How to Replace iPad 4 CDMA Wi-Fi Antenna Tutorial
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 51 Steps
Heads up, tech whiz! Before diving into this repair, make sure you’re working in a cozy spot with good lighting and have all your tools handy. Your device will thank you for the extra love! And if you hit a snag along the way, just remember: you can always schedule a repair for expert help.
Ready to give your device a boost? Follow this guide to swap out that Wi-Fi antenna with ease. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
Before diving in, give your microwave a little TLC! A quick clean-up will ensure that any stubborn crumbs or gunk don’t stick to your iOpener. Trust us, your future self will thank you!
– Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave.
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Step 2
Hey there, let’s keep things cool! Avoid overheating the iOpener during your repair adventure. If it gets too hot, it might just pop, and we don’t want that! Aim to keep it below 100˚C (212˚F).
If the iOpener looks like it’s been hitting the gym and is a bit swollen, steer clear of it.
Is the iOpener still feeling a bit toasty in the center? No worries! Just hang tight and let it chill for a bit longer before you reheat it. A well-heated iOpener should stay cozy for about 10 minutes. You’ve got this!
– Give your iOpener a warm-up in the microwave for thirty seconds to get it nice and cozy.
– As you work through the repair, remember to pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds whenever it starts to cool down.
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Step 3
The iOpener gets super toasty, so handle it with care! A trusty oven mitt might just become your new best friend.
– Take the iOpener out of the microwave, making sure to grab it by one of the flat ends to steer clear of that hot center. Stay safe and keep it cool!
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Step 4
If you’re microwave-less, no worries! Just pop your iOpener into some boiling water to get it nice and toasty.
– Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to completely dunk your iOpener. We want it nice and cozy in there!
– Bring that water to a good boil and then turn off the heat. Safety first, right?
– Now, gently place your iOpener into the hot water and let it soak for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure it’s fully submerged—no half measures here!
– Use some tongs to carefully fish out the heated iOpener from the water. Watch out, it’s hot stuff!
– Give that iOpener a good towel dry—nobody likes a soggy iOpener!
– And voila! Your iOpener is all set and ready to roll. If it needs a little more heat later on, just repeat the process: boil the water, turn off the heat, and let it chill in there for another 2-3 minutes. You’re on a roll!
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Step 5
Put on those stylish safety glasses to keep your peepers safe, and watch out for that LCD screen – we want it to stay in one piece!
– If your display glass is looking a bit worse for wear, let’s keep it from breaking into even more pieces and avoid any accidental pokes. A little tape can go a long way! Start by slapping on some overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPad’s display until you’ve got the whole face covered.
– Now, as you proceed with the guide, keep in mind that once the glass starts to crack, it might decide to keep cracking. No worries! Just grab a metal prying tool and gently scoop out those glass shards as needed. You’ve got this!
– And remember, if you need a hand, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 6
Just a friendly reminder: while you’re diving into this repair, you might encounter some pesky broken glass. To keep your eyes safe from any sneaky shards, we highly recommend rocking a pair of safety glasses. Better safe than sorry, right?
– Place the iOpener flat on the right side of your iPad, making sure to smooth it out for a snug fit. We want that iOpener to feel at home!
– Give it about 90 seconds to work its magic before you dive in and pop open the front panel.
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Step 7
Getting that wedged tip of the opening tool between the glass and plastic might take a little elbow grease! Just take your time, be gentle, and wiggle that plastic tool back and forth as needed. You’ve got this!
– Notice that there’s a tiny gap in the iPad’s adhesive ring located in the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top. Let’s take advantage of this little opening!
– Position your tool near the mute button. Gently slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just insert the very tip to create a wider opening—you’re doing great!
Step 9
– With the plastic opening tool snugly positioned between the front glass and the plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into that little gap, right alongside the plastic tool. You’ve got this!
Step 10
– Take that handy plastic opening tool out of your iPad’s grasp, and gently slide the opening pick a little deeper under the front glass—aim for about half an inch. You’re doing great!
Step 12
The adhesive is super strong, so you might need to put in some muscle! Just take it slow and steady.
If you spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from under the front glass, gently pull it out just a tad. Don’t worry, using the pick this deep won’t cause any harm, but it might leave a bit of adhesive residue on the LCD. Just a heads-up!
– As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start peeling away the adhesive from the right edge of your iPad.
– Gently slide the opening pick down along the edge of the iPad, freeing the adhesive bit by bit.
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Step 13
As you start to peel away the adhesive, you might need to slide that warm iOpener back over to the right edge of the iPad. Just keep an eye on how long the iPad has been cooling while you’ve been busy working on it.
– If your opening pick decides to play hide and seek in the adhesive, just give it a little roll along the edge of the iPad, and keep on releasing that sticky stuff like a pro.
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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 clingy again.
– Give your iOpener a quick reheat, and then move it up to the top edge of the iPad. You’re doing great!
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Step 15
Hey there! Just a heads up: the Wi-Fi antenna is snugly attached to the bottom right corner of the iPad’s rear case with screws and a cable. Since the antenna is positioned in a way that requires a gentle touch, be sure to handle it with care to avoid any unfortunate mishaps. Let’s keep that Wi-Fi signal strong!
– Alright, folks, it’s time to take a deep breath and channel your inner repair ninja. The next few steps call for some serious finesse!
– You’ll need to carefully detach the adhesive that’s holding the antenna to the front panel. Just be super gentle with those delicate parts that connect the antenna to the bottom of your iPad. Stick to the following steps like a pro!
Step 16
Avoid sliding the pick beyond the bottom right corner, or you might accidentally give the Wi-Fi antenna a little too much love. Let’s keep it safe and sound!
– Gently glide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad to free up that pesky adhesive.
Step 17
Careful now! As you glide the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel, keep an eye out for the Wi-Fi antenna lurking close to the corner. It’s a bit shy and can get snipped if we don’t handle the adhesive with care.
Just a little tip: don’t yank that pick all the way out from beneath 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 opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad, freeing up the adhesive that’s holding down the Wi-Fi antenna. You got this!
Step 18
– Alright, now that you’ve cruised past the Wi-Fi antenna (that’s about 3 inches, or 75 mm, from the right edge, right near the home button), slide that opening pick back in all the way. You’ve got this!
– Now, gently glide the pick to the right and watch as it frees the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna snug against the front glass. Easy peasy!
Step 19
Keep the iOpener’s heating time to just a minute at a stretch, and remember to give it a breather of at least two minutes before you warm it up again.
– Keep peeling away the adhesive at the bottom of the iPad. When you pull the opening pick out, make sure to wiggle it around the home button, then slide it back in just to about 1/2 inch (10 mm) deep once you’ve cleared the button. You’re doing great!
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Step 20
– Keep peeling away that stubborn adhesive all the way across the bottom edge of your iPad.
– Once you’ve made some progress, leave the opening pick snugly in place under the front glass close to the home button.
Step 22
If your adhesive has cooled off a bit too much, just pop that iOpener back along the top edge and keep at it! And if the iOpener itself has lost its warmth, give it a little reheat to keep things moving.
– Gently glide the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little pull to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
– The adhesive in this area is quite stubborn, so don’t hesitate to apply some muscle! Just remember to take it slow and steady to avoid any slips that could lead to mishaps with you or your iPad.
– If the opening pick seems to be glued down, try giving it a little ‘roll’ as illustrated in step 9.
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Step 23
If your adhesive is feeling cozy and warm, go ahead and take that iOpener off the iPad for a smoother ride! But if it’s still clinging on like a stubborn friend, 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 slide the opening pick around that top left corner. You’ve got this!
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Step 24
The digitizer cable hangs out about 2 inches (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you’re sliding that pick, take a pause when you reach around 2.25 inches (60 mm) from the bottom. You’ve got this!
– Gently slide the opening pick along the left edge of the iPad, peeling away that pesky adhesive as you go. It’s a bit thinner here because of the digitizer running along the whole left side. Just remember, keep the pick shallow (no more than 1/2 inch or 10 mm) to avoid any accidental damage to the digitizer. You’re doing great!
Step 25
Be super careful here! The bottom of the digitizer cable is only about 1 inch (25 mm) away from the bottom of the iPad. Take your time and handle it 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. Keep it smooth and steady!
Step 26
– Grab one of those nifty opening picks and gently lift up the bottom right corner of your iPad. Then, give it a little pinch with your fingers to hold it steady!
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky stuff that might still be hanging around! Grab an opening pick to slice through any adhesive that’s keeping the front panel snug as a bug.
– Gently grip your iPad by the top and bottom right corners, then give the front glass a little twist to pop it away from the device.
– As you put everything back together, don’t forget to grab a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to whisk away any dust or smudges from the LCD before you set that glass back in place.
Step 28
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 easily access and remove that sneaky screw.
– Let’s get those four 2 mm Phillips #00 screws out of the way that are holding the LCD to the aluminum frame. You’ve got this!
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is delicate, and too much bending could lead to a break. Keep it gentle and you’ll be golden!
– Grab a plastic opening tool or a spudger and gently lift the right edge of the LCD out of your iPad. You’ve got this!
– Now, swing that LCD around on its left edge and set it down nicely on top of the front glass panel. Easy peasy!
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Step 30
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the tape off the LCD ribbon cable connector. You’ve got this!
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Step 31
– First things first, gently flip up the retaining flap on that LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector. You’ve got this!
– Next, with a little finesse, use your fingers or a trusty pair of tweezers to pull the LCD ribbon cable out of its cozy socket on the logic board.
– If the LCD screen is playing hard to get and refuses to power on after reconnecting the ZIF connector, don’t panic! Just give your iPad a little nudge by holding down the power button and the home button together for at least ten seconds until you see that welcoming Apple logo pop up.
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Step 32
– Gently lift the LCD off the front panel, making sure not to touch the screen. You’ve got this!
Step 33
If you spot it, go ahead and peel off that piece of electrical tape that’s hiding the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, and home button ribbon cable. Let’s keep things open and breezy!
Step 34
– Gently lift the retaining flap on the home button ribbon cable ZIF connector. Let’s get that connection ready to roll!
Step 35
– Grab a trusty pair of tweezers and gently coax that home button ribbon cable straight out of its snug little home on the logic board.
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Step 36
– Gently guide the home button ribbon cable out of its cozy spot in the rear case.
Step 37
– With the spudger’s tip, gently lift the tape that holds the digitizer ribbon cable to the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 38
– Gently lift the retaining flap on both of the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors.
Step 39
– Gently use the flat end of a spudger to peel away the adhesive that’s holding the digitizer ribbon cable in place.
– Carefully pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out from its cozy home on the logic board.
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Step 40
– Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and grab a spudger’s flat end to help you break free the adhesive that’s keeping the cable snug against the rear aluminum case.
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Step 41
– With a gentle touch, slide the digitizer ribbon cable out of its snug spot in the aluminum frame. You’re doing great!
– Carefully lift the front panel off the iPad. You’re one step closer to your repair victory!
Step 42
If you’ve got some electrical tape hanging out over the Lightning connector cable, go ahead and peel it off like a pro!
Step 43
– Take out those two 2.9 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the Lightning connector snugly to the rear case. You’re almost there!
Step 44
– Gently use the flat end of a spudger to pop the Lightning connector cable right out of its cozy little home on the logic board.
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Step 46
– Gently wiggle the Lightning connector and pull it straight out from its cozy spot in the back case. No need to rush, just take your time and be careful with it!
Step 47
– Gently use the spudger’s tip to lift the speaker and Wi-Fi antenna connectors straight up from their spots on the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 48
– Unscrew the screws holding the Wi-Fi antenna in place on the back cover. You’ve got this!
Step 49
– Grab that trusty spudger and gently pry at the foam adhesive that’s keeping the Wi-Fi antenna snug with the speaker assembly. Let’s get that connection free!
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Step 50
– Grab the Wi-Fi antenna and speaker cable like they’re your new best friends.
– Gently lift the cables off the rear case, giving them the freedom they deserve!
Step 51
– Let’s get that speaker cable and the Wi-Fi antenna cable to part ways, shall we? Just gently separate them.
– Now, it’s time to bid farewell to the Wi-Fi cable; carefully remove it from the iPad.
