iPad 4 CDMA SIM Board Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 48 Steps
Follow this guide to swap out the SIM Board with ease.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Ensure that the plate spins smoothly. If your iOpener gets a little stuck, it might overheat and cause some unwanted drama.
It's a good idea to give your microwave a little TLC before you dive in. Any leftover mess on the bottom might just hitch a ride on your iOpener, and nobody wants that!
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave. It's time for some heat to work its magic!
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Step 2
Don't let your iOpener get too hot during the repair—no one likes a burst surprise. Keep it under 100˚C (212˚F) for safety!
If the iOpener looks like it's puffing up, hands off! It's best to avoid it.
If the middle of the iOpener is still too hot to handle, no worries! Just let it cool a bit more before reheating. A well-heated iOpener should stay warm for about 10 minutes.
Depending on how powerful your microwave is, you might need to adjust the heating time. The iOpener is ready to roll when it feels just a tad too hot to handle.
- Warm up the iOpener in the microwave for about thirty seconds to get it good and toasty.
- As you work, if the iOpener starts cooling down, just pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds to keep things nice and warm.
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Step 3
The iOpener is going to be super warm, so handle it with care! If it feels a bit too toasty, grab an oven mitt to keep your cool.
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave by holding it at one of the flat ends—this will keep you away from the hot center. Safety first, always.
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Step 4
The iOpener gets super toasty, so make sure to grab it by the end tabs only, okay? Safety first, my friend!
No microwave? No problem! Just heat your iOpener by carefully placing it in some boiling water instead.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to completely cover your iOpener.
- Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat—no need to keep it bubbling!
- Carefully drop your iOpener into the hot water and let it soak for 2-3 minutes, making sure it’s fully submerged.
- Use tongs to fish out the heated iOpener from the water—safety first!
- Dry off your iOpener thoroughly with a towel so it’s ready to work its magic.
- Your iOpener is good to go! Need to warm it up again? Just reheat the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and dunk the iOpener for another 2-3 minutes.
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Step 5
- Grab a SIM eject tool or a straightened paperclip and gently pop out the SIM tray.
Step 6
- Gently slide the SIM tray out of its cozy home and say goodbye to it for now, just like that! It's time to give your iPad a little TLC.
- If you're swapping out the SIM card, just pop that old one out of its tray and slide in the shiny new one. Easy peasy!
Step 7
Put on your trusty safety glasses to keep those peepers safe and sound, and do your best to avoid any LCD screen mishaps. You've got this!
This will help keep those pesky glass shards under control and maintain the structure while you're gently prying and lifting the display.
- Got a cracked display glass? No worries! Just to keep things safe and sound during your repair, throw some tape over that glass to prevent any more accidents.
- Grab some clear packing tape and lay down overlapping strips over your iPad's display until it’s fully covered. Think of it as giving your device a stylish tape makeover!
- Now, just follow the guide as best as you can. Just a heads up—once the glass starts cracking, it might not stop right away. You might need to use a metal prying tool to gently scoop out the shards. If you find yourself in a jam, remember, you can always schedule a repair for some extra help!
Step 8
Heads up! Since you’ll be handling some broken glass, it’s a smart move to pop on some safety glasses to keep those sneaky shards from making a surprise appearance.
- Place the iOpener flat against the right edge of the iPad, pressing it down so it makes solid contact with the surface.
- Give it about 90 seconds to work its magic before you try opening up the front panel.
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Step 9
You might need to give it a little nudge to slide that handy opening tool between the glass and plastic. Take your time and be gentle, wiggling the tool side to side as needed. You've got this!
- There’s a tiny gap in the iPad’s adhesive ring up in the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) down from the top edge. This little spot is your entry point.
- Line up your tool with the mute button. Gently slip the tip of a plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel—just barely enough to nudge the crack open.
Step 10
- Ensure you position the tool just right—nestled between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass.
Step 11
- With the plastic opening tool securely in place between the front glass and plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into the same spot, right alongside the tool. You're doing great!
Step 12
- 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—just like a smooth ninja move.
Step 13
- While you're carefully working on peeling back the adhesive on the right side of the iPad, give your iOpener another heat-up and place it on the bottom edge of the iPad for a little extra help.
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Step 14
The adhesive is super strong, so you might need to put in some serious elbow grease. Just take your time and be gentle with it!
If you spot the tip of your trusty opening pick peeking out from under the front glass, gently pull it out a smidge. Don't worry, using the pick this deep won’t cause any harm, but it might leave some sticky adhesive traces on the LCD. Just a little heads-up as you dive into your repair adventure!
- As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, let's get started on peeling away that adhesive from the right side of your iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down the edge of the iPad, making sure to free up that stubborn adhesive as you go.
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Step 15
As you peel away the adhesive, you might find it handy to shift the warmed iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad. This is all about timing—how long the iPad has had a chance to cool while you were busy tinkering with it.
- If your opening pick gets caught in the adhesive, just gently "roll" it along the edge of the iPad to keep loosening that sticky stuff.
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Step 16
- Before pulling out that first opening pick from the bottom corner of your iPad, slide a second pick under the right edge of the front glass to keep the adhesive from sticking back together.
- Warm up the iOpener again, then shift it to the top edge of your iPad to keep things nice and pliable.
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Step 17
The Wi-Fi antenna hangs out on the bottom right edge of the iPad's rear case, held in place by screws and a cable. Since it’s positioned just so, take it slow and steady—one wrong move could seriously mess up the antenna. Treat it like a delicate dance partner!
- These next few steps require a bit of extra care, so let's take it slow and steady.
- Gently detach the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel—be careful not to harm the delicate parts connecting it to the bottom of your device. Stick to the steps closely and you’ll be just fine.
Step 18
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder: make sure not to slide the pick beyond the bottom right corner. Doing so might give the Wi-Fi antenna a little too much excitement, and we definitely don't want that!
- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad to loosen the stubborn adhesive hanging out there.
Step 19
As you glide that opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel, keep your eyes peeled! The Wi-Fi antenna is lurking close to the corner, and if you aren't careful with the adhesive, it could get a little too friendly with your pick. Let’s make sure it stays happy and connected!
Don’t pull the pick all the way out from under the front glass—just ease it out a bit so about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip stays tucked underneath.
- Gently slide the tip of your opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad to break free the adhesive holding down the Wi-Fi antenna. Easy does it!
Step 20
- After you’ve passed the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3" (75 mm) from the right edge, right next to the home button), slide the 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 carefully frees the antenna from the front panel so you can remove the panel without causing any damage.
Step 21
Keep the iOpener heating sessions to under a minute, and be sure to chill out for at least two minutes before giving it another warm-up.
If the adhesive has cooled down too much along the bottom edge, just give the iOpener a quick reheat to warm things back up in the area you're working on. A little heat goes a long way!
- Keep on peeling away that adhesive at the bottom of your iPad! Gently pull the opening pick out just enough to wrap around the home button, then slide it back in until it's about half an inch (10 mm) deep, right past that home button. You've got this!
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Step 22
On iPad 4 models, carefully insert the pick no deeper than 1/2 inch (10 mm) in this area to avoid causing any damage to the home button ribbon cable. Take it slow, it's all about precision!
- Keep sliding that adhesive remover tool along the entire bottom edge of the iPad to free it up.
- Leave the opening pick tucked under the front glass right by the home button to keep things ready for the next step.
Step 23
- Pop the iOpener into the microwave for a quick heat-up, then place it along the left edge of your iPad. This will help warm up the adhesive in that spot, making your next steps smoother.
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Step 24
If the adhesive has cooled down too much, just swap in a fresh iOpener along the top edge and keep going. If things have cooled off too much, give the iOpener a quick reheat and you're back on track.
- Gently slide that trusty opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little tug to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
- Now, here’s the scoop: the adhesive in this area is pretty thick, so you might need to channel your inner strength! Take it easy and go slowly—no one wants a slip-up that could lead to an accidental ‘oops’ moment!
- If you find the pick getting a bit clingy with the adhesive, just ‘roll’ it like a pro, as demonstrated in step 9.
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Step 25
If your adhesive is feeling cozy and warm, go ahead and take the iOpener off the iPad for a smoother experience. But if it's still pretty clingy, no worries! Just give the iOpener another heat-up and place it on the left edge while you get to work.
- Keep peeling away the adhesive at the top edge of the iPad, and gently maneuver the opening pick around the top left corner.
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Step 26
The digitizer cable is hanging out about 2" (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you’re about 2.25" (60 mm) away from the bottom, it's time to stop that pick from sliding any further!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the left side of the iPad to loosen the adhesive. Heads up—the adhesive is pretty thin here because the digitizer runs along this entire edge. Keep the pick shallow, no more than about 10 mm (half an inch), to avoid any accidental digitizer damage.
Step 27
The digitizer cable's bottom is pretty close to the iPad's bottom—just about 1 inch (25 mm) away. Take your time here and handle it with care, so you don't accidentally snip that cable!
- With the opening pick still tucked under the bottom edge of your iPad, gently work it around to free the adhesive at the bottom left corner.
Step 28
It looks like some of the adhesive around the edges of your iPad might have reattached itself. No worries! Just slide a pick under the part of the iPad where the front glass is still holding on tight and gently 'cut' through that adhesive.
- Grab one of those opening picks and gently wedge it under the bottom right corner of your iPad, then lift it up and hold it with your fingers.
Step 29
Watch out for any sticky glue still hanging on, and use an opening pick to gently slice through any adhesive that’s keeping the front panel stuck down.
- Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners, and gently rotate the front glass away from the device. It's like a little dance move for your iPad!
- When putting everything back together, use a microfiber cloth and a burst of compressed air to clear off any dust or fingerprints from the LCD before you carefully reinstall the glass. Keep it clean, keep it fresh!
Step 30
The bottom left screw is hiding behind the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently nudge the ribbon cable out of the way so you can get to that pesky screw.
- Unscrew those four little 2 mm Phillips #00 screws that are keeping the LCD snug against the aluminum frame. You've got this!
Step 31
Handle the LCD with care, it's a delicate little thing! That ribbon cable is as fragile as a butterfly's wing, so give it some love and avoid bending it too much.
- Grab a plastic opening tool or a spudger, and gently lift the right edge of the LCD out of the iPad.
- Once you've got the edge free, rotate the LCD around its left side and carefully set it down on top of the front glass panel.
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Step 32
- Gently use the tip of your spudger to lift the tape that’s hiding the LCD ribbon cable connector — careful does it!
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Step 33
- Lift the little flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector like you're unveiling a surprise!
- With a gentle tug from your fingers or some trusty tweezers, carefully pull the LCD ribbon cable out of its cozy home on the logic board.
- If your LCD screen decides to play hard to get and doesn't light up after connecting the ZIF connector, just give your iPad a quick reboot! Press and hold the power button and the home button together for at least ten seconds, and watch for the Apple logo to pop up like a friendly ghost.
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Step 34
- Carefully peel the LCD away from the front panel—remember, no poking the screen face!
Step 35
If you spot it, go ahead and peel off that piece of electrical tape that’s cozying up to the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, and home button ribbon cable.
Step 36
- Lift the little flap on the home button ribbon cable ZIF connector up and away. It's like giving it a gentle nudge to get things rolling!
Step 37
- Grab your tweezers and gently pull the home button ribbon cable straight out from its socket on the logic board. Take it slow and steady!
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Step 38
- Gently guide the home button ribbon cable out of its snug little home in the rear case.
Step 39
- Gently use the tip of your trusty spudger to lift up the tape holding the digitizer ribbon cable onto the logic board. Slow and steady wins the race!
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Step 40
- Gently lift the little flap holding down both digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors to free them up.
Step 41
- Use the flat side of your spudger to gently nudge that adhesive underneath the digitizer ribbon cable.
- Carefully pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its sockets on the logic board.
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Step 42
- Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and grab your trusty spudger. Use the flat end to carefully peel away the adhesive that's keeping the cable snug against the rear aluminum case. You're doing great!
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Step 43
- Gently wiggle and pull the digitizer ribbon cable free from its cozy spot in the aluminum frame using your fingers.
- Lift the front panel off the iPad and set it aside.
Step 44
- Gently peel back and take off the piece of electrical tape hiding the headphone jack assembly cable connector — no tape left behind!
- Grab your trusty spudger and flip up the little retaining flaps on both ZIF connectors that hold the headphone jack cable snugly to the logic board.
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Step 45
- Gently slide the flat end of your spudger underneath the headphone jack assembly cable. This will release the sticky adhesive that's keeping it attached to the back aluminum frame.
- Now, carefully pull the headphone jack assembly cable straight out of its socket on the logic board. You got this!
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Step 46
- Gently peel back and take off the tape that’s covering the SIM board cable ZIF connector.
- Flip up the little flap that locks the SIM board cable ZIF connector in place.
- Carefully use the tip of a spudger to pull the SIM board cable straight out from its socket on the logic board.
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Step 47
- Unscrew the three 1.75 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the SIM board tight to the aluminum frame.
Step 48
As you carefully move the headphone jack assembly cable out of the way, make sure you don't yank on the headphone jack too hard—you don’t want to accidentally pull it off!
- To put your device back together, just work through these steps in reverse order and use our iPad 4 CDMA Front Panel Adhesive strips guide to secure the front panel. If you hit any snags, remember you can always schedule a repair with us!
