DIY iPad 5 LTE SIM Board Replacement Guide – Step-by-Step
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 44 Steps
Heads up: the method for isolating the battery in this guide is outdated and might wreck the battery pins on the logic board, which will ruin it. If you decide to isolate the battery this way, be super careful and follow all warnings. If you choose to go through the guide without isolating the battery, steer clear of metal tools unless absolutely necessary (like for removing screws) to avoid shorting the battery and damaging sensitive circuit components.
Get ready to tackle the SIM board (also known as the SIM card bay) replacement in your iPad 5 LTE! Just a heads up, some parts of this guide were filmed using a Wi-Fi model, so the insides might look a tad different from your LTE version. But don’t worry, the steps are pretty much the same, except where we mention otherwise. A quick warning: the battery isolation method in this guide is a bit old-school and could potentially cause some serious damage to the battery pins on the logic board, which would be a real bummer. If you decide to go ahead with isolating the battery this way, please take all precautions and work with extra care. Alternatively, if you prefer to skip the battery isolation, just remember to avoid using metal tools unless absolutely necessary (like when you’re unscrewing things) to keep your battery and sensitive circuit components safe. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair!
Step 1
– Get your hands on a SIM eject tool or a trusty uncoiled paperclip.
– Slide that tool right into the little hole beside the SIM tray and give it a gentle nudge to coax the tray out.
– Once it’s popped out enough, grab hold and slide that tray on out.
Step 2
– Warm up an iOpener and stick it to the left edge of your device for a solid two minutes.
Tools Used
Step 3
– As you chill and let the adhesive do its thing, keep an eye out for these areas that are a bit touchy when it comes to prying:
Step 4
In the next three steps, we’ll show you how to use the Anti-Clamp, our nifty little gadget designed to make opening up your device a breeze. If you’re not rocking the Anti-Clamp, no worries! Just skip down three steps for a different approach.
– Gently pull back the blue handle to release the Anti-Clamp’s arms.
– Slide something under your iPad so it sits nicely between the suction cups.
– Place the suction cups around the middle of the left side—one for the top, one for the bottom.
– Keep the bottom of the Anti-Clamp steady and give the top cup a good press to get that suction going.
Step 5
– Slide the blue handle forward to lock those arms in place.
– Twist the handle clockwise, giving it a full 360 spin or until the cups start to stretch a bit.
– Keep the suction cups aligned with each other. If they start to slip, just loosen them up a bit and realign the arms. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 6
– Hang tight for a minute to let the adhesive take a breather and give you a nice gap to work with.
– If your screen isn’t warming up enough, grab a hair dryer and give the left edge of the iPad a little heat boost.
– Slip an opening pick under the digitizer once the Anti-Clamp opens up a big enough space.
– Go ahead and skip the next step.
Step 7
Got a display that’s looking like it survived a battle? No worries! Slap on some clear packing tape to give that suction cup a fighting chance to stick. In a pinch? Super strong tape can do the trick instead of the cup. If things get really tricky, a dash of superglue can help your suction cup cling to the shattered screen like a champ.
– First things first, let’s warm up that screen until it’s cozy to the touch! Once it’s feeling nice and toasty, grab a suction handle and stick it to the left edge of the screen, as close to the edge as you can get.
– Now, gently lift the screen using the suction handle to create a little gap between the digitizer and the frame. Just a small opening will do!
– Next up, slide an opening pick into that gap you just made between the digitizer and the frame. You’re doing great!
Tools Used
Step 8
Hey, no sweat if you spot the opening pick peeking through the digitizer—just go ahead and slide it out. The LCD screen should be safe, but you might leave some pesky adhesive behind that’s tricky to clean. But no worries, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– Time to insert a second opening pick into the gap you just created!
– Gently slide the pick toward the bottom-left corner of the device to work on that adhesive.
– Keep that pick snug in the bottom-left corner to outsmart the adhesive from sticking back together.
Step 9
– If your opening pick is feeling a bit clingy in the adhesive, just give it a little ‘roll’ along the side of the iPad to keep peeling away that sticky stuff!
Step 10
– Glide that first pick up to the top-left corner to work the adhesive free.
– Keep the pick chilling in the top-left corner to stop that adhesive from sticking back together. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Step 11
– Warm up an iOpener and press it against the top edge of your device for a full two minutes. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 12
– Twist and turn the pick gently around the top-left corner of the device to loosen up the adhesive.
Step 13
Gently skim the pick past the front camera area to keep that lens intact. These upcoming steps will guide you on how to steer clear and keep things smooth.
– Gently glide the opening pick along the upper edge of your device, making sure to pause just shy of the front camera. You’re doing great!
Step 14
– Gently pull the pick out until just the tip is nestled between the digitizer and the frame.
– Slide the pick above the front camera to break free the adhesive holding things together.
– Keep that pick close to the right side of the front camera before you move on!
Step 16
– Warm up your trusty iOpener and give it a cozy two-minute hug on the right edge of your device.
Tools Used
Step 17
– Swing that pick around the top-right corner to free up the adhesive.
Step 18
The display cables hang out about halfway up from the bottom of your iPad. Just stop sliding once you’re about three inches away from the bottom – you got this!
– Grab a fresh opening pick and smoothly glide it over to the middle of the iPad’s right edge.
Step 19
– Warm up your iOpener and give the bottom edge of your device a cozy two-minute heat bath.
Tools Used
Step 20
– Gently slide the bottom-left pick into the corner to loosen that sticky adhesive. You’ve got this!
– Once you’ve got the pick in place at the bottom-left corner, just hang tight before diving into the next step.
Step 21
– Time to work some magic! With a new opening pick in hand, gently slide it into the gap you just made at the bottom of your iPad.
– As you slide the pick over the antenna, pause right before you reach the home button.
– Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done so far, then leave the pick to the left of the home button before moving on to the next step.
Step 22
Gently slide the pick in, but keep it shallow—just 1 mm deep—to keep the right antenna safe and sound. You’ve got this!
– Grab your trusty opening pick and slide it into that little gap you’ve just made. You’re doing great!
– Now, gently maneuver the pick underneath the home button and glide it toward the bottom-right corner. Just remember, keep only the tip nestled between the digitizer and the frame—you’re almost there!
Step 23
– Pop that pick back in and glide it toward the home button to fully free the bottom adhesive.
– Let the pick chill to the right of the home button before moving on.
Step 24
– Warm up the iOpener and gently place it on the right side of the device for a couple of minutes.
Tools Used
Step 25
Take it easy with this step! Make sure the adhesive is nice and toasty, and gently work your pick to separate all the sticky stuff. Remember, it’s totally fine to take a breather and reheat when needed. You’ve got this!
If you hit some stubborn spots, give those edges a little more heat and finesse them with your opening pick.
– Spin those two opening picks in the left corners of the iPad to give the digitizer a little lift, handling that last bit of adhesive like a pro.
Step 26
– Hey there! Gently lift up the left edge of the digitizer, like you’re peeling a sticker, to loosen up the sticky stuff on the right side of your iPad. You got this!
Step 27
– Support the digitizer like a true repair hero and gently slide an opening pick between the two display cables. This will help you wave farewell to the adhesive holding things together!
Step 28
– After you’ve successfully peeled away all that stubborn adhesive, gently open the digitizer like a book and lay it down parallel to your iPad—nice and easy!
– When it’s time to put everything back together, don’t forget to tidy up the leftover adhesive on the frame—and on the digitizer if you’re reusing it—using some isopropyl alcohol. You can then swap in our
