iPad 2 CDMA Front Facing Camera Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 38 Steps
Ready to swap out that front-facing camera? You've come to the right place! This guide features a Wi-Fi model, so the insides might look a bit different from your cellular device, but don't sweat it—the steps are pretty much the same! Let’s dive in and get that camera shining bright again. And remember, if things get tricky, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Double-check that the plate spins smoothly. If your iOpener gets stuck, it might overheat and cause a burn—so keep it moving!
It's a good idea to give your microwave a little scrub-a-dub before diving in, as any leftover gunk might just hitch a ride on the iOpener. Let's keep things clean and smooth sailing!
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave. Let it heat up for a minute or so – it's time to give your device a little warmth boost.
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Step 2
Keep an eye on your iOpener—it’s easy to overheat it, and that could make it pop! Never heat it above 100˚C (212˚F).
If your iOpener looks puffy or swollen, don’t touch it—time to let it rest.
If it’s still too hot to handle in the middle, keep using it gently while it cools down a bit before reheating. When heated just right, it should stay warm for about 10 minutes.
Microwaves vary in power, so adjust the heating time accordingly. The iOpener is ready when it feels just a bit too hot to comfortably hold.
- Give your iOpener a warm-up in the microwave for thirty seconds. It’s like a spa day for your repair tool!
- As you work through the repair, keep that iOpener cozy by giving it another thirty seconds in the microwave whenever it starts to cool down. A little heat goes a long way!
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Step 3
The iOpener is going to be super toasty, so handle with care! A kitchen mitt might just be your new best friend.
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, using one of the flat ends to keep your fingers safe from that toasty center!
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Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener gets seriously hot, so make sure to grab it only by those end tabs to keep your fingers safe and sound.
No microwave? No problem! Simply warm up your iOpener by placing it in some boiling water instead.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to give your iOpener a nice, cozy bath.
- Bring that water to a roaring boil, then turn off the heat—time to take a breather!
- Gently lower the iOpener into the warm water and let it soak for 2-3 minutes. Make sure it’s getting the full spa treatment and is completely submerged.
- Using tongs, carefully fish out the warm iOpener from its steamy retreat.
- Give your iOpener a good drying off with a towel—nobody likes a soggy helper!
- And voilà! Your iOpener is all set for action! If you need to warm it up again, 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
Rock those safety glasses to keep your eyes safe, and take it easy on that LCD screen—let's keep it in one piece!
This helps keep those sneaky glass shards in check and adds some muscle when you’re prying and lifting the display.
- If your display glass has a crack, keep the shards in check and avoid any accidental ouchies by taping over the glass before you start.
- Apply overlapping strips of clear packing tape across the entire iPad screen until it’s fully covered.
- Follow the rest of the steps as laid out, but heads up: cracked glass can keep cracking as you go, so you might need to carefully pry it out with a metal tool.
Step 6
Just a heads up: since you'll be working with broken glass, it's a good idea to wear safety glasses to protect yourself from any unexpected flying shards.
- Place the iOpener flat along the right edge of your iPad. Gently press it down so the iOpener makes nice, cozy contact with the iPad’s surface.
- Give the iOpener about 90 seconds to work its magic before you try opening the front panel.
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Step 7
Getting the opening tool's tip wedged between the glass and plastic might take a bit of elbow grease. Take it slow, stay patient, and gently wiggle the tool back and forth until it slips in nicely.
- Spot a tiny gap in the iPad's adhesive ring near the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) down from the top. This little gap is your golden ticket.
- Line up your tool with the mute button. Gently slip the tip of a plastic opening tool into the crack between the front glass and the plastic bezel—just the tip, just enough to pry it open a bit.
Step 8
- Position the tool just right—nestled between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass. You've got this!
Step 9
- With the plastic opening tool snugly nestled between the front glass and plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into the gap right alongside your trusty tool. Let's get that device open!
Step 10
- Gently slide the plastic opening tool out from the iPad, then carefully nudge the opening pick a bit deeper under the front glass—aim for about half an inch. Keep it smooth and steady!
Step 11
- As you tackle the adhesive on the right side of your iPad, give the iOpener another round of heating and then pop it back on the bottom edge of the iPad. You've got this!
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Step 12
This adhesive is super stubborn, so be ready to bring some serious muscle—but take it slow and steady!
If you can spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from under the front glass, gently pull it out a bit. While it’s safe to use the pick this way, just a heads up: it might leave some adhesive residue on the LCD. Keep it cool and take your time!
- As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start loosening the adhesive along the right side of the iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down the edge, carefully freeing the adhesive as you go.
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Step 13
You might need to slide the warmed iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad while you’re loosening the adhesive. How long the iPad has cooled down during your work will decide if this move is needed.
- If the opening pick gets a little stuck in the adhesive, simply roll it along the side of the iPad. Keep going, and you'll gradually loosen the adhesive without a hitch.
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Step 14
- Before you go for the first opening pick at the bottom corner, slide a second pick under the right edge of the front glass. This keeps the adhesive from sticking again when you least expect it!
- Give your iOpener another round in the microwave, then move it to the top edge of the iPad. Heat is your friend here.
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is secured to the bottom right edge of the iPad’s rear case with screws and a cable. Since the antenna’s orientation is a bit particular, take your time and handle it gently to avoid any permanent damage.
- Alright, folks! Time to channel your inner ninja because the next steps need some serious finesse.
- You’ll need to gently release the adhesive that's keeping the antenna snugly attached to the front panel. Just remember, we’re aiming for precision here—let’s avoid any mishaps with those delicate bits connecting the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Take it slow and steady as you follow the upcoming steps!
Step 16
Heads up! Don’t push the pick past the bottom right corner — that’s where the Wi-Fi antenna hangs out, and we don’t want to mess with it.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the bottom right corner of the iPad to break free the adhesive holding it down. Nice and easy, it’ll come off before you know it!
Step 17
Take it easy as you glide that opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. The Wi-Fi antenna is hanging out near the corner, and it can get a bit grumpy if the adhesive is not treated right. So, let’s keep it happy and intact!
Just slide the pick out a smidge instead of yanking it all the way out—aim for about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip still snugly under that front glass. You've got this!
- Gently slide the tip of your opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad to free up the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna in place.
Step 18
- After you’ve slid past the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3" (75 mm) in from the right edge, or right next to the home button), pop the opening pick back in all the way.
- Gently slide the pick to the right to loosen the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass.
- The antenna is screwed and connected by a cable to the bottom of the iPad. This step safely separates the antenna from the front panel so you can remove the panel without causing any damage.
Step 19
Give your iOpener a break! Heat it up for no more than one minute at a time, and let it cool down for at least two minutes before giving it another go.
If the adhesive has cooled down too much along the bottom edge, just give your iOpener another heat-up session to bring that adhesive back to life where you're working. A little warmth goes a long way!
- Keep gently peeling off the adhesive along the bottom of the iPad, making sure to pull the opening pick far enough to slide around the home button. Once you've passed the home button, reinsert the pick about 1/2 inch (10 mm) to keep the progress going smoothly.
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Step 20
For iPad 4 models, be sure to gently slide your pick in just about 1/2 inch (10 mm) deep in this area. We want to keep that home button ribbon cable safe and sound!
- Slowly work your way along the bottom edge of the iPad, gently peeling off the adhesive as you go.
- Keep the opening pick tucked under the front glass, just near the home button, so it stays in place.
Step 21
- Pop that iOpener into the microwave for a little warm-up session and then place it on the left edge of your iPad. This will help cozy up the adhesive in that area.
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Step 22
If the adhesive has cooled down a bit too much, just swap in a fresh iOpener along the top edge and keep the momentum going. And if your iOpener has lost its heat, give it another warm-up!
- Gently glide the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little tug to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
- This section has some super sticky adhesive, so you might need to put in a bit of muscle. Just take it slow and steady, and watch out for any slips that could lead to trouble for you or your iPad.
- If the opening pick feels like it's stuck in the adhesive, try rolling it as demonstrated in step 9.
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Step 23
Once the adhesive has warmed up enough, feel free to set the iOpener aside for easier handling. If it’s still holding on tight, just give the iOpener another quick heat-up and rest it on the left edge while you continue working.
- Keep peeling away that adhesive along the top edge of your iPad, and gently maneuver the opening pick around the top left corner. You've got this!
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Step 24
The digitizer cable is hanging out about 2 inches (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you’re sliding the pick, take a breather and stop when you reach around 2.25 inches (60 mm) from the bottom. You've got this!
- Gently glide that opening pick along the left side of your iPad, peeling away the adhesive as you go. The adhesive is pretty slim here thanks to the digitizer running alongside the entire left edge. Just remember, keep that pick shallow (no more than 1/2 inch or 10 mm) to avoid any accidental damage to your digitizer. You've got this!
Step 25
Heads up! The bottom of the digitizer cable hangs out just about an inch (25 mm) from the iPad’s bottom edge. Take it slow and steady—snipping this little guy would definitely spoil your day.
- With the opening pick still tucked under the bottom edge of the iPad, gently work it along the bottom left corner to lift the adhesive. Take your time, no rush here!
Step 26
Sometimes the adhesive around the edge of the iPad decides to play sticky again. If that happens, gently slide a pick under the spot where the front glass is still holding tight and carefully 'cut' through the adhesive to free it up.
- Grab an opening pick and gently wedge it under the bottom right corner of your iPad. Once it's lifted, use your fingers to hold onto that corner, giving you a firm grip to proceed with the rest of the steps.
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky residue still hanging around! Use an opening pick to carefully cut through any adhesive that might still be keeping the front panel in place.
- Grab the iPad by the top and bottom right corners and gently swivel the front glass away from the device.
- When putting it back together, make sure to use a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to clear off any dust or smudges from the LCD before snapping the glass back on.
Step 28
- Let's get down to business! First up, grab your trusty Phillips #0 screwdriver and go ahead and remove those four 2.0 mm screws that are holding the LCD snugly against the rear case. You've got this!
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care—don’t try to yank it off just yet! You’ll need to swivel it gently since the display data cable is still hanging out connected underneath.
- Alright, let’s get into it! The front panel ribbon cables are hiding under the LCD, so we need to give them a little wave. Carefully flip the LCD over and out of the way for a moment.
- Grab the LCD from the edge nearest to the volume buttons and gently flip it out of the rear case—imagine you’re turning the page of your favorite book.
- Now, place the LCD face down on the front panel like it’s taking a well-deserved rest.
Step 30
Make sure you're lifting the hinged retaining flap, 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!
- Now, slide that plastic tool underneath the headphone jack and front-facing camera cable to loosen it from the adhesive that's keeping it snug against the rear panel.
- With a steady hand, pull the headphone jack and front-facing camera ribbon cable straight out of its socket on the logic board. You've got this!
Step 31
- Let's get those 2.9 mm Phillips screws out of the way! Grab your trusty screwdriver and remove the two screws holding the headphone jack to the rear panel. You're doing great!
Step 32
Hold up! Not quite time to yank out the assembly yet.
- Grab a plastic opening tool and gently pry the headphone jack away from its snug little home nestled in the top edge of the iPad. You've got this!
Step 33
- Gently lift and separate the front camera and microphone cables from the rear panel—take your time and keep it smooth!
Step 34
- Gently peel back the tape that's covering the front camera cable connector. Take your time, it's a small detail but important!
- Using the edge of a plastic opening tool, carefully detach the front camera cable from the headphone jack cable. Just a little nudge and you’ll be good to go!
Step 35
- Gently lift the front camera cable away from the bottom ribbon cable connected to the headphone jack. Take your time and be careful—you're doing great!
Step 36
Watch out for those little guys—the camera, microphone, and headphone jack ribbon cables! They’re a bit delicate, so handle with care as you peel off that tape.
- Peel away the tape that's holding the front-facing camera's ribbon cable in place. You've got this!
Step 37
- Gently lift the front camera away from the foam adhesive that's keeping it snug against the rear panel.
Step 38
- Ready to bring your device back to life? Just reverse these steps and use our iPad 2 CDMA Front Panel Adhesive strip guide to securely reattach that front panel. If you run into any hiccups along the way, don’t hesitate to schedule a repair for some expert help!
