DIY iPad 3 4G LCD Replacement Guide
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 32 Steps
Hey there, tech whiz! Just a friendly reminder: if you find yourself in a pickle while fixing your device, don’t sweat it! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair. We’ve got your back!
When the stunning retina display on your third-generation iPad decides to take a break, it can be a real bummer. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you get your iPad back in action and shining bright again. Let’s get started on bringing that resolution back to life!
Step 1
Before diving into your repair adventure, give your microwave a little TLC. A quick clean-up will prevent any stubborn gunk from getting cozy with the iOpener.
– Pop that iOpener right in the middle of the microwave!
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Step 2
Watch out for that iOpener! Overheating can lead to a surprise burst, and we definitely don’t want that. Keep it below 100˚C (212˚F) for a safe and smooth repair experience.
If the iOpener looks a bit puffy, give it a break! It’s best to steer clear until it’s back to its normal shape.
If the center of the iOpener is still too hot to handle, just hang tight and keep using it while it cools down a bit more before you reheat. A properly warmed iOpener should stay toasty for about 10 minutes!
– Give your iOpener a quick thirty-second warm-up in the microwave.
– As you work through the repair, keep the iOpener cozy by popping it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds whenever it starts to cool down.
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Step 3
Caution: the iOpener is going to be sizzling hot! Handle it with care, and don’t hesitate to rock an oven mitt if you need to. Stay safe while you repair!
– Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, gripping one of the flat ends to keep your fingers safe from the warm center.
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Step 4
No microwave? No problem! Just pop your iOpener in some boiling water to warm it up.
– Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to give your iOpener a nice, cozy bath.
– Turn up the heat and bring that water to a rolling boil. Once it’s bubbling away, turn off the heat.
– Carefully lower the iOpener into the hot water and let it chill there for 2-3 minutes. Make sure it’s fully submerged for the best results!
– Using some tongs (safety first!), fish out your heated iOpener from the water.
– Give the iOpener a thorough drying with a towel—no one likes a soggy tool!
– And voilà! Your iOpener is all set and ready to rock! If you find 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.
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Step 5
Put on those safety glasses to keep your peepers safe, and remember to treat that LCD screen with the love it deserves!
– Got a cracked display glass? No worries! Just to keep things safe and sound during your repair, grab some tape and secure that glass. We don’t want any more breakage or accidental ouchies!
– Next up, lay down some love with overlapping strips of clear packing tape across the iPad’s display until it’s completely covered. It’s like giving your device a protective hug!
– Now, let’s keep rolling! Follow the rest of the guide as best as you can. Just a heads up, once that glass starts cracking, it might keep on cracking while you work. If it gets a bit unruly, don’t hesitate to use a metal prying tool to scoop the glass out gently.
Step 6
Just a friendly reminder: while you’re getting up close and personal with that broken glass, it’s a smart idea to rock some safety glasses. They’ll keep those pesky shards from turning your repair adventure into a surprise party!
– Place the iOpener flat on the right edge of the iPad, making sure it’s snug and cozy against the surface of the iPad.
– Give it a little time to work its magic—let the bag rest on the iPad for about 90 seconds before you dive in to open the front panel.
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Step 7
Getting that wedged tip of the opening tool in between the glass and plastic might take a little muscle. Just take your time and be gentle, giving the plastic tool a little wiggle as needed. You’re doing great!
– Look closely at the upper right corner of your iPad, and you’ll spot a tiny gap in the adhesive ring, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) down from the top. This little vulnerability is your gateway to success!
– Now, let’s get to work! Position your tool right by the mute button. Gently slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into that gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just the tip—enough to nudge that crack open a bit wider!
Step 9
– With the tip of your trusty plastic opening tool snugly nestled between the front glass and the plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into that little gap right next to your opening tool. You’ve got this!
Step 10
– Gently take out the plastic opening tool from your iPad, and slide that opening pick deeper under the front glass, going about 0.5 inches down. You’ve got this!
Step 12
This adhesive means business, so you might need to put some muscle into it. Take your time and proceed with caution.
If the tip of your trusty opening pick is peeking out from under the front glass, give it a gentle tug. While it’s totally safe to go this deep, you might end up with some sticky adhesive on your LCD. No biggie, just part of the adventure!
– As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, let’s kick things off by gently peeling away the adhesive from the right edge of the iPad.
– Grab that opening pick and slide it down the edge of the iPad, freeing up the adhesive as you go. You’re doing great!
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Step 13
You might find it helpful 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 little dance depends on how long the iPad has been cooling down while you were busy making things happen.
– If your opening pick is feeling a bit stuck in the adhesive, just give it a little roll along the side of the iPad. Keep at it, and you’ll be breaking free that sticky stuff in no time!
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Step 14
– Before you pop that first opening pick into 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 quick reheat, then place it on the top edge of the iPad. Let’s keep things warm and cozy while we work!
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Step 15
Hey there! Just a heads-up: the Wi-Fi antenna is snugly attached to the bottom right edge of the rear case of your iPad with screws and a cable. Since it’s positioned just so, be extra careful while handling it—one wrong move and you could end up causing some serious damage to the antenna. So, let’s keep it safe and sound!
– Alright, friends, it’s time to proceed with a little finesse! Take a deep breath and get ready, because the next steps are all about delicacy. You’re going to need to gently detach the adhesive that’s holding the antenna to the front panel. Just remember, we want to keep those sensitive parts safe as we work our magic at the bottom of the iPad. So, let’s tackle this together and follow the upcoming steps with care!
Step 16
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder: don’t slide that pick too far into the bottom right corner. You might accidentally mess with the Wi-Fi antenna, 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!
Step 17
As you glide the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel, watch out! The Wi-Fi antenna is sneaky and hangs out right by the corner. Be gentle, or you might accidentally cut it loose if the adhesive decides to misbehave.
Just slide that pick out a smidge—no need to pull it all the way out! Leave about 1/8″ (3 mm) of the tip still nestled under the front glass for best results.
– Gently glide the edge of the opening pick along the bottom side of your iPad, letting it work its magic to free the adhesive holding down the Wi-Fi antenna.
Step 18
– After you’ve gracefully navigated past the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3″ or 75 mm from the right edge, right near the home button), go ahead and reinsert that opening pick all the way in.
– Now, gently slide the pick to the right to free up the adhesive that’s holding the Wi-Fi antenna snugly against the front glass.
Step 19
Hey there! Just a quick tip: keep your iOpener heating sessions to a minute max, and give it a breather for at least two minutes before the next round. Safety first, my friend!
– Keep peeling away the adhesive along the bottom of your iPad. Gently pull the opening pick out far enough to wrap around the home button, then slide it back in until it’s about 1/2 inch (10 mm) deep, right past that home button. You’ve got this!
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Step 20
– Keep peeling that adhesive along the bottom edge of your iPad like a pro!
– Make sure to leave the opening pick snugly under the front glass by the home button for now.
Step 22
If your adhesive has decided to cool off a bit too much, just pop the iOpener back along the top edge and keep at it! And if the iOpener itself is feeling a little chilly, give it a warm-up session. You’ve got this!
– Gently glide that opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little tug to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
– The adhesive here is pretty thick, so you might need to put in a bit of muscle. Just take your time and be careful—no need to rush and risk hurting yourself or your iPad.
– If the opening pick starts to feel like it’s stuck in the adhesive, just give it a little ‘roll’ like we showed you in step 9.
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Step 23
If the adhesive is feeling nice and toasty, go ahead and take that iOpener off the iPad for easier handling. But if it’s still clinging on a bit too much, just give the iOpener another warm-up and place it on the left edge while you work your magic.
– Keep peeling away that stubborn adhesive along the top edge of your iPad, and gently slide the opening pick around the top left corner. You’re doing great!
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Step 24
The digitizer cable hangs out about 2″ (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you’re sliding that pick, give it a stop at around 2.25″ (60 mm) from the bottom. You’re doing great!
– Gently slide that trusty opening pick along the left edge of your iPad, letting it work its magic on the adhesive as you go. No need to worry—this adhesive is pretty chill since it’s just hanging out with the digitizer on the left side. Just keep your pick shallow (no more than 1/2 inch or 10 mm) to avoid any drama with the digitizer. You’ve got this!
Step 25
Be super careful! The bottom of the digitizer cable is just about an inch (25 mm) away from the bottom of your iPad. Take your time and watch out not to cut this cable while you work.
– With the trusty opening pick still nestled under the bottom edge of your iPad, gently free the adhesive that’s holding it tight in the bottom left corner.
Step 26
– Grab one of those nifty opening picks and gently lift the bottom right corner of your iPad. Once it’s up, give it a little pinch with your fingers to hold it in place. You’ve got this!
If you notice that some of the adhesive might have stuck back up along the iPad edges, use a pick to carefully slide it under the edge where the front glass is stuck. This will help ‘cut’ through the adhesive and make your repair journey a breeze! If you run into any snags, don’t forget that our team at schedule a repair is always ready to lend a helping hand.
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky stuff that might still be clinging on, and grab an opening pick to slice through any adhesive that’s still keeping the front panel in place.
– Grab your iPad by its top and bottom right corners, and give that front glass a little twist away from the device.
– When it’s time to put everything 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 before you pop that glass back on.
Step 28
– Unscrew those four tiny 2 mm Phillips #00 screws that are holding the LCD snug against the aluminum frame. You’ve got this!
Step 29
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool or a spudger and gently lift the right edge of the LCD out of the iPad. You’ve got this!
– Now, give that LCD a little rotation along its left edge and lay it down gently on top of the front panel. Easy peasy!
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Step 30
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the tape that’s guarding the LCD ribbon cable connector. You’ve got this!
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Step 31
– Gently lift the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector—like you’re flipping a tiny pancake!
– With a little finesse, use your fingers or some tweezers to carefully slide the LCD ribbon cable out of its cozy home on the logic board.
– If your iPad is playing hard to get and the LCD screen refuses to light up after you’ve reconnected that ZIF connector, don’t panic! Just hold down the power button and home button for about ten seconds until you see that lovely Apple logo pop up. You’ve got this!
Step 32
– Gently lift the LCD away from the front panel, making sure to keep your fingers clear of the screen.
