iPhone X Logic Board (Motherboard) Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 66 Steps
The logic board, or motherboard, is the brain of your phone, housing the CPU and most of the key chips that keep everything running smoothly. iPhone X logic boards are a bit of a tough nut to crack because they’re actually two boards stacked and soldered together as one. If you need to fix anything trapped between these layers, you’ll have to carefully separate them—a tricky step that demands some serious microsoldering skills. This guide walks you through swapping out the logic board. To keep Face ID up and running, you’ll also need to replace the Earphone / Proximity Sensor assembly and the front camera assembly, since they’re paired with the logic board. If you’re okay with losing Face ID, you can use this guide to replace just the logic board. If you hit a snag or want to avoid the headache, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
- Grab a SIM card eject tool or even a paperclip—yep, that simple—and insert it into the tiny hole on the SIM card tray, right near the side button of your iPhone.
- Give it a gentle push and watch the tray pop right out. Easy peasy!
Tools Used
Step 2
Heads up: the SIM card likes to pop out of the tray pretty easily.
- Pop out the SIM card tray from your iPhone. Easy, right?
- When you're putting the SIM card back in, make sure it's facing the right way in the tray. A little attention here goes a long way.
- The SIM tray has a tiny rubber gasket that keeps dust and water out. If that little gasket is damaged or missing, your iPhone's internals might not be as safe. In that case, swap out the gasket or the whole tray to keep your device in top shape.
Step 3
Heads up! Before diving in, make sure your iPhone battery is below 25% charge. A fully charged lithium-ion battery is like a ticking time bomb if poked the wrong way—let’s keep things cool and safe!
Popping open your iPhone’s display means saying goodbye to its waterproof seals. Make sure you’ve got replacement seals on hand before moving forward, or be extra careful to keep your iPhone away from water if you’re putting it back together without swapping the seals.
- Make sure to power off your iPhone before you start taking it apart.
- Unscrew the two pentalobe screws, each 6.9 mm long, located at the bottom edge of your iPhone.
- If those screws are stripped or looking rough, go ahead and swap them out for new ones.
Step 4
Be careful not to push your opening pick in too deep; it could cause some unintended damage to your device. Marking your pick can help keep things safe and sound!
Feel free to add some flair by marking the other corners of your pick with different measurements for a bit of style.
If you want a quick alternative, just stick a piece of tape on a coin about 3 mm from the tip of your pick. You're all set!
- Mark a spot 3 mm from the tip of your opening pick with a permanent marker. You're setting the stage for a successful repair—let's get this party started!
Step 5
Pop on some safety glasses—nobody wants a surprise glass confetti moment.
Got a cracked iPhone screen? Keep those shards in check and avoid any ouch moments by carefully taping over the glass before you start the repair.
If the suction cup refuses to stick, a little superglue can help it grab onto the screen and get the job done.
- Cover the iPhone's screen with overlapping strips of clear packing tape until the entire front is protected.
- If the suction cup won't stick in the next steps, no worries! Just fold a sturdy piece of tape (like duct tape) into a little handle and use that to gently lift the screen instead.
Step 6
The next three steps walk you through using the Anti-Clamp, a handy tool designed 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 it open.
For a full breakdown on how to work the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
If your iPhone’s surface is a bit too slick for the Anti-Clamp to grip, try adding some tape to create a little extra traction.
- Grab the blue handle and pull it back to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
- Slide the arms gently over either the left or right side of your iPhone.
- Place the suction cups at the bottom edge of your iPhone—one on the front and the other on the back.
- Squeeze the cups together to create a firm hold and apply suction where it's needed.
Step 7
- Slide that blue handle forward to lock those arms in place.
- Give the handle a full spin clockwise—360 degrees—until the cups start to stretch out.
- Keep the suction cups lined up with each other. If they start to wander, loosen them up a bit and get those arms back in sync.
Step 8
Go slow—just a quarter turn at a time, and give it a minute before the next move. Let the Anti-Clamp handle the heavy lifting while you chill for a moment.
You can also bring the heat with a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate—just be careful, because too much heat might mess with the display or battery.
If the Anti-Clamp isn’t opening up enough space, try warming the area a bit more and give the handle a quarter turn twist.
- Warm up that iOpener and slide it through the arms of the Anti-Clamp like a pro.
- Bend the iOpener so it rests comfortably on the bottom edge of your iPhone.
- Take a breather for a minute to let the adhesive loosen up and create a little opening gap.
- Gently slide an opening pick beneath the screen and the plastic bezel, avoiding the screen itself.
- Feel free to skip the next three steps.
Tools Used
Step 9
When using a hairdryer or heat gun, remember: less is more! Don’t go overboard with the heat, or you might end up hurting the screen. Keep it cool, literally!
Warming up the lower edge of your iPhone is a smart move! It will help loosen up that stubborn adhesive holding the display in place, making it way easier to pop it open.
- Grab a hairdryer, heat gun, or even an iOpener if you’ve got one lying around. Warm up the lower edge of the iPhone for about a minute. This softens up that stubborn adhesive underneath and gets you ready for the next step.
Tools Used
Step 10
- If you're rolling solo with a suction handle, stick it to the bottom edge of the phone, making sure to steer clear of that curved glass area. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 11
The adhesive sealing the screen is super tough—getting that first little gap open takes some serious effort. If it’s stubborn, heat things up a bit more and gently wiggle the screen back and forth to soften the glue until you can slip your tool in. Keep it cool, you’ve got this!
- Give that suction cup a confident tug—steady pressure is your friend here. You'll see a tiny gap start to show up between the screen and the frame.
- Slide an opening pick into the space, aiming under the screen’s plastic edge (not the screen itself). You got this!
Step 12
Keep your pick insertion to under 3 mm to avoid poking at any sneaky internal bits.
- Gently slide the opening pick around the lower left corner and up along the left edge of the iPhone to carefully cut through the adhesive holding the display in place.
Step 13
Heads up! There are some super sensitive cables running along the right edge of your iPhone. Keep your pick away from this area to avoid giving those cables a bad day.
Step 14
Keep your pick to a maximum of 3 mm, or you might accidentally tango with the display cables and cause some damage.
- Slide your pick back in at the bottom of your iPhone, then cruise up the right side to loosen up that stubborn adhesive. Keep it smooth and steady—you're making progress!
Step 15
Easy does it—those clips are delicate! Take your time and go gentle to avoid any surprise snap.
Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than 3 mm. Any deeper and you risk poking the sensor array where it shouldn't be poked.
The top edge of the display is held in place by a combo of glue and clips, so take it slow and steady!
- Glide your opening pick around the top corner of the display, gently nudging or wiggling the display downward towards the Lightning port. Smooth moves—no need to rush.
- Take the pick to the other top corner and slice through any leftover adhesive keeping the display stuck. Almost there!
Step 16
- Gently pull on the small nub on the suction cup to lift it away from the front panel.
Step 17
Hold off on peeling the display all the way off just yet — there are still some delicate ribbon cables hooking it up to the iPhone’s logic board.
Like in the picture, double-check that the frame lifts off together with the display and doesn’t get stuck inside the device.
- Swing the iPhone’s display open from the left—imagine you’re flipping a book cover.
- Prop the display up against something sturdy so it doesn’t flop around while you work.
- When you’re ready to put things back together, line up the top edge clips, press the top into place, then snap the rest of the display down. If it’s refusing to click, double-check those surrounding clips; they might need a little straightening.
Step 18
As you go through this repair, make sure to keep track of all the screws—each one has its own special place. Getting them back where they belong will save your iPhone from any accidental damage. A little organization goes a long way!
- Let's get those screws out! First, remove five Y000 screws that are holding the logic board connector bracket in place. Here's the scoop on the screws you'll be tackling:
- Three screws measuring 1.1 mm
- One screw that's 3.1 mm
- And finally, one 3.7 mm screw
Step 19
The bracket might be holding on with a little adhesive, so give it a gentle nudge—firm, but not aggressive. It'll pop off with a bit of friendly persuasion!
- Take off that pesky bracket!
- Now's a great time to power up your iPhone and check that everything's working like a charm before sealing the display back on. Just remember to turn your iPhone off completely before diving back into the work!
Step 20
Be careful not to mess up the black silicone seal around this and other board connections. These little guys are crucial for keeping water and dust out, giving your device some extra protection.
- Gently pop the battery connector up from its spot on the logic board using a spudger or a clean fingernail—think of it like opening a stubborn pickle jar, but way less messy.
- Tilt the connector away from the logic board just a bit, so it doesn’t sneakily reconnect and power up your phone while you’re working your repair magic.
Tools Used
Step 21
- Gently pop off the front panel sensor assembly connector using a spudger or your fingernail—just a little wiggle and you’re good to go!
Tools Used
Step 22
- Grab a spudger or your trusty fingernail and gently disconnect that OLED panel cable connector. Easy peasy!
- When it's time to reconnect, take your time and carefully align the connectors. Press down on one side until you hear that satisfying click, then do the same on the other side. Just a friendly reminder: avoid pressing on the middle! If you misalign it, those little pins can bend and nobody wants that. If you find yourself stuck, don't hesitate to schedule a repair.
Tools Used
Step 23
- Grab a spudger and pop that digitizer cable connector straight up out of its socket.
- Getting this connector back in can be a bit of a puzzle—it's tucked away! Line it up carefully, then press down with your fingertip, one side and then the other, until you feel it click.
- If your screen is ignoring your touch after the swap, unplug the battery and give this connector another shot. Make sure it clicks in perfectly and double-check there’s no dust sneaking around in the socket.
Tools Used
Step 24
The front panel sensor assembly flex cable is gently stuck down—think of it as a polite little sticker, not a super-glue situation.
- Gently lift the cable just enough to break the adhesive’s grip—easy does it!
Step 25
- Take off the display assembly carefully.
- When putting everything back together, take a moment here if you want to swap out the waterproof adhesive around the display edges.
Step 26
Watch out for the three rows of grounding pads near the bottom of the iPhone – don't let them catch your finger's attention!
- Let's get to work! First, you'll need to take out those seven screws holding the bracket snugly below the Taptic Engine and speaker. Here's the lineup:
- Two Y000 screws, measuring 1.9 mm each
- One Y000 screw that's 1.2 mm
- One Y000 screw at 1.6 mm
- One Phillips screw that's 2.4 mm
- One Phillips screw measuring 1.7 mm
- And finally, one Phillips screw at a cool 1.5 mm
Step 27
- Gently lift the bracket from the edge closest to the battery. No need to yank it off completely; it's still attached with a tiny flex cable.
Step 28
- As you keep the bracket out of the way, gently use the tip of a spudger to lift and disconnect the flex cable hiding beneath it.
Tools Used
Step 29
- Take out the bracket and set it aside—like a pro on a snack break.
Step 30
- Take out the 2.1 mm Y000 screw holding down the speaker connector cover—let’s keep those tiny parts safe for reassembly!
Step 31
- Gently lift off the speaker connector cover to access the next part.
Step 32
- Grab the tip of your spudger and gently pry up the speaker connector to disconnect it.
Tools Used
Step 33
Careful when prying up the speaker—don't let that flex cable you just unplugged get a surprise! If it’s in the way, gently move it aside so the speaker can slide out without a fuss.
- Slide a spudger under the top edge of the speaker, right by the edge of your iPhone’s case.
- Pop up the top edge of the speaker with a gentle lift—no need for Hulk strength here.
- When you’re putting the speaker back, make sure the flex cable isn’t hiding underneath. Give it some space!
Tools Used
Step 34
- Grab the speaker by its side edges and give it a little wiggle from side to side to loosen up that sticky adhesive holding it down at the bottom of your iPhone.
- Gently pull the speaker away from the iPhone’s bottom edge until the adhesive gasket lets go.
Step 35
- Take out the speaker with care, just like you’re unwrapping a surprise gift!
Step 36
Keep your fingers on the outer edges of the liner—let’s not get up close and personal with that sticky adhesive!
- The speaker's gasket is a one-time thing. So, when you're putting it all back together, be sure to swap it out with a fresh one.
- Grab some tweezers and carefully peel off any remnants of the old gasket from both the frame and the speaker.
- Take a microfiber cloth and some isopropyl alcohol to give the frame and speaker a nice, clean wipe to get rid of any leftover adhesive.
- Before you put the new gasket on, make sure you get it lined up correctly. The large cutout should fit around the speaker grille mesh, so double-check that it’s in the right spot.
- Peel off the bigger, clear liner from the gasket and use your tweezers to gently place it in position on the speaker’s bottom.
- Press the gasket down gently with your fingers or a spudger to make sure it sticks properly to the surface.
- Now, take off the remaining liner and carefully place the speaker back in, making sure the connector doesn’t get caught underneath. It’s all about precision here!
Step 37
- Loosen and remove the 2.3 mm Phillips screw holding down the Taptic Engine.
Step 38
- Grab a spudger and gently pop the Taptic Engine flex cable straight up out of its socket. Easy does it!
Tools Used
Step 39
- Take out the Taptic Engine.
Step 40
The iPhone X battery hangs on tight thanks to four strips of stretch-release adhesive—one at the top and three at the bottom. Time to show those sticky strips who's boss!
- Every strip of adhesive comes with a snazzy black pull-tab chilling at the end, lightly stuck to the battery’s side edge, just waiting for its time to shine.
Step 41
Avoid poking the battery with sharp objects. If you accidentally pierce it, things could get messy with leaks or even a fire. Stay safe!
Those little tabs have a loop in the middle—slide a tool through there if they’re playing hard to get and won’t budge!
- Gently peel up the first battery adhesive tab from the bottom edge of the battery—think of it like starting a sticker collection, but with way less commitment.
Step 42
Watch out for the speaker cable connector chilling just below that center adhesive tab—don't let it get caught in the action!
- Do the same thing for the last two adhesive tabs along the bottom of the battery—just peel them away gently and keep it going!
Step 43
- Want to boost your chances of success? Here’s how:
- If a strip breaks off under the battery and you can’t fish it out, just switch to the next strip and keep going with the steps below.
- No need to press down on the battery. Just hold your iPhone steady by its sides.
- Keep those strips nice and flat—no wrinkles allowed—as you pull them out.
- Take it slow—pull gently to let the strip stretch and do its thing. Each strip usually takes about 15–30 seconds to come free.
- Pull at a low angle so the strip slides out smoothly without catching on the battery’s bottom edge.
If those strips decide to snap, don’t sweat it! It happens. Just scroll down for some smooth moves to deal with those stubborn bits.
Alright, now for the fun part! Gently pull each tab to stretch out the adhesive that's holding the battery in place. This special stretch-release adhesive loses its stickiness as you pull, so it'll come right off in your hand. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to lift the battery out without any hassle.
Step 44
If one of those adhesive strips snaps off under the battery and refuses to come out, just take out any strips you can wrangle, then keep going with the next steps below.
As you pull, the strip will elongate to several times its initial length. Keep tugging, and if needed, grab the strip closer to the battery for better leverage.
If the adhesive tabs happen to snap during your extraction adventure, don’t fret! Use your fingers or some blunt tweezers to fish out the leftover adhesive and keep on pulling.
- Grab one of the outer battery adhesive tabs and gently peel it away from the battery, heading toward the bottom of your iPhone.
- Keep a steady pull going, applying just the right amount of tension on the strip as it slips free from between the battery and the rear case.
Tools Used
Step 45
- Do the same thing on the other side by peeling off that strip, but hold off on the center strip until last. You got this!
Step 46
- Gently take off the center strip, and watch out for that sneaky speaker flex cable—it can be a bit clingy!
Step 47
The final pull tab is pretty close to the Face ID hardware, so handle it gently! If anything goes wrong, Face ID repairs are a job for Apple. Take extra care here, and if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
- Carefully peel back and pull apart the tab on that last sticky strip located at the top of the upper battery cell. You've got this!
Step 48
Heads up: when you pull the strip free, it might launch the battery like a tiny catapult. Keep a gentle hand above the battery to catch it, but don’t squish—extra pressure can make the adhesive strip snap underneath.
Skip the muscle—don’t pry the battery out like you’re cracking a walnut. If it’s stubborn, add a few more drops of alcohol to help loosen things up. And seriously, don’t poke or bend the battery with your tools.
Watch out for those ribbon cables and the wireless charging coil hiding under the battery—they’re fragile and don’t take kindly to rough treatment.
If the adhesive has decided to stay stuck under the battery and is being stubborn, no worries! Just drop a few drops of strong (90%+) isopropyl alcohol around the edge where the adhesive is hanging out. This should help loosen it up.
If the battery still doesn’t want to let go, keep going to the next step for more ways to get it unstuck.
- Carefully peel off that last adhesive strip and toss it aside like a pro.
- If you've successfully removed all four adhesive strips, you can totally skip to the next step—you're on a roll!
- Now, give that alcohol solution about a minute to work its magic on the adhesive. Then, using the flat end of your trusty spudger, gently lift the battery out of its cozy home.
Tools Used
Step 49
If you decide to use pry tools to lift the battery out of the iPhone, proceed with care to avoid damaging the delicate ribbon cables or the wireless charging coil hiding right under the battery.
Warm up the iPhone until the back feels a bit too toasty to keep your fingers on comfortably. Just don’t go overboard with the heat, or you might accidentally set the battery on fire.
- If any of the adhesive strips are still stuck to the battery and it's holding on tight to the rear case, grab your iOpener or a trusty hair dryer and heat up the back of the phone where the battery is. Give it a few moments to loosen up.
- Now, carefully flip the iPhone back over and thread a strong piece of string (think dental floss or a thin guitar string) right under the battery.
- Gently saw back and forth with the string, working your way along the length of the battery to slowly separate it from the adhesive. It might take a little time since the glue’s holding on, but stick with it! Just don’t apply too much force and avoid damaging the battery.
- Wrap the ends of the string around a cloth or slip on some gloves to keep your fingers safe and comfy while you work.
Tools Used
Step 50
- Grab that battery from the bottom edge and give it a little tug to pop it out of your iPhone.
- If there's any leftover alcohol solution hanging around in your device, gently wipe it off or let it air dry before you slide in that shiny new battery.
- Slide the Taptic Engine and speaker back into place before the new battery goes in. This little move keeps everything lined up just right during the installation.
- Before you stick down the new battery, reconnect the battery connector to the logic board socket for a quick check on alignment in its cozy spot.
- If your new battery didn't come with adhesive pre-installed, no worries! Check out this guide for tips on swapping out those adhesive strips.
- After you've put everything back together, give your device a force restart. It's a nifty trick to avoid hiccups and make troubleshooting a breeze!
- Stick down that battery, disconnect it again, and then continue reassembling your gadget.
Step 51
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently pop off the three front camera assembly cables:
- First up: the dot projector.
- Next, the front camera.
- And finally, the infrared camera. Easy does it!
Tools Used
Step 52
The camera cables are just lightly stuck to the midframe, so they should come off easily with a little gentle help.
- Gently use the tip of your spudger to wiggle under the IR camera cable at its connector, sliding it between the cable and the case to free it up.
- Do the same for the front camera cable—slow and steady wins the race!
Tools Used
Step 53
- Warm up the front camera assembly a bit to soften the adhesive and make removal easier.
Step 54
- Take out the front camera assembly with care.
Step 55
- Let’s unplug a few connectors to keep things moving.
- Unclip the WiFi Antenna connector.
- Pop off the Wide-Angle Camera connector.
- Disconnect the Power Button, Flash, and Microphone connector.
- Remove the Telephoto Camera connector.
- Unclip the Dock Flex connector.
- Lift the Button and Wireless Charging connector.
- Finally, disconnect the Cellular Antenna connector.
Step 56
- Gently unplug the WiFi antenna cable connector. It's like giving your device a little break, so it can do its thing without any interruptions.
Step 57
- Gently unplug the Wide-Angle Camera cable connector to keep things moving smoothly.
Step 58
- Unplug the Power Button, Flash, and Microphone cables. Time to give those connectors a little break, so they can chill while you work your magic.
Step 59
- Gently unplug the Telephoto Camera cable connector. It's a simple step, but be careful not to yank it out too hard.
Step 60
- Unplug the Dock Flex cable connector gently.
- Give the cable a neat 90-degree bend straight up to clear the way for taking out the logic board.
Step 61
- Unplug that Button / Wireless Charging cable connector and set it aside like it's a hot potato!
Step 62
- Unplug that Cellular Antenna cable connector like a pro!
- Gently bend the cable out of the way so you've got plenty of room to work your magic.
Step 63
When you're putting the metal grounding tab back, make sure it’s facing the same way as before. A little attention to detail goes a long way!
- Heads up: The logic board won’t budge if the SIM card tray is still hanging out. If you missed it earlier, go ahead and pop it out now.
- Unscrew the two Phillips mounting screws holding things together.
- Take out the 2.0 mm Phillips grounding screw.
- Lift out that grounding tab like a pro.
- Remove the 2.7 mm Phillips screw.
- Take out the 2.1 mm Phillips screw.
Step 64
- When you pop that SIM card out, a little pin will slide out from the frame and give a gentle nudge to the eject lever in the SIM card carrier. Just give that pin a little push back into the frame so it doesn’t get in the way of taking out the logic board. You're doing great!
Step 65
- Grab a pair of fine tip tweezers and gently nudge that SIM card eject lever towards the side of the case. You've got this!
- Once you're done, the eject lever should look just like this! The pin will be out of the way, making it a breeze to remove the logic board.
Tools Used
Step 66
- Ready to put things back together? Just follow the steps backward and your device should be good as new. If you run into trouble, you can always schedule a repair and let the pros handle it!
