iPhone XS Earpiece Speaker and Front Sensor Assembly Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 32 Steps
This assembly is uniquely paired with your iPhone right from the factory.
Follow these steps to remove, transfer, or replace the earpiece speaker and front sensor assembly on your iPhone XS. This assembly packs in the earpiece speaker, microphone, ambient light sensor, flood illuminator, and proximity sensor. Since it's factory-paired to your phone, you'll need to move it from your old display to the new one whenever you swap screens. The flood illuminator plays a key role in Face ID, so if this part gets damaged or installed incorrectly, Face ID won’t work. Swapping it out for a new part won’t fix the problem either, so handle these components with care. If things go sideways, only Apple can get Face ID back up and running.
Step 1
- Make sure to power off your iPhone before you start taking it apart.
- Next up, grab your pentalobe screwdriver and remove the two 6.9 mm screws located at the bottom edge of your iPhone.
Before you get started, make sure your iPhone battery is under 25%. A fully charged lithium-ion battery is like a ticking time bomb—puncture it, and you might get a fiery surprise. Play it safe!
Opening your iPhone's display will break its waterproof seal. Be sure to have replacement seals on hand if you're moving past this step, or take extra care to keep it dry when putting everything back together without the new seals.
Step 2
Be careful not to insert the pick too far, or you might end up causing some damage. A quick trick: mark your pick to keep it from going too deep and avoid any mishaps.
Feeling extra precise? You can mark the other corners of the pick with different measurements for that extra control.
Alternatively, grab a coin and tape it about 3mm from the tip of your pick. A simple yet effective way to get the job done!
- Grab your opening pick and make a little mark exactly 3 mm from the tip using a permanent marker. This will be your handy guide for the next step!
Step 3
Pop on some safety glasses to keep your eyes safe from any rogue glass bits that might fly around during the repair.
Got a cracked iPhone screen? Slap some tape over that glass to keep the shards in check and your fingers safe while you work your magic.
If the suction cup just won't stick, break out the superglue and stick it right to the screen like a pro.
- Cover the iPhone’s screen with overlapping strips of clear packing tape until the entire front is snugly wrapped.
- If the suction cup doesn’t want to stick in the next steps, no worries — just fold a strong tape (like duct tape) into a little handle and use that to lift the screen instead.
Step 4
The upcoming three steps walk you through the Anti-Clamp, a handy gadget we crafted to make popping open your device a breeze. If you're not using the Anti-Clamp, feel free to skip ahead three steps for another way to get the job done.
For a full rundown on how to work the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
If your iPhone's surface feels too slick for the Anti-Clamp to grip, slap on some tape to create a bit more traction.
- Grab that blue handle and pull it back to free up the Anti-Clamp's arms. You're almost there!
- Now, slide those arms over either the left or right edge of your iPhone. You've got this!
- Next, place the suction cups at the bottom of the iPhone—one on the front, one on the back. Make sure they're nice and snug.
- Give the cups a good squeeze to lock in some serious suction. You're doing great!
Step 5
- Give that blue handle a gentle tug forward to secure those arms in place.
- Now, twist the handle a full 360 degrees, or until you see those suction cups starting to stretch a bit.
- Keep an eye on those suction cups and make sure they're lined up nicely. If they start to drift apart, just loosen them a touch and realign those arms for a perfect fit.
Step 6
Turn slowly—no more than a quarter turn each time—and then take a breather for a minute. Let the Anti-Clamp and a bit of patience do their magic!
Feel free to use a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate, but be careful! Too much heat can mess with the display or battery, so take it slow and steady.
If the Anti-Clamp isn’t giving you enough of a gap, just crank up the heat a bit more and give the handle a quick quarter-turn rotation.
- Warm up an iOpener and carefully thread it through the arms of the Anti-Clamp.
- Fold the iOpener so it rests along the bottom edge of your iPhone.
- Give it about a minute to let the adhesive soften and create a little gap to work with.
- Gently slide an opening pick into the gap between the screen and the plastic bezel—avoid prying directly on the screen.
- You can skip the next three steps.
Tools Used
Step 7
Gently warming up the lower edge of your iPhone helps soften the adhesive holding the display in place, making it much easier to lift open. Think of it as giving your phone a little spa treatment before the main event!
- Grab your trusty hairdryer, heat gun, or an iOpener and warm up the bottom edge of your iPhone for about a minute. This will help loosen up that stubborn adhesive beneath, making your repair smoother and easier.
Tools Used
Step 8
- When you're ready to get started with your phone repair, grab a single suction handle and stick it to the bottom edge of your phone—just steer clear of the curved glass area. Let's keep that glass safe and sound!
Tools Used
Step 9
The adhesive holding the display is seriously tough—opening that first gap can feel like arm wrestling with your device. If it’s giving you a hard time, hit it with a bit more heat and gently wiggle the screen up and down to loosen things up. Keep at it until you’ve got enough space to slide your tool in.
- Give that suction cup a good tug with steady pressure to wiggle the front panel away from the rear case just a bit. You're doing great!
- Slide an opening pick into the little gap between the screen and the plastic bezel—just avoid poking the screen itself. Keep it gentle and fun!
Step 10
Keep your pick insertion under 3 mm to avoid poking any sensitive bits inside!
- Gently glide the opening pick around the lower left corner and up the left edge of your iPhone, cutting through the adhesive that's keeping the display snugly in place. You're doing great!
Step 11
Watch out! There are some sensitive cables snuggled up along the right edge of your iPhone. Avoid sticking your pick in this area to keep those cables safe and sound!
Step 12
Keep your pick to a maximum of 3 mm—going deeper could put a strain on those delicate display cables!
- Slide your pick back in at the bottom edge of the iPhone, then glide it up along the right side to keep loosening that sticky adhesive.
Step 13
The clips are delicate—go easy and take your time to avoid breaking them.
Keep your pick insertion shallow, no deeper than 3 mm, to protect the front panel sensor array.
The top edge of the display is held in place with a delightful combo of glue and clips, keeping everything snug and secure!
- Gently wiggle that opening pick around the top corner of the display, while softly pulling down towards the Lightning port. We’re getting there!
- Now, slide the pick over to the opposite corner and snip away any stubborn adhesive that's still holding the display in place. Almost done!
Step 14
- Gently tug the little nub on the suction cup to lift it off the front panel.
Step 15
Hold up! Don't yank the display all the way off just yet—there are still some delicate ribbon cables hooking it up to the iPhone's logic board.
- Flip open your iPhone by swinging the screen up from the left, just like opening a hardcover book—no dramatic flourishes required.
- Prop up the display against something sturdy to keep it out of your way while you tackle the inside.
- When it's time to put it all back together, gently line up the display, start with the clips along the top, and press the top edge down. If it refuses to snap in easily, double-check the clips around the screen—sometimes they’re just a little bent and need a nudge.
Step 16
- Take out the five screws holding down the logic board connector bracket. Here’s the lineup:
- As you go, keep each screw with its original spot. Trust me, mix-ups here can make your iPhone cranky.
- Three Y000 screws at 1.0 mm each
- One Y000 screw at 1.3 mm
- One Phillips screw at 3.7 mm
Step 17
The bracket might be stuck just a little bit. Give it a gentle yet firm lift to separate it, and you'll be good to go!
- Take off the bracket with care.
- Now's a great time to give your iPhone a little test drive before sealing the display back on! Just remember to power it down completely before diving back into the repair.
Step 18
Careful now! Try to keep the black silicone seal around this and other board connections intact. These nifty little seals are the unsung heroes that keep water and dust from crashing the party inside your device.
- Grab your trusty spudger or just a clean fingernail to gently lift that battery connector up from its cozy spot on the logic board.
- Give the connector a little bend away from the logic board to make sure it doesn’t sneakily reconnect while you’re working on your phone. We want everything to stay powered down during your repair adventure!
Tools Used
Step 19
- Gently pry up the front panel sensor assembly connector using a spudger or your trusty fingernail, and disconnect it. Take it slow, you've got this!
Tools Used
Step 20
- Gently use a spudger or your fingernail to unplug the OLED panel cable connector—easy does it!
- When reconnecting, line up one side of the connector carefully and press down until you hear a click, then do the same for the other side. Avoid pressing in the middle to keep those pins happy and prevent any damage.
Tools Used
Step 21
- Grab a spudger or your trusty fingernail to gently lift the digitizer cable connector out of its cozy socket.
- This connector can be a bit sneaky, hiding in a recessed spot. Take your time, line it up just right, and give it a gentle press—first one side, then the other. You’ll feel it click into place.
- If your screen’s not responding to touch after the repair, try disconnecting the battery, reseat that connector, and make sure it clicks in properly. Also, double-check that there’s no dust or debris blocking the socket.
Tools Used
Step 22
The front panel sensor assembly flex cable is gently stuck down, so take care when lifting it up.
- Gently peel up the cable until the sticky stuff lets go.
Step 23
- Gently lift out the display assembly—think of it like opening a secret treasure chest.
- If you're all about that waterproof life, now's your moment to swap out the adhesive around the display edges before putting it back together.
Step 24
- Flip the display assembly over and gently peel back any tape hiding the sneaky screw tucked away in the lower right corner of the speaker housing.
Step 25
- Let’s get that speaker/sensor assembly loose! Start by removing the three Y000 screws that are holding it in place:
- One tiny 1.3 mm screw – it’s a little fella!
- One slightly bigger 1.4 mm screw – not too scary, right?
- And finally, the 1.9 mm screw – the big guy of the bunch!
Step 26
Heads up! The speaker is still hanging on by a super thin flex cable, so handle it gently and avoid giving it any unintentional yoga stretches.
The earpiece speaker is gently stuck in place, like it’s holding on for dear life—but don’t worry, it comes off with a little coaxing.
- Carefully slide a spudger under the top edge of the speaker assembly, then flip it down and away from the display—no sudden moves, just smooth and steady!
Tools Used
Step 27
- Grab your hairdryer, heat gun, or iOpener and warm up the top front edge of the display for about a minute. This helps loosen up the adhesive holding those tricky sensors in place.
Tools Used
Step 28
- Gently slide the edge of an opening pick under the flex cable situated below the microphone.
- Twist it softly to loosen the microphone, taking care not to stretch or damage the flex cable.
- If the microphone is still being stubborn, use the tip of a spudger to carefully pry it free from its notch in the front panel. If it’s really being difficult, try warming it up a bit more.
Tools Used
Step 29
Gently lift and hold the speaker out of your way to get better access. Just watch out for the delicate flex cable—it’s thin and doesn’t like to be tugged!
- Starting from the left side, slide an opening pick under the flex cable and beneath the proximity sensor plus flood illuminator module.
- Carefully wiggle and lift to pop the module out of its spot in the front panel.
Step 30
Heads up: the sensor is still connected to the rest of the assembly by a super thin flex cable—go gentle, no tug-of-war moves here!
If the sensor is still stubbornly stuck after a few seconds, give it another round of heat and try again. Patience is key!
- Grab your tweezers and gently wiggle the ambient light sensor free, then lift it out of its little spot in the display like a pro.
Tools Used
Step 31
- Awesome job on removing the entire ambient light sensor! Now, let's keep the momentum going and move on to the next step below.
- If the white diffuser strip decided to stick around and is still lodged in the display, no worries! Gently coax it out from the top edge using a thin blade or pry tool. A little heat beforehand can make this task a breeze.
- When reassembling, pop the diffuser back into the display first, ensuring it's facing the right way (check out the front-facing side in the first image and the rear-facing side in the third).
- Next up, place the ambient light sensor right on top of the diffuser. You'll want to hold it steady while you secure the earpiece/sensor assembly with screws. Once they're tightened, your sensor will be snug and ready to roll!
Step 32
- Give your new replacement part a good look-over next to the original—there might be some parts that need to make the journey over or some sticky stuff to peel off the new one before you dive in.
- Now, time to put it all back together! Just retrace your steps from earlier, and you'll be golden.
- When you're done, don't forget about your e-waste! Take it to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler. They’ll make sure it gets handled properly.
- Uh-oh, did things not go as smoothly as you hoped? No worries! Swing by our Answers community for some troubleshooting tips, or if you're feeling stuck, you can always schedule a repair.
