasn’t popped too far away.

    Megan Telliano -

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    • Push the rear panel toward the top edge of the iPhone.

    • The panel will move about 2 mm.

    the back won't budge! I cant get it off! what do i do?

    Debbie -

    Use a suction cup to pull the back screen gently.

    gio -

    If the back doesn't slide in properly upon reassembly, you didn't insert the motherboard properly. Remove it and try it again, DO NOT try to force it down!

    Addison Rasmussen -

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    • Pinch the rear panel with your fingers and lift it away from the iPhone. Alternatively, use a Small Suction Cup .

    • Be careful not to damage the plastic clips attached to the rear panel.

    • If you are installing a new rear panel, be sure to remove the plastic protective sticker from the inside of the camera lens and the sticker from the large black area near the lens.

    using suction cup with too much force breaks rear panel

    lily einstein -

    Remove the single 2.5 mm Phillips screw securing the battery connector to the logic board- for me this Phillips screw won't budge from its place have tried all the phillips combinations 000, 00, 0, 1 and the straight /slotted 1.5 mm but nothing. can some help me please purchased a replacement battery for my iPhone 4 but not able to do it just because of this screw.

    Naved Zaidi -

    If the screw head is not buggered, press the tip of a hot soldering iron to the screw for a second or two. Don't get it too hot, or you'll damage something.

    splaye -

    don't use hot soldering iron . the female outlet the battery plugs into is very fragile . for no extra money you can buy a battery that has magnetic tools specifically to pick this screw out . if worse comes to worse be certain the screw will come no looser then use tweezers and pick it out . the #1 fear with this technique is DO NOT DROP THE SCREW . I have done this and crawling on my hands and knees till I find it was depressing

    michael andrie -

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    • Remove the single 2.5 mm Phillips screw securing the battery connector to the logic board.

    • Some devices may have two screws, one of which holds down the contact pad which is located above the screw indicated in red in the photo.

    I was going through the take apart and after reassembly, it seems to just sit there an power cycle. It's as though the battery is no longer working. Any thoughts as to what I may have done wrong?

    Social Apples -

    you potentially messed up the ribbon cable from the battery to the adapter. I have done it before. Its not fun...

    barri80 -

    Use #000 fine screw driver!!!

    bfbogaert -

    Use an #000 fine screw driver to remove two screws from iPhone 4s!

    bfbogaert -

    There is a metal bracket that secures the connector, that will be removed before the conector is unfasten

    poseido -

    Stuck on step 4 can't unscrew the battery screw. stopped trying as all i seem to be doing is damaging the screw any tips as to how to approach this?

    Tazziii -

    I ended up drilling the head of one of my screws off. It was already damaged. Then I think I used needle pliers to spin it out once the plate came off and there was more room to grab the shank.

    torqvette -

    I didn't need to remove the battery !! why would you take the battery away, the motor can be removed easily with the battery in place, and the whole process would take less than 2 minutes if you exclude the battery steps

    Mohammed Fahmy -

    I was VERY careful but the interior philips screw holding the battery in place but it stripped immediately. I see others have had this problem. What do I do now?!

    tbodington -

    I've tried three different #000 drivers but they don't fit this screw. Stuck now. Also blows my confidence about proceeding because even if I do get this off.... I see some even smaller Phillips head screw further along in the process

    Jake -

    If the screw is not damaged by previous attempts, the screw driver should fit perfectly. You can also tap the screw with a small mass to unlock.

    revher -

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    • Use a plastic opening tool to gently pry the battery connector up from its socket on the logic board.

    • Pry from the top and bottom of the connector bracket—there isn't as much of an overhang on the sides, and you may damage the connector.

    • Be very careful to only pry up on the battery connector and not the socket on the logic board. If you pry up on the logic board socket, you may break it entirely.

    • Remove the metal clip covering the antenna connector.

    There is a small black L-shaped bracket of some sort that tits between the battery connector and the motherboard socket, with a loop on one corner that sits betwen the riserand the battery connector. Remove this now, and do not forget to re install it on assembly.

    stevesontheroad -

    When reattaching this bracket make sure your Battery ribbon is already tucked underneath the battery with only the minimum clearance required. Then make sure the brackets overhang is over the battery ribbon. Dont try to slide it under the Ribbon.

    crimney -

    In Step 5 be EXTRA careful with the battery connector as the socket can come off extremely easy. This can mess up the replacement a little bit and cost you extra. Otherwise, this guide is excellent.

    Good luck, fixers!

    I fix(ed) it!

    mateuszkus -

    When removing this L shaped piece, it should be shown ON CAMERA where it came from and the exact position it was in while in the phone, I had to take 2 screws (not 1 like said in the video) out to get to this piece and once that second screw came up I didn't get a chance to see where this piece came from because it popped right out. I was extremely nervous but I believe I got it back in properly.

    kellicaudill -

    Putting the antennae cover back in place is impossible without a good photo. I used this link to refer to:

    iPhone 4S Battery Replacement

    Ruth Kaldor -

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    • Use the clear plastic pull tab to gently lift the battery out of the iPhone.

    • If the tab breaks before the battery is freed, apply a few drops of high concentration (over 90%) isopropyl alcohol under the edge of the battery. Wait about one minute for the alcohol solution to weaken the adhesive. Carefully slide a spudger under the battery tab to release the adhesive.

    • Prying in other places may cause damage. Don't try to forcefully lever the battery out. If needed, apply a few more drops of alcohol to further weaken the adhesive. Never deform or puncture the battery with your pry tool.

    • If there's any alcohol solution remaining in the phone, carefully wipe it off or allow it to air dry before installing your new battery.

    • If your replacement battery came in a plastic sleeve, remove it before installation by pulling it away from the the ribbon cable.

    • Before reconnecting the battery connector, be sure the contact clip (shown in red) is properly positioned next to the battery connector.

    • Before reassembly, clean metal-to-metal contact points with a de-greaser such as windex. The oils from your fingers have the potential to cause wireless interference issues.

    • Perform a hard reset after reassembly. This can prevent several issues and simplify troubleshooting.

    Just be careful when removing the battery with the plastic pull tab. On some units, they use so much glue that it's virtually impossible to take the battery.

    In such an instance, you could use the iPod opening tool to assist (just be careful where you stick it!)

    klubn -

    use the iPod opening tool to pry gently under the battery from the outer edge of the phone and work towards the plastic tab. the tab is not actually attached to the battery itself, but a plastic sheet between the battery and inner frame. the adhesive on the battery tends to be under the edge of the battery nearest the center of the phone.

    David Iwanicki -

    Understand that the plastic pull tab is part of the phone. It sits under the battery like a tray and is not connected to the battery so it needs to stay in tact.

    mattcfi -

    once the iphone restarted, the battery was at 30%.

    baldus -

    This i think is the most diffucult part.

    Because they use so much glue on it. I have to did this with so much force.

    Glad that i didn't kill the circuit board when i took this out.

    Shoung0690 -

    My battery was so firmly glued in, it took a long time to slowly pry it loose. Patience is the key to this process. I could see easily damaging the circuit board by using too much force. The plastic tab did not help at all.

    The ribbon cable attaching the new battery to the battery connector clip is longer than the original. I clicked the clip into the socket first and then was very careful to fold the excess while putting the battery back in so the ribbon cable didn't kink. One kink in this could sever the battery leads.

    drathbun -

    My ribbon cable was also longer than the original. How did you get it to not kink while placing the batter back into the phone? That seems to be my only hang up at the moment

    cvbaseballsean22 -

    Piece of cake! The hardest part was being sure the outer pentalobe screws were actually turning and I wasn't stripping them. Battery was glued firmly in, so I loosened it from the outside instead of using the plastic pull-tab. I pre-bent the battery connector neck before putting it back in and had no problems with it fitting in. Getting the battery connector aligned with the antenna piece underneath was a bit fiddly. Got the case back on, put in the new screws, and powered the phone on without problem. Had 40% charge, all seems well. Yippee!

    chezbuttons -

    Do NOT use a spudger or similar type of prising tool to try lift up the battery. Instead, just warm up the whole area with a hot air gun or hair drier to soften the glue.

    The reason why I say don't use an implement to try lift the battery is because far too many times I've seen punctured & bent batteries come in to this workshop that have to be thrown out for safety reasons. It only takes a grain of sand, or a burr on the spudger and you're risking a potential cell rupture and potential fire.

    Just use a bit of heat ( not a lot! ) to soften up the glue and it'll come away with the plastic pull tab.

    Paul L Daniels -

    These instructions don't mention putting the 2.5mm screw back in. I found this very challenging because it is so short, so very difficult to line it up to get it back in the hole, and very easy to drop it inside the phone. Take care.

    robshopping -

    Apparently it's not necessary to remove the battery, but try at least (I'm curious).

    The battery was stuck (too much glue) and the plastic tab didn't help, and I ripped it...

    So I use the plastic opening tool on the other side to remove really gently the battery, it was really really stucked with the glue... Now I'll know when I'll need to change it.

    I put a little piece of tape to repair the plastic tab for the next time.

    For the other part of the guide, it was a piece of cake and I'm a bad bad handyman :)

    Thanks for the guide!

    tasseb -

    You are right. This is the reason why their is simpler guide: iPhone 4 Battery disconnection to be used when there is no necessity for removing the battery. Disconnection is sufficient for many fixes except replacement of the battery!

    revher -

    you have to remove the battery for digitizer replacement, however i would suggest removing it at the very last stage, i.e. step 24. cause it is easier to remove without the logic board being there

    Winnie Lee -

    Adhesive was holding battery VERY firmly, so during this step I used a hair blow dryer on low setting to carefully heat up the device. Then used the plastic tool to gently but firmly pry up one place on each edge. At first it felt like barely anything was happening, but within a few tries the adhesive gave away easily and the battery came right out.

    misc -

    The new battery from iFixit already had the cable properly folded, but before inserting the battery I used the plastic tool to press the fold closer to the battery body.

    misc -

    Before inserting the battery I put the contact clip into position. It has a hooked shape on one side which fits between the socket and the folded battery cable. If you try to position it AFTER the battery is installed the whole process is much more difficult. I used a tweezers to hold it in place while inserting the battery.

    misc -

    When inserting the battery I started by guiding the folded cable into position against the side of the contact clip, then proceeded to lay the battery in position. This made it very easy to have all parts in their original positions -- no need to fiddle with the battery cable or contact clip afterwards.

    misc -

    When pressing the battery connector into the socket, the first time I pressed from bottom to top. That didn't work because there is a little tab at the top of the connector which must fit into a tiny notch or else the connector won't lay flat properly. Pressing the connector from top to bottom worked easily.

    misc -

    Needle-nosed tweezers were very helpful when lining up the screws. After everything was reassembled I tried powering up the device, but the battery had insufficient charge. I plugged it in and immediately the screen displayed a battery with a thin red line (illustrating no charge). After 25 minutes the device sprang to life and indicated a 10% charge. At 70 minutes the battery indicated 30% charge, and at that rate should be fully charged in under 4 hours. It's fixed!!

    misc -

    Battery is in, phone fires up, charger works. This is the first 10 minute job I've ever completed in 10 minutes, thank you!

    arkay -

    Why they didn't say this, I have no idea: HEAT UP THE BACK OF THE PHONE! This helps the adhesive give so much easier, worth the extra 2 minutes to make sure you don't tear anything.

    Addison Rasmussen -

    super easy, battery had plenty of glue for what ever reason, I put the screw in 1st then set the battery and was easy to set the new battery. Charge was at 94% strange seeing it next to my Iphone 6 but glad I did it as now I can use it for music and save the battery on the main phone. Thanks for a easy instruction guide.

    Greg Wischmeyer -

    Strictly speaking re-assembly is NOT the exact reverse of dismantling. In particular do not put the battery in and then try to plug in the connector, Rather, start by plugging in the connector (having straightened the ribbon-wire attaching it to the battery) and only then re=position the battery on its (gluey) base. Also I used a wooden cocktail stick to position the antenna connector correctly (pushing the stick through the hole in the antenna piece and into the threaded base where the screw will eventually go) and then I held it all in place (temporarily) with a tiny blob of Bluetac until I managed to successfully withdraw the cocktail stick and fit the proper screw.

    Stuey 25/2/2018

    Stuart -

    .Heating a towel and wrapping the phone for 3 min did the trick of removal of the battery.

    Athena Myring -

    I used the plastic opening tool to nudge the battery a bit and then shoved in the guitar pick. By sliding the guitar pick over the length of the battery, the battery got unstuck very easily.

    Andre van der Ham -

    When attaching the battery connector make sure that it snaps in place. My replacement battery connector did not snap in place and I forced it on, that caused the connector to detach from the ribbon cable. I had to solder the connector back onto the cable which requires a very steady hand and SMD soldering tools. So, if it does not snap in place with a clicking sound, the connector is probably of bad quality and your battery will probably not work. I placed my old battery back (where the connector nicely snapped in place) and am waiting for a replacement of the dodgy replacement battery.

    Andre van der Ham -

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    • Use a SIM card eject tool or a paperclip to eject the SIM card and its holder.

    • This may require a significant amount of force.

    • Remove the SIM card and its holder.

    The grey cable on the top right of the 1st picture might be confusing, it's the connector with cable which you'll disconnect in step 9 only, so you can't see it this way in this phase.

    mhejjas -

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    • Remove the following two screws:

    • One 1.2 mm Phillips

    • One 1.6 mm Phillips

    • Remove the thin steel dock connector cable cover from the iPhone.

    • Before reassembly, be sure to clean all metal-to-metal contact points on the dock connector cable cover with a de-greaser such as windex. The oils on your fingers have the potential to cause wireless interference issues.

    Be careful to make sure you don't pinch the clear plastic tab under the mobo when reinstalling. :P

    jonathan -

    I had trouble with my SIM card at this point. It wouldn't go all the way in - only about 1mm short but enough to keep the phone from being able to read it. It seems that the red screw in this step is the culprit. I loosened it up a bit and the SIM card tray was able to fit flush.

    budgetbooksfl -

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    • Use an iPod opening tool to gently pry the dock cable connector up off the logic board from both short ends of the connector.

    Use the 1.6mm screw standoff as leverage against to lift the connector.

    Mark -

    Make sure not to pry too much under the flex cable because you will likely damage the gold / silver shining adhesive tape that is located beneath it.

    The guide is missing a comment on this and one would not expect the tape there. Check out the photos of step 10 to get an idea of how the tape looks like.

    I assume this to be some kind of head-conductive component.

    It won't be much of a problem if you damage parts of it though.

    But if you peel off / coil up too much of it, it could get too big and the flex cable could get damaged when it's pressed against it.

    Stefan -

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    • Carefully peel the dock ribbon cable off the logic board and the lower speaker enclosure.

    • Do not use excessive force to peel the dock ribbon cable off the logic board. Doing so may tear the cable.

    be extremely careful to check that there isnt any metallic conductive glue sticking, some may remain attached to the motherboard-connecter position in its space on top of the logicboard

    Dai -

    This is held down by adhesive, don't try to just yank it off. Peel it slowly. If you damage this cable, you are slightly screwed.

    Addison Rasmussen -

    Peel back NOT off. It needs to just pull aside. If it comes off, throw the phone.

    Rhys Thomas -

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    • Use a plastic opening tool to pry the lower antenna connector up off its socket on the logic board.

    NOTE: When replacing the logic board, be sure this antenna remains exposed and doesn't become trapped under the board.

    charlesholt -

    Just wondering if it is possible and where to get one of those indicators

    edward -

    what are you talking about here???

    Steven Munoz -

    Yeah, would like to know the value of the little blue inductor ... my iPhone 4 doesn't have it any more and I have the worst signal.

    PressureFM -

    I wasn't sure how to carefully detach the antennae. Can anyone offer some insight on how to reattach the antennae? Is it supposed to be soldered to the board? Or is it a pin attachment?

    kulpsterdaman -

    see that tiny little blue thing just to the left of the antenna connector but before the screw? make sure you DON'T knock that out of place otherwise your iphone becomes a heavy ipod touch (yes. this idiot made that mistake while struggling to get the antenna connector back in - which for the record just clips back in). this would have been a handy tip for me while i was reading the instructions, which apart from that little trinket of information, were very easy to follow.

    -dan

    dan -

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    • Remove the 1.9 mm Phillips screw securing the bottom of the logic board to the inner case.

    Be careful, I almost damaged this specific screw by using a Phillips #00 screwdriver. It's screwed in tighter than most others. You will need a Phillips #000 or else your #00 has to be a really sharp one.

    Kelvin Leong -

    The cross on top of the screw on my phone is all messed up - not from me stripping it, it just looks like a manufacturing error. The screwdriver won't even fit into the screw, and I can't get it out (I have no idea how they got it in in the first place). Any suggestions?

    Mike Machado -

    same here, screw stripped any suggestions?

    Gary Woodward -

    Couple of ways to get rounded-out-head screws;

    1) use a tiny drop of super glue on the top place your screwdriver on the drop/screw, then sprinkle a bit of bicarb-soda on to the wet super glue, it'll harden very rapidly and form a fillet; wait a minute and you should be able to then unscrew the screw.

    Be VERY CAREFUL when doing this, because you don't want to have superglue wicking between the screw and the circuit board.

    Perhaps practice on some other things first.

    I've removed several like this before; frequently I find the culprits for rounded out slots are ham-fisted people trying to do their own repairs in the past.

    Paul L Daniels -

    Get a set of these precision screw extractors. I own a small electronics repair shop and I wouldn't be without them. If you buy them remember that the ends are reversible in case you dull one end. Precision Screw Extractor Set

    Joshua -

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    • Remove the following five screws securing the Wi-Fi antenna to the logic board:

    • One 2.3 mm Phillips

    • Two 1.6 mm Phillips

    • One 1.4 mm Phillips

    • One 4.8 mm Phillips

    • When re-assembling, start off with replacing the 4.8 mm Philips screw first, then the 2.3 mm. This is to ensure there is no mix-up, and avoid rendering the LCD and digitizer useless.

    • Also make sure to put the long 4.8 mm Philips back in correctly when reassembling. This is the ground for the Wi-Fi antenna and is often the culprit if you are having bad Wi-Fi reception after reassembly.

    Be careful about the very small spring contact that is under the shield and around the 4.8 mm screw - it can spring out when the shield is removed. It must be reinserted prior to installing the shield, with the thick part up and the spring in contact with the gold pad to the right of the screw hole in the case.

    Steve Noland -

    INCREDIBLE! Steve this probably happens to people all the time. The "very small spring contact that is under the shield and around the 4.8 mm screw" I will elaborate on. It's not so much around the 4.8mm screw as it actually part of the assembly where the 4.8 mm screw is tightened. I added an arrow to this picture to visually illustrate:

    http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/9/i...

    I had no wifi at all until this was present. I had overlooked the piece and spent hours trying to figure out where it went. BIG THANK YOU to Steve for his comment. After fixing, my wifi was perfect.

    Jimmy -

    Thanks for your notice! It really helps me.

    antonvbondarev -

    There is a washer under the plate that is held together by the 1.4mm Philips. This might come loose. Be careful not to lose it.

    nsolis -

    Confirming this. It's not in the description and it came out when I disconnected the screw. At first I was unsure where it came from, but when I reassembled the phone, the yellow screw didn't make contact, so I realized the washer had to go under the contact plate.

    marcx77 -

    If a nut under the YELLOW screw is rotating, hold the nut with tweezers.

    yujin yamada -

    On my phone the "washer" that the 1.4mm screw goes into I think is actually the mounting post that had come detached. I realize afterwards there was therefore no point removing this screw, but I did remove (and put it back afterwards) by holding onto the loose post/washer with tweezers to prevent it turning.

    Anthony Berkow -

    Print this image out (step 13) - trust me, you'll need it later!

    Alan Shenton -

    The "washer" that a few of the commenters have mentioned isn't a washer nor a broken post. It is a circular nut that helps the WiFi antenna get a good connection to the logic board. It is part of a sandwich: 1.4mm screw head WiFi antenna logic board ++ circular nut. I held it in place with tweezers and then screwed the 1.4mm screw in. Don't lose this nut!

    tdroz -

    I found that the 1.4 mm screw measured a little less than 1.1 mm on my phone. So don't be confused by that.

    Daniel -

    When I came to reassemble at this step, I noticed the 1.4mm screw no longer had anything to screw to. The nut or washer or whatever it is that you mention has gone. My screen does not work any more. Is this connected and/or is there anything I can do to peplace what is lost?

    Chris -

    This screw is supposed to tie into a very small nut that sits under a small u-shaped tab in the EMI shield that is fixed to the PCB. Maybe that nut has moved or got lost. I recommend you to lift that small tab to find it because if loose it could create a short-circuit.

    But that screw/nut is absolutely not essential to the LCD. It should work without it.

    Christophe De Wolf -

    I didn't see that small "nut" and the 1.4mm screw is loose. So I didn't install it back. My iPhone is working now but wondering any thing would turn wrong later...

    Judy -

    Do you need a different screwdriver for every one of these screws? They all seem to have different sizes.

    Kaz -

    The second of the Two 1.6 mm Phillips was stripped...or I stripped it? So I got this far and now i'm retreating and putting the iphone back together. Was going to sell on ebay but now I can not. Oh well...

    brian -

    I used an elastic band pulled taught over the blade of a flat headed screwdriver to hold the nut (beneath the yellow screw) in place. Alternatively I was thinking of carving the eraser on the end of a pencil into a wedge shape to do the same job when tightening the screw on reassembly. Just needs something to grip it in place to stop it spinning.

    Lee Noble -

    A note about screw management: ALWAYS remove screws from left to right if you are just putting them in order of removal on a magnetic trey, it helps with re-assembly. If you can, I recommend getting a magnetic white board and writing the size of the screws on it and categorizing by that, it makes it way easier and you won't ever have to worry about putting the wrong size screw in anywhere ever again.

    Addison Rasmussen -

    the nut of the yellow screw falls be careful ...to re install it again

    Hisham chohan -

  14. e3BUKVbWOYnpEgkC
    e3BUKVbWOYnpEgkC
    YLhK2gL5YshSaPQf
    YKHWNAweXyIYqJ4C

    • Use an iPod opening tool to slightly lift the top edge of the Wi-Fi antenna away from the logic board.

    • Use the tip of a spudger to pull the Wi-Fi retaining clips away from the inner frame.

    • Remove the Wi-Fi antenna from the iPhone. Make sure you don't lose the metal clips on the top of the cover where the 4.8mm screw attaches or the 4.8mm screw. That's the primary reason for abnormal Wi-Fi performance after the reassembly.

    • Before reassembly, be sure to clean all metal-to-metal contact points on the connector cover with a de-greaser such as Windex. The oils on your fingers have the potential to cause wireless interference issues. Do not clean the connectors themselves with Windex.

    watch for the connector cover here - it tends to be quite "springy" and may fly towards you when you attempt to release the clips

    David Iwanicki -

    Be Careful of a tiny metal piece attached to the black bit on top that acts as the screw spot for the blue screw. I just slid it back on. Hopefully no harm done.

    crimney -

    The clip actually looks like it might be a ground. it's gold and is folded in two. There's a screw cutout and something that looks like it physically is supposed to touch something. Phone works fine without it, though.

    stores -

    So as I'm prying the plate off a tiny little nut falls out. I've repaired 4 iPhone 4s now and this is the first time this has happened. Anyone know where exactly it goes? I'd upload a pic, but this forum doesn't support images I see. I'm pretty sure it goes to the long bolt at top center, but where in the stack it goes I'm not certain.

    powers74 -

    It's probably the nut for the yellow screw of step 13. It sometimes comes off the motherboard, with no adverse effects. Just put it back, under the small u-shaped metal shielding

    Christophe De Wolf -

    Yes, that belongs to the yellow screw and is (badly) glued to the motherboard. You'll need very thin pliers to place and fix the nut while reassembling.

    mcbohdo -

  15. pTDGiLAb6eVKVyCV
    pTDGiLAb6eVKVyCV
    d5juh5tQsN3PkBgr

    • Use an iPod opening tool to carefully lift the rear camera connector up off its socket on the logic board.

    • Remove the rear camera.

    the rear camera has an extra long tab which runs under the digitizer cable - be careful not to bend this while removing the camera.

    David Iwanicki -

    To avoid damaging the Main Camera, it will probably be better to do Step 18 first before doing this step. This is because part of the camera is actually under the Digitizer and LCD cable.

    nsolis -

    Took me a few tries to get the camera seated properly - if it's not seated correctly, you'll have problems attaching the WiFi antenna. Should sit flat and square.

    rolfsf -

    Just to clarify, the little tab on the side of the camera does not go under the motherboard, it goes under the cables. This misunderstanding is common for those new to mobile repair. Always make sure you take notes on the small things like this!

    Addison Rasmussen -

  16. 5HMOiAyZLuOvuCuA
    5HMOiAyZLuOvuCuA
    RMfHTUBkgVZBtOWR

    • Remove the small circular white sticker (warranty sticker and water indicator) covering the screw near the battery pull tab.

    • Remove the 2.4 mm Phillips screw that was hidden underneath the sticker.

    There was no screw underneath the warranty sticker or even a place for a screw. Disappointed.

    Ed Wiliams -

    I removed by accident the other white sticker on the logic board. What happens now? Will the phone work?

    Vit Rozehnal -

    It won't hurt anything.

    Joshua -

    I have a big Problem with this screw, it seems that it is more stuck and weaker than the other screws. Now the Phillips screw is totally !@#$%^ up after several attempts of trying to get it out, do you have any idea how i can get it out?

    Peter -

    Danger! Since the last screw I took out before is the 4.8 mm (step 13) it can happen that one messes up the order and uses this one instead of the 2.4 mm! This will break the new Display again. I'd add a distinct warnig here to use the right (short) one.

    Now I'll a order a new display...

    Eric Lehmann -

    I agree with Ed Williams: no screw under the sticker on my phone.

    jamminactor -

  17. mXXSHImkINJcBFxh

    • Use the edge of a plastic opening tool to gently pry the following connectors up and out of their sockets on the logic board:

    • Digitizer cable (pry from bottom)

    • LCD cable (pry from bottom)

    • Headphone jack/volume button cable (pry from top)

    • Top Microphone/sleep button cable (pry from top)

    • Front camera cable (pry from top)

    blue, green and yellow down, orange and red up. red BEFORE orange, as part of the ribbon is UNDER red.

    unklbyl

    unklbyl -

    Windex didn't work well for me for degreasing the connections. It made the connections worse in fact. Now my digitizer AND my screen don't work.

    johnpetraborg -

    It seems that you misunderstood the notes throughout the guide. You should only clean metal to metal contact points, such as the contact area between the EMI fingers and the metal case on the speaker enclosure. Applying Windex in connectors or sockets of any type will almost certainly destroy components in your phone.

    Andrew Bookholt -

    If you are replacing any of the cables that connect here, be sure to save the foam from the top of the connector to put on your replacement part. It helps secure the connector once the connector cover is put back during reassembly.

    Blarg -

    When re-plugging the yellow connector (the leftmost of the 3 connectors that you disconnected from the top) put the cables behind and not before the metal part with a hole where the EMI Shield 2 clips in. Otherwise you will not be able do step 13.

    Philippe Leledy -

    Be carefull of a very small component soldered near the yellow connector. It can pop off and make your front camera irresponsive.

    Christophe De Wolf -

    When reassembling, the various connectors have a leading plastic lip that allows you to align and then slowly snap in place. i pushed on the pads on top of the connectors with the flat tool provided in the kit. Also, the first time, i did not press the LCD cable very well, so the phone was working, but no display showing. once i snapped this in place the second time, it worked like a charm.

    hansiemys -

    After reassembly, when I changed to the front camera, the display got stuck in shutter mode. The website bellow suggests I lost a microscopic jumper that enables the front camera. I am guessing this happened when I disconnected the 3 connectors. The dang jumper is so small I never even noticed that I lost it. Oh well at least the rear camera still works... After replacing screen camera app now stuck on shutter?

    Slobird -

    I ran into a not workin front camera after a screen replacement on Iphone4. I found out that I had broken the tiny jumper on the main board when I pried off the headphone plug. That jumper is next to the right upper corner of the headphone/volume button plug (yellow marked in step 17 of relacement guide), you can see it in the picture as two silvery dots. If your prying tool sits on that jumper when levelling the plug off, it is history. I took a ampoule of conducting silver liquid, but instead of shaking it I took some of the sediment out with a thin wire and aplied a tiny blob over the two remaining soldering pads left. And alas, it worked ! Front camera is ok again. Thanks to those who found out about that jumper.

    dl7utx -

    On reassembly, be really careful when reattaching the digitizer cable - the cable breaks very easily, rendering your nice new display useless. In my case, I must not have threaded the cable through properly, so it was just a bit too short to reach the connector. I gave it a gentle tug... and snap!

    I was much more careful the second time through :(

    rolfsf -

    did you have to buy a whole new display?

    same thing just happened to me:((((

    mstutz12 -

    What is the correct length of flex (ribbon) cable for the Digitizer cable and the LCD cable? I've threaded the cables correctly through the mid frame, however, I keep encountering the same issue. Once I've tried seating the cables into the sockets, the Digitizer cable is too short by approximately 5mm. I've tried several different makes of the front panel display (front screen replacement) but have encountered the same problem with each and the supplier, stating each have been 'defective units'. It just feels a stretch to believe I've been unlucky in purchasing 4 that have all been defective. I can't check these against the original (Apple) screen, as it was too damaged and the removal process of these iPhone 4 screens is a nightmare. Any help is appreciated

    Naborro -

    Feeding those ribbon cables through the frame is one of the trickier parts of this repair. Check Step 30 of the Display Assembly Replacement Guide for detailed instructions. If you check the comments, you'll find a lot of others have struggled with this—but it can be done! :)

    Jeff Suovanen -

    My setup was nothing like this. The headphone jack, top microphone, and front camera connections were not in these locations. Rather, they were on the logic board below the main camera connection. Furthermore, the logic board was held in place by a Phillips head screw that was hidden under a small black piece of tape. This screw also held the small gold connector tab. Additionally, the bottom of the logic board was held in place by a Phillips head screw.

    Tom Murphy -

    Sounds to me like you have an iPhone 4S. This guide is for the iPhone 4. ;)

    Jeff Suovanen -

  18. SLFgmkHrY3QjYr4t

    • Remove the 4.8 mm standoff screw near the headphone jack.

    • Standoff screws are best removed using a standoff screwdriver or bit.

    • In a pinch, a small flathead screwdriver will do the job—but use extra caution to ensure it doesn't slip and damage surrounding components.

    • When reassembling the device, this standoff sets the height of the Wi-Fi shield removed in step 13. If not torqued down, the shield will be above the plane of the frame and the back will not slide into place in step 2. The shield should be flush with the headphone jack.

    • When reassembling the motherboard, ensure that its edge sits under the circled standoff, otherwise the screws will not fit.

    • When reassembling ensure that the small rubber spacer attached to the top of the motherboard is in place.

    • Without this part, the motherboard could damage the ribbon cables around it.

    There is a small rectangular rubber bumper on the top of the logic board. You can see it a little at the top of the picture. I knocked mine off and had no idea where it came from! Took my wife forever searching the pictures to locate where it was from.

    nickbits -

    Take care to put the small ruber piece into place to protect the ribon cable for the lcd dyplay

    Hanspeter -

    The smallest screw below the Digitizer connector is held by a tiny nut which is fixed below the EMI shield. Beware because this thing can get loose easily.

    mcbohdo -

    Is this it? http://i.imgur.com/AQlJS8g.jpg

    crimney -

    I believe that's the one he's referring to...

    Joshua -

    The screw anchor/stud came loose on me as well... How did you repair it? If you left it broke did it effect anything?

    iyacyas -

    Image of rectangular rubber piece

    http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/835/i...

    Rajan -

    Thank you Rajan for this picture. The rubber piece fell out and i was frantically trying to find its spot.

    hansiemys -

    Yes! Thanks for this pic! I found this little piece in the body of the phone after I removed the logic board and was stumped! Real lifesaver!

    Joshua -

    how do i remove the 4.8 mm stand off? ifixit instructions arent detailed enough.

    Austin -

    I have found that the easiest way to remove these standoffs is to loosen them with a 2.0 or 2.3 mm standard (flat) blade driver bit. Then, once it is loose, you can either loosen it the rest of the way, or for better control, insert your pentalobe driver into the center of it and loosen it the rest of the way. If your pentalobe driver won't turn it, then it is not loose enough, or the end of one of the small screws has broken off in it (actually fairly common).

    Best of luck to you! Just ask if you need more info!

    Joshua -

    When reassembling, ensure the ribbon cables for the connector are between the silver metal and the circuit board. the wifi antenna plate clips into the silver metal.

    Victor -

    there are several versions of what appears to be the iphone 4S. It has more screws and a hidden 4.8mm flathead at the top close to where the exposed one was in this step. I rendered my iphone useless not knowing this. If you have this version, stop, put everything back and bring it to a professional, or you will find about 6 or 8 extra pieces that are not covered in these instructions and a broken phone as well.

    Wesley French -

    Wesley, this is the guide for the iPhone 4, not the 4S. The two are distinctly different.

    There's no multiple-variants of either model to best of my knowledge (having repaired hundreds of both the 4 and 4S)

    Paul L Daniels -

    Didn’t see the comments about the rubber strip until too late - severed the digitizer ribbon cable on the edge of the board! Screen worked fine, but no touch control - had to buy a new screen and do it all again…! :(

    David Morgan -

  19. lkUd4rn5yUWj5IXD

    • Carefully remove the logic board from the iPhone, minding any cables that may get caught.

    • Be careful not to damage the small gold prong (marked in red, near the top) as it's very fragile.

    • On reassembly, be careful not to trap the lower antenna cable beneath the logic board.

    Note where the little rubber thing is. It's there to protect the digitizer and LCD ribbons curving over the top of the mobo. If you do these a lot, you're going to have a WTF moment when you go to put it back together and you have this short rubber strip....

    jonathan -

    where can i buy logic board from the iPhone

    jamie -

    AliExpress is the place for you.

    Daniel Zaprev -

    be careful when putting the logic board back in: i trapped the lower antenna cable under it (see step 11). Also, it 'hooks in' at the top and rotates down; there is a notch cut into the outer case to capture the top of the motherboard.

    awr -

    Missing rubber guard can causing touchscreen sensitivity & accuracy problem.

    Otniel Yoreiza -

    Do not forget the rubber piece. When replacing my home button, I noticed this rubber piece fall out of the phone, and couldn't figure out where it went. I left it out, and my touchscreen had all sorts of problem. I thought I had damaged the digitizer ribbon. I even bought a new screen and had similar problems after putting that in. I finally put a makeshift piece of rubber that I cut up into the spot where this rubber piece had gone, and currently haven't had problems for over a week. This rubber piece must suppress interference problems of some kind.

    dreyna -

    Great point! I had the logic board put back in and then found this little thing hanging out. I found a "tip" on a different site that showed it going between the rear-facing camera and the logic board! Thanks!

    Joshua -

    Can we get a better photo of where rubber piece goes? Mine fell off, and I have no idea where to put it back on to.

    csuslog -

    It goes on the edge of the logic board where the Digitizer and LCD Panel ribbon cables bend over the Logic Board before they plug into it. The rubber piece protects the ribbon cables from chafing like a bumper and from interferance.

    fasthans -

    You can see it on the upper left of the Logic Board, just to the right of the camera in the photo for Step 18. It is easier to see if you click on the view huge link to blow up the photo.

    fasthans -

    Note that when re-installing the logic board, do not forget about the antenna connector near the bottom of the phone. Make sure that it does not get trapped under the logic board when you are placing the logic board in the case.

    Scott -

    Ear piece metal connectors: You can see them on step 22. If those are not bent up enough (laying flat) you won't have contact with the logic board... and no more audio from the ear piece. This is what happened to me. I had to unmount it again to bend them and hop the ear piece worked again!

    chuvux -

    This was a very tricky part. Just make sure that you don't put pressure on the login board to get it into place, take your time and ease it in. There will be a bit of spring in it when you push down which is a combination of the folded LCD and Digitizer Ribbon Cables and the two copper contacts underneath.

    gregjames -

    This was absolutely the hardest part - had to do it over many times. The digitizer ribbon cable kept insisting on folding up under the logic board. Tip: do not let the cable fold up, even it that's how it naturally wants to go, it will be too short.

    Julian Boilen -

    My small gold prong fell off, what do I do now?

    Eric -

    Mine did too but I don't notice anything wrong yet???

    C Khripin -

    hi, the small gold prong (step 19) in my phone is fragile what should i do? what function from that small gold prong? thank you

    Syekh Sulthan R -

    I found it easier to do step 19 after removing the screw (step 20)

    Uffe L -

  20. YQ5QphIhGgHydxgO

    • Remove the single 2.4 mm Phillips screw securing the speaker enclosure to the side of the inner frame.

    Note: During assembly, do not put another screw on the left side just yet. Otherwise you would not be able to install the motherboard in the next step.

    taras -

    Well thats where I messed up

    Addison Rasmussen -

    step 20 speaker screw was stripped from the factory! aaaagh! took some tweaking but got it out using a little drill bit and forcing a standard screwdriver in the divot and cranking it out. the screw is absolutely necessary to reinstall too, so that was tough.

    travisray -

    that screw is unscrewable!! I think the factory ruined the cross while assembly and no screwdriver can grab it anymore!!! arrggg... coming to this point it's already so hard.. I don't want to re assemble everything without fixing this home button!!!

    supernova -

  21. WvNZUb2Sw2pWwlBm
    WvNZUb2Sw2pWwlBm
    5pXfK1eLwlZXtniY

    • Remove the speaker enclosure from the iPhone.

    • Before re-fastening the speaker enclosure to the inner frame, be sure the four small EMI fingers rest below the lip of the LCD frame.

    • Before reassembly, be sure to clean all metal-to-metal contact points between the EMI fingers and the internal frame as well as the brass screw mounting point with a de-greaser such as Windex. The oils on your fingers have the potential to cause wireless interference issues.

    the EMI fingers are VERY fragile...

    David Iwanicki -

    Agreed. I broke mine off the first time I removed it.

    Scott Head -

    Me too, are they that important, can i put it back together without them?

    romaine -

    'and then there were THREE' yup i broke off one as well. hint on re-assembly; put in the speaker box, and working from left to right, apply a fair amt of downward pressure and use a tiny flat-blade screwdriver to push the tip of the emi fingers toward the speaker box, go left to right so you can put in the screw on the right side when done.

    awr -

    what happens if they break off?

    bobop10 -

    I broke 2 of the 4 off (both on the left side) and haven't noticed any difference in the functioning of the phone.

    justinstayton -

    I broke off the right-most one (closest to the microphone) and after reassembly my signal strength was poor and dropped easily. I replaced the antenna/speaker unit with one from a 4s (the cable was a touch longer; but, solved with some bending) and made sure to really clean the contacts (and not break any)... long story short, intact fingers and cleaning has resulted in better signal strength than prior to the repair! go figure!

    ccfoster -

    I agree they are very fragile! I broke off 1 EMF finger by pressing it down - wish i had read comments 1st! Phone still seems to work Ok, but gave me a scare.

    Paul baskeyfield -

    Where are the emi fingers in the picture??

    Eli Stettner -

    The four small metal prongs on the edge of the black speaker housing, and up against the LCD panel's edge

    Nicholas -

  22. JQsVaSprsS4NUkaF
    JQsVaSprsS4NUkaF
    UEZaMntCUVdK5Awb

    • Remove the following two screws securing the vibrator to the inner frame:

    • One 6 mm Phillips

    • One 1.4 mm Phillips

    • Remove the vibrator from the iPhone.

    There is a square, metal bar that fits into a slot on the right side of the vibrator. The 1.4mm screw threads into this bar. It fell out when I first flipped it over the phone to remove the screen. Look out for that.

    Andy Dittrich -

    On reassembly I broke the 1.4mm screw. The head fell off and the thread stood within. It worked fine attached just by the other one, but caution when fastening these 1.4mm screws.

    Marcos Lima -

  23. XEwACIdsUhc6eNTV

    • Remove the 1.5 mm Phillips screw securing the front panel near the headphone jack.

    When I removed the screw from here I also found a small rubber piece. It is about 8mm long and 2mm wide, and it has a channel down the centre of it. I couldn't figure out where it came from but the phone seems to be perfectly fine without it. I thought it could possibly be some sort of anti-vibration damper for the vibrator although I am not sure. I couldn't see it in any of the pictures.

    The Talent -

    You can find ist on picture step 20 - right down under the red circle, between frame an speakerbox

    Thorsten -

    The rubber piece Thorsten is describing is a different one, smaller than the one The Talent is mentioning. The one with the channel down the centre of it, I dont know where it goes.

    computer -

    hi,

    what do i do if i have lost that screw i droped it and now i cant find it does it matter if i dont put it in?

    jett -

    Referring to the exact screw that is circled in red, I cannot seem to get this particular screw to thread properly during the reassemble process. I have found that I had to add another 15-20 min to my assembly/dis-assembly due to the fact I have to remove the earphone jack and the antenna that is in this corner, too. Any suggestions on how to get this screw to thread w/o doing the extra steps? Need of help, Please

    aggiphixit -

    The small rubber piece The Talent mentioned is actually mentioned on Step 18, the last bullet (pin) point there.

    Jonathan Chan -

  24. fhgLfQsdWpewFCCR

    • Remove the three large-headed 1.5 mm Phillips screws along the volume button side of the iPhone.

    • Keep track of the washers under each of the screws.

    • Tip: It can be tricky, but it is also possible to just loosen the large-headed 1.5 mm Phillips screws slightly, without having to remove and replace the screw-and-washer set.

    If your objective is to remove the front panel only, you do not need to remove any of the "large-headed" 1.5 mm Phillips screws, but only loosen them slightly. Putting these screws back can be quite a hassle, and there's really no need for it. When replacing the front panel, take care of the position of the washers (they should be in between the case and screw head.

    klubn -

    i tried using the 'only loosen' method on half, and found out because of the washers, they interfered during reassembly. it was very easy to replace them by setting the phone down on its side (propped up so as not to tip) and use a tweezer to put in the washer then screws, it was simple.

    awr -

    I used tweezers. Worked great. Til i applied too much pressure and one of the washers went whizzing away into oblivion.

    crimney -

    I also used very fine tweezers (from a swiss army knife) to hold the washer and screw from the side as I positioned the screw over the hole, and then placed carefully the screwdriver tip onto the screw before releasing. worked fine. I found this the hardest part of the whole reassemble process.

    Victor -

  25. eQuJ2y3HHMmyVMiG

    • Remove the 1.5 mm Phillips screw near the lower microphone.

    However, the four "1.5 mm Phillips screws", in each of the four corners, will need to be completely removed (and, subsequently, replaced during re-assembly).

    klubn -

  26. JIrsHkBkCRKyI4dC

    • Remove the 1.5 mm Phillips screw near the dock connector ribbon cable.

    My screw here turned out to be rusted, so was REALLY tough to remove, I pretty much stripped it whilst getting it out with a 1.0 flathead. Not sure if this area is prone to getting wet, but be warned. I noticed an orange tinge to the screw before I started but thought it was a reflection from the ribbon.

    Dave -

    This screw was also extremely rusty on my unit - so much so that it never came loose. I tried every angle and position but it just kept stripping out the Phillips head. Needless to say, I didn't actually get the home button replaced, because I could never get the screen off. But by doing all the steps up until this, I was able to get everything loose enough to check the home button connections, clean stuff up, wiggle things around a little, and get said button working properly again.

    But yeah, apparently this area IS prone to water/rust. I know my iPhone's gotten wet-ish before, so I guess it made it in here enough to rust out the screw. As Dave said, ye be warned.

    outof2n -

  27. N45Z3mPZMZ2v6Zs2

    • Remove the three large-headed 1.5 mm Phillips screws along the SIM card side of the iPhone.

    • Keep track of the washers under each of the screws.

    • Tip: It can be tricky, but it is also possible to just loosen the large-headed 1.5 mm Phillips screws slightly, without having to remove and replace the screw-and-washer set.

    • Remove the small-headed 1.5 mm Phillips screw near the rear camera (previously removed).

    I just loosened them and it worked fine!

    Leigh Ellis -

    Yep, absolutely. And you will save a great amount of time. :)

    Titelive -

    Removing the washer and screw is easy, but getting them back on is extremely hard unless you have midget fingers. The magnetic driver really doesn't help, just keeps dislodging the washer in its place when attempting to to reinsert screw. Using a non magnetic Phillips 0.

    Chris -

    I cannot get the flat headed screws out for the life of me - I've been trying for about half an hour! any tips?

    kxthleen -

    Same problem

    gelmi -

    No matter how hard I try, I cannot get these screws out! I had the same problem on the other side (step 24) as well. My screen has previously been replaced by a 'trained professional' but they have stripped all of the large flat-headed screws, making it impossible for me to get them out!

    In need of serious help/advice/techniques for getting these God-forsaken screws out!!!!

    Becca H -

    Did you find a solution? Same problem

    gelmi -

    Use a thin rubber-band between the screw and the screwdriver to compensate for the lack of grip for the screwdriver

    Joe Is -

    i couldn't get all the large headed screws out, two where stuck. So i gently removed all the other screws in the following steps, and pulled the front cover gently out by moving gently and breaking some parts of the front screen (which i throw away anyway) After that the remaining screws became looser, and were able to screw up and down.

    nickzielinski -

    anobody please tell me which one screwdriver i should use to loose the flat-headed screws?

    aiman Danial -

    The tools are listed at the top of the guide, all of the Phillips screws in the guide are the same #000 size listed there.

    Sam Goldheart -

  28. KbfbaQIRNUrSpMt4
    KbfbaQIRNUrSpMt4
    TOXL3W3paGwiZOIG

    • Carefully insert the edge of an iPod opening tool between the rubber bezel around the front glass panel and the steel inner frame.

    • Do not attempt to insert the tool between the glass and the rubber bezel.

    • Carefully pry the upper edge of the front panel assembly away from the steel inner frame.

    A small approx 8mm by 3mm by 1mm black piece of rubber fell out of the phone when I turned it over. Any idea where it's from? Thanks.

    Courtney -

    happened to me too.. did you ever hear anything from anyone else?

    sgoodwin -

    If it's square then it could be the piece that sits next to the dock connector on top of the little black speaker? Do you have a photo of it?

    Dan Simon -

    This is the photo:

    http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/543...

    Any idea where this goes?

    Rajan -

    Found it. It's clearly mentioned in step 18.

    http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/835/i...

    Rajan -

    Great guide. When you are prying the glass screen off be extremely careful not to lift the top of the too high. If you do lift it too high then the glass at the bottom of the phone will easily crack.

    jeffchambers -

    My glass refuses to budge ! I broke two ipod tools trying to get the glass off ! Reassembling phone, will try again some other time... There has to be an easier way to get the glass off...

    Demetre -

    If you use a hair dryer to soften the glue, it seems to do the trick. Just dont hold too close to melt anything. Did this with an Atrix a few times.

    Jim -

    Definitely use a hairdryer to loosen the glue below the power button to get the spudger started.

    BradfordB -

    Since my screen was shattered, let's face it which is the main reason to replace the screen, it completely came apart around the button. Use of a hair dryer would have been a useful tip, however I don't blow dry my hair and so don't have one. A warm towel just doesn't cut it.

    I just need it to work for a few more months until the iPhone 6 comes out.

    zeristor -

    The square piece your are referring to is the rubber piece that fits on the logic board. It seats on the logic board between the orange circled screw and the green circled screw in step 13. To date, I had one fall off during my third IPhone 4 screen repair. Needles to say, I had to part the entire phone out due to one stripped screw in the corner that was holding on the bracket to the screen. Luckily the screen and LCD was already missing and all that was left was the backlight.

    aggiphixit -

    My screen wouldn't budge, nothing I tried couldn't get the plastic spudger started, even having the whole phone heated to loosen the adhesive. The way I worked it through was to *gently* push a small (2-3 cm) blade around the power button into the edge between the screen bezel and the steel frame. The hard steel blade started a small crevice, then I could work my way around with the plastic tool as described.

    Hope that helps if your screen is as stuck as mine.

    Tomek -

    use silicone baking pan, or a new ziplock (1/2 gal). Fill it with boiling water, then place it on top of the screen for 90 sec. Then remove it and place small suction cap near the top of the screen. Apply steady pull to the cap while holding the frame with other hand.

    it500 -

  29. I2IEe4fJKm4xi4MX
    I2IEe4fJKm4xi4MX
    tnpSXPnWDONHvXBD

    • Slowly and gently lift the top edge of the front panel assembly away from the steel inner frame.

    • Continue to rotate the front panel assembly away from the steel inner frame until it slowly begins to peel off the adhesive applied below the home button area.

    • It may be easiest to insert a spudger at the top and work it around the edges, spreading gently as you go.

    • Carefully pull the lower edge of the front panel assembly away from the steel inner frame.

    • Be careful, if the home button sticks to the front panel you may tear the home button cable.

    • Do not pull the front glass completely away from the frame. Doing so may result In damage to the digitizer cable.

    • If the glass is cracked (which it probably is since you're replacing it) removing the panel is likely to cause it to bend, kicking off small shards of glass. Before you do this step, cover the front with clear tape, then perform the actual removal over a trash can. Protective eyewear would also be prudent.

    Be very, very careful when removing a broken screen. My experience was that while most of the broken screen came off, there were many smaller pieces which were stuck to the area around the home button as well as the camera lens. I took my time and used narrow-headed tweezers to remove countless shards of glass. Likewise, I found what I think was an adhesive membrane which I think was supposed to come off with the front screen but remained stuck to the frame. After some head-scratching on my part, I removed the adhesive membrane (tape) and hoped I wasn't removing something important. Thankfully, once reassembled, the phone worked fine!

    ellamama -

    I have used clear tape placing it on the screen so that the shards of glass will stay in one piece. This worked out for me hopefully someone will try it.

    aggiphixit -

    Removing the screen in the step was a little tricky… The home button got stuck in the display hole and the ribbon cable broke. Another 20$ down the drain…

    Timothy Owens -

  30. rKlUIM2Vcg3AmRU2
    rKlUIM2Vcg3AmRU2
    sBSJCdrLN4rqPWKK
    4ek655It1ZvMfCnD

    • De-route the digitizer and LCD cables through the steel inner frame, and remove the display from the iPhone.

    • When reinstalling the display, carefully straighten the digitizer and LCD data cables, and feed them through the slot cut in the steel frame. This photo shows the display assembly being installed incorrectly, with a fold in the digitizer cable.

    • When the front panel has been correctly installed, both the LCD and digitizer cables should be immediately next to one another and should be the same length, as shown in the second photo.

    • If the digitizer cable has not been installed correctly, it will not reach its socket on the logic board. Do not attempt to pull it through by force, or it will tear. Remove the display assembly, straighten the cable, and feed it through to its full length, as shown.

    • During reassembly, do not touch the metallic area at the base of the LCD data cable, as this can cause problems with the LCD. If you do touch it accidentally, clean it gently with an alcohol wipe before continuing.

    It is indeed easy to pinch the digitizer cable in particular between the top of the glass and the metal backing underneath. Be careful.

    jonathan -

    one of the cables has a fold or something making it 'double' so there are really THREE cables that must be fed through the hole (one just doesn't go anywhere). I used a tiny tweezer to aid with re-routing the cables and it was FAR easier.

    awr -

    If you do have to replace the Camera Ring, I find it much easier to put some double sided 3m on the Display where the ring would go, then put the ring ON the camera, not the display. Also if you need to replace the camera ring, your prob gonna have to replace the ear screen, its easier in the long run just to replace it. Please do not glue either piece on.

    Mark -

    Sounds dumb but make sure you remove the (usually blue) protective sheet from the mirror surface on the interior of the new display. I didn't and I had to redo the whole process!

    Colin -

    CAUTION! When rerouting the LCD and Digitizer cables, DO NOT PULL ON THEM! I tried to re situate the Digitizer cable in order to mount onto the speaker enclosure, which broke the digitizer right off.

    Henry -

    This is the only part that was a little tricky for me. When I was reinstalling the LCD panel it took me a few tries to get the connectors and cables through the holes correctly, and not pinched by the frame. Take it slow and be gentle.

    jefferydunn -

    My bf claims I have to replace the LCD if I take it off. Is that true?

    Crystal -

    This part was very tricky because you need to make sure you have enough slack from the LCD and Digitizer cables. Take your time to make sure that the cables are fully through, even the slightest pinch will be enough for this to not reach and you have to redo it again (a massive pain if you've already started the reassembly. - A good way to test this is to before you reassemble try placing the logic board on top where the LCD and Digitizer cables will fit into, if they reach fine then you are good, if not then adjust the cables again until you know they are through completely, this saves you having to disassemble again if its not correct. - Good Luck and Take your time!

    gregjames -

    It's easy to get the digitizer cable caught and sandwiched when reassembling, make sure you carefully feed it through. I got everything almost assembled and then the digitizer ribbon cable wouldn't reach the connector! I was stuck for 45 mins till I figured it out.

    Slawek -

    Had to back track to this step as the feed through got folded a bit and I couldn't clamp down one of the digitizer cables..... all in all a fantastic tutorial.

    Thanks!

    kaykills -

    I had the same problem and the issue is that ribbon cable gets squared off towards the bottom and has to be fed into the slot more carefully.

    Great guide and great parts offering. Thing 4's ancient iPhone 4 is back in business until I hand him down my 5 when I get the next iPhone this fall.

    larryleonard -

    For some reason when I put the phone back together the screen is dark on the upper left corner. The touch sensitivity works perfectly and the button replacement went well.

    subzerodeath -

    I received a dodgy digitiser - even when i took the screen off again the cables were not the right length.

    alex -

    I thought I had the same problem, but I removed the screen again and found that the thinner cable had folded under itself. At every motion of re-installing the screen, I had to hold those dang cables taught to keep them from folding under again! Ugh. The thin one had a fold in it, but it still worked.

    Mangled Jargon -

    I ripped the LCD cable pulling it too hard, is it fixable?

    Andy -

    At this point make sure that you don't have any broken glass left on the phone. I had, and the screen wouldn't go all the way down.

    Sebastian -

    CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK THE RIBBON CABLES BEFORE YOU PUSH IT DOWN! It really is very easy to mess the whole thing up here...I did! Even when you think you've got both cable through, check from the side, there's a little square bit that catches. If you damage the ribbon at all it's time to buy a new screen and learn from your mistakes.

    andiskin -

    Im at the steap where you have to put the lcd screen and the frame together but at the beginning of this steap removing it! 2 small pieces felt off and I can't find where they belong any one

    Sinuhe Nolazco -

    Don't forget to change the adhesive strips if they're dirty or not enough sticky or your screen will break more easily. :(

    Titelive -

    Does both cables (digitizer and screen) go through the same route (hole)? I did not pay attention while opening the phone and now passed them through the same area. Now the digitizer cable does not reach the board! What should I do?

    Aref -

    be careful how you re install them cables one of them might stuck on the board ..

    Hisham chohan -

  31. 1R1D1sfZwWnjdE5m

    • Your replacement display may come with colored plastic film on the back of the LCD. If so, use the pull tab near the home button to peel the plastic film from the LCD before installing the new display in your iPhone.

    • When replacing the front panel assembly, you may have to reuse the earpiece grille and the clear plastic ring around the front facing camera from the old/damaged assembly. This will depend on where you buy the replacement part.

    • After reassembly, clean the touchscreen surface with an alcohol wipe prior to turning the iPhone back on. The alcohol helps dissipate any lingering static electricity, which can cause problems with the display.

    • After reassembly, connect the iPhone to an AC power source before turning it on for the first time. Once the iPhone has booted up successfully, you can disconnect the AC power.

    • After reassembly, protect your new display from any scratches by installing a new screen protector.

    What happens if it do not take the label??

    leandro19x -

    do you know?

    jplingrand -

    thank you Andrew!

    Vale Bet -

    My screws were all stripped and messed up so ordered new ones, It is now time for resassembly and I am lost! What goes where?! Any tips on how to go about doing this? I have got the main screws and washers in the side and now, I am 100% lost!

    Ellen Tomlinson -

    Perhaps this may no longer be relevant, but you could measure the screws with a micrometer (to be very precise), and match up the lengths of the screws for each step of this guide (as they do specify screw length)

    Nicholas -

    Don't forget to replace the speaker mesh cover!!! My replacement screen didn't come with, and ended up having to repeat the whole procedure just to swap it over.

    Mike Benusic -

    thanks

    to tha iphone lcd replac

    mohsin -

    when I peeled off the red protective piece, the chrome backing also came off with the red protective film!

    Did this just ruin my LCD screen?

    After reassembling it I can hear sounds, but the picture is black.

    Delbert Endres -

    the chrome backing is also coming off mine! Did it work for you????

    Diane -

    Smooth sailing until installing the screen. Wouldn't sit flat at the top. Turned out the front camera was offset and hitting the ring on the display. Removed the front camera as noted in their guide, installed the display, then re-installed the camera. Appreciate the guide and parts.

    Vicente Laluz -

    http://www.mor3ib.com

    zouga1996z -

    How did you replace the camera? I am having the same problem lining up my replacement screen.

    MissHeather -

    I figured it out. I removed the camera, attached the new display screen, and then put the camera back in. It must be a millimeter off because when I did this it worked. I just wanted to add this comment in case anyone else has this problem.

    MissHeather -

    The Silver layer come with the transparent film in my case...

    Nuno Henriques -

Conclusion

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

Author

Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Member since: 17/10/09

502341 Reputation

80 comments

Done! Boy, it took me 1.5 but done. Anyway don't forget guys it's quality that counts so don't hurry up, take your time & get light (lots of light above you). Get a coke and it will work it. I reassembled everything, turned it on and home button working yeah. Ouch, my screen was no more sensitive. I killed the digitizer cable. Lucky me I had another broken iPhone which i took the LCD and put it on my phone. (about 1.5 again to reassemble everything back)

Tip 1: I did the whole thing with [linked product missing or disabled: IF145-047] and I had everything I needed.

Tip 2: Print Home_Button_Screw_Template.pdf (you'll need it) Find a magnet pad to put under your A4 paper. This will help hold the screws.

Tip 3: Use a suction cup at step 28. It found it in my [linked product missing or disabled: IF145-047]

Tip 4: I killed my digitizer cable at step 29 & 30. So please pay double attention there.

Tip 5: Get yourself a beer when finished :)

Rapstorm -

Only do tip 5 AND AGAIN ONLY do if your 21 or older

Ben Capehart -

i did it success but the sensor dosnt work what the problem

abdallah hanoud -

Great guide, but I can't seem to get the back panel on afterwords. All of the plastic tabs seem to line up correctly but it won't slide down into place. Any advise?

Ruben -

I had the same problem.

Rear panel did not seem to slide back in to place.

After googling I found this tip:

Back panel will not slide back on?

If everything looks fine and aligned then you might just need to use a bit more force.

Worked for me :)

Rolf Sommer Kaas -

Wow that took a long time. Almost 2 hours! Fair enough, I've never done it before, and it was for a colleague so I was being extra careful!

As long as you take your time and remember which screw is which, it's fairly straightforward if time consuming. I'd recommend printing the image out in step 13 - some of the screws are incredibly similar. It will help you with which is which when you come to put it back together.

The guys at ifixit are brilliant! I couldn't have done it without this guide!

Alan Shenton -

Finally got it done. Had real issues with the screwdriver fit; I ended up filing down the tip and all the edges by a few microns to get it to bite the screws enough. Corner screws were an absolute nightmare. Also, the front camera mount on my new screen was mounted badly by about 10 degrees rotation, so that had to come off so I could reuse the original. Thankfully everything is working properly and good as new again.

Lesson learned... never drop an iPhone 4/4S!

darthvalkyr -

Just finished this - Was fairly straight forward and only issues were freeing the battery (Used hairdryer to soften the glue) and getting the logic board back in which was fiddly as some thing thats very fiddly. Result is great - very satisfying when it restarts. Display is slightly brighter than it was so may have to recheck some connections or maybe its just a warming up thing from first use.

Paul Manzi -

Done- Twice! First time everything seemed OK, but then when we turned it on the screen flashed white once, and then went black. Nothing worked but the vibrate switch. I reopened it, figuring maybe I connected something wrong, went back to the stage with the 5 connectors (Step 17), lifted everything up and reattached them. Then closed it all up and the apple icon showed when turned on- for about 6 minutes. And then suddenly everything worked.

The second time, my own iPhone, it took 3 full disconnects and reconnects of the LCD & digitizer to get everything working.

My point- don't despair if it didn't work the first time. Chances are something's loose or not connected right and if you come at it fresh the next morning you might just get it right on the second try. Or third.

Shifra -

Hello, I recently changed to a display iPhone 4 and when I open it I do not nimic.Touch displays the works. And the screen is light.'s What it could be? Thank you! Please help me

Florin Constandache -

The guide explains perfectly the process to change the display. It took me around 1hour to replace the display being very careful with all the screws and parts (print Home_Button_Screw_Template.pdf, you will need it).

When assembling the iPhone back I forgot the antenna cable (step 11) below the logic board and had to disassemble almost everything to release it.

Thank you very much for this wonderful guide!!!

Sergio Fernandez -

I have just replaced my screen on my iphone 4 and was thrilled to see it working again, however, I cannot get a signal? Is it something to do with step 13 and the 4.8mm screw that holds the spring washer. Mine pinged off when dismantling and I'm hoping I have put it back correctly? I did look at the link that shows where this washer should be attached. Not sure if it's this that is responsible for my lack of signal? Can you help? I have to say that these are very impressive and easy to follow instructions. Just a shame this washer detached its self

Jackie 19 nov 2013

jackie -

Fantastic guide, fixed my gf's iPhone and everything worked perfectly afterwards :-)

Many thanks.

Karsten Juhler -

Hey, i have succesfully done everything so far.. but somehow 1cm of the right side wont work.. did i damage and contacts?

andrej -

Just the left edge of the digitizer isn't working. Not possible to type Q. Everything went together rather well. I reseated the digitizer connector but still doesn't work. Any ideas or do I need to purchase a whole new LCD assembly?

mark -

Hi - I also have the left hand side / botttom of screen not working (Q and - key). Any ideas?

Craig -

This guide is very thorough and accurate. I would definitely recommend reading through it at least once before starting.

I used two ice cube trays (dried out of course) to keep all the screws organized.

Took about an hour to complete. I had to remove the new display because I didn't pull both ribbon cables through all the way when installing it. That was the trickiest part for me.

zachrye -

woohoo Done ! Tanks for the Jelly Bears (Europe shipping) by the way !

Works flawlessly now !

bmerciergallay -

I fixed my iPhone so here are tips if this is your first time.

1. Wear surgeon gloves.

I recommend this because any grease on your fingers may cause an electrical issue with the metal components of the device.

2. Connect your laptop to a TV via HDMI cable.

Even though this isn't a necessity it helped speed up my repair as I could just look up to my TV screen rather than look at my laptop, and since my TV is wall-mounted right in front of my desk so I saved a lot of space on my desk, and I connected a mouse to my laptop, put the mouse on my desk and left the laptop on the floor and whenever I wanted to scroll down I used the mouse and looked at my TV.

3. Use a magnetic whiteboard.

You can get one of these off of Amazon for about $15 and they help keep your screws in order and if you lose one of these screws the performance of your iPhone could deteriorate.

4. Fix iPhone in suitable environment.

Keep the room clean so you don't lose the screws. Also keep it cool and try to reduce disturbances to a low.

hobgtav23 -

Thank you for this wonderful guide it was helpfull lay down tape so you can put the screws on that it saves confusion.

Ben -

Did this carefully, apparently successfully, but when I turned it on the screen was blurry, the colours inverted. What could the ploblem be, have you got any recommendations?

Thank you very much!

Sofie -

i did the replacement, all functions of the phone works fine, but the color quality of the new display has been changed, pure black color won't appear in the display, a brown mixed black color given, please help what is the reason?

Asela -

Success :-)

Out with the old screen and in with the new. My iPhone 4 is also unique now, as it was black and I installed a white front. Kinda looks cool with a black button and back. Nice contrast.

Note to others: Take your time, be patient and above all stay organized.

Good luck

0RAZ10 -

I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place to ask this but any help is very much appreciated...front panel was removed, actually not even fully removed just lifted up and then snapped back in place (before we realized we were doing something wrong) and now the phone won't even power on. I've held down power button several timesand up to 30 seconds. Have also held down power and home button together but still nothing. Any idea what i've done and/or how to fix it?!?!? :/

rachel -

Hi, I try to change my broken screen assembly whit replacment, but the new screen doesn't work. My question is does the fact that my iphone 4 whit IOS 5,1 (jailbroken) have effect on new screen. Do I have to update maybe or revers jailbreak. Let me just say I have two new screen assembly and not one work's!!! ????

Does anybody have any info??

thnx

Mario -

Ofcourse your ios has nothing to do with your but your ios is indeed old and better update it. You just need to have your screen repaired somewhere even if it appears that you can manage doing this by your own as explained in this article guide.

http://vigorouslifestyle.blogspot.com/20...

lahcen benkerkiche -

Ha 2 hours but everything works fine Thank you

Bruce de Groot -

totally easy, took me less than an hour, just go slow. I magnetized my screwdriver to make putting the screws back in much easier. Also, just be very gentle putting things back together, rather than push or force, look for a reason that things are not fitting. I had trouble with the logic board but once I figured out the right angle to put it in, it went in easily. Wear magnifying glasses!

drewh1 -

100% excellent guide! I recommended magnetising your screw drivers to make things quicker especially with the corner screws! While I had it all apart took the opportunity to fix/replace other things I.e home button and connection, etc

Cassie -

Thanks so much for this guide! My husband and daughters think I'm a GENIUS for repairing my 12 y.o.'s iPhone 4. Slow and steady is the way to go. A couple of hints/suggestions: use pieces of double sided tape on the "worksheet" to help hold the screws upon their removal. I'd ordered a set of replacement screws in anticipation of losing one in the repair process but to my astonishment I was able to keep track of every piece of hardware. Likewise, small, narrow-tipped tweezers can come in very handy. This is particularly true when trying to remove pieces of shattered glass stuck to the panel. Likewise, I found a magnification lamp (magnifying glass with a light on an adjustable arm) very helpful.

ellamama -

Hello I have never seen tweezers as part of the required tools but I find it impossible to reassemble without one! Anyone did it without a tweezer? Thanks

alice -

Hello!, I made the complete process and everything seen to be good, however when I´m going to turn it on, it does not work at all. Anyone had the same problem or know what to do in this case? thank you all for your help.

andres -

So many little tiny screws! I wasn't sure how I was going to get them all back in their holes, since the screwdrivers that came with the kit weren't magnetized - extremely difficult to accurately place a speck of metal with a fat finger. I attached a decent magnet I had to the shafts of the 3 drivers and left overnight. In the morning my screwdrivers were lightly magnetized. Worked like a charm!

rolfsf -

There's no need to clean metal-to-metal contact points with a de-greaser to remove the oils on your fingers, if, like me, you work with latex , nitril or vinyl gloves. :)

hugues -

I replaced the front and rear screen on the iPhone 4 ATT type.

ifixit sent the wrong rear cover but replaced it quickly. The rear cover really is an easy fix.

The front cover replacement is not easy. It took me 4 hours and I was perhaps overly careful and took a few breaks but and ended up making a few mistakes:

1. I taped the glass to prevent glass shards from flying everywhere when i took off the panel. The tape stuck to the home button and caused me to rip the wire connecting it to the rest of the phone. Now I have to replace the home button.

2. The itty bitty connectors need to snap into place. You need to be aware that this requires you to sense when it happens or not happens. I ended up re-opening the cover and re-connecting two different connectors.

3. It is extremely helpful to label which screws come off at which step.

4. Take pictures before you remove anything.

5. Work with a great light on a clean surface.

6. The instructions are good but snuggling the boards is tricky.

wdmac3 -

People should know that LDC connector cable is very fragile and it can cause complication or would have to be replaced. Most parts suppliers would not sell those separately. Be very careful while connecting it to the board.

Kris A -

Outstanding instructions.

Phone is like new.

damian -

When puting mine back together a little peace fell out and I don't know what it is or where it goes! It looks like a screw goes through it! Any help?

Rose -

Fixed with no problems as of yet. Also installed a new battery while I was at it. Took me 3 hours total - it's not a race, and I wanted to make sure I did a proper job. The colored assembly screw template was extremely helpful. Taped it to the desk beside me as suggested and everything was very organized.

You'll hear a positive click sound when connecting the cables. Make sure all the connections are tight, take your time and follow the instructions and everything should be good!

consumerzombie -

the problem with my aunt's iphone was that the LCD screen turned into funny color ribbon. we think that was the guy who replaced the battery for us a few months ago knocked off the digitizer ribbon a bit and after sometime this partially loosen contact spoilt the screen. cause the first time i dissembled the phone the ribbon came off without me touching it. i bought the replacement screen and followed exactly this guide (where such i found that that guy also lost some of the screws along the way by doing something as simple as to replace the %#*@ battery). it works perfectly fine since then.

three things to note:

1. i am with some of you guys that a small mystery rubber piece fell off and i didn't bother to put it back. the phone works like charm.

2. the home button is dying. i don't know it is because of the poor quality of the replacement part or my fault.

3. there is a mystery tiny steel column attached to the 1.4mm philips screw in step 22. i put it back to its hole and it gone missing finally.

Thanks!!

meaningless -

this is bs, i took apart my phone but the new screen doesnt fit. I bought the correct package also, I WANT MY MONEY BACK

jfrac601 -

Perfekt, es hat mich ziemlich genau 1 Stunde Zeit gekostet, hatte eine Disassebly Screw Template aus dem Netz geladen, sehr zu empfehlen. Funktioniert wieder alles wie gewohnt. Seeeeehr geniale Anleitung, vielen Dank, habe mir damit 100€ gespart.

Klausi -

Hallo,

die Anleitung ist wirklich super. Allerdings fehlt eine Detail.

Beim Rausheben des Logic Boards kann sich ein kleiner schwarzer Gummibalken lösen, der einem irgendwann entgegenkommt! Dieser gehört an das obere Ende zwischen Board und Digitizer/LCD Kabel. Er schützt den Knick im Kabel.

Ansonsten habe ich alles zweimal machen müssen, den bei meinem Display fehlte am Hörschlitz der Schutz. Das habe ich aber erst gesehen als ich fertig war! Also alles noch einmal und den Schutz vom Alten Display genommen.

Thorsten -

I have always been someone who likes to tinker and repair stuff. This was no different just a little greater challange. Disassembling the phone was typical and time consuming because I had a lot of glass shards to remove from both the front and the back of the phone. Once I started to re-assemble the phone I had to step back and undo and redo until I got it right. The phone looks like new and works like new, I could do this as a job! Thanks Again!

Tim Price -

Great guide. Thanks for putting this out. Went right through with no issues.

Jeff Circle -

that helps

.

emily -

Phew! This was one of the trickiest repairs I've done. I've repaired numerous Apple laptops, but these things are really insane.

Trouble spots:

There are four tabs on the speaker assembly, one of mine snapped off because I'd be prying one into place and another would pop out, etc...

Also, it took me numerous attempts to get the logic board in properly. At first the thinner screen cable had gotten folded under itself by having gotten stuck to the glue. Also the sliver block in the wider ribbon has to be pressed down harder so that the logic board can seat deeper. It was hard to tell how far down into the frame the logic board was supposed to go. An oblique photo would really help here.

Other tricky spots, well those round RF connectors are always a problem. I mashed on good on a Mac Mini once.

Be REALLY careful putting the ribbon cable connectors back on!

I took a lot of time, about 2 and a half hours, because I didn't want to break something by being impatient.

Mangled Jargon -

TIP! First things first - test your new LCD before dismantling the iPhone so as to help ensure its not a duff new LCD and avoiding wasting 1-2 hours. Follow steps 1, 2, 3, and 17 (first 2 connectors). Carefully power up and carefully test its touch screen function, moving apps, and so on. All good? power down and remove new screen (step 17 (first 2 connectors)) and resume at step 4.

TIP!! If your old screen is smashed and you've covered it in sticky tape to hold it together take care at step #28 - you need to ensure that the tape isn't adhering the old screen to the metal frame. You also need to ensure that the Home button is not taped to the old screen either - being stuck to the old screen when you separate it, will probably rip the tiny flex that connects the button to the iphone. New Home buttons are not expensive but a total pain to have to wait to rebuild your iphone while you wait for a new Home button to arrive!

TIP!! Ensure the tiny transparent camera bezel is not left on the old screen.

Mark Curtis -

help.

i did this repair but when i plugged the phone in it just vibrated

thanks in advance

florofailure -

Thank you for the excellent guide! So many "tutorials" on Youtube skip over essential steps/screws. Having a thorough walk-through made the replacement process as efficient as possible. Now, I finally restored my old iPhone 4 to use as a 32GB iPod!

ThomasL -

Just repaired my old iPhone 4 I dropped before. Yes this phone is old but the screens are really cheap now. Paid $13 for mine. I can always use the phone as remote control or something like that :-)

This is definitely not for beginners and takes 1-2 hours to do properly.

Most difficult parts: (1) The screws on the inside corners are a pain to get back in. As the metal frame is part of the antenna, you really need to place all screws back to keep the original performance. Tweezers are very handy here but not included in many kits. (2) getting the old screen loose & removing the old glue pad without breaking the home button takes time.

I was careful and avoided breaking anything, now my phone is like new!! Thanks.

Rob Smit -

Is this to replace the LCD screen or glass?

neo973 -

Very good guide! Pictures are high quality,and everything is described in right order. Just follow guide step by step and you'll get all well. If you decide to buy display from aliexpress, you'll get tools also. Thanks

Dragan -

I replaced it without big issues. The only thing I didn't do right at first was straightening the cables. After removing the screen and straightening the cables, everything seems to work fine.

Thanks for the detailed information.

Pauwels Bart -

Fixed the iPhone 4 display following this guide. Cracked the screen and wanted to fix it to keep as a spare. Followed the guide, reassembled the phone, and all works. Thank you.

Kevin Breen -

Hi. Could anyone please HELP.

On serveral occasions I have repaired iPhone 4 screens, and when I have finished and reinstall the SIM card, the phone always switches from "searching" to "no service." I have performed hard resents and put the phone back to DFU mode but it doesn't help. I have been told it could be a hardware issue such as a fried base band chip. However, I have tried to switch motherboards but this does not work either. My question is what other hardware issues could be causing the SIM card not to work?

I am pretty desperate to resolve this issue as I have people depending on me. Much appreciated

Monique Rose -

it gives me help but my lcd is not work and damaged in step 30 31 it was the very very difficult work in the iphone.

devsharmasb -

Great guide. (iFixit always has the best repair/replace manuals so no surprise there.) Took me a while longer than an hour, but that's because I'm slow AND I was taking my time. The photos are almost entirely exhaustive, so it's pretty easy to follow along. Could use photos with slightly different angles on Steps 22&23, just to see better what all those little connectors are supposed to look like when lined up properly. But overall, A+ excellent. First time I've replaced a screen, though I've been this deep into the phone before for other parts, but the replacement (also purchased thru iFixit) works great now. So much nicer having a screen I can SEE instead of all those messed-up cracks and lines and dead spots.

outof2n -

Newbe here. First time atempt . IFIXEDIT!

Fantastic guide . Template is a must .

Took longer than two hours but was being extra careful.

Thanks to all that contributed with helpful tips too.

Thanks IFIXIT,

forbzie13 -

Does both LCD cables (digitizer and screen) go through the same route (hole) while reassembling? I did not pay attention while opening the phone and now passed them through the same area. Now the digitizer cable does not reach the board! Can anyone help me please?

Aref -

An vertical area on left side of my touchscreen (letters F,R,X (QUERTZ)) don't working after i've repaced it.

I testet it with 3 other Touchscreens with the same result. Maybe any SMD-part of the mainboard broken ?

Any idea to fix it?

Doc Ossi -

never again iphone with this stupid microscopic screws and connectors

f. off apple

Dedo Jozef -

Dropped my iPhone4. Screen wasn't broken, but it also would not light up or display anything. I could tell the phone was on. Opened it up and disassembled to the LCD and Digitizer step... pressed the connectors down. heard a gentle snap as the plug re-engaged. Reassembled and it works great. Thanks.

skip -

Did this again for the second time! My wife has broken the screen twice now dropping it - when in a case! Grrrr

Using the 64 bit tool kit, a Jimmy tool, a magnetic project mat, a finally magnifying glasses made , and of course this excellent guide it a doable project!

Thanks iFixit!

tim -

اريد ان صبح محترف في صيانه الاجهزه انا هوايتي هذه الاشياء ولكن انا مبتدأ

mohmmed.m.m19971999 -

Great guide - everyhing was explained in detail - except the the 2 tricky things;

1) flatten the cables of the LCD (no picture/close up of it) when putting it back as it prevents all he issues that people had

2) putting back the logic board so it will fit exactly - another close up picture would be great

now after replacing the screen - i connected the cable and the apple logo showed- after a few minutes when i wanted to check it - nothing ...

tried reset etc- do i have to open it again ? anyone had the issue and knows what could be the problem/what to check for ?

now when i reconnect it to the cable i hear the connection sound, but that's it.

Benjamin Klomfass -

My sister has an iPhone 4 GSM, one day I opened it to clean it, but the display began to show "spots" and dark parts. I asked for a new display, and the iPhone has returned to work without problems. My sister is going to give it to a friend. Greetings.

[deleted] -

After replacing screen and screwing everything together it won't turn on. I also can't screw in the battery connecter. What should I do?

Yealoff. f -

EDIT: Got this right at the end. The LCD cable was plugged in very badly.

Yealoff. f -

After 3 attempts, everything works fine except the touch screen function.

I cleaned every metal parts (and no connectors) with alcool and reset the phone.

Any idea someone? May be i should try again with the former screen.

Mister ModjoRisin -

Iphone 4 screen replaced today. Excellent repair guide. This b stock screen is better than some new knock offs out there. In addition it seems to be an original iPhone screen. There are no variations is LCD color when viewed from the sides.

Fixandtinker -

Great.. It took more than an hour but the instructions are very clear. Please add a care note for connecting back the antenna. It took lot of time for me to reconnect.

Sriram Nadiminti -

Done. I took my time and the most difficult chapter was to put on the new screen and get the cables through the hole without crushing them behind the screen. Oh and find a good screen, too : most parts are good enough for the price, but I wonder where we could get actual retina apple display. Apple does not support iPhone 4 anymore, they should release their stock.

Benoit Heylens -

No particular issues with the strip down and rebuild but it is not starting. The phone/battery has not been used in a long while and may be so depleted it will not take charge. Any ideas?

rarazzell -

If the battery is extremely depleted, the phone won’t boot until it’s charged up a bit (even when plugged in). Connect it to power for half an hour or so and try again. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to go through some additional troubleshooting steps—check the forums for help. Good luck!

Jeff Suovanen -

в русском переводе будет?

Антон -

Hey so i screwed around with my old iphone 4

when i took it apart i split the front glass from the backlight and now theres only a small spot where i can see the screen the rest is black with a few white spots.

there was a liquid between them which my dumbass though cleaning it away would be a good idea… now my whole screen is black

now to my question, is the liquid toxic at all? It was oily and evaporating while the screen was split

ElementlessOW -

tha &&^& this was totally unecesary if you pull on the screen hard enough it will pop out and then you can push really hard to get it back in

Ricardo Nunez -

very good guide… it makes the job really easy to do.

Nicolas Schoonbroodt -

My touch screen connector is not long enough

Haiden williamshwilliams8548 -