DIY Guide to Replace iPad Home Button Assembly CDMA
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 45 Steps
Hey there! Just a little heads up: make sure to handle your device with care during this repair adventure! It’s like giving your gadget a spa day – gentle and loving touches only! And if things get tricky, remember, you can always schedule a repair for some professional help. You’ve got this!
Get ready to tackle the task of swapping out the Home button assembly! It’s easier than you might think, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. If you need assistance, feel free to schedule a repair.
Step 1
Before diving into the fun stuff, give your microwave a little love and clean it up! Any pesky bits of gunk hanging around might just hitch a ride on the iOpener, and we want everything to go smoothly.
– Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave.
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Step 2
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder to keep an eye on that iOpener while you’re working. If it gets too hot, it might surprise you by bursting, and we definitely don’t want that! So, let’s keep it under 100˚C (212˚F), alright?
If the iOpener looks like it’s been hitting the gym and is a bit swollen, steer clear of it, my friend.
If the center of the iOpener is still too hot to handle, don’t stress! Just hang tight and give it a little more time to cool off before you heat it up again. A properly warmed-up iOpener should keep its cozy vibe for about 10 minutes.
– Give your iOpener a warm-up session in the microwave for thirty seconds. It’s like a spa day for your repair tool!
– As you work through your repair, keep an eye on the iOpener. When it starts to cool down, just pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds to keep the good vibes going!
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Step 3
Caution! The iOpener is going to be hot stuff, so handle it with care. An oven mitt might be your best buddy here!
– Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, grabbing it by one of the flat ends to keep your fingers safe from the sizzling center. You’re doing great!
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Step 4
Don’t have a microwave? No problem! Just pop your iOpener into some boiling water to warm it up.
– Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to give that iOpener a nice, warm bath!
– Heat the water until it’s bubbling away, then turn off the heat. We’re just getting started!
– Gently drop the iOpener into the hot water and let it soak for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure it’s enjoying its time under the water!
– Using tongs (safety first!), carefully lift the warm iOpener out of the water.
– Give that iOpener a good towel dry; we want it to look sharp and ready to go!
– And voilà, your iOpener is primed and ready for action! If it needs a little more heat, just repeat the process: boil the water, turn off the heat, and let the iOpener soak for another 2-3 minutes.
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Step 5
Put on those safety glasses to keep your peepers safe, and watch out for that LCD screen – it’s more delicate than it looks!
– Got a cracked display glass? No worries! Let’s keep those shards contained and avoid any accidental pokes during your repair by sticking some tape on it.
– Grab some clear packing tape and lay down overlapping strips over the iPad’s display until it’s completely covered. Think of it as giving your device a protective hug!
– Now, just follow the rest of the guide as best as you can. Just a heads-up: once the glass starts to break, it might keep cracking while you’re working. You might need to bring in a metal prying tool to help scoop out the glass. You got this!
Step 6
Just a friendly reminder: while you’re tackling this repair, you might encounter some pesky broken glass. So, it’s a smart move to don some safety glasses to keep those flying shards at bay. Stay safe and keep shining!
– Place your trusty iOpener flat on the right edge of your iPad, giving it a nice little hug to ensure it makes solid contact with the surface. We want them to be best buddies!
– Now, sit back and let that bag chill on the iPad for about 90 seconds. This little waiting game will help loosen things up before you dive into opening the front panel.
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Step 7
It might take a bit of effort to slip the wedged tip of your trusty opening tool between the glass and plastic. Just take your time and stay cool, gently wiggling that plastic tool back and forth as needed. You’ve got this!
– Spot the little gap in the adhesive ring at the upper right corner of your iPad—it’s about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top. Let’s take advantage of this tiny flaw!
– Now, line up your tool with the mute button. Gently insert the tip of a plastic opening tool into that gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just slip in the very tip, enough to widen that crack a bit.
Step 9
– With the plastic opening tool snugly positioned between the front glass and the plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into the gap right beside the tool. You got this!
Step 10
– Gently take out the plastic opening tool from your iPad, and slide that opening pick a little further underneath the front glass, about half an inch deep. You’ve got this!
Step 12
This adhesive is super strong, so you might need to channel your inner Hulk. Take your time and be gentle with it!
If you can spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from beneath the front glass, gently pull it out a tad. While having the pick this deep won’t cause any harm, it might leave a little adhesive residue on the LCD. Just a heads up!
– As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start gently peeling back the adhesive from the right edge of your iPad.
– Run the opening pick down the edge of the iPad, loosening the adhesive as you go. You’ve got this!
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Step 13
You might need to slide the heated iOpener back to the right edge of the iPad while you peel off the adhesive. This little dance depends on how long the iPad has been cooling while you were busy working your magic.
– If your opening pick finds itself stuck in the adhesive, just give it a little ‘roll’ along the edge of the iPad to keep freeing that sticky stuff. You’re doing great!
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Step 14
– Before you dive in and pull out 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 re-heat love, then place it at the top edge of the iPad. You’re doing great!
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is snugly fastened to the bottom right corner of the iPad’s rear case using screws and a cable. Given the unique positioning of the Wi-Fi antenna, it’s super important to tread carefully—go too wild and you might end up causing some unfixable damage to it. So, let’s take our time and do this right!
– Alright, folks! As we dive into the next steps, let’s keep our focus sharp. Safety first, always!
– Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to carefully detach the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel. Remember, we want to keep the delicate bits connecting the antenna to the bottom of the iPad intact. So, take a deep breath and follow the upcoming steps with care.
Step 16
Hey there! Just a quick heads-up: 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 slide that trusty opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad to free up the adhesive. You’re doing great!
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 close to the corner. Handle with care, or you might accidentally disconnect it if the adhesive decides to misbehave!
Just give that pick a little wiggle! Don’t pull it all the way out from under the front glass; keep about 1/8″ (3 mm) of the tip still tucked in there. You’re doing great!
– Gently glide the opening pick along the bottom edge of your iPad to free the adhesive over the Wi-Fi antenna. You’ve got this!
Step 18
– After you’ve scooted past the Wi-Fi antenna (that’s about 3″ or 75 mm from the right edge, right by the home button), it’s time to pop that opening pick back in all the way.
– Now, gently slide the pick to the right to let go of the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass. You’ve got this!
Step 19
Keep the iOpener’s heating sessions to a minute max, and give it a breather for at least two minutes before firing it up again.
If the adhesive has gotten a bit too cool along the bottom edge, just give that iOpener a little reheat action to warm things up right where you’re working. You’re doing great!
– Keep on peeling that adhesive from the bottom of your iPad! As you do, slide the opening pick around the home button, making sure to pull it out just enough to get a good grip. Once you’ve navigated past the home button, gently reinsert the pick to about half an inch (10 mm) deep. You’ve got this!
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Step 20
– Keep peeling back that sticky stuff all along the bottom edge of your iPad.
– Slide the opening pick in and keep it snug under the front glass close to the home button.
Step 22
If your adhesive has cooled down too much, just swap in a fresh iOpener along the top edge and keep at it. If your iOpener is feeling a bit chilly, give it a little reheat and you’re back in business!
– Gently slide 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 thick, so you might need to apply some muscle. Just take your time and be careful not to slip and cause any damage to yourself or your iPad.
– If the opening pick is feeling a bit stuck in the adhesive, try giving it a little ‘roll’ as illustrated in step 9.
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Step 23
If the adhesive is nice and toasty, feel free to take the iOpener off the iPad for easier access. But if it’s still clinging on a bit too much, just give that iOpener another heat-up and rest 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 24
The digitizer cable hangs out about 2 inches (50 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. When you’re sliding that pick, take a little break when you’re about 2.25 inches (60 mm) from the bottom. You’ve got this!
– Gently glide that opening pick along the left edge of your iPad, and watch the adhesive give way! It’s a bit thinner here thanks to the digitizer running along the whole left side. Just remember to keep the pick shallow (no more than 1/2 inch or 10 mm) to avoid any mishaps with the digitizer. You’ve got this!
Step 25
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 make sure not to accidentally cut this cable. You’ve got this!
– With the trusty opening pick still nestled under the bottom edge of your iPad, gently free the adhesive in the bottom left corner. Time to get that iPad ready for action!
Step 26
– Grab one of those nifty opening picks and gently lift the bottom right corner of the iPad. Once you’ve pried it up, use your fingers to hold it steady. You’ve got this!
Step 27
Watch out for any leftover sticky stuff that might be hanging around! Grab an opening pick and gently slice through any adhesive that’s still keeping that front panel snug as a bug.
– Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners and gently twist the front glass away from the device. You’ve got this!
– When putting everything back together, don’t forget to use a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to give the LCD a good clean. Say goodbye to dust and fingerprints before you seal the deal!
Step 28
The bottom left screw is hiding behind the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently nudge that cable out of the way so you can get to that sneaky screw!
– Unscrew those four 2 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the LCD snugly against the aluminum frame. You’ve got this!
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is delicate and could snap if you bend it too much. Keep it cool and take your time!
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool or spudger and gently lift the right edge of the LCD away from the iPad.
– Now, swing the LCD around its left edge and carefully set it down on top of the front glass panel.
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Step 30
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the tape that’s hugging the LCD ribbon cable connector. You’re almost there!
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Step 31
– Lift the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector with a gentle touch.
– With a little finesse, use your fingers or some tweezers to pull the LCD ribbon cable from its cozy socket on the logic board.
– If the LCD screen is feeling a bit shy and doesn’t light up after reconnecting the ZIF connector, don’t fret! Just hold down the power and home buttons together for at least ten seconds until the Apple logo makes its grand appearance.
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Step 32
– Gently lift the LCD away from the front panel, but keep your fingers off the screen. You’ve got this!
Step 33
If you’ve got some electrical tape hanging out over the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, and home button ribbon cable, go ahead and peel that off. Let’s clear the way for some smooth sailing!
Step 35
– Grab a trusty pair of tweezers and gently pull the home button ribbon cable straight out of its cozy little home on the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 37
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the tape that’s keeping the digitizer ribbon cable snug against the logic board. You’re doing great!
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Step 38
– Lift up the retaining flap on both ZIF connectors for the digitizer ribbon cable. Let’s keep things tidy as we go!
Step 39
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently pry up the adhesive holding the digitizer ribbon cable in place.
– Carefully wiggle and pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its cozy sockets on the logic board.
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Step 40
– Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and grab your trusty spudger. With the flat end, carefully work on loosening the adhesive that’s keeping that cable snug against the rear aluminum case. You’re doing great!
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Step 41
– With a gentle tug, coax the digitizer ribbon cable out of its cozy spot in the aluminum frame. You’ve got this!
– Now, carefully lift off the front panel from your iPad. Easy peasy!
Step 42
Just a friendly reminder: keep an eye on the iOpener and avoid overheating it during your repair adventure. We suggest taking a breather for at least two minutes before giving it another heat-up.
The home button assembly sticks to the front panel with a bit of adhesive magic. To make life easier, we suggest using an iOpener to gently warm up that sticky stuff.
– Pop the iOpener into the microwave and give it a cozy minute on high heat (or just thirty seconds if you’ve got the snazzy gel-filled version).
– Next, gently place the warm iOpener right over the home button on the front edge of your display.
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Step 43
– Gently lift the home button ribbon cable away from the front panel, taking care not to damage it.
Step 44
– Slide that trusty plastic opening tool under the right side of the home button assembly and give it a gentle nudge upwards. You’ll be freeing up that adhesive in no time!
– Now, using the same technique, work on the left side of the home button to let that adhesive go.
– Once you’ve done that, carefully lift the home button mount off the front panel like a pro.
Step 45
– Gently slide the edge of your trusty plastic opening tool under the home button mounting bracket.
– Carefully glide the tool along the retaining spring bracket to let go of that sticky adhesive.
– Now, with finesse, lift the home button along with its mounting bracket away from the front panel.
