iPhone 4 Cellular Antenna Replacement

Written By: Andrew Bookholt
  • Comments: 78
iPhone 4 Cellular Antenna Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

14

Time Required

25 - 45 minutes

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the cellular antenna normally adhered to the speaker enclosure.

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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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    • 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.

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

    Ahh! I had a problem here. First two times, I still had no charging and home button,Third time I got it. When putting it the cable back on to the logic board it never sat right. On my third try I heard a click! I finished putting everything else back together and it worked.

    derrickblair27 -

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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.

    unfortunatelly the gold shimmering rubber layer that kept down the cable tore up a bit and one of the gold contact lines is now visible. Will this interfere, is the gold shimmering rubber shielding the cable from the metal or is it "just" rubber that keeps the cable down?

    In other word; will I have to replace the gold shimmering rubber layer or can I just turn it back down even if it's a bit torn?

    ZizzyLizzy -

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

    The uFL connector on the board does not hold any more. Can anyone suggest me how to make this stay again, or do I really need to replace the antenna?

    patrickbrueckner87 -

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    • Remove the following screws securing the speaker enclosure assembly to the outer case:

    • One 1.9 mm Phillips screw

    • One 2.4 mm Phillips screw

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    • Use a plastic opening tool to lift the speaker enclosure assembly out of the case, being sure not to damage the EMI fingers on the attached Wi-Fi antenna.

    • Remove the speaker enclosure assembly.

    • Before reinstalling the speaker enclosure assembly's screws, be sure the Wi-Fi grounding fingers are installed below the lip in the iPhone's metal case as seen in the third picture.

    • Before reassembly, be sure to clean all metal-to-metal contact points between the grounding fingers of the Wi-Fi antenna and the case of the iPhone with a de-greaser such as windex or isopropyl alcohol. The oils on your fingers have the potential to cause wireless interference issues.

    err 2 of the grounding pins broke in the process of reinstallation.. how many do you reckon before wifi = 0

    TomIstefanous -

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    • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the antenna to the speaker enclosure.

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    • Starting near the cellular antenna cable, use the edge of a plastic opening tool to peel the antenna off the speaker enclosure. Make sure you insert the plastic opening tool under the plastic the antenna is mounted on, not the metal plate.

    • Continue peeling the cellular antenna off the speaker enclosure, being careful not to rip the gold bracket attached to one of its edges.

    • Remove the cellular antenna.

    • When installing a new cellular antenna, be sure to slide the gold bracket over the ear molded into the speaker enclosure before sticking the antenna down.

Conclusion

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

Author

Andrew Bookholt

585795 Reputation

12 comments

That's not a WIFI antenna. The part that you guys are showing is the Cell Phone Antenna.

Matt -

Dose the way you put the screws back on have anything to do with nerwork connection failure?..

I resently replaced my screen and after the replacment my phobe was not connecting to the data network. So i am wondering if it might have anything to do with the screws?..

gerardo cerna -

This is the GSM Antenna not the WIFI as indicated in the tutorial.

The WIFI and GPS antenna is at the top of the iPhone near the cameras.

FYI if anyone has weak wifi and GPS signal then a small metal tab has come off the EMI shield in the top most hole with the 5 screws, I had a problem with weak WIFI after changing the screen and the found that this was the cause, the little tab had come off the EMI shield when I had removed it.

Stephen Eaton -

Do you know where to buy the replacement emf shields? I know that a metal tab broke off of the shield but I didn't pay too much much attention to it. Now I suffer with horrible wifi signal.

dsparks1024 -

My phone has the same issues with no signal. Did a replacement emf shield work?

Merc -

This guide was amazing. Thank you so much. I ordered the GSM Antenna from here and used the guide. My antenna reception is better than ever. Thanks again.

jessew625 -

You have confused the wifi and cellular antenna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Giovanni Fasoli -

I open the back cover iphone4 to checked the gsm antenae, why is it, touch of screen dasn't work after i assemble it.

tieberjrn -

The antenna connector cable/wire is shorter than the one of the original. It's useless.

sergey -

So... many... tiny... screws!

Pfeiffer Keith -

mon iphone 4 ne reconnais pas la carte sim

Rama Donguila -

goood job and thank you very much

malam fresh -