iPhone 4 Home Button Replacement

Written By: Walter Galan
  • Comments: 362
iPhone 4 Home Button Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

33

Time Required

2 hours

Introduction

Use this guide to replace a damaged home button to regain use of your iPhone.

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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. fGlyZrwjRHAYFMsh
    fGlyZrwjRHAYFMsh
    XovZTMVSIG5kN3FW
    lePTXCIvqJBUmJ4S

    • Use the edge of an iPod opening tool or your fingernail to lift the home button ribbon cable retainer.

    • Be sure you are prying up on the cable retainer, not the socket itself.

    Take a look at step 31. it shows him prising off the socket with the tool. why? Your not meant to do that, and I broke my iPhone following this. all you have to do is disconnect the ribbon. you don't lift anything up!

    oranjj -

    Hi oranjj, I did the same :-( can you do anything about it? Did you get yours fixed?

    leroy978 -

    The picture is right. There is a very very tiny tab that needs to be lifted, so the socket releases the flex cable. It's barely noticeable but it's there. After replacing the home button you connect the new flex cable and then you lower the socket tab again to secure it. I'm sorry you broke yours :-/

    pic10F206 -

    @oranjj actually you should lift up the small plastic retainer flap which locks the ribbon in or you won't be able to lock the new one in, the warning does explain you don't lift the whole thing

    Leigh Ellis -

    This step is really tricky. I broke the connector accidentally.

    Meng -

    this step is the most difficult part of the entire process. a closeup photo or two of how this connector works would be very useful. i nearly destroyed mine too!

    garymohr001 -

    Nearly broke the connector too, although this was down to me not reading the step thoroughly. Was very tricky working that ribbon cable back in there, but all back together now and touch wood seems to be working fine! Thanks : )

    Marc -

    My home button had gone really bad and had to be pushed hard so I installed a complete new button w/socket cable.

    I followed the guide and lifted the ribbon retainer before removing/inserting the ribbons.

    Now there's no functionality at all?! .. :(

    Any ideas?

    stroelsen -

    me too! did you ever hear back from anyone?

    sgoodwin -

    It is a ZIF type connector. Careful!!

    similar to this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqalgC6zbHw

    travisray -

    I really don't understand how to put the home button back. I finally was able to get the old homebotton with cable out...though I am affraid I broke something.

    Getting the new one is, is a pain in the $#$ and does not keeps in position. Is there a way to obtain a new socket? Or are there other posibilities?

    stefan -

    I have the same problem. Getting the cable out was no problem, but getting it in again does not work. I think my socket is okay but I cannot connect the button again... The cable still does not get in... :-/

    Christian -

    Hi! I actually broke the connector... took it out from the iPhone.

    Can I just glue it back? Will it work?

    My iphone doesnt want to reset... it asks for restore mode all the time

    Alex -

    Putting the new home cable in the socket was impossible. After pushing and wriggling for half an hour on the old cable to see how to get it back in, I gave up, put the new one in as far as possible, put the clip down and put the phone back together in the hope that it was I'm far enough. Turns out, it was!

    Reversing instructions is not that simple. Some photos or more notes on how things go back would be great.

    That said, I am so grateful these guides exist. Thank you!

    Fiona Palmer -

    Well, I too separated the "socket itself" because I thought it was a pushdown connector instead of sizeways ZIF. First attempt to put it back in place with superglue ended in a non-working home button (although the phone was still usable via Settings/General/Accessability/AssistiveTouch).

    In my second attempt I removed the suplerglue and, with a fine soldering iron, very carefully, reconnected the socket in place by soldering the two back leads and (perhaps) one or two of the front leads. And now it works! Just afraid that if I drop the phone the hole thing will come apart, but for the moment I remain a happy camper.

    Very many thanks for the guide, but please add a statement in Step 31 about the ribbon cable having to slide out of the socket horizontally, since the pictures are misleading.

    jnavarro -

    Putting the cable back into the connector is not easy. I broke the cable off the *old* button and played around to see how it all worked before attempting to fit the new one. I would recommend doing this as a few dummy runs of plugging them together makes it clear. Important to remember, the tiny, almost invisible, clip on the socket is up open, down locked.

    If you have a lit magnifying glass, use it.

    Victor -

    Is there any way to repair the socket if I accidentally removed the whole thing instead of just the cable???

    kevinmorris -

    Did anyone find a solution for braking the connector off?

    Gallai Kamilla -

  32. vT1QoIFIGTAsxCms

    • Use a pair of tweezers to pull the home button ribbon cable out of its socket.

    • Do not excessively strain the home button ribbon cable, as it is very thin and delicate. Also, be careful with the two small electronic parts on the ribbon cable. It is very easy to damage them with tweezers.

    The guide did not specify which part of the home button ribbon cable to squeeze when installing it, so the moment I tried to put in the new home button, I used my tweezers to squeeze the flat part of the home button ribbon—which was a terrible mistake, because on the other side of the ribbon were the two small transistors (or whatever) that I demolished instantly. As a result, I had to clean and reinstall my old button. :(

    Michael Khmelnitsky -

    The directions are not very clear on the "direction" the cable connects. Does it lift off? Does it pull off? Does it pull out? The answer is it pulls out to the right as shown in the picture. I discovered this only after I had damaged the two little copper wires (thick as a human hair) and now have to toss the fone as they are part of the underlying electronics. This is an extremely frangible connection. Be VERY careful pulling this guy out.

    inettransactions -

    An oblique photo would REALLY help show just exactly where the tab is supposed to go. I opened the high-res photo provided here and zoomed in on it, then looked at my phone at an oblique angle to find the slim little slot for the tab.

    Mangled Jargon -

  33. XUTOo2NVRjC2lVZX

    • De-route the home button ribbon cable through the inner case and remove the home button from the iPhone.

    • When installing a new part, there may be a protective plastic film on the home button. It can be removed with a spudger or your fingernail.

    Thank you. I have a full light grey area on the right screen side (same position as the logic board). What could it be? Please Help.

    Thank you,

    David

    David Polacek -

    I have the exact same problem ! didi you find a solution ?

    Sacha KOZMA -

    Took 2 hours to tear apart and back together. Had to redo some steps over. 1) Crushed ribbon cable when putting screen back on. Found out when ribbon cable wasn't long enough to reach connection. 2) Got antenna connector stuck under logic board, had to undo logic board to pluck it out.

    Phone works, but like most of my tear down projects, I have an extra part left over after reassembly. It's a small bit of rubber insulation that looks like it should clip to some metal edge. I couldn't figure out where it belongs, hope it's not critical. :)

    wingeng -

    That sounds like the bit at step 18 ?

    Victor -

    yes, it is the piece protecting the flat cables from the edge of the logic board(you can see it on top of picture 18). I found it also after reassembly and reinstalled it.

    patricklautier -

    doesnt work "iPhone 4 Home Button Assembly Black". I remowed the tape from the button, the button is too low. it doesnt work. wrong part maybe? dont buy stuff from this shop!

    lauri -

    How can I tell if there's a thin layer of plastic on the new part? Is it covering the silver connector?

    motionpotion -

    I'm also confused about the plastic film. I removed the plastic film from the back of my new home button and the silver disk came off with it - the disk is not glued on to the home button. When I put the new button in place I tried as best I could to keep the disk in the same position it was in before I took the plastic off.

    The new home button works OK (I only have to press 2x for it to respond) but it doesn't move at all when I press it.

    Should I have left the plastic on? Is the little silver disk necessary? should i have glued the silver disk back on to the home button?

    I want to go back and re-do it, but not until I have a better understanding of what to do.

    sctuck -

    Is there any answer to the plastic film question?? Everything was so thorough till the end. Now I'm at step 33 with my phone 100% disassembled and not sure if the film that holds the silver disc should stay or go!!

    dannybelisle -

    Ok, helpful follow up here, the film I can only assume is something that may be on the front of the button. The film over the silver disc in the back stays. I just reassembled mine with that film on and home button is perfect. After examining the old home button, I realized that had a film too(just harder to see)

    dannybelisle -

    hi

    in order to replace the home button only .....is it necessary to follow and do all the previous steps from 1 to 33 or just do some of them ?please help me

    harry dragy -

    The sliver disk acts as a spring. That's what provides the 'click'. It is required. and the plastic film is required to hold it in place.

    Uday -

    I replaced home button along with display assembly and everything went right. I thought home button worked few times initially, but now it is not working. Could be defective piece or connections are loose? I will wait for few days before doing it all over again!

    nebula76 -

    Completed however the home button brought from ifixit need to have the ribbon removed and placed back in the correct place. The ribbon was directly over a home button lub. So turned it about 15 degrees to get it to fit.

    ian -

    The gold contacts of the homebutton in this picture are facing the wrong direction. When you look at the button from the frontside, the gold contacts have to be facing away.

    dfgd -

    every thing is perfect. i had enjoyed working in my iPhone through this wonderful guide.

    but , the sensitivity of home button isn't good. i need to press the button heavily to respond.

    what should i do ?

    Basem -

Conclusion

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

Author

Walter Galan

694047 Reputation

85 comments

Utter and complete failure. Followed the directions to a 'T' to replace my home button. Home button works now. Digitizer and screen now only work periodically. Degreased the connections with windex and it only made it worse.

johnpetraborg -

hey man great tutorial, was wondering if you can make a video?

heres my email adress

dangelo.g@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks

DAngelo -

Job complete. Took me 2 hours and everything is working as good as new. Excellent guide. The only thing I didn't use was Windex but everything worked fine without it.

pcarr2000 -

I bought a new home button on ebay ..

After disassembling the phone I noticed that they sent me one with a connector that didn't fit ಠ_ಠ

FU!

Note to myself: Check home button BEFORE disassembling the whole phone ..

eltomato -

I followed this guide slowly and carefully and it worked perfectly, just used tissue instead of windex and everything is fine, saved me £139 that apple wanted to charge me :)

Leigh Ellis -

iFixit is to commended for this very detailed guide, but you may not need to go through this 30+ step process. Before ripping up your phone, try this simple no-risk fix. It seems to have fixed my button. Maybe it won't last, but it might get me through my contract.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXlY-Vcxb...

lens42 -

Great link! Worked perfectly (so far) and only took 10 seconds. Thanks, lens42.

Douglas Nicholson -

This is awesome. So easy and works perfectly.

Dina Hughes -

Genius, that's for the moment a very fast work around! Hope it lasts …

Lukas -

Instructions followed, procedure was a success! A wise tip: use rubber surgeon gloves. No worries about oil and sweat involved. I did it much more confident.

dedargains -

Just a tip:

To make sure all the small screws goes in the same places they were from the beginning I printed out this guide and taped them to the paper one by one as I went along. Just tape them to the corresponding places in the pictures and you can't go wrong.

Like the author says, if one screw goes in the wrong place it could brake something. (I learned this the hard way on a netbook)

/Glenn from Sweden

Glenn Feldt -

I second the advice about wearing surgical gloves. I did the whole thing without a glitch, phone working perfectly.

Fact is that this is a advanced procedure, be warned to have a lot of patience and self controll/discipline.

Tarik -

This is not a procedure for people without patience, and steady hands.

But if you have them both, then go ahead and fix your phone by your self and save a bucket of money.

I worked like a charm, and didn't have to use windex for anything. Used the tongs that were send to me to grab everything so I barely touched the insides of the phone.

Thank you guys so much.

I will see you the next time something needs fixing.

ialex3 -

Everything looks fine after 31+31 steps and 4 hours. Pay attention on reassembly step 30, make sure that all cabes are in the correct position before steps 29 and 28.

Flavio Furlan -

This guide was excellent. I managed to replace the home button no problems. You just need to look at the images of which you can blow up "excellent" and do as indicated.

I made a map on a piece of paper indicating where each item went so when putting it all back it was easy. Thanks for this guide I can finally enjoy the ease of using my home button once more.

Luca -

Used this guide to replace a home button on my iPhone 4 which stopped working after the iPhone was out in the rain for 30 minutes. Worked like a charm. It was very hard but I took my time. Unfortunately, it didn't fix my problem. Upon further research, the dock connector was the culprit. It is where the home button plugs into. Replaced that using a guide here and now everything works great. So if your home button doesn't work after replacing the physical button, try replacing the dock connector.

Ted -

Took 1hr no sweet. So much better now having a new home button that isnt sticky. Yus!!!

markushirner -

I used the gloves as recommended and it took just under an hour to break it down. Just over an hour to rebuild it.

Patience is the key and read all the instructions, they really are excellent.

Also, use the screw template and personally, I used "Magic Tape" to gently tape down each screw into it's coloured circle so they couldn't get knocked.

In my case (a launch day iPhone 4), one of the screws in the large EMI shield was captive. Other than that it was exactly as described

dave -

Great guide. Follow to the letter and you'll be home free. Let me emphasize even further that the ribbon component of the home button is VERY fragile. Although my profile says I realised the procedure successfully, I damaged the replacement part at the crucial moment. Very frustrating to say the least. So be EXTREMELY careful when manipulating the home button. :)

yanissauve -

Before you replace your home button, try searching on youtube on how to fix it with rubbing alcohol. I was about to order these parts and then stumbled on how to clean it with alcohol, which after doing several times (like 8) my home button has not misfired since.

Derek Wichmann -

OK, that was REALLY tricky. I had to back track twice to fix some of my mistakes. I didn't seat the camera properly and was unable to close the back of the phone. That wasn't too bad to fix. I had also folded a cable from the lcd to the logic board making it too short to reach, I had to step back many steps to resolve that. I also broke one of the 4 plastic clips on the front of the lcd that hold it in the frame. I hope you all have better luck. It was a tricky one but I'm happy with the results and this guide was very helpful and invaluable to completing this home button repair. Thanks ifixit!

bluespin42 -

When removing the display assembly, try to slide the ipod opening tool to find a gap. It took me a while before I could detach the display from the body.

yibindeng29 -

thank u very much,problem solved..

now my iphone 4 is working perfectly after home button changed.

keep up the good work guys.

godblesssssss u all.

Neil -

Just completed this last night in about an hour, directions were perfect!!! If you try this just make sure you have the right tools, the blue plastic shim tool is key. Having a nice screwdriver set that is magnetic was very helpful as well. Take your time and you should be fine. My home button works like a champ now! :-)

brooksuhrig -

I just completed this and now the LCD screen does not work. Any ideas what could have happened? Is it possible that I damaged the LCD/digitizer? The unit powers up, vibrates, and I can even hear it receive emails. LOL, help!

david -

Same thing happened to me. Anyone have any ideas?

SImon -

crap same thing happened to me :( I fixed the home button and the digitizer won't work now. story of my life.

orion -

I followed the directions explicitly and found them to be extremely accurate, however, getting the screen out was ridiculously difficult due to the adhesive as compared to how easy the video makes it seem.

I ended up having to use a spudger and push from inside of the phone behind where the rear facing camera would go.

gcoddington -

My original home button had to be pressed extremely hard in order to function so I installed a new one thinking that it was the problem. While replacing the button I noticed that the moisture indicator on the dock connector was pink, indicating that moisture had been inside the phone near the dock connector.

After replacing the home button however, there was no functionality at all. I thought that maybe the dock connector was to blame so I installed a new one. Still no home button functionality. I then reinstalled the original home button but kept the new dock connector and limited functionality returned (having to press extremely hard). What do you all think is goin' on?

kornkid4032 -

Wonderful! Had a very desensitized home button. If you have any technical know-how, this guide is spot on. Followed every step, wore gloves to prevent oils, works wonderfully now. Everything seems more responsive. Thanks!

Danielle -

Okay! First of all, the key thing in this process is loads of patience and Gud sorting. Seriously taking ur iPhone apart is tricky and u don't wanna mess up the screws here and dere so be careful.

Followed this guide from step 1 to 31 and back again, and voila my home button was working again...

Just a little tip abt the EMI fingers, they are extremely fragile, I broke one of mine, and had to tape it placing properly fr the proper contact.

Also make sure u have screwed down each bolt properly in place, becoz I wasn't able to close the lid after complete reassembly. Checked the screws and it all fit well finally.

Thnx a lot ifixit and other users for ur invaluable content and stuff.

I really feel like a worthy techie now. :P

:D

Kashwin Kohli -

Okay that took some time but got there after an hour and a half. Bit I found most difficult was reconnecting the ribbon from the actual new home button - I was trying to feed the ribbon under the clamp arm thingy itself rather than into the front of the assembly - dough. Once I realised that it all went smoothly...

chris -

It took me 2h30m. It's working like new. Just be gentle when handling ribbons and connectors. Thanks iFixit!

pic10F206 -

What can I say — fantastic guide! It is hard, but definitely doable. Took me just over two hours and a lot of patience.

Sergey Kuleshov -

Just fixed my old iPhone using this guide, have also used ifixit guides for macs in the past and they are always infinitely helpful, there were a few tricky bits and it took longer than expected but well worth it. Great guide, thanks a lot ifixit!

Alex Wright -

This was scaring me for weeks before I took the plunge. Took about 2.5 hours. The guide is excellent, but yes this is a very fiddly job and the display was very difficult for me to remove, I broke a couple of the ipod opening tools but now its back together and works perfectly.

markzian -

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 -

It worked for me!! Great guide, thanks!! a lot

Jeroen Wolff -

At step 14 the metal tab that helps hold the plate in place made it hard for me to reach the screw on the top right corner. I just bent it down slightly and re-bent after i was done.

ltspenny -

i already reassembly all the parts and the phone works perfectly but the back cover can not be slide down :(

the back cover sits perfectly but it just can not slide down

can anyone tell me the solution?

thanks

Rendy Aprilianto -

Ich habe die Batterie und den Home-button ersetzt und brauchte 1,5h dafür als Fein-Elektroniker.

Die seitlichen, grossen Gehäuse-Schrauben muss man nur anlösen und nicht komplett entfernen.

Seid sehr vorsichtig beim lösen und einstecken der Kabel. Und dass keine Flachbandkabel eingeklemmt werden.

Gruss MartinW

MartinW -

Followed the instructions and read some advice from the comment and have just completed it successfully! Saved me go knows how much money! Thank you!

A few things;

- I didn't have all the right sized screwdrivers but I got away with using a slotted driver for most of the smaller ones. (I brought a (rubbish) kit off ebay)

- I didn't use windex but I was especially careful not to touch to the contacts - seems to be fine.

- I printed off a few sheets with the Iphone layout on. and laid the screws out, a great way to keep track of what goes where.

- Took me about an hour and a half taking it very steady and checking everything. Take you time and it's reasonably straight forward.

Once again, thanks ifixit!

Peter Plant -

Fantastic, slow and steady. The only thing I would suggest is be extra careful at step 28 feeding the ribbon cables back through. they can get stuck easily and if you dont notice they can get pinched and break.

Otherwise perfect Thanks for the guide!

Buzz Lightyear -

This is a great guide, thanks. Although this repair is not for the faint of heart (or unsteady of hand), with some perseverance, I was able to complete it successfully. My only suggestion is that you include some kind of warning that the home button ribbon cable retainer tab is _very_ fragile. It's also not completely clear from the pictures how the ribbon cable is affixed to the connector (the tongue of the ribbon cable slides under the connector). A tighter close up of the entire assembly, or perhaps an animated gif illustrating that part might be helpful.

Mushfeq Khan -

I completely agree, how the home button connects to the board is the only really confusing part. Excellent guide though and now my phone works again.....

Darren Cowasaki -

The clip popped off when I inserted the ribbon, but after losing it 4 times and 1 hour or more of futzing around I somehow managed to get it back in place. I sure hope it works.

Could have really used a close up picture or illustration with this step.

Dwayne Clare -

The assemble steps are not included in this guide. I've done all the steps shows above smoothly, but when I tried to reassemble my iphone4, as I did not see the correct way of install it back, the touch sensor cable were broken, I have to bought another brandnew screen for my phone! And, there's quite a few tiny rubber parts in the phone, I just can't find any description about them, one of them were dropped out on my work table, I can't find the right place to put it back... hope there could be some hints for the assembling steps, especially for those tiny parts and cables need to be take care of...

Joseph Jiang -

Tried it, twice. When I plug the phone in mac usb port, I get a message saying that the usb port was trying to use too much power. And also, the phone is warmer than usual and battery is emptying very fast. I get the same message even without the battery pluged in.

Looks definitely as a short circuit but I have no clue from where...

Anybody can help me? Thanks!

vma -

Just replaced the back panel, installed home button mechanism and new battery - all went just as planned except...

I beheaded the battery connector screw! It all works at the moment. SO nice having the home button working properly again.

I also trapped the rear cable under the screen - I used a flathead screwdriver to push the fold through the slot. And the replacement back panel is not to Apple's original standards, but clean and clear none the less.

Great work iFixit!!!

Kit -

i like her, nerdy hot and can fix my iphones lol. good catch for sure! anyway really good tutorial ! thanks

mike -

great guide!!!

button replaced and now it's working again!! awesome.

a couple of tips though...

1. take your time!!! this phone has a ridiculous amount of tiny screw, washers, rubber thingies and what not... don't be against the clock.

2. almost no force is required in this!!! only part you should some force is when pulling out the display from the metal frame. and even there, a suction cup will greatly help you.

3. i did have some difficulties putting the logic board back, just try and wiggle it around until you see it is sitting nice and snug in there and all screw hole are aligned.

4. try to have a screen protector film on your display because most of your work will be with the display faced down. those things are like $1 so get one.

5. after your are done, test your speakers, vibrator, wifi, cellular reception, cameras and of course the home button.

6. tap yourself on the back and have a cold beer when you are done, you just disassembled and reassembled the entire phone almost completely.that is not easy.

jackhammer -

Spent 4 hours trying to repair the home button of my iPhone according to these guidelines, got stuck at step 21 (didn't want to get out). Put everything back together carefully, which took me again a while ... result: goodbye iPhone. Doesn't work anymore, at all. Great.

Frauke -

Thank you iFixiT. Just fixed the home button on My iPhone 4. I forgot what it was like having a functional home button.

vargomatt -

You guys rock!

Thank you so much for putting these instructions together.

I had a couple of tricky moments but my phone is working better than ever.

My frustrations have been eased and I couldn't be happier!

Shai Yammanee -

+This is not as difficult as you may think. It is, however, very time consuming. Expect it to take at LEAST a couple of hours.

+The guide should mention when you are taking off the screen it is glued down and requires very gradually prying it off a little at a time while you go around.

+Other than that it was pretty simple.

+Also latex gloves or keeping your hands clean of excessive oils is better than having to use windex.

+P.S. I purchased my parts from dx.com. They worked great!

Scott Butler -

Next time I'll pay for someone to fix it.

The iPhone won't turn on again... When I press the on button, there is some backlight on the screen (I can see it with the sim off), and then it turns off again.

Don't know what went bad. Any ideias?

Bruno Bahia -

Everything went well. Took me 3hours to tear it apart and back together. the only issue im having is that sometimes my screen won't turn on even thought the phone is on and im receiving text msg and calls. So each time i have to restart my phone by pressing the switch off and menu button(im glad i change it or else i wont be able to restart) anyone knows why this is happening? Some help please

Willy -

thanks for your guide

works!

make sure you put the connector correctly into the sockets - otherwise you will do the job twice :-)

Adrian Bader -

"To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order"....I'm lost

juan -

I killed my LCD/Digitizer also! New Home button is working but the screen does not work anymore!

vandutran -

Excellent guide. Took some time and patient. But all worth it. Now I can turn off that annoying assistive touch.

Shah -

Fatto dopo che mi si è bloccato il tasto home ho sostituito anche LCD e devo dire che queste guide sono fatte veramente bene bravi e complimenti ai moderatori e ai responsabili del sito.

Gianfranco Barbuti -

i have an iphone 4s with broken screen for a year and in pretty bad shape, now my friend gave me an iphone 4s which is in good condition but its network lock and it is locked. my question is if i put my iphone logic board on my friend iphone, will it work with my old iphone network.

sabin -

i have an old iphone4s with broken screen and in bad shape but still working condition. my friend gave an iphone 4s which is in good shape but its network lock and cant be used. my question is if i put my logic board on my friend iphone, will it work with my network or will it still be locked and cant be use. thanks in advance..

sab

sabin -

Before you take your whole iphone apart you should check if your button works again if you clean it with rubbing alcohol/isopropyl alcohol (70%). I did it according to this video http://youtu.be/zNwr_mxgs9Q and it turns out that was all that was needed. My button actually works fine again! :) Maybe it'll work for you too so try this first.

Chim Chiri -

Excellent guide especially along with the video. I have an old iphone 4 that i wanted to use as an ipod touch. I replaced the home button and the battery and ta da. Free ipod touch. Took a little more than an hour but that was my fault (crimped ribbon cable). I will be back if i decide to replace the slightly damaged screen that is under a screen protector. Thanks

donny -

I failed. This is extremely difficult. My iPhone 4 is stuck making a "bong" and vibration noise now when connected to a wall outlet or computer. I do not know what this means but based on my reading it has something to do with the power flex cable. I don't know how I broke it; I used gloves and didn't yank on anything. I think the cables are extremely fragile and are easily broken especially if they're old.

I would not recommend doing this (provided you aren't a professional) unless it's a spare phone that you're trying to fix for fun.

John Cuppi -

Fantastic, I am a clumsy 54 year old mechanical engineer and am not use to such fine screws, the guide was perfect, I took my time, but I am really pleased to say IT WORKS

itsdavid -

I got the home button out, cleaned the rim and put it back in.

Works every time now, it only worked when I removed the dock cable in the correct angle before.

Sebastian -

Completed it twice since broke the ifixit part while inserting the cable the first time. Had to tear down and do again. Whoops.

It would be ideal if this guide followed similar steps in the same order as other guides (like replacing dock connector) that one might be following at the same time to get several things replaced at once.

cnbush -

Done it and so far it seems to be working fine! About the time I got to the button I thought "wow, I'm never going to be able to but it all back together", but it wasn't that difficult. I did the degreasing with windex and wifi is ok. Thanks for the great guide!

Manuel -

DISPLAY COMPLETELY LOST. display cables came short after reassemble. tried to pull it gently but cable damaged easily and now touchpad doesn't respond.

IFIX SHOULD INCLUDE HOW TO REASSEMBLE and warn for tricky parts.

i'm done with i-fix. from now on "i will make it fixed".:(((

akyildizerhan157 -

We replaced the home button, took us about a hour to complete it. Guide is very good, but tricky sometimes. Completed with 49 year old and 9 year old.

tpress19 -

the home button ribbon cable retainer slot was damaged i pried up and it came off, what should i google to get the replacement part? i can't find it!

Marco Diversi -

Yesss! I did it! In between I thought this will never work. I was sure even if I manage to reassemble something must have gone wrong during disassembly and/or reassembly. But - everything is perfect! No screw left, no flex print cable pinched and the best of all! We have a fully working home button again. My sincerest thanks to the author(s) making this possible. You made my day!!!

Andreas -

The fixit guides are really useful and great

nemecsek -

Wow!!

Done after two sessions of 2 hours!!

Complex but rewarding

My iPhone is alive again!!!

You need calm, calm and calm to finish this fix, but is very funny.

Vinicio

vgusv -

Just be careful with the step 28, i accidentally tried to separate the lcd from the digitazer, it didn't break but just don't confuse them, you should have really patience with that step because the screen has really strong glue/tape, it will separate eventually. And be careful on the step 30 when reassembling, double check the flex of the lcd and digitazer are straighten BEFORE you put them together, because it they aren't you can bend the the flex and it can broke (I bent the digitazer flex because I didn't check it before I put the screen on place but it didn't broke, miraculously). Very nice guide, though. I managed to get everything working:D

Alejandro Alarcon -

Great guide, my home button needed cleaning as it was a bit unresponsive, followed the steps and assembled everything back, no one was more surprised than me me that the phone works again

Pav -

Oh... Touchscreen doesn't work after assembly.

What do you think I did wrong?

Alex -

Maybe the cables are not plugged in properly,or it broke when it was demolished. Try again ? !

Leeroy_ -

First class instructions new button fitted and all working

len

Len -

Great instruction. In my case only the part about taking out the vibration motor was missing.

My iPhone is worrking despite I have ended up with 2 rubber pieces that got misplaced but I assume they are not critical or

I will find out later :-)

Viktor Bartusek -

Excellent instructions which, combined with some very helpful comments, means my venerable iPhone 4 (just a backup, but needed occasionally) has a working home button. Managed to break off one of the EMI fingers in reassembly at step 21, but it still has 3, and works fine.

My only glitch was I managed to trap the antenna connector under the logic board, and didn’t notice until I came to reassemble at step 12 - which meant I had to repeat the disassembly to release the logic board and then replace it. Took around 2 hours all told, but very pleased. Thanks iFixIt.

meadowend -

Surprised I was able to find the part in 2020. Decided to repair this as a challenge to see how far I can take my tinkering skills. With these instructional pictures/videos/youtube it is almost too easy. Only thing I will mention is that if you do decide to do this; it is to get the whole home button with the plastic piece assembled all together. I opted for the slightly cheaper option of just the electronic push button component, because of this there is a risk factor of not glueing the replacement part into place correctly. I believe I was slightly off OEM standards and was concerned about cable damage but it was good enough to hold and work. Hopefully it will last for another 7 years :)

Thank you iFixIt team for empowering the people to repair or upgrade their toys :)

aatrinh604 -