How to Replace iPad 4 CDMA Battery – Step-by-Step Guide
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 59 Steps
Follow this guide to swap out that tired battery for a fresh one! If you find yourself in a bind, remember, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
It’s a good idea to give your microwave a quick clean before diving in. Any leftover gunk on the bottom might just hitch a ride on the iOpener, and we want to avoid that sticky situation!
– Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave.
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Step 2
Keep an eye on that iOpener during your repair adventure! We don’t want it getting too toasty – over 100˚C (212˚F) could lead to an unexpected burst. Yikes!
If the iOpener looks like it’s been hitting the gym and is a bit puffed up, steer clear of it.
If the middle of your iOpener is still too hot to handle, no worries! Just let it chill for a bit before you reheat. A well-heated iOpener should keep things cozy for about 10 minutes.
– Give that iOpener a warm-up in the microwave for thirty seconds. It’s like a spa day for your repair tool!
– As you work through the repair, keep an eye on the iOpener. When it starts to cool down, pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds to keep the good vibes going.
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Step 3
Heads up! The iOpener gets pretty toasty, so handle it with care. An oven mitt could be your best buddy here!
– Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, gripping it by one of the flat ends to keep your fingers safe from the warm center.
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Step 4
If microwaves aren’t your thing, no worries! Just pop your iOpener into a pot of boiling water to get it nice and toasty.
– Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to give your iOpener a nice, warm bath.
– Bring that water to a rolling boil and then turn off the heat. Safety first!
– Carefully place your iOpener into the hot water for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure it’s fully submerged and soaking up all that heat.
– Using tongs (because we want to keep those fingers safe), fish out the heated iOpener from the water.
– Give the iOpener a good towel dry to make sure it’s nice and ready to go.
– And voilà! Your iOpener is all set for action! If it needs a little more warmth, just repeat the process: heat the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and let the iOpener soak for another 2-3 minutes. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
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Step 5
– Grab a SIM eject tool or a trusty uncoiled paperclip and gently pop that SIM tray out like a pro!
Step 6
– Gently slide the SIM tray out of its cozy spot and give it a little tug to remove it from the iPad.
– If you’re swapping out the SIM card, just pop it out of its tray and slide in the new one like a pro.
Step 7
Put on those safety glasses to keep your peepers safe, and watch out for that LCD screen—it’s more delicate than it looks!
– If your display glass is cracked, let’s keep it from shattering further and avoid any accidental ouchies during your repair by applying some tape.
– Grab some clear packing tape and lay overlapping strips over the iPad’s display until the entire face is nicely covered.
– Do your best to follow the rest of the guide as outlined. Just a heads up, once the glass starts cracking, it might keep on doing its thing while you work, so you may need to use a metal prying tool to gently scoop out the glass.
Step 8
Just a friendly reminder: while you’re getting your hands dirty with this repair, it’s a smart move to rock some safety glasses. They’ll keep those pesky glass shards from crashing your party!
– Place the iOpener flat against the right edge of the iPad, ensuring it makes good contact with the surface. Smooth it out like you’re giving your iPad a little love!
– Give the bag a cozy 90 seconds to warm things up before you dive in to open the front panel.
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Step 9
Getting that little wedge of the opening tool snugly between the glass and plastic might take a bit of elbow grease. Just take your time and be gentle! Wiggle the plastic tool back and forth as needed, and you’ll be on your way in no time. Remember, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– Hey there! Notice that little gap in the iPad’s adhesive ring at the upper right corner? It’s about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top. Let’s take advantage of that tiny weakness!
– Now, line up your tool with the mute button. Gently slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into that gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just get the very tip in there, enough to give that crack a little nudge.
Step 11
– With the tip of your trusty plastic opening tool snugly nestled between the front glass and plastic bezel, glide a plastic opening pick into that little gap, right alongside your plastic opening tool. You’re doing great!
Step 12
– Take out that trusty plastic opening tool from your iPad, and gently slide the opening pick a bit deeper under the front glass—aim for about half an inch, like a stealthy ninja!
Step 14
The adhesive is super strong, so you might need to put in some elbow grease. Just take your time and be gentle with it!
If you spot the tip of that trusty opening pick peeking out from under the front glass, give it a gentle tug! While it’s safe to use the pick this deep, just a heads up—it might leave a bit of sticky adhesive on the LCD. No worries, though; you’ve got this!
– As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, let’s get started on freeing the adhesive from the right edge of your iPad.
– Gently slide the opening pick down the edge of the iPad, peeling away the adhesive as you go. You’re doing great!
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Step 15
You might need to slide that warm iOpener back over to the right edge of the iPad while you peel away the adhesive. Just keep in mind, this all depends on how long the iPad has been cooling off while you were busy working your magic.
– If your opening pick is feeling a bit clingy in the adhesive, just give it a gentle ‘roll’ along the side of the iPad to keep that adhesive from holding on too tight.
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Step 16
– Before you dive in and pop that first opening pick from the bottom corner of your iPad, slide 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 your iOpener a little reheat love, then place it at the top edge of the iPad. You’re doing great!
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Step 17
Hey there! The Wi-Fi antenna is snugly secured to the bottom right corner of the iPad’s rear case with screws and a cable. Given the way the Wi-Fi antenna is positioned, it’s super important to be extra careful during this process; otherwise, you might accidentally cause some serious damage to it. Keep your wits about you!
– Alright, folks! Time to tread carefully in the next few steps.
– You’ll need to gently peel away the adhesive that’s holding the antenna to the front panel, all while being super mindful of the delicate bits connecting the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. So, let’s take it step by step and keep it smooth!
Step 18
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder: don’t slide that pick past the bottom right corner. You might accidentally give the Wi-Fi antenna a little too much love, and we wouldn’t want that!
– Gently glide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPad to free up that pesky adhesive. You’ve got this!
Step 19
Take your opening pick and gently glide it along the bottom right edge of the front panel. Just a heads up, the Wi-Fi antenna is hanging out pretty close to the corner, and if the adhesive gets too wild, it could be a bit of a party crasher. So, let’s keep it smooth and steady!
Just a friendly tip: don’t yank that pick all the way out from under the front glass! Give it a gentle tug so that about 1/8″ (3 mm) of the tip stays snugly in place. You’ve got this!
– Gently glide the tip of your opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad to free up the adhesive around the Wi-Fi antenna. You’ve got this!
Step 20
– After you’ve navigated past the Wi-Fi antenna (that’s about 3″ (75 mm) from the right edge, or right next to the home button), slide that opening pick back in all the way.
– Now, gently glide the pick to the right to free the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass. You’re doing great!
Step 21
Keep the iOpener’s heating sessions to a minute max, and give it a cool two-minute break before heating it up again. Your device will thank you!
If the adhesive has gotten a bit too chilly along the bottom edge, give that iOpener another warm-up to heat things back up where you’re working your magic.
– Keep on peeling that adhesive along the bottom of your iPad! Gently pull the opening pick out far enough to navigate around the home button, then slide it back in to a depth of about 1/2 inch (10 mm) once you’re past the home button. You’re doing great!
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Step 22
– Keep peeling that adhesive along the bottom edge of the iPad until it’s all gone!
– Pop the opening pick in place under the front glass near the home button and let it hang out there.
Step 24
If your adhesive has gotten a bit too cool for comfort, simply swap in the iOpener along the top edge and keep on working. And if that iOpener has lost its heat, just give it a quick reheat and you’re back in action!
– Gently glide the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little tug to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
– The adhesive in this area is pretty strong, so you might need to apply a bit of muscle. Take your time and be cautious to avoid any slips that could harm you or your iPad.
– If the opening pick feels like it’s stuck in the adhesive, try ‘rolling’ the pick as demonstrated in step 9.
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Step 25
If the adhesive is feeling cozy and warm, go ahead and take the iOpener off the iPad for a smoother experience. But if it’s still a bit clingy, just give the iOpener another heat-up and place it on the left edge while you get to work.
– Keep peeling away that adhesive along the top edge of your iPad, and gently wiggle the opening pick around the top left corner like you’re giving it a little dance.
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Step 26
The digitizer cable hangs out about 2″ (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you’re sliding that pick, take a breather and stop when you’re around 2.25″ (60 mm) from the bottom. You’ve got this!
– Gently glide the opening pick along the left edge of your iPad, releasing that pesky adhesive as you go. The adhesive is pretty slim in this area thanks to the digitizer running along the entire left side. Just be careful not to dive in too deep—keep it to a maximum of 1/2 inch (10 mm) to avoid any mishaps with the digitizer. You’ve got this!
Step 27
Be super careful! The bottom of the digitizer cable is just about 1″ (25 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. Take your time and work gently to avoid cutting this cable. You’ve got this!
– With the trusty opening pick still nestled under the bottom edge of your iPad, gently free the adhesive at the bottom left corner. You’re doing great!
Step 28
– With one of those handy opening picks, gently lift the bottom right corner of the iPad and give it a little tug with your fingers. You’ve got this!
Step 29
Watch out for any sticky adhesive that might still be hanging around! Grab an opening pick and gently slice through any adhesive that’s 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. It’s like giving your iPad a little stretch!
– When you’re putting things back together, don’t forget to use a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to wipe away any pesky dust or fingerprints from the LCD. A clean screen is a happy screen!
Step 30
The bottom left screw is hiding behind the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently nudge the ribbon cable out of the way to access and remove that tricky bottom left screw.
– Unscrew those four 2 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the LCD to the aluminum frame. You’ve got this!
Step 31
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is as delicate as a butterfly, and bending it too much might just send it packing. Keep it safe and sound!
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool or spudger and gently lift the right edge of that LCD right out of the iPad. You’ve got this!
– Now, with a little finesse, rotate the LCD around its left edge and carefully lay it down on top of the front glass panel. Easy peasy!
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Step 32
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the tape that’s keeping the LCD ribbon cable connector under wraps. You’ve got this!
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Step 33
– Lift the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector with care.
– With a gentle touch, use your fingers or a trusty pair of tweezers to slide the LCD ribbon cable out of its snug home on the logic board.
– If your iPad decides to play hard to get and the LCD screen isn’t lighting up after reconnecting the ZIF connector, just hold down the power button and home button for at least ten seconds until the Apple logo graces your screen. You’ve got this!
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Step 34
– Gently raise the LCD away from the front panel without making any contact with the screen. You’ve got this!
Step 35
If you see any electrical tape hanging out, go ahead and peel it off to free the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, and home button ribbon cable. You’ve got this!
Step 36
– Gently lift the retaining flap on the home button ribbon cable ZIF connector. You’ve got this!
Step 37
– Grab a trusty pair of tweezers and gently pull the home button ribbon cable straight out of its cozy socket on the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 38
– Gently pull the home button ribbon cable out from its cozy spot in the rear case.
Step 39
– With the spudger’s tip in hand, gently lift the tape that’s holding the digitizer ribbon cable snugly against the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 40
– Gently lift the retaining flap on both of the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors. Let’s get those connections ready for action!
Step 41
– Grab that trusty spudger and gently work its flat end under the digitizer ribbon cable to break free the adhesive that’s holding it down.
– Once you’ve loosened it up, give the digitizer ribbon cable a careful tug straight out of its sockets on the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 42
– Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and grab your trusty spudger. Use the flat end to carefully break the adhesive bond that’s keeping the cable snug against the rear aluminum case. You’ve got this!
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Step 43
– With a gentle touch, coax the digitizer ribbon cable out of its cozy spot in the aluminum frame.
– Carefully lift the front panel away from the iPad, like peeling a banana—smooth and steady!
Step 44
– Gently peel back that piece of electrical tape covering the headphone jack assembly cable connector—it’s time to set it free!
– Now, grab your trusty spudger and use its tip to flip up the retaining flap on both ZIF connectors that are holding the headphone jack cable to the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 45
– Gently slide the flat end of a spudger under the headphone jack assembly cable to free it from the sticky embrace of the rear aluminum frame.
– Carefully pull the headphone jack assembly cable straight out of its cozy socket on the logic board.
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Step 46
– Gently peel away that tape that’s hiding the SIM board cable ZIF connector. It’s time to let it breathe!
– Flip that retaining flap on the SIM board cable ZIF connector up like a pro.
– Using the tip of a spudger, carefully pull the SIM board cable straight out of its cozy socket on the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 47
Remember to gently pry under the connector, not the socket itself! Going for the socket could lead to some serious damage, and we definitely want to avoid that. Keep it cool and careful!
– Unplug the following connectors from their cozy homes on the logic board:
Step 48
– Unscrew those seven little screws that are holding the logic board snug against the rear aluminum panel. You’ve got this!
Step 49
– With the logic board in hand, grasp it gently by the edge closest to the dock connector and smoothly slide it toward the bottom of the iPad. Keep it steady and take your time; you’ve got this!
Step 50
– Gently flip the logic board over, keeping an eye out for any cables that might want to join the party.
– With the spudger’s tip, carefully detach the three antenna connectors from their cozy spots on the logic board.
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Step 51
Handle the battery with care as you take it out of the iPad. These little power packs hold some not-so-friendly chemicals that you definitely don’t want to mess with. Keep it safe and sound!
Step 52
The adhesive is super strong! Getting it loose will take some muscle, so take your time and be careful. Just make sure that
