How to Replace iPhone 16 5G mmWave Antenna Tutorial
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 33 Steps
Ready to tackle that 5G mmWave antenna replacement in your iPhone 16? If your phone is acting a bit wonky with connectivity issues but still loves Wi-Fi, it might be time for a little upgrade. Just grab some replacement back glass and antenna adhesive, and you’re all set for this repair adventure. And remember, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
Let your phone’s battery drop below 25%. A fully charged lithium-ion battery can be a bit of a drama queen, so it’s best to keep it cool and avoid any potential safety shenanigans.
– First things first, go ahead and unplug any cables from your phone. Give it a little breathing room!
– Now, hold down the power button along with either volume button and slide to power off your phone. Easy peasy!
Step 2
Ensure there’s a nice, flat spot near the bottom edge that’s large enough for a suction cup to grab onto.
– If your screen or back glass is looking a bit worse for wear with some serious cracks, don’t fret! Just grab some packing tape and lay down overlapping strips over the glass. This will keep you safe and make taking things apart a breeze!
Tools Used
Step 3
– Grab your trusty P2 pentalobe driver and let’s tackle those two 7.7 mm-long screws flanking the charging port. You’ve got this!
Step 4
Be gentle with that opening pick! If you push it in too deep, you might end up causing some harm to your device. To keep things safe and sound, consider marking your pick to avoid any mishaps.
Feeling creative? You can also label the other corners of the pick with varying measurements for extra precision.
Another fun option is to tape a coin about 3 mm from the tip of your pick. It’s a nifty trick to keep your device safe while you work!
– Grab your trusty opening pick and measure 3 mm from the tip. Give it a little mark with a permanent marker so you know where to make your move!
Step 5
Ready to dive in? The next four steps showcase the Anti-Clamp, our nifty tool designed to simplify the opening process. If you’re not rocking the Anti-Clamp, feel free to jump four steps down for an alternative method.
The Anti-Clamp works its magic by applying suction to both the screen and the back glass. If you’re just looking to pop open the back glass, remember to tape down the screen first. Check out the full scoop on how to use that tape!
Looking for detailed instructions on the Anti-Clamp? We’ve got you covered—just take a peek at this guide.
Just a quick reminder: make sure the tape is only holding down the screen and leaving the back glass free to open.
– Snip off two strips of tape, stick them along the long sides of your phone, and then fold them over the screen to keep everything snug and secure.
Step 6
If the surface of your iPhone feels a bit too slick for the Anti-Clamp to get a grip, just slap on some tape to give it that extra traction it needs!
– Give that Anti-Clamp’s blue handle a little tug backward to unlock its arms. It’s like giving it a friendly nudge!
– With the back glass facing up, gently slide the arms over the right edge of your phone. Make sure one suction cup is cozy on the back glass and the other is snug on the screen. Aim to center those cups near the bottom edge—like a perfect balance!
– Keep your phone supported and level as it hangs out between the Anti-Clamp’s arms. A small box does the trick nicely!
– Now, give those cups a squeeze together to create some good ol’ suction. You got this!
Step 7
If tape isn’t on hand, try warming up those suction cups a bit to make them stick better!
– Gently pull the blue handle forward to lock those arms in place.
– Give the handle a complete turn (360 degrees) or until those cups start stretching out.
– As the cups stretch, keep an eye on their vertical alignment. If they start to slip and slide, no worries! Just remove the Anti-Clamp and slap on some tape to help those cups stick.
Step 8
Watch out! Don’t let your phone get too toasty—the battery can get cranky when it’s overheated.
If you don’t see a gap forming after a minute, no worries! Just add a bit more heat and give the handle a little twist – about a quarter turn should do it. Let the Anti-Clamp and some patience take care of the rest!
– Grab your trusty hair dryer or heat gun and warm up that bottom edge of the back glass until it feels nice and toasty.
– Take a breather for about a minute as the adhesive gets cozy and a little gap starts to form between the back glass and the frame.
– Slide in an opening pick into that gap you just created.
– Gently pull away the Anti-Clamp using those handy pull tabs on the suction cups.
– Feel free to skip the next two steps.
Tools Used
Step 9
Feeling a bit chilly with that back glass? Grab an iOpener to warm things up! Just follow these steps to heat and use the iOpener like a pro. And remember, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– Grab your trusty hair dryer or heat gun and give the bottom edge of that back glass a warm hug until it feels nice and toasty to the touch.
Tools Used
Step 10
– Grab a suction handle and stick it to the bottom edge of that back glass like it’s your new best friend.
– With one hand holding the frame steady, give that handle a good pull upwards—strong and smooth! This will help create a nice little opening between the back glass and the frame.
– Now, slide the tip of an opening pick into that gap you’ve created. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 11
As you carefully slice through the adhesive holding the back glass, remember to keep your pick no deeper than 3 mm. We want to steer clear of those sensitive areas below—trust us, your device will thank you!
– Be careful! There’s a thin cable linking the back glass to your phone, right by the volume down button. It’s best to steer clear of inserting your pick here to keep that cable safe and sound.
– Look out for the multiple spring contacts that are dotted around the edge of the phone. They’re a bit shy, so treat them gently!
Step 12
– Grab your trusty hair dryer or heat gun and give the right edge of that back glass some love until it’s nice and toasty!
Tools Used
Step 13
Keep your pick on the lighter side—no deeper than 3 mm, or you might give those spring contacts a surprise they don’t need!
Steer clear of the volume buttons—sliding past them could put the wireless charging cable in a bit of a pickle.
You’ll notice a satisfying pop as the metal clip gives way when you slide past it.
– Gently slide your pick around the bottom right corner and head over to the volume down button to break free the adhesive and pop that metal clip loose.
– Keep that pick in place to stop the adhesive from sealing back up!
Step 14
– Grab your trusty hair dryer or heat gun and give the left edge of that back glass a warm hug until it feels nice and toasty to the touch.
Tools Used
Step 15
Keep your pick no deeper than 3 mm to steer clear of any spring contact mishaps!
As you glide through, you’ll hear and feel those metal clips pop free, like they’re giving you a little high-five.
– Pop in a second opening pick at the bottom edge, just like sliding into a comfy chair.
– Gently glide that second pick around the bottom left corner and along the left edge of the screen. This will help you break the adhesive seal and free those sneaky metal clips.
– Keep this pick snugly in place at the top left corner to stop the adhesive from making a comeback.
Step 16
– Grab a hair dryer or heat gun and give the top edge of that back glass a little love until it’s nice and toasty to the touch!
Tools Used
Step 17
Keep your pick’s depth to a chill 3 mm or less to steer clear of any unwanted spring contact drama.
As you glide along, you’ll hear and feel those little metal clips giving way. It’s like a gentle sigh of relief!
– Gently slide your second opening pick around the top left corner and along the top edge to break free that stubborn adhesive and pop those metal clips loose.
– Keep gliding your pick around the top right corner until you reach the Action button—you’re doing great!
– Leave this pick in place to keep the adhesive from sticking back together. You’re almost there!
Step 18
At this stage, the back glass should be nicely detached from the frame. If it seems to be hanging on for dear life, take your pick and stroll around the edges to see if there are any sneaky bits of adhesive or clingy clips you might have missed.
– Gently swing the back glass to the right side of your phone to break free from the last remnants of adhesive.
– Prop up the back glass with a clean and sturdy object to keep it secure.
– Don’t forget to pull out those opening picks before moving on to the next step!
Step 19
– Grab your trusty tri-point Y000 driver and take out those two tiny 1 mm screws that are holding down the middle connector cover. You’ve got this!
Step 20
– Gently nudge the spudger’s tip into one of the cutouts on the middle connector cover.
– Give that cover a little slide to the left side of the phone and free its hook from the logic board’s cozy slot.
– Now, go ahead and lift off the cover.
– When it’s time to put everything back together, make sure that hook is lined up perfectly over its slot on the logic board. Press down on the cover to secure it and slide it to the right to lock that hook back in place!
Tools Used
Step 21
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently pry up to unplug that battery press connector like a pro!
– When it’s time to put things back together, take a moment to line up the connector perfectly over its socket. With a gentle touch, press down with your fingertip—first one side, then the other—until you hear that satisfying click. Remember, no need to muscle it in; if it’s being stubborn, just reposition it and give it another go.
Tools Used
Step 22
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift up to disconnect that wireless charging coil press connector. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 23
Now’s the perfect time to give your repair a little test run before sealing things up. Just reconnect the battery and back glass temporarily, power up your device, and check if everything is functioning smoothly. Once you’re done giving it the thumbs up, power it back down and get back to reassembling!
– Gently pry the back glass off the frame and set it aside.
– When putting things back together:
– Follow this guide to reapply adhesive and securely attach your back glass again.
Step 24
– Grab your trusty screwdriver and let’s tackle those four screws holding the top bracket in place:
– One Phillips screw, measuring 3.5 mm long, ready to be unscrewed.
– Two more Phillips screws, each 1.4 mm long, just waiting for your attention.
– And don’t forget the little guy: one tri-point Y000 screw that’s 1.0 mm long.
Step 25
– Grab your tweezers or use those nimble fingers of yours to gently lift off the top bracket. You’ve got this!
Step 26
The second press connector is hiding right under the first one.
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently nudge it under the two front camera press connectors to pop them up and disconnect them. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 27
– Gently slide the tip of your spudger in between the top edge of the front camera and the frame—like you’re giving it a little nudge.
– Once you’ve got that spudger in there, lift the front camera out of the frame and set it aside. Easy peasy!
Tools Used
Step 28
– Grab a spudger and gently use its point to lift and disconnect that 5G mmWave antenna press connector. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 29
For a better grip on that tricky adhesive strip, try giving it a little twist around the tip of your tweezers as you pull. You’ve got this!
– Grab those angled tweezers and gently hold onto the black pull tab located at the bottom right corner of the 5G mmWave antenna. You’ve got this!
– With your other hand, give the antenna a little push down as you carefully pull the stretch-release adhesive strip out. Take it slow and steady, keeping it at a low angle—patience is key here, let it stretch and unstick from the antenna.
– Uh-oh! If the adhesive strip decides to play hide-and-seek and breaks off, no worries! Use your tweezers to fish it out and keep on pulling.
– If that pesky strip is still playing hard to get, don’t sweat it! Just follow the next two steps for another way to tackle this. Otherwise, feel free to skip ahead!
Tools Used
Step 30
– Drop a few splashes of isopropyl alcohol (over 90%) right at the bottom edge of the 5G mmWave antenna.
– Gently lift the phone’s bottom edge so the isopropyl alcohol can sneak under the antenna.
– Hang tight for a minute while the adhesive gets all loosened up.
Step 31
– Gently slide the flat end of your trusty spudger under the top left corner of the 5G mmWave antenna, right by the front camera cutout.
– Carefully pry the antenna upwards to break the adhesive seal.
Tools Used
Step 32
– Gently lift the 5G mmWave antenna off the earpiece speaker and set it aside.
Step 33
– Alright, time to put things back together! First up, grab some tweezers or just your trusty fingers to gently peel off that old adhesive from the top of the earpiece speaker.
– Next, let’s give that earpiece speaker a fresh start! Use some thin double-sided tape to lay down the new adhesive.
– Now, hold the new antenna above the earpiece speaker and reconnect its press connector like a pro.
– Finally, press the antenna onto the earpiece speaker to make sure it sticks around. You’ve got this!
