iPhone 11 Lower Speaker Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 35 Steps
Time to swap out that bottom loudspeaker on your iPhone 11! If your sound is coming through weak, fuzzy, or just plain missing, this might be just what you need. Follow along and we'll help you get that crisp, clear audio back in no time. (If it’s the earpiece speaker you're after, we’ve got a separate guide for that!) If you run into any issues, don’t hesitate to schedule a repair.
Step 1
- First things first, let's power down that iPhone before we dive into the disassembly adventure! Safety first, right?
- Next up, grab your trusty pentalobe screwdriver and remove those two screws at the bottom edge of your iPhone. They're 6.7 mm long and just waiting for you to give them a twist!
Before you dive in, make sure your iPhone's battery is below 25%. Lithium-ion batteries are great, but they can be a little temperamental—if punctured while charged, they could spark a fire or even explode. Play it safe and power down before you start!
Opening up the iPhone's display can mess with its waterproof seals, so make sure you've got replacements on hand before moving forward. If you’re skipping the new seals, just be cautious about any liquid getting near your phone while reassembling it.
Step 2
Keeping your pick from going too deep is key—mark your pick to know exactly where to stop. Your device will thank you!
Want to get fancy? Mark each corner of your pick with different measurements so you're always in control.
Or for a quick hack, tape a coin 3 mm from the tip of your pick. DIY ingenuity at its finest!
- Grab your opening pick and measure about 3mm from the tip. Mark it with a permanent marker—just a little dot to guide your way!
Step 3
Pop on some safety glasses to keep your peepers safe from any rogue glass bits that might fly off during the repair.
Got a cracked screen on your iPhone? No worries! Keep the shards at bay and avoid any accidental pokes by simply taping over that glass. Safety first, right?
And if you're in a pinch, a little superglue can do wonders! Just stick that suction cup to the screen and you're good to go.
- Cover the whole iPhone screen with slightly overlapping strips of clear packing tape. Think of it as giving your screen a protective shield.
- If the suction cup refuses to cooperate later, try folding a sturdy piece of tape—duct tape works great—into a makeshift handle and use that to gently lift the screen.
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 help you open up your device with ease. If you're not using the Anti-Clamp, no worries! Just scroll down three steps for a different approach.
Need a hand with the Anti-Clamp? Check out this handy guide for all the details.
Is your iPhone feeling a bit too slippery for the Anti-Clamp? No problem! Just grab some tape to give it a better grip.
- Pull the blue handle back to release the Anti-Clamp's arms.
- Slide the arms onto either the left or right side of your iPhone.
- Place the suction cups near the bottom edge of your iPhone—one at the top and one at the bottom.
- Press the cups together to create a strong seal where you want it.
Step 5
- Slide the blue handle forward to lock those arms in place.
- Give the handle a full 360-degree spin clockwise, or keep turning until the suction cups start to stretch.
- Keep an eye on the suction cups — they should stay lined up. If they start to drift, loosen them a bit and realign the arms.
Step 6
Turn no more than a quarter twist at a time, then take a breather for a minute. Let the Anti-Clamp and some patience do their magic!
Feeling a bit hot under the collar? No worries! You can grab a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate to warm things up—but be careful; too much heat can mess with your display or battery. So, let’s keep it cool while we heat things up!
If the Anti-Clamp isn’t giving you the gap you need, just add a bit more heat and give that handle a cheeky quarter turn!
- Warm up that iOpener and sneak it through the arms of the Anti-Clamp.
- Bend the iOpener so it rests on the bottom edge of your iPhone.
- Take a breather for a minute to let that adhesive loosen up and create a little gap.
- Gently slide an opening pick into the gap between the screen and the plastic bezel, avoiding the screen itself.
- Feel free to skip the next three steps.
Tools Used
Step 7
Warming up the bottom edge of your iPhone loosens the sticky adhesive holding the screen in place, making it much easier to pop open.
- Grab a hairdryer or heat gun, or get your hands on an iOpener. Now, give the lower edge of your iPhone a nice warm hug for about a minute.
Tools Used
Step 8
- Stick your suction handle on the lower edge of the phone—just steer clear of the curvy part of the glass.
Tools Used
Step 9
The adhesive holding the display is seriously tough—think superhero-level grip. Getting that first gap open might take some muscle. If it’s sticking, hit it with a bit more heat and gently wiggle the screen back and forth. Keep at it until you’ve got enough space for your tool.
- Gently pull up on the suction cup with a steady, firm pressure to create just a little gap between the front panel and the rear case.
- Now, take an opening pick and carefully slide it into the gap underneath the screen and plastic bezel (not the screen itself).
Step 10
Keep your pick no deeper than 3 mm – we don't want any accidental damage to those delicate internal parts!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the lower left corner and then up the left side of the iPhone, carefully cutting through the adhesive that’s keeping the display glued down.
Step 11
Be careful along the right edge of your iPhone – there are some fragile cables hiding there. Avoid inserting your pick in this area to keep everything safe and sound.
Step 12
Keep that pick shallow—going deeper than 3 mm could poke the display cables, and nobody wants a surprise screen blackout!
- Slide your pick in at the bottom edge of your iPhone and gently work it up the right side to keep separating that sticky adhesive. Take your time, it's like peeling off a sticker, but way more rewarding.
Step 13
The top edge of the display is held in place with both glue and clips, so be ready to give it a gentle nudge to free it up. A little patience goes a long way here!
- Gently nudge the right edge of the display downward, just a little, towards the Lightning port. No rush, it’ll come down smoothly!
- Slide your pick carefully into the top-right corner of the phone. You're almost there!
Step 14
Be careful not to push your pick in more than 3mm—you don't want to accidentally mess with the Face ID sensor array.
- Keep gently pulling the display down toward the Lightning port until you’ve created enough space for the pick to slide in.
- Slide the pick over to the top left corner and carefully slice through any leftover adhesive holding the display in place.
Step 15
- Give the little nub on your suction cup a gentle tug to pop it off the front panel. Easy does it!
Step 16
Hold off on pulling the display all the way off just yet—there are still some delicate ribbon cables hanging out, connecting it to the iPhone’s logic board.
- Flip open your iPhone by swinging the screen up from the left side, just like cracking open a hardcover book.
- Lean the display up against something sturdy—think of it as letting your phone chill while you work.
- When putting things back together, set the display in place, line up those top-edge clips, and gently press the top edge in before snapping the rest down. If it’s being stubborn and won’t click, check the clips around the edge to make sure none are bent out of shape.
Step 17
Take it easy with those display cables—no yanking, no tugging! Keep them happy and intact.
- To get to the screws in the next step, just give your display a little nudge by gently lifting its lower edge. You've got this!
Step 18
As you go through this repair, keep an eye on every screw and make sure it finds its way back to its original spot. It's like a little puzzle, and every piece has its place!
- Grab a Y000 driver and unscrew the three 1.1 mm screws holding that battery connector bracket in place. Easy peasy!
- When you're putting everything back together, it's a great time to power on your iPhone and give all the functions a quick test before sealing the display. Just remember to turn it off completely before getting back to work.
Step 19
- Take out the bracket and set it aside like a champ.
Step 20
Be gentle around the black silicone seal that hugs this and other board connections—it’s the bouncer keeping water and dust out of the party. Let’s keep it intact for maximum protection!
- Grab a spudger or your clean fingernail and gently nudge the battery connector up from its snug little home on the logic board.
- Now, give that connector a slight bend away from the logic board so it doesn't accidentally sneak back into its socket.
Tools Used
Step 21
- Grab your trusty Y000 driver and let's tackle those five 1.1 mm screws holding down that logic board cover bracket! You've got this!
Step 22
- Take off the bracket with care.
Step 23
- Grab a spudger or use your fingernail to gently pry apart the LCD panel cable connector.
- Next, disconnect the digitizer connector right next to it. Smooth and easy, you've got this!
Tools Used
Step 24
- Gently pry up the front panel sensor assembly connector using the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to unplug it.
Tools Used
Step 25
- Start by carefully removing the display assembly. Don't rush, take your time.
- When you're putting everything back together, here's a quick tip: if you'd like to swap out the waterproof adhesive around the edges of the display, now's the perfect moment to do it.
Step 26
- Grab your trusty Phillips driver and let's tackle those screws! First up, let's remove the five screws holding down the bracket beneath the Taptic engine and speaker:
- Four screws that are 1.6 mm in size
- One slightly smaller screw at 1.3 mm
Step 27
- Pop off that lower bracket and set it aside like a pro.
Step 28
A little warmth from a hair dryer or iOpener can make peeling off that tape a breeze and help it stick back on like it never left!
Step 29
- Time to unscrew five fasteners holding the speaker and those trusty brackets:
- One Phillips screw, measuring 1.9 mm
- One Phillips screw, at 2.3 mm
- One standoff screw, 3.1 mm tall
- And two Phillips screws, each at 1.6 mm
Step 30
- Pop off the tiny grounding clip chilling in the top right corner of the speaker. Easy does it!
Step 31
- Pop off that Taptic Engine connector cover and set it aside like a pro.
Step 32
- Carefully lift and set aside the tiny board that’s guarding the last speaker screw hanging out in the bottom right corner of your iPhone. It’s like finding treasure!
- Next up, let's get that pesky 2.4 mm standoff screw out from its hiding spot underneath. You got this!
Step 33
- Slide a spudger under the top edge of the speaker, right where the iPhone's case ends.
- Carefully pop up and lift the top edge of the speaker like a pro.
Tools Used
Step 34
- Grab the speaker by its side edges and give it a gentle rock side-to-side, just like you're dancing! This will help loosen the adhesive keeping it stuck to the bottom edge of your iPhone.
- Now, carefully pull the speaker away from the bottom edge of the iPhone until that adhesive gasket lets go and gives you freedom!
Step 35
- Line up your new part with the old one—sometimes you’ll need to move over some bits or peel off protective stickers before popping it in place.
- Put your device back together by following these steps backward.
- If things didn’t go quite as planned, try some basic troubleshooting or swing by our iPhone 11 Answers community for tips. And remember, if you hit a wall, you can always schedule a repair with us.
