iPhone 15 Pro Max Taptic Engine Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 30 Steps
Follow this guide to swap out the Taptic Engine in your iPhone 15 Pro Max. If your phone's vibrations are feeling a bit shaky or they're coming and going like a bad signal, it might be time for a Taptic Engine replacement. Don't forget to grab some replacement screen adhesive to wrap up this repair!
Step 1
Let that battery of yours run down to below 25%! A fully charged lithium-ion battery can be a bit of a party crasher when it comes to safety.
- First things first, unplug those cables from your phone and give it some space to breathe. Next, it's time for a little power nap! Hold down the power button along with either of the volume buttons, then slide to turn off your phone. Easy peasy!
Step 2
Find a nice flat spot along the bottom edge—big enough for your suction cup buddy to grab on tight.
- If your screen or back glass is seriously cracked, slap on some overlapping strips of packing tape to keep things together and protect your fingers while you work.
Step 3
Be careful not to push your opening pick in too deep, as it might cause some trouble for your device. Mark your pick here to keep things safe and sound!
Feel free to label the other corners of your pick with different measurements for extra precision.
As an alternative, you can stick a coin to the pick about 3 mm from the tip with some tape. It's a nifty trick!
- Take a moment to measure 3mm from the tip, then grab a permanent marker and make a little mark on your opening pick. This will help you get a clean start!
Step 4
- Grab your trusty P2 pentalobe driver and twist out the two 7.2 mm screws hugging each side of the charging port.
Step 5
Keep it cool—don't roast your phone! Too much heat can make your battery grumpy.
- Grab a hair dryer or heat gun and warm up the bottom edge of the screen until it feels nice and toasty to the touch.
Tools Used
Step 6
- Stick a suction handle onto the lower edge of your screen—think of it as giving your device a little handlebar mustache.
- Give that handle a firm, steady tug to coax a gap between the screen and frame. No need to flex; just keep it smooth.
- Slide the tip of an opening pick into the gap you just made. Like picking a lock, but way less dramatic.
Tools Used
Step 7
Heads up! When you’re slicing through the adhesive holding the screen, keep an eye out for these tricky spots to avoid any slip-ups:
- Heads up! The screen is connected to the phone by two delicate cables: one is hanging out just above the action button, and the other is chilling near the middle of the left edge.
- Around the phone’s edge, you’ll find several spring contacts. Be super gentle when sliding your pick in here—don’t go deeper than needed to avoid bending those tiny springs.
Step 8
Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than 3 mm along the bottom edge, or you might poke something you didn’t mean to!
- Wiggle your pick along the bottom edge to loosen up that stubborn adhesive.
- Park your pick in the bottom right corner—no adhesive reunion parties allowed here!
Step 9
- Warm up the right edge of the screen until it feels nicely toasty to the touch.
Step 10
Make sure your pick doesn't go deeper than 5 mm along the right edge, okay? We want to keep things safe and sound!
- Gently slide your pick around the bottom right corner of the screen, heading towards the power button. You'll feel a little resistance when you hit a clip holding the screen in place—don’t worry, that’s totally normal!
- Now, rotate your pick so the flat side is underneath the screen. You’re on the right track, keep going!
Step 11
- Give that pick a little twist to widen the gap between the screen and the frame until you hear the satisfying pop of the right clip letting go.
- Slide in a second opening pick just to the right of the first one to keep things moving smoothly.
Step 12
- Gently slide the first pick down to the bottom right corner of your screen. You're doing great!
- Now, slide the second pick up to the top right corner to help break that stubborn adhesive free.
- Keep those picks in place to stop the adhesive from getting all clingy again. You've got this!
Step 13
- Heat up the top edge of the screen until it feels warm to the touch.
Step 14
Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than 3 mm at the top edge, or you might poke something you didn’t mean to!
- Gently slide your pick around the top right corner and along the top edge to pop free the two clips and adhesive holding it down.
Step 15
- Warm up the left edge of the screen until it feels nice and toasty to the touch.
Step 16
Be careful not to push your pick more than 2 mm along the left edge—those cables connecting the screen to the phone are sneaky! We want to avoid messing with them. Take it slow!
- Gently guide your pick around the top left corner of the screen.
- Now, slide your pick to the bottom left corner to separate the adhesive and get that screen loose!
Step 17
If the screen’s still holding on for dear life, cruise around the edges again—there might be some stubborn adhesive or sneaky clips trying to crash the party.
- Carefully swing the screen open to the left side of the phone.
- Set the screen against a box or something sturdy to avoid putting stress on those delicate cables.
Step 18
Keep an eye on every screw as you go—each one has its own spot to go back to, kind of like puzzle pieces. Your device will thank you!
- Grab your tri-point Y000 driver and loosen the six screws holding down the logic board cover:
- One screw that's 2.1 mm long
- Five screws that measure 1.5 mm each
Step 19
- Grab those tweezers or give it a good pinch with your fingers and slide that logic board cover down to the bottom of the phone to free the sensor cable. You're doing great!
- Now, go ahead and lift off the cover!
Tools Used
Step 20
To snap a press connector back in, line it up with its socket and gently press down on one side until you hear a satisfying click, then do the same on the other side. Make sure it lies flat — sometimes the insulating rubber around the sockets likes to play hard to get and can keep it from connecting properly.
- Gently slide the tip of an opening pick under the battery press connector to lift and disconnect it.
Step 21
- Take your spudger and gently pop up the ambient light sensor connector—it’s hanging out at the top left corner of the logic board. Easy does it!
Tools Used
Step 22
- Pop off the screen press connector with a gentle twist—like you're opening a secret snack compartment.
Step 23
Watch out for those spring contacts while you're giving the frame a good clean – we want them to stay in tip-top shape!
- Take off the screen—handle with care, like it's the last slice of pizza.
- When you're putting everything back together, pause here and follow the guide to slap on that fresh screen adhesive.
Step 24
- Grab your trusty Phillips #000 driver and get ready to tackle those screws holding the loudspeaker in place:
- Three of those little 2.1 mm screws
- And don't forget the one 2.9 mm screw
Step 25
A strip of tape holds the top edges of the Taptic Engine and loudspeaker together, keeping things neat and cozy.
- Gently slide an opening pick beneath the tape in that tiny gap between the Taptic Engine and the loudspeaker, like a ninja infiltrating a secret lair.
- Now, glide that pick towards the left edge of the phone to free the tape from the Taptic Engine. You're on the right track!
Step 26
- Slide the flat end of your spudger between the loudspeaker's right edge and the frame.
- Gently pry it up until you can get a good grip on the loudspeaker with your fingers.
- Carefully remove the loudspeaker from its spot.
Tools Used
Step 27
- Gently wiggle the tip of your spudger under the Taptic Engine press connector and pop it loose.
Tools Used
Step 28
- Pop out those two screws that are holding down the grounding clip—one is a 1.2 mm Phillips #000, the other is a 1.9 mm tri-point Y000. They’re a mixed pair, so keep track of which is which.
- Grab your tweezers and gently lift the grounding clip free. Easy does it!
Tools Used
Step 29
If you don’t have a standoff driver, a thin flathead driver will do the job. Just take it slow and steady—no need to rush! Keep an eye on those shallow notches in the screw heads to avoid stripping them. It's all about patience!
- Let's get those screws out! Start by unscrewing the two screws holding the Taptic Engine in place:
- One 2.9mm Phillips #000 screw – no biggie!
- One 3.8mm standoff screw – it's just a little more extra, but you've got this!
Step 30
- Put your device back together by following these steps in reverse—easy peasy.
- Remember to drop off your electronic waste at an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler to keep things green.
- If things didn’t quite work out, try some simple troubleshooting or reach out to our Answers community for a hand. And if you’re really stuck, you can always schedule a repair!
