iPad 2 CDMA Volume and Power Button Cable Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 57 Steps
Get ready to tackle the adventure of replacing the volume and power button cable assembly in your iPad 2 CDMA! This nifty assembly also houses the sensor that detects the magnet in a Smart Cover. While some images in this guide feature a Wi-Fi model, don’t sweat it—the insides may look a bit different from the cellular version, but the steps are the same! So, roll up your sleeves and let's get started on this repair journey together!
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Ensure that the plate can spin freely. If your iOpener gets jammed, it might overheat and cause a little burn action.
We suggest giving your microwave a good scrub before diving in. Trust us, that pesky gunk lurking at the bottom might just stick to the iOpener, and nobody wants that!
- Pop the iOpener right in the center of your microwave and get ready to warm things up!
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Step 2
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder to keep an eye on that iOpener during your repair adventure. We don't want it to overheat and go boom! So, let’s keep it under 100˚C (212˚F), okay?
If your iOpener looks like it’s been hitting the gym and is all swollen, steer clear of it.
In case the middle of your iOpener is still too hot to handle, just hang tight and keep using it until it cools down a bit before you give it another heat-up. A well-heated iOpener should stay cozy for about 10 minutes!
Depending on your microwave's power, you may need to adjust the heating time a bit. The iOpener is good to go when it’s just a bit too hot to comfortably touch.
- Warm up the iOpener in the microwave for 30 seconds to get it ready for action.
- If the iOpener starts cooling off during your repair adventure, just pop it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds to keep things warm and cozy.
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Step 3
Heads up! The iOpener gets seriously hot, so handle with care. If you want to keep your fingers happy, grab an oven mitt!
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, making sure to grab it by one of the two flat ends to steer clear of that toasty center.
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Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener gets seriously toasty, so make sure to grab it only by the end tabs to keep your fingers safe.
Don't have a microwave? No worries! Just pop your iOpener into some boiling water to heat it up.
- Fill up a pot or pan with enough water to totally submerge the iOpener.
- Heat the water until it starts boiling, then turn off the heat. Nice and hot, but no more flames!
- Pop the iOpener into the hot water for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure it's completely submerged, so it gets nice and toasty.
- Using tongs, carefully grab the iOpener out of the hot water—don’t burn those fingers!
- Give the iOpener a good towel dry so it's all ready to go.
- Boom, you're set! If you need to reheat it later, just boil the water, turn off the heat, and dunk the iOpener in for another 2-3 minutes.
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Step 5
Pop on those safety glasses to keep your eyes safe, and remember to handle that LCD screen with care – you don’t want to accidentally turn it into a puzzle!
This will keep those pesky glass shards in check and add some solid support while you’re prying and lifting the display. Keep it cool and steady!
- If your display glass has a crack, let's keep that situation under control and avoid any injuries while you work your magic by sticking some tape on it.
- Grab some clear packing tape and lay down overlapping strips over the iPad's screen until it's completely covered. It's like giving it a cozy blanket!
- Now, do your best to follow along with the rest of the guide. Just a heads-up, once that glass starts to break, it might keep cracking as you go. You might want to have a metal prying tool handy to scoop out the pieces.
Step 6
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder: while you're tackling this repair, you might encounter some broken glass. So, why not rock those safety glasses to shield your eyes from any pesky flying shards? Better safe than sorry, right?
- 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 popping open the front panel.
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Step 7
It might take a little bit of muscle to wedge the opening tool between the glass and plastic. Take your time, stay gentle, and give the tool a little wiggle back and forth if needed. Patience is key!
- Look at the upper right corner of the iPad – there’s a tiny gap in the adhesive ring, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top. This little weak spot is your entry point.
- Align your tool with the mute button and gently slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just the very tip – enough to widen that crack and get things moving.
Step 8
- Be sure to position the tool just right—between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass. You've got this!
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 beside the tool. You're doing great!
Step 10
- Gently pull out the plastic opening tool from the iPad, then slide the opening pick a bit deeper under the front glass—about half an inch—to keep things moving smoothly.
Step 11
- While you're gently loosening the adhesive on the right side of your iPad, give your iOpener another heat-up session. Then, place it on the bottom edge of the iPad to keep things nice and warm.
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Step 12
The adhesive is super strong, so you might need to put in a bit of elbow grease. Just take it slow and steady!
If the opening pick's tip is peeking out from under the front glass, gently pull it out a bit. While using the pick this deep won’t cause any harm, it might leave some sticky adhesive residue on the LCD. Just a heads up!
- As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start loosening the adhesive from the right side of the iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down the edge, peeling back the adhesive bit by bit.
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Step 13
As you start to peel away the adhesive, you might want to slide that warm iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad. This little tip depends on how much time the iPad had to cool off while you were busy working your magic.
- If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, try gently 'rolling' it along the side of the iPad to continue loosening the sticky stuff. Keep at it, and the adhesive will give way.
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Step 14
- Before you pop 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 getting all clingy again.
- Give the iOpener a little heat love, then move it to the top edge of your iPad. We're almost there!
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is secured to the bottom right edge of the iPad’s rear case with screws and a cable. Since the antenna’s orientation is a bit finicky, take your time and be extra gentle—hasty moves could lead to some irreversible damage. Handle with care and you'll be golden!
- Alright, time to put on your focus hat – these next steps require a bit of extra care.
- You’re going to need to carefully release the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel, but watch out! You don’t want to accidentally mess with the delicate bits attaching the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Take it slow and follow the steps closely. You’ve got this!
Step 16
Careful not to push the pick past the bottom right corner — going further could mess up the Wi-Fi antenna, and we definitely don’t want that!
- Gently glide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad to free up that sticky adhesive. You've got this!
Step 17
As you glide the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel, keep in mind that the Wi-Fi antenna is lurking nearby. It's a bit of a delicate dance—if the adhesive gives way in the wrong way, you might just end up severing it. So, proceed with care and a smile!
Don't yank the pick completely out from under the front glass. Just pull it back a little so that about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip is still snugly under the glass. Keep it there for a secure hold and proceed with the next step!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad to loosen the adhesive holding down the Wi-Fi antenna.
Step 18
- After you've passed the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3" (75 mm) in from the right edge, just beside the home button), slide your opening pick all the way in.
- Gently slide the pick to the right to loosen the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass.
- The antenna is screwed and connected by a cable at the bottom of the iPad. This step separates the antenna from the front panel, making sure it stays safe when you lift the panel off.
Step 19
Keep the iOpener heating sessions under a minute, and give it a cool-down break of at least two minutes before firing it up again.
If the adhesive along the bottom edge has gotten too chilly, just give that iOpener another quick warm-up to soften things back up where you’re working.
- Keep peeling away that adhesive at the bottom of your iPad! Slide the opening pick around the home button, making sure to pull it out just enough. Once you've navigated past the home button, reinsert it to a depth of about 1/2 inch (10 mm) for a snug fit.
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Step 20
When working on iPad 4 models, slide your pick in no deeper than about 1/2 inch (10 mm) here to keep that home button ribbon cable safe and sound.
- Keep peeling the adhesive along the entire bottom edge of your iPad like a pro.
- Let the opening pick hang out just beneath the front glass near the home button to keep things lifted.
Step 21
- Pop the iOpener into the microwave for a quick reheat, then place it on the left edge of your iPad. This will help get that adhesive nice and toasty in that area!
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Step 22
If the adhesive has cooled off too much, just pop the iOpener back along the top edge and keep going. If the iOpener itself has lost its heat, give it a quick reheat and you’re good to go.
- Start by sliding the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, gently pulling it out just enough to glide around the front-facing camera bracket.
- The adhesive in this area is pretty stubborn, so don’t be afraid to apply a little muscle. Just take it slow, keep your focus, and make sure to avoid any slips—you don't want to hurt yourself or your iPad!
- If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, try rolling it like shown in step 9 to get it moving smoothly again.
Tools Used
Step 23
If the adhesive has warmed up, go ahead and remove the iOpener from the iPad for easier handling. If the adhesive is still holding on a bit too much, no worries—just reheat the iOpener and place it on the left edge as you work through the steps.
- Keep peeling the adhesive along the top edge of the iPad, sliding your opening pick smoothly around the top left corner like a pro.
Tools Used
Step 24
Hey there, just a heads-up! The digitizer cable is hanging out about 2" (50 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. So, when you're sliding that pick, make sure to stop when you're around 2.25" (60 mm) from the bottom. Happy repairing!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the left edge of the iPad to loosen the adhesive bit by bit. Heads up—the adhesive is pretty thin here because of the digitizer running along the entire left side. Keep the pick shallow (no more than 10 mm or about 1/2 inch) to avoid messing up the digitizer.
Step 25
Be careful! The bottom of the digitizer cable is just about 1" (25 mm) away from the iPad's bottom. Take your time and handle it gently to avoid accidentally cutting this cable.
- Slide the opening pick, still tucked under the bottom edge of the iPad, to gently loosen the adhesive at the bottom left corner. Keep it chill and steady!
Step 26
Some of the adhesive along the edges of your iPad might have decided to stick back down. If you find this happening, gently slide a pick under the edge where the front glass is still holding on tight and give that adhesive a little 'snip snip' to help it let go.
- Grab one of those nifty opening picks and gently lift the bottom right corner of the iPad. Once it's popped up, use your fingers to hold it in place. You've got this!
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky stuff that might still be hanging around! Grab your trusty opening pick and gently slice through any leftover adhesive that's keeping the front panel in place. You've got this!
- Grip your iPad gently by the top and bottom right corners and give the front glass a little twist away from the device.
- When you're putting everything back together, grab a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to give that LCD a nice clean-up, removing any dust or fingerprints before sealing it up with the glass.
Step 28
- Unscrew the four 2.0 mm Phillips #0 screws that are holding the LCD to the back case. Keep these screws safe—they’re the tiny heroes keeping it all together!
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care—don’t try to yank it off just yet! It’s still connected by its display data cable as you gently swivel it aside.
- The front panel ribbon cables are tucked away beneath the LCD. To get to them, you'll want to carefully flip the LCD over and set it aside for a moment.
- Gently lift the LCD from the edge nearest the volume buttons and flip it out of the rear case—think of it as turning a page in a book!
- Now, place the LCD face down on the front panel.
Step 30
- Gently lift off the rubber cover from the metal camera retainer and take it out of the iPad 2.
Step 31
Make sure the small thermal pad is snugly in place on the metal retaining clip, just like in the third picture, when swapping out the rear camera. It’s a small step, but it’ll make a big difference!
If the camera comes off attached to the retaining clip, no stress! Just gently separate the camera from the clip before putting it back in, so you can line up the connector perfectly.
- Unscrew these two screws first:
- Gently lift the metal retainer clip straight up from its snug spot in the back panel.
- One 3.3 mm Phillips screw
- One 2.1 mm Phillips screw
Step 32
- Gently wedge a plastic opening tool under the rear camera connector to lift it out from its socket on the upper component board.
- Carefully take out the rear camera.
Step 33
Say goodbye to that pesky foam tape sitting on top of the GPS cable ZIF connector. It's time for it to go!
Hold your horses on disconnecting this cable just yet—it'll come loose when you tackle the upper component board.
- Gently nudge the retaining tab on the ZIF connector with the spudger's tip to free the GPS cable. You've got this!
Step 34
- Time to tackle those screws holding the volume/power button assembly cable in place! Here's what you need to do:
- First up, grab your trusty screwdriver and remove two 2.5 mm Phillips #000 screws, which are at a stylish 45º angle securing the power button.
- Next, let's move on to two 5 mm Phillips #000 screws—these guys are just hanging out, waiting to be unscrewed.
- Lastly, don't forget about the one little 2 mm Phillips #000 screw at another 45º angle. It's the final piece of the puzzle!
Step 35
- Take off the metal bracket that’s holding down the rotation lock/silent switch. You’re making progress!
Step 36
- Gently pull the power button cable out from its snug spot in the back case and fold it aside to keep it clear.
- The ribbon cable houses the mechanical button that needs to align perfectly with the plastic button cover still attached inside the case.
Step 37
- Carefully detach the sleep/power button from the rear case.
- Make a mental note of how everything lines up, especially the metal spring bar—it should face downwards towards the rear when reassembling.
Step 38
Keep the bracket in place—it’s still hanging out with the button ribbon cable, so don’t pull it off completely!
- Grab the center screw hole on the volume control bracket, gently tilt it out toward the edge of the case, then lift it up and out of its cozy little recess.
Step 39
- Carefully lift the power and volume button cable away from the back cover. You're doing great!
- Gently bend the cable towards the inside of the rear case. Just a heads up, it's still connected to the upper component board, so no need to yank it out.
Step 40
- First things first, let's take off that rotation lock/silent switch from the back of the case. Easy peasy!
- Make sure to pay attention to how everything is facing for when we put it all back together. The mechanical switch has to align with this button cover, so let’s ensure they click together perfectly!
Step 41
- Grab a spudger and gently press the tip into the volume rocker. You'll want to push it inward, making space for the next steps.
- Now, carefully remove the volume rocker from the rear case. It should come off with ease – no wrestling required!
Step 42
- Gently use the tip of an opening pick to lift the Smart Cover sleep/wake sensor away from the rear case with care.
Step 43
- Gently lift the volume rocker section of the button cable away from the back case, like peeling a sticker off a fresh notebook.
Step 44
Heads up! Don’t yank the cable out completely—it’s still hooked up by a connector taped to the upper component board.
- Carefully lift the final horizontal section away from the back cover.
Step 45
- Unscrew the tiny 2 mm Phillips #000 screw at the bottom of the upper component board. A little twist, and it's free!
Step 46
- Grab a trusty pair of tweezers and gently lift that foam block right out from the cozy spot between the rear case and the upper component board. You've got this!
Step 47
Handle the board with care—avoid bending it too much or scraping it against the rear case. Keep it smooth and steady to avoid any mishaps!
- Slide a spudger under the end of the upper component board, and with a little gentle nudge, move it toward the volume rocker to detach the board from the adhesive. Take your time, no need to rush here!
Step 48
Watch out—avoid scraping the board against the top of the rear case to keep everything in tip-top shape!
- Slide a spudger under the GPS connector end of the upper component board and gently lift it off its sticky situation.
- Heads up: the GPS antenna cable will pop out of its ZIF socket when you do this. When putting everything back together, just tuck the cable back into its socket as you snap the upper component board into place.
Step 49
Avoid pulling the cable straight up when disconnecting it—gentle does it!
- Lift the retaining bar to release the upper component board cable connector. You've got this!
- Gently tug the connector straight out of its socket on the logic board. Easy peasy!
Step 50
- Gently lift the end of the upper component board cable to peel it away from the adhesive that's keeping it snug against the rear case.
Step 51
To take out the upper component board, gently tug on its cable while lifting it just enough to clear the battery—careful not to lift it so high that it scrapes the rear case. Take your time and be smooth with it!
- Gently slide the tip of a spudger under the upper component board to give it a little lift.
- Carefully pull the board up and out from the gap between the battery and the rear case bezel.
- Take out the upper component board.
- When putting things back together, remember to reconnect the GPS antenna cable here. Grab your tweezers and take it slow for a smooth reassembly.
Step 52
- Gently lift off the tape that’s shielding the button cable connector on the upper component board.
Step 53
- Gently lift the button cable connector straight up, as if you're giving it a little lift-off from the connector on the upper component board. It should come up easily, so don't force it. Keep things smooth and steady!
Step 54
If your new part already has the metal button brackets attached, feel free to skip the next few steps and keep rolling!
- Gently peel the power button away from its cozy little bracket.
- Keep an eye on how it sits and where the adhesive is, so you can put it back together just right!
Step 55
- Gently slide the point of your opening pick between the rotation lock/silent switch and its bracket. This will help you break through the adhesive holding things together. Easy does it!
Step 56
- Gently slide the opening pick under the rest of the rotation lock/silent switch to lift it off the button bracket. You've got this!
Step 57
- Gently use the tip of the opening pick to lift the mechanical volume buttons away from their bracket.
- Carefully detach the button cable assembly from the button bracket.
