How to Replace iPad CDMA Microphone – DIY Guide
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 42 Steps
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder to be super careful while you’re working on your device. Follow the steps closely and take your time—no rush! If you need a hand, feel free to schedule a repair. You’ve got this!
Get ready to swap out that microphone! While this guide features a Wi-Fi model, don’t fret—the insides of your cellular model might look a tad different, but the steps are pretty much the same, with a few exceptions here and there. Let’s dive in and make some noise!
Step 1
Before diving into the repair, give your microwave a little TLC! A quick clean will help ensure that any stubborn gunk on the bottom doesn’t hitch a ride on your iOpener.
– Pop the iOpener right in the middle of your microwave.
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Step 2
Keep an eye on that iOpener and avoid cranking up the heat too much during your repair adventure! We definitely don’t want it bursting on us. Try to keep the temperature under 100˚C (212˚F).
If the iOpener looks like it’s been hitting the gym and appears swollen, give it some space.
If it’s still feeling a bit toasty in the center, no worries! Just hang tight and keep using it while it cools down a bit before you give it another heat session. A well-heated iOpener should stay cozy for about 10 minutes.
– Give that iOpener a warm-up in the microwave for thirty seconds.
– As you work through your repair, keep an eye on the iOpener. If it starts to cool down, pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds to keep the heat going.
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Step 3
Careful there! The iOpener is going to be quite toasty, so handle it with care. An oven mitt might just be your best buddy here!
– Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, gripping it by one of the flat ends to steer clear of that toasty center. You’re doing great!
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Step 4
If microwaves aren’t in your toolkit, no worries! Just pop your iOpener into some boiling water to heat it up.
– Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to give that iOpener a nice, cozy bath.
– Bring the water to a rolling boil and then take it off the heat. Safety first!
– Gently place the iOpener into the warm water for 2-3 minutes, making sure it’s fully submerged and soaking up all that warmth.
– Use some tongs to carefully lift the heated iOpener from its steamy spa treatment.
– Give the iOpener a good towel dry to make sure it’s ready for action.
– And voilà! Your iOpener is all set to help you out. If it needs a little more heat, just repeat the process: boil the water, turn off the heat, and let it relax in the warm water for another 2-3 minutes.
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Step 5
Put on those safety glasses to keep your peepers safe, and remember to handle that LCD screen with care – we want it to shine bright, not crack under pressure!
– Got a cracked display glass? No worries! Let’s keep that glass from going rogue and protect yourself while you work by sticking some tape on it.
– Grab some clear packing tape and lay it over the iPad’s display in overlapping strips until the entire surface is covered. You’ll be a tape artist in no time!
– Now, just follow the guide as best as you can. Just a heads up, once that glass starts cracking, it might keep on going. If it does, don’t hesitate to use a metal prying tool to help scoop out the pieces.
Step 6
Just a friendly reminder: while you’re diving into this repair, you might encounter some pesky broken glass. To keep your peepers safe from any surprise flying 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 it’s nice and snug against the surface for optimal warmth.
– Give it a little time to work its magic—let it chill on the iPad for about 90 seconds before you dive into opening that front panel.
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Step 7
Getting that wedged tip of the opening tool between the glass and plastic might take a bit of muscle. Just take your time and be gentle, moving the plastic opening tool back and forth as needed.
– Look closely, and you’ll spot a tiny gap in the iPad’s adhesive ring, right there in the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top. It’s like a little secret entrance waiting for you to take advantage of it!
– Now, let’s get that tool ready! Line it up with the mute button and gently slide the tip of your trusty plastic opening tool into that gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just a little nudge is all you need—enough to give that crack a bit of a stretch!
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 beside the tool. You’re doing great!
Step 10
– Grab that plastic opening tool from your iPad and slide the opening pick a little deeper under the front glass, aiming for about half an inch. You’ve got this!
Step 12
The adhesive is super strong, so be prepared to put in some elbow grease. Take it slow and steady!
If you can spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from beneath the front glass, give it a gentle tug. While using the pick at this depth won’t cause any harm, it might leave some adhesive residue on the LCD. Just a heads up!
– While the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start peeling away the adhesive from the right side of your iPad. You’re doing great!
– Gently slide the opening pick down along the edge of the iPad, making sure to release that pesky adhesive as you go. Keep it smooth and steady!
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Step 13
As you peel away the adhesive, it might be a good idea to slide that cozy heated iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad. This is all about timing, and it 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 stubborn and gets stuck in the adhesive, just give it a gentle ‘roll’ along the side of the iPad. Keep at it and you’ll break free that sticky stuff in no time!
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Step 14
– Before you pop that first opening pick out 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 too cozy and re-sticking.
– Give your iOpener a quick re-heat, then place it on the top edge of your iPad. We’re almost there!
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is snugly secured to the bottom right corner of the rear case of the iPad with screws and a cable. Given the placement of the Wi-Fi antenna, it’s super important to handle this with care to avoid any pesky damage that could be hard to fix.
– Alright, friends, it’s time to proceed with a little finesse! We need to be super careful over the next few steps.
– You’ll want to gently peel away the adhesive that’s holding the antenna to the front panel. Just remember to be extra gentle so we don’t accidentally damage those delicate bits connecting the antenna to the bottom of your iPad. Take your time and follow the upcoming steps closely!
Step 16
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 slide that trusty opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPad, and watch as the adhesive gives way like a champ!
Step 17
Carefully glide that opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. Just a heads-up, the Wi-Fi antenna is sneaky and hangs out near the corner, so be gentle! If you’re not careful with the adhesive, it might just wave goodbye to its connections.
Just gently wiggle that pick out from under the front glass, leaving about 1/8″ (3 mm) of the tip still snugly in place. A little goes a long way!
– Gently glide the opening pick along the bottom edge of your iPad to free up that pesky adhesive around the Wi-Fi antenna. You’ve got this!
Step 18
– After you’ve gracefully navigated past the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3″ (75 mm) from the right edge, or right next to the home button), slide that opening pick back in to its full depth like a pro.
– Now, give that pick a gentle slide to the right to break free the adhesive that’s holding the Wi-Fi antenna snug against the front glass.
Step 19
Keep it cool, friend! Heat the iOpener for no more than a minute at a time, and be sure to give it a breather for at least two minutes before you heat it up again.
– Keep working that adhesive loose 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 about half an inch (10 mm) deep once you’re past the home button. You’re doing great!
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Step 20
– Keep peeling back that adhesive along the bottom edge of your iPad like a pro!
– Just a heads-up, leave that opening pick snugly in place under the front glass by the home button. It’s doing a great job!
Step 22
If the adhesive has gotten a bit too cool for comfort, just swap in that trusty iOpener along the top edge and keep the momentum going. And if the iOpener itself has cooled off too much, give it a little reheat to bring it back to life!
– Gently slide the opening pick along the top edge of the iPad, giving it a little pull to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
– The adhesive here is pretty tough, so you might need to put in some muscle. Take your time and work carefully to avoid any slips that could harm either you or your iPad.
– If the opening pick feels like it’s getting stuck in the adhesive, just give it a little roll as shown in step 9.
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Step 23
If the adhesive is feeling cozy and warm, go ahead and take the iOpener off the iPad for a smoother process. But if it’s still clinging on a bit too much, just re-heat that iOpener and set it on the left edge while you get to work. You’ve got this!
– Keep peeling back that adhesive along the top edge of the iPad, and gently glide the opening pick around the top left corner. Remember, you’ve got this!
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Step 24
The digitizer cable is hanging out around 2″ (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you’re about 2.25″ (60 mm) from the bottom, it’s time to stop sliding that pick. You’re doing great!
– Gently slide the opening pick along the left edge of your iPad, letting that adhesive loosen up as you go. Don’t worry, it’s a bit thinner here thanks to the digitizer hanging out along the left side. Just keep that pick shallow—no deeper than 1/2 inch (10 mm)—to avoid any mishaps with the digitizer. You’ve got this!
Step 25
Be super careful! The digitizer cable is hanging out just about 1″ (25 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. Take your time and handle it gently to avoid cutting this little guy. You’ve got this!
– With the trusty opening pick still tucked under the bottom edge of your iPad, gently work it to free the adhesive in the bottom left corner. You’re doing great!
Step 26
It looks like some of the adhesive around the edge of your iPad might have decided to stick around a bit longer than expected. No worries! Just grab a pick and gently slide it underneath the stubborn edge where the front glass is holding on tight, and give that adhesive a little ‘snip’ to free things up.
– Grab one of those nifty opening picks and gently lift up the bottom right corner of your iPad. Give it a little tug with your fingers to help it along!
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky stuff that might still be lingering around! Grab an opening pick and gently slice through any adhesive that’s still keeping the front panel snug. You’ve got this!
– Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners and gently twist that front glass away from the device like you’re unveiling a surprise!
– When putting everything back together, be sure to use a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to give the LCD a little TLC—bidding farewell to dust and fingerprints before you seal the deal with the glass.
Step 28
– Unscrew the four 2.0 mm Phillips #0 screws that are holding the LCD in place against the rear case. Let’s get that screen ready for some TLC!
Step 29
– The front panel ribbon cables are tucked away just under the LCD. To get to them, you’ll need to gently flip the LCD over and out of the way for a moment.
– Start by lifting the LCD from the edge nearest to the volume buttons and carefully flipping it out of the rear case—think of it like turning the page of your favorite book.
– Now, lay the LCD face down on the front panel, giving it a cozy spot to rest.
Step 30
Just a friendly reminder: make sure you’re gently lifting the hinged retaining flap and not the socket itself. You’ve got this!
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently lift the retaining flap on the headphone jack and front-facing camera ribbon cable ZIF socket. Easy peasy!
– Slide that plastic opening tool underneath the headphone jack and front-facing camera cable to liberate it from the sticky adhesive holding it to the rear panel. You’ve got this!
– Carefully pull the headphone jack and front-facing camera ribbon cable straight out of its cozy socket on the logic board. Almost there!
Step 31
– Unscrew the two 2.9 mm Phillips screws that are holding the headphone jack snugly against the rear panel. You’ve got this!
Step 32
Hold your horses! We’re not quite ready to tackle that assembly just yet.
– Grab a plastic opening tool and gently coax the headphone jack out from its snug little spot at the top edge of the iPad. You’ve got this!
Step 33
– Gently detach the front camera and microphone cables from the rear panel. Take your time and enjoy the process!
Step 34
– Gently peel off the tape that’s keeping the front camera cable connector cozy and secure.
– Grab a plastic opening tool and use its edge to carefully detach the front camera cable from the headphone jack cable. Easy peasy!
Step 35
– Gently lift the front camera cable away from the bottom ribbon cable that’s connected to the headphone jack. Take your time and be careful, you’ve got this!
Step 36
Watch out for those camera, microphone, and headphone jack ribbon cables while you’re peeling off that tape. Let’s keep them safe and sound!
– Gently peel away the tape that’s holding down the front-facing camera’s ribbon cable. You’ve got this!
Step 37
– Gently lift the front camera off the foam adhesive that’s keeping it cozy against the rear panel.
Step 38
– Gently wiggle the front-facing camera cable out of its snug little home in the rear panel.
– Carefully detach the front-facing camera from your iPad, giving it a warm goodbye as it moves on to its next adventure.
Step 39
– Peel off the leftover foam tape that’s hiding the microphone ribbon cable. Let’s get that cable ready to shine!
Step 40
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently pry at the edge to unplug that microphone cable connector. You’re doing great!
Step 41
– Gently lift the microphone away from the top edge of the rear panel, taking your time to avoid any mishaps.
Step 42
Watch out for that ribbon cable! It might try to play hide and seek while you’re removing the microphone. Give it a little extra care to avoid any unexpected rips.
– Go ahead and gently take out the microphone from your iPad 2.
