iPhone 12 Pro Max Screen Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 32 Steps
The earpiece speaker and sensor combo hanging out on the back of your display is factory-bonded to your specific iPhone—like a tiny VIP pass just for you.
If your iPhone 12 Pro Max screen is cracked, unresponsive, or just won’t show anything when powered on, no worries—this guide is here to help you bring it back to life with a shiny new display assembly. We’ll be walking you through the steps to replace the whole screen assembly, which comes with the shield plate already attached. One important thing to remember: the earpiece speaker and sensor assembly, which is essential for Face ID, is uniquely paired to your iPhone at the factory. This means you'll need to carefully transfer it from your old display to the new one during the replacement process. If this component is damaged, Face ID will stop working, so take your time and handle it with care. If something goes wrong, only Apple or an authorized technician can bring Face ID back to life. Oh, and just a heads-up: with iOS 17.6 and earlier, you’ll lose True Tone functionality after the screen replacement—even if you’re using an original Apple screen. But with iOS 18 and newer, you can calibrate the new screen using Apple’s Repair Assistant to get True Tone working again with a genuine Apple display. If things feel tricky, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
Heads up! Before you start, make sure to drain your iPhone's battery to below 25%. A fully charged lithium-ion battery can be a bit of a drama queen—if it gets punctured, it could overreact by catching fire or even exploding. Better safe than sorry!
Opening up your iPhone’s display means you’ll be breaking those waterproof seals. So, make sure you’ve got some replacement seals on standby before you dive into this step. If you plan to reassemble your iPhone without swapping out those seals, just be extra careful to keep it away from any liquids.
- Before diving in, make sure your iPhone is powered off. It's always a good idea to disconnect from the world while you work your magic.
- Grab your trusty pentalobe P2 screwdriver and carefully remove the two 6.7 mm-long screws at the bottom of your iPhone. These screws are the first step to getting into the heart of your device.
Step 2
Pushing your opening pick in too deep can mess up your device—let’s avoid that! Mark your pick to keep things safe and sound.
Feel free to mark other corners of the pick with different measurements for extra control.
Or, stick a coin on your pick about 3 mm from the tip using some tape—handy little trick!
- Take a moment to measure out 3 mm from the tip, and then give that opening pick a little mark with a permanent marker. You're doing great!
Step 3
Make sure to rock a pair of safety glasses to keep your peepers safe from any sneaky shards that might pop loose during the repair.
Got a cracked screen? No worries! Keep things from getting worse and avoid any nasty cuts by carefully taping over the glass before you dive into the repair.
In a tight spot? If you're really stuck, a little superglue can help you secure that suction cup to the screen. Just make sure you’re being extra careful!
- Start by laying down some clear packing tape in overlapping strips across the iPhone’s screen, covering the entire face. It’ll keep things secure for the next steps.
- Having trouble getting the suction cup to stick? No worries! Grab a strong piece of tape (duct tape works great) and fold it into a little handle. Use that to lift the screen instead.
Step 4
In the next few steps, we're going to show you the Anti-Clamp, a nifty little tool we've whipped up to make getting into your device a breeze. If you're going old school and not using the Anti-Clamp, feel free to skip ahead three steps for a different approach.
For all the juicy details on how to master the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
If your iPhone's surface feels a bit too slick for the Anti-Clamp to grip, a bit of tape can work wonders to give it some traction.
- Gently pull the blue handle to release the Anti-Clamp's arms.
- Slide the arms around the left or right edge of your iPhone. Either side works, it's up to you!
- Place the suction cups near the bottom edge of the iPhone—one on the front, one on the back. Keep them close but not touching.
- Squeeze the cups together and let them do their magic, sticking firmly to the surface. Now you're ready to roll!
Step 5
- Pull that blue handle forward—give those arms a nice firm lock.
- Spin the handle clockwise in a full circle (360 degrees), or just until you see those cups starting to stretch out.
- Keep an eye on the suction cups and make sure they’re lined up together. If they start to wander, loosen them a bit and get those arms back in sync.
Step 6
Go easy—just give it a quarter turn, then chill for a minute before the next twist. Let the Anti-Clamp do its thing; patience is your best tool here.
Need a refresher on how to work that hair dryer magic? We've got a step-by-step guide for you right here.
If the Anti-Clamp isn't showing the love and making a gap, hit the spot with a bit more heat and give the handle a quarter turn. Sometimes a little extra heat is just what the repair ordered!
- Prop your iPhone up on a sturdy surface like a hardcover book to keep it cozy and level with the ground; this will make your life so much easier in the next steps.
- Grab a hair dryer and warm up the bottom edge of your iPhone. It should feel just a tad too hot to the touch.
- Take a breather and wait a minute to let that adhesive loosen up and create a nice little opening gap.
- When the Anti-Clamp has done its magic and opened a gap, slide an opening pick under the screen's plastic bezel.
- Feel free to skip the next three steps.
Tools Used
Step 7
Keep your hair dryer moving—don’t let it chill in one spot too long!
- Fire up your hair dryer or heat gun and give the bottom edge of your iPhone a warm blast for about 90 seconds. You're aiming for that 'just a little too hot to touch' feeling—like a cozy mug after a microwave run, but for your phone.
Tools Used
Step 8
- Got your suction handle? Sweet! Place it near the bottom edge of the phone—just avoid the very edge of the glass, it's a delicate spot.
Tools Used
Step 9
Slide the opening pick under the thick plastic bezel carefully to keep your screen safe. Look for a visible gap where the pick slides in smoothly without catching on anything. If you don’t spot the gap, gently lift the screen a bit more and try again.
The adhesive that keeps your screen snug and secure is super strong! Getting that first gap open requires a bit of muscle. If you're struggling to get it started, don’t sweat it—just add a little more heat and gently rock the screen back and forth. This should help loosen the adhesive until you can slide your tool in there. You've got this!
- Gently tug on the suction cup with steady, firm pressure to make a little gap between the screen and the frame.
- Now, grab an opening pick and slip it in at a sharp angle into that gap.
Step 10
- Grab your hair dryer and aim it at the right edge of your iPhone (where the power button lives). Warm things up for about 90 seconds, or until the screen feels just a bit too toasty for comfort.
Tools Used
Step 11
Be careful not to push your pick in more than 3 mm, or you might accidentally harm some delicate internal parts.
- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPhone to start loosening that adhesive grip.
- Keep sliding the pick up along the right edge until you reach the top right corner—steady does it!
- Once you’re at the top right corner, leave the pick in place before moving on to the next step.
Step 12
- Grab your trusty hair dryer and gently warm up the top edge of the iPhone for about 90 seconds. You want it nice and toasty, but not so hot that it’s going to burn you! Just enough to make the screen feel like it’s been lounging in the sun for a bit.
Tools Used
Step 13
Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than 3 mm—or those top sensors might get a little too up close and personal.
- Gently slide the opening pick around the top right corner of your iPhone to loosen the adhesive up there.
- Keep the pick wedged in the top left corner before moving on to the next step.
Step 14
- Grab your hair dryer and give the left edge of your iPhone a nice warm-up session for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a little too hot to handle. Just the right amount of heat makes everything smoother.
Tools Used
Step 15
Be careful along the left edge of your iPhone – there are some sensitive cables hiding there! Avoid sticking your pick in this area, as it could damage those cables.
Step 16
Gently apply that twisting force, letting it do its magic.
If the adhesive is being a bit stubborn, just give the left edge a little heat boost.
- Slide another pick into the bottom left corner of your iPhone like you're sneaking snacks into a movie theater.
- Give both picks a gentle twist at the same time—it's like opening a stubborn bag of chips. The left edge clips should pop free.
Step 17
Hold up! The display’s still hanging on by a few delicate ribbon cables, so don’t go yanking it off just yet.
- Flip your iPhone so the right side is facing you—like it's ready for a close-up.
- Gently swing the screen open from the right, just like opening a book cover. No dramatic flourishes, but a little suspense never hurt.
- Prop up the display against something handy to keep it steady while you do your magic.
- When you’re putting things back together, set the display in place, line up the clips along the top, and press the top edge in first. If it doesn’t snap in easily, check that none of the clips are bent out of shape around the edge. Smooth sailing from there!
Step 18
As you dive into this repair adventure, remember to keep a close eye on those little screws! They have a knack for wandering off, so make sure they return to their original homes to keep your iPhone safe and sound.
- Unscrew the four tiny Y000 screws (1.1 mm) holding the battery and display connector cover in place. They’re small, so be careful not to lose them!
- Before you snap the display back in, it's a good idea to power on your iPhone and double-check that everything is working as it should. Once you’ve confirmed everything’s in order, power it off again completely before moving forward. Trust us, it's worth the extra check!
Step 19
- Take off the battery and the cover hiding the display connector.
Step 20
Be careful not to tear the black silicone seal around this and other board connectors. These seals are like little bodyguards, keeping water and dust out to protect your device.
- Grab a spudger or your clean fingernail and gently lift the battery connector away from its cozy spot on the logic board.
- Once you've got it up, tilt the connector just a bit away from the board. This way, it won't accidentally touch the socket and power up the phone while you're still working your magic.
Tools Used
Step 21
- Gently pop the display cable connector loose using a spudger or your fingernail—no need to muscle it.
- When you're putting it back, line it up just right and press down on one side until you hear a click, then do the same on the other. Skip pressing in the middle—bent pins are a total bummer and could wreck the connector.
Tools Used
Step 22
- Grab your Y000 driver and carefully unscrew the four tiny 1.1 mm screws holding down the front sensor connector cover.
Step 23
- Flip the cover up from the left side—think of it like opening a tiny book—until the clip on the right side pops free.
- Lift off the cover and set it aside like a pro.
- When you put it back together, hook the right-side clip into its slot first, then swing the rest of the cover down into place. Easy does it!
Step 24
- Gently pop the front sensor assembly cable connector loose using a spudger or your fingernail—like opening a stubborn bag of chips, but way less messy.
Tools Used
Step 25
- Lift out the display assembly. Take your time—no rush here!
- Before you put everything back together, this is a good spot to refresh the waterproof adhesive around the display edges if you want that extra splash protection.
Step 26
- Take out the four screws holding the speaker/sensor assembly in place on the back of the display.
- Two 1.3 mm Phillips screws
- One 1.8 mm shouldered Y000 screw
- One 1.1 mm Y000 screw
Step 27
Heads up: The speaker's hanging out on a super skinny ribbon cable. Go easy—no tug-of-war, or you'll risk damaging it.
The earpiece speaker is gently stuck in place.
- Grab your trusty tweezers or a spudger, and gently lift the top edge of the speaker. No need to rush, just ease it up with care.
- Once you've got the edge, flip the speaker assembly over—away from the top edge of the display and down, like you’re flipping a pancake (but, you know, more techy).
Step 28
You can also use a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate to warm things up—just don’t crank the heat too much and risk frying your display!
- Grab your trusty iOpener and give it a good 1-2 minute session on the top front of your display. This will help loosen up that stubborn adhesive that's keeping the sensors in place. It’s like giving your device a little spa treatment before the real work begins!
Tools Used
Step 29
Watch out for those light sensor ribbon cables—they're more delicate than they look! Pry gently and keep things smooth.
- Grab your spudger and gently nudge the ambient light sensor away from its comfy spot in the front panel notch.
- Now, slide the spudger under the sensor and its cable, working your way to lift off the adhesive that’s keeping things stuck together.
Tools Used
Step 30
- Grab your spudger and gently wedge the point underneath the microphone, then lift it out of its cozy little notch in the front panel. Nice and easy, no rush!
Tools Used
Step 31
- Gently pop the proximity sensor and flood illuminator module out of its spot in the front panel using the tip of your spudger. Go slow and steady—no need to rush the magic!
Tools Used
Step 32
- Line up your new part with the old one—sometimes you’ll need to move over small bits or peel off protective stickers before popping it in.
- Put your device back together by running through the steps above in reverse—easy peasy.
- Once you’re done, some parts might need a quick calibration. If you’re on iOS 18 or later, just head to Settings → General → About → Parts & Service History, tap Restart & Finish Repair, and follow the prompts to get things running smoothly.
- Don’t forget to recycle your old electronics responsibly by taking them to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
- If things didn’t quite go as planned, no sweat! Try some basic troubleshooting, or if you’re stuck, you can always schedule a repair with the pros.
