iPad 2 CDMA Microphone Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 42 Steps
Get ready to swap out that microphone! Just a heads up: some parts of this guide were filmed using the Wi-Fi model, so the insides might look a tad different from the cellular version. Don't worry though, the steps are pretty much the same for both models, with a few exceptions noted here and there. Let’s dive in and make some magic happen!
Step 1
Heads up for carousel microwave users: double-check that the plate spins smoothly. If your iOpener decides to throw a tantrum and gets stuck, it might overheat and burn. Keep it cool!
It's a good idea to give your microwave a quick clean before diving into this. Any leftover grime on the bottom might just hitch a ride on the iOpener, and nobody wants that.
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave to warm it up.
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Step 2
Take care not to overheat the iOpener during your repair session. If things get too hot, the iOpener could go boom (not literally, but still dangerous). Keep it below 100˚C (212˚F) to avoid any surprises.
If your iOpener starts looking like a balloon, don’t touch it! Seriously, if it’s swollen, it’s not safe to handle.
If the iOpener’s still a bit too hot to handle, just wait it out. It’ll cool down and be ready for action soon enough. A good, properly heated iOpener should stay warm for about 10 minutes, so you’ve got time.
Depending on your microwave's wattage, you might need to adjust the heating time a bit. The iOpener is ready to roll when it’s just about too hot to handle!
- Give that iOpener a nice warm-up in the microwave for thirty seconds.
- As you go through the repair, keep an eye on that iOpener—when it starts to cool down, pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds. You've got this!
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Step 3
The iOpener gets pretty toasty, so make sure you're careful when handling it. If it feels too hot to touch, grab an oven mitt and keep your hands safe!
- Take the iOpener out of the microwave, but be sure to grab it by one of the flat ends – the center will be hot, so steer clear of that!
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Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener gets super hot, so make sure to grab it only by the end tabs to keep your fingers safe.
Don't have a microwave? No worries! Just heat your iOpener in a pot of boiling water instead.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to completely dunk your iOpener. We want it to feel at home!
- Turn up the heat and bring that water to a rollicking boil. Once it’s bubbling away, switch off the heat. Safety first!
- Now, carefully place your iOpener into the steaming hot water for about 2-3 minutes. Just make sure it's fully submerged and getting nice and toasty.
- Using tongs (or your favorite kitchen gadget), fish out that warm iOpener from the hot water. Watch out, it's hot stuff!
- Give your iOpener a good dry-off with a towel. We want it to be fresh and ready for action!
- And voilà! Your iOpener is all set for use! If you find it needs a little more heat, just repeat the steps: heat the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and let it soak for another 2-3 minutes.
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Step 5
Slip on some safety glasses to keep those peepers safe, and handle that LCD screen with extra care to avoid any ouch moments.
This will help keep those pesky glass shards in check and add some strength while you carefully pry and lift the display.
- Got a cracked display glass? Keep those shards in check and protect yourself by taping the glass before diving in.
- Cover the iPad’s screen with overlapping strips of clear packing tape until the entire front is wrapped up like a present.
- Follow the rest of the guide as usual, but heads up—once the glass is cracked, it might keep cracking as you go. You might need to carefully use a metal prying tool to scoop out the pieces.
Step 6
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder: when you're handling that pesky broken glass, make sure to rock some safety glasses. They’ll keep your eyes safe from any little flying shards that might want to crash the party.
- Place the iOpener flat along the right edge of the iPad, pressing it down so it makes solid contact with the surface.
- Let it hang out there for about 90 seconds to warm things up before you try to lift the front panel.
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Step 7
Getting that wedged tip of the opening tool between the glass and plastic might take a bit of elbow grease. Just stay cool and take your time, gently wiggling the plastic tool back and forth as needed. You've got this!
- Notice a tiny gap in the iPad's adhesive ring at the upper right corner? It's about 2.0 inches (roughly 5 cm) down from the top. Let's use that gap to your advantage!
- Grab your tool and line it up with the mute button. Gently insert the very tip of a plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just a little nudge to widen the crack—nothing too extreme.
Step 8
- Carefully slide your tool right between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass—getting it in the perfect spot makes all the difference!
Step 9
- With the plastic opening tool snugly positioned between the front glass and the plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into that little gap right next to your trusty tool. You're doing great!
Step 10
- Take that plastic opening tool out of the iPad, and slide the opening pick a little deeper under the front glass—aim for about half an inch down. You've got this!
Step 11
- As you carefully loosen the adhesive along the right side of the iPad, warm up the iOpener again and set it back on the bottom edge to keep things nice and toasty.
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Step 12
This adhesive is super strong, so you might need to put in some serious elbow grease. Just take your time and be careful!
If you can spot the tip of the opening pick under the front glass, pull it out just a bit. Going this deep won't cause any harm, but it might leave some adhesive residue on the LCD—nothing a little cleaning can't fix!
- As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start loosening the adhesive along the right side of the iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down the edge, peeling away the adhesive as you go.
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Step 13
You might need to slide the heated iOpener back over to the right edge of the iPad as you work on loosening the adhesive. How long the iPad has had to cool off while you’re at it will decide if this move is necessary.
- If your trusty opening pick is feeling a bit stubborn in the adhesive, just give it a little 'roll' along the edge of the iPad. Keep on rolling to break that sticky bond loose!
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Step 14
- Before you dive in and remove that first opening pick from the bottom corner of your iPad, slide in a second pick under the right edge of the front glass. This little buddy will help keep the adhesive from sticking back together like an overzealous glue monster!
- Give your iOpener a little reheat love, and then move it up to the top edge of the iPad. We're getting closer to that sweet victory!
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is snugly secured to the bottom right corner of the rear case of your iPad, held in place by screws and a cable. Since the antenna is positioned just so, it's super important to handle it with care—otherwise, you might end up causing some serious damage to it. So, let's take it easy and show that antenna some love!
- Heads up: the next steps require some serious care and attention.
- You’ll need to carefully loosen the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel without messing up the delicate connections linking the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Take it slow and steady!
Step 16
Hey there! Just a quick heads-up: don't slide that pick too far into the bottom right corner. You wouldn't want to accidentally give the Wi-Fi antenna a rough time!
- Gently glide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad to free up that pesky adhesive.
Step 17
Carefully slide the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. The Wi-Fi antenna hangs out near the corner and can be sliced if you’re not gentle with the adhesive—handle with care!
Keep that pick snug under the front glass—just a little peek out! Pull it out enough so that about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip is still cozy underneath. You're doing great!
- Gently glide the tip of your trusty opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad to loosen up that sticky adhesive over the Wi-Fi antenna. You've got this!
Step 18
- Once you've navigated past the Wi-Fi antenna—about 3 inches (or 75 mm) from the right edge, right next to the home button—slide that opening pick back in all the way.
- Now, gently slide the pick to the right to break free the adhesive that's holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass. Easy peasy!
- Just a heads up, the antenna is fastened to the bottom of the iPad with screws and a cable. By doing this step, you're safely detaching the antenna from the front panel. This way, when you lift off the panel, the antenna stays intact and happy!
Step 19
Keep it cool, buddy! Don't let that iOpener get too toasty—only heat it for a minute at a time and give it a break for at least two minutes before reheating. Your gadget will thank you for it!
If the adhesive along the bottom edge has cooled down too much, just give the iOpener another quick heat-up to warm things back up where you're working.
- Keep working that adhesive loose along the bottom of the iPad! Gently tug the opening pick out far enough to navigate around the home button. Once you're past that little guy, pop the pick back in to about half an inch (10 mm) deep. You've got this!
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Step 20
For iPad 4 models, gently slide the pick in this area but keep it to a maximum of 1/2 inch (10 mm) deep. We want to protect that home button ribbon cable from any harm while you work your magic!
- Keep peeling off the adhesive along the entire bottom edge of your iPad—smooth and steady wins the race!
- Leave that opening pick chilling under the front glass right near the home button to keep things ready for the next step.
Step 21
- Give that iOpener a quick reheat in the microwave and then place it on the left edge of the iPad. This will help warm up the adhesive in that area and make things easier for you!
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Step 22
If the adhesive has cooled down too much, just pop the iOpener back along the top edge and keep going. If it's feeling a bit chilly, give it a quick reheat and get back to work.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the top edge of the iPad, easing it out just enough to curve around the front-facing camera bracket.
- Heads up: the adhesive here is super stubborn, so you might need to apply a bit of muscle. Take it slow and steady to avoid any slips or mishaps with your iPad or yourself.
- If the pick starts to get stuck in the gooey adhesive, try "rolling" it like in step 9 to keep things moving smoothly.
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Step 23
If the adhesive has softened up nicely, feel free to pull the iOpener away from your iPad and set it aside for now. But if it's still holding on tight, give the iOpener another quick heat-up and place it along the left edge while you keep working. That'll help you get the job done with a little more ease.
- Keep peeling away that sticky adhesive along the top edge of your iPad, and gently slide the opening pick around the top left corner like a pro!
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Step 24
The digitizer cable hangs out about 2" (50 mm) up from the bottom of the iPad. When you’re sliding that pick, pause once you hit around 2.25" (60 mm) from the bottom to avoid any oops moments.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the left edge of your iPad to loosen the adhesive as you go. Heads up: the adhesive here is pretty thin because of the digitizer running the full length on this side. Keep the pick shallow (no deeper than about 10 mm or 1/2 inch) to avoid any unwanted digitizer drama.
Step 25
Heads up! The bottom of the digitizer cable hangs out just about an inch (25 mm) from the iPad’s base. Take it slow and steady to avoid accidentally slicing through this little guy.
- With the opening pick still tucked under the bottom edge of the iPad, gently pry to loosen the adhesive at the bottom left corner.
Step 26
Sometimes the adhesive around the edge of the iPad decides to play sticky again. If that happens, gently slide a pick under the spot where the front glass is still holding on and carefully slice through the adhesive to free it up.
- Grab one of those handy opening picks and gently lift up the bottom right corner of your iPad. Once you've got it, give it a little pinch with your fingers to hold on tight!
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky stuff that might still be lurking around! Grab an opening pick and gently slice through any adhesive that may still be keeping the front panel in place. You've got this!
- Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners, and gently twist the front glass away from the device like you're unveiling a surprise!
- When putting it back together, don't forget to give the LCD a little love! Use a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to wipe away any pesky dust or fingerprints before you seal it up with the glass.
Step 28
- Grab your Phillips #0 screwdriver and remove the four 2.0 mm screws holding the LCD in place on the rear case. A quick twist and they're out!
Step 29
Handle that LCD with care! When you're moving it, remember to keep it connected—it's like a loyal friend that sticks around even when you need to rotate it. Just give it a gentle spin and keep everything intact!
- To get to those sneaky front panel ribbon cables hiding under the LCD, just give the LCD a quick flip to the side.
- Gently lift the LCD from the edge nearest the volume buttons and flip it out of the rear case, just like you're turning a page in your favorite book.
- Now, place the LCD face down on the front panel and let it rest.
Step 30
Remember, you're gently lifting the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself. Keep that flap in check!
- Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently lift the retaining flap on the headphone jack and front-facing camera ribbon cable ZIF socket. Easy peasy!
- Slide that plastic opening tool underneath the headphone jack and front-facing camera cable to peel it away from the sticky adhesive holding it to the rear panel. You're doing great!
- Carefully pull the headphone jack and front-facing camera ribbon cable straight out of its socket on the logic board. Almost there!
Step 31
- Unscrew the two 2.9 mm Phillips screws holding the headphone jack to the back panel—easy does it!
Step 32
Hold tight! Don’t pull the assembly out just yet.
- Grab a plastic opening tool and gently pry the headphone jack out from its snug spot along the top edge of your iPad.
Step 33
- Gently lift the front camera and microphone cables off the back panel with care.
Step 34
- Gently peel back the strip of tape hiding the front camera cable connector.
- Slide the edge of a plastic opening tool under the front camera cable and carefully lift it away from the headphone jack cable.
Step 35
- Gently detach the front camera cable from the bottom ribbon cable connected to the headphone jack. Take your time and be careful—you're doing great!
Step 36
Watch out for those sneaky camera, microphone, and headphone jack ribbon cables while peeling off the tape! They can be a bit touchy, so let's keep them safe and sound.
- Peel off the tape holding down the front facing camera's ribbon cable with care.
Step 37
- Gently peel the front camera off the foam adhesive holding it to the rear panel. Take your time, no rush!
Step 38
- Gently slide the front-facing camera cable out of its little home in the rear panel.
- Carefully remove the front-facing camera from your iPad, and give it a little break from its hard work!
Step 39
- Peel off the last bits of foam tape that are still hanging on the microphone ribbon cable.
Step 40
- Gently use the edge of a plastic opening tool to detach the microphone cable connector. Take your time and be careful not to damage anything while doing so.
Step 41
- Gently lift the microphone off the top edge of the rear panel, taking care not to damage anything along the way.
Step 42
Watch out for the ribbon cable while you're pulling out the microphone. We don't want it to get snagged and torn—take it slow and steady!
- To put your device back together, just follow these steps in reverse order and use our iPad 2 CDMA Front Panel Adhesive strip guide to stick the front panel back in place. If you hit a snag, remember you can always schedule a repair with us!
