iPad 2 CDMA Front Panel Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 41 Steps
This guide is your trusty companion for swapping out a plain front panel. If you happen to have a Front Panel Assembly replacement part, pause right before you take out the home button from your old front panel, and just reverse the steps to pop in your shiny new front panel assembly. A little heads up: some of this guide was filmed using a Wi-Fi model, so the insides might look a tad different from the cellular version. But don't sweat it—the process is pretty much the same for both models, with a few little exceptions here and there.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Make sure the plate spins smoothly. If it gets stuck, your iOpener could overheat and burn out. Keep things moving for smooth sailing!
Before you start, give your microwave a quick clean—any leftover crumbs or sticky spots could hitch a ride on the iOpener and make things messier than they need to be.
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave to get it warmed up!
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Step 2
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder to keep the iOpener from getting too hot during your repair journey. If it overheats, it might just surprise you by bursting! Aim to keep it under 100˚C (212˚F) for a smooth ride.
If the iOpener looks like it's swelling up, steer clear! Safety first, my friend.
Still feeling the heat from the iOpener? No worries! Just keep using it until it cools down a bit before you reheat. A well-heated iOpener should stay nice and toasty for about 10 minutes.
Depending on your microwave's wattage, you might need to adjust the time a bit. You'll know the iOpener is good to go when it's just shy of being too hot to handle.
- Pop your iOpener in the microwave and give it 30 seconds of heat. Simple, right?
- As you work through the repair, keep that iOpener close by. When it cools down, just reheat it for another 30 seconds. Rinse and repeat until you're done!
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Step 3
Careful there! The iOpener is going to be quite toasty, so watch your hands! If you need a little extra protection, grab an oven mitt. Stay safe and get ready to tackle this repair!
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, gripping one of the flat ends to keep your fingers safe from that hot center.
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Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener gets super hot, so make sure to grab it only by the end tabs to keep your fingers happy.
No microwave? No problem! Just heat your iOpener by placing it in some boiling water and you’re good to go.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to give your iOpener a nice, cozy bath.
- Bring that water to a rolling boil, then turn off the heat—safety first, right?
- Gently place your iOpener into the hot water, ensuring it gets a full soak for 2-3 minutes.
- Using tongs, carefully fish out your heated iOpener from its steamy spa.
- Give it a good towel dry; we want it nice and ready for action!
- And there you go! Your iOpener is all set to help you out. If it needs a little reheating, just repeat the hot water process for another 2-3 minutes. Easy peasy!
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Step 5
Don't forget those safety glasses to keep your eyes safe, and watch out for that LCD screen – it's fragile! Handle with care.
This will help keep those pesky glass shards in check while adding some extra strength when you're gently prying and lifting the display. Nice and safe!
- If the display glass is cracked, don't let it shatter any further and keep yourself safe during the repair by taping it up.
- Apply some clear packing tape in overlapping strips over the entire display until it's fully covered. This helps keep the shards in place.
- Now, follow the guide as best as you can. But here's the thing—once the glass is broken, it may keep cracking as you go. You might need to grab a metal prying tool to scoop out the pieces. Don't worry, you're doing great!
Step 6
Since you'll be handling broken glass, it's a good idea to wear safety glasses to protect yourself from any flying shards. Stay safe while you work!
- Place the iOpener gently along the right edge of your iPad, making sure it's resting flat. Press it down to ensure the surface of the iPad and the iOpener are in full contact.
- Allow the bag to chill on the iPad for about 90 seconds. This gives it time to warm up before you go ahead and tackle 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 muscle. Stay cool and patient, gently wiggle that plastic tool back and forth until it slips in nicely.
- There’s a tiny gap in the iPad’s adhesive ring up in the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) down from the top edge. This little crack is your entry point.
- Line up your tool with the mute button. Gently slip the tip of a plastic opening tool into the narrow space between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just insert the tip just enough to slightly pry open the gap.
Step 8
- Carefully slide your tool right between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass—getting in the perfect spot is key!
Step 9
- Keep the tip of your plastic opening tool snugly wedged between the front glass and plastic bezel, then slide a plastic opening pick into the gap right beside it to gently work things open.
Step 10
- Carefully pull out the plastic opening tool from your iPad, then slide the opening pick a bit deeper under the front glass—aim for about half an inch. Keep it smooth and steady!
Step 11
- While you're gently working to release the adhesive on the right side of the iPad, pop that iOpener back into the heat for a quick reheat. Then, place it on the bottom edge of the iPad to soften things up just right.
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Step 12
- While the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start loosening the adhesive along the right edge of the iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down the iPad’s edge, peeling away the adhesive as you move along.
The adhesive is really tough, so you might need to put in a little muscle. Take it slow and steady!
If you can spot the tip of the opening pick peeking underneath the front glass, just pull it out a tad. No worries, using the pick this deep won’t hurt anything, but it might leave a little adhesive residue on the LCD. It’s a small trade-off, but worth the smooth operation down the road.
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Step 13
Depending on how long your iPad has had to cool down while you were working, you might need to slide that heated iOpener back onto the right edge to keep that adhesive nice and soft.
- If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, try 'rolling' it gently along the edge of the iPad to keep loosening that stubborn glue.
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Step 14
- Before you pop out that first opening pick 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 sticking back down.
- Give the iOpener a quick reheat, then place it at the top edge of the iPad. Let's soften that adhesive so we can keep moving forward!
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is secured along the bottom right edge of the iPad’s rear case with screws and a cable. Since the antenna’s position is a bit tricky, take your time and handle it gently—one wrong move could mean saying goodbye to your Wi-Fi antenna for good.
- Heads up: the next steps call for some serious care and attention.
- You’ll need to gently loosen the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel without messing up the fragile connections linking the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Take it slow and follow along carefully.
Step 16
Keep the pick from sliding past the bottom right corner — going further might mess up the Wi-Fi antenna, and we definitely don’t want that!
- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPad to loosen the adhesive hiding out there.
Step 17
Carefully slide the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. Watch out for the Wi-Fi antenna near the corner—it’s super close and can get sliced if the adhesive comes loose the wrong way.
Just a gentle reminder: don't pull the pick all the way out from under the front glass. Give it a little tug so that about ~1/8" (3 mm) of the tip is still cozy under there. You're doing great!
- Gently slide the tip of your opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad to break free the adhesive holding down the Wi-Fi antenna.
Step 18
- After you’ve passed the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3" or 75 mm from the right edge, right next to the home button), slide the opening pick all the way in.
- 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 at the bottom of the iPad. This step frees the antenna from the front panel so you can remove the panel without causing any damage.
Step 19
Keep the iOpener cozy for no more than a minute each time, and give it a chill-out break of at least two minutes before warming it up again.
If the adhesive along the bottom edge has cooled down too much, just give the iOpener another quick heat-up to warm things back up where you're working.
- Keep sliding that opening pick along the bottom edge of your iPad, gently working it around the home button. Once you're past the button, push it in about 1/2 inch (10 mm) to make sure you're all set for the next steps!
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Step 20
For iPad 4 models, be sure to gently slide the pick in no more than 1/2 inch (10 mm) in this area. We want to keep that home button ribbon cable safe and sound while you work your magic!
- Keep sliding that adhesive remover tool all along the bottom edge of your iPad like a pro.
- Leave the opening pick chilling underneath the front glass right by the home button to keep things lifted.
Step 21
- Pop the iOpener in the microwave for a quick reheat and place it on the left edge of the iPad. This will help warm up the adhesive in that area, making it easier to work with.
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Step 22
If the adhesive has cooled off too much, just pop the iOpener back along the top edge and keep at it. And if the iOpener itself gets too chilly, give it another quick heat-up.
- Carefully slide the opening pick along the top edge of the iPad, giving it a gentle tug to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
- The adhesive in this area is quite stubborn, so you might need to apply a bit of muscle. Take your time and work with care to avoid any slips that could harm either yourself or your iPad.
- If you find the opening pick gets bogged down in the adhesive, try 'rolling' the pick as demonstrated in step 9.
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Step 23
If the adhesive is feeling cozy and warm, go ahead and take that iOpener off the iPad for easier handling. But if it's still a bit clingy, no worries! Just give the iOpener another heat-up session and place it back on the left edge while you get to work.
- Keep peeling away that adhesive at the top edge of the iPad, and gently slide your opening pick around that top left corner like a pro.
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Step 24
The digitizer cable hangs out about 2 inches (50 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. When you're sliding that pick, take a break when you're 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 to loosen the adhesive bit by bit. The adhesive is pretty thin here because of the digitizer running along the entire left side. Keep the pick shallow—no deeper than about 10 mm (half an inch)—to avoid any accidental damage to the digitizer.
Step 25
Be super careful! The bottom of that digitizer cable is just about an inch (25 mm) from the iPad's edge. Take your time and handle it gently so you don’t accidentally snip this cable!
- With the opening pick still tucked under the bottom edge of your iPad, gently work your magic to free the adhesive in the bottom left corner.
Step 26
Sometimes the adhesive around the edge of your iPad decides to stick around a little too well. If that happens, gently slide a pick under the spot where the front glass is still clinging and carefully 'cut' through the adhesive to free it up.
- Grab one of those handy opening picks and gently lift the bottom right corner of your iPad. Once you've pried it up, give it a little pinch with your fingers to hold it steady!
Step 27
Watch out for any stubborn adhesive still hanging around. Use an opening pick to gently slice through it, and you'll have that front panel off in no time!
- Grab your iPad by its top and bottom right corners and gently twist the front glass away from the device. You've got this!
- When putting everything back together, take a moment to use a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to wipe away any pesky dust or fingerprints on the LCD before you set the glass back in place. A clean screen is a happy screen!
Step 28
- Unscrew the four 2.0 mm Phillips #0 screws holding the LCD in place on the rear case. Take your time, they’re not going anywhere!
Step 29
When handling the LCD, handle with care—don't try to yank it out. The display data cable is still connected even when the screen is flipped over.
- The front panel ribbon cables hide out underneath the LCD. To get to them, you’ll need to flip the LCD over temporarily and move it aside.
- Grab the LCD by its long edge near the volume buttons and gently flip it back like you’re turning a page in a book.
- Now, lay the LCD face down on the front panel to keep it safe while you work.
Step 30
Remember, you're aiming for the hinged retaining flaps, not the sockets themselves. Give them a little nudge, and they'll pop right up!
Check out those red-marked retaining flaps in the second picture—they're the ones you need to focus on.
- Gently slide the edge of a plastic opening tool under the retaining flaps on the two digitizer ribbon cable ZIF sockets, then carefully flip them up to unlock.
Step 31
- Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently slide it along the edge to lift the digitizer cable off the shields on the logic board.
- With a little care, peel the digitizer cable away from the adhesive holding it to the side of the rear case. It should come off nice and easy!
Step 32
- Gently pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its two connectors on the logic board. A steady hand here will help you avoid any unnecessary stress on those delicate connectors!
Step 33
Handle the LCD with care and don’t try to yank it off the iPad—the cable’s still hanging out, so just gently swing it open instead.
To get that front panel assembly off, you'll need to gently slide the ribbon cable out from between the case and the LCD. Just give the LCD a little nudge to create some space, and you'll be on your way!
- Gently lift the LCD from the edge farthest from the digitizer cable, then carefully flip it toward the rear case—kind of like closing a book, but in reverse!
- While you're holding the LCD up, gently slide the front panel away from the iPad. Just be sure to keep an eye out for that sneaky digitizer cable—don’t let it catch on the rear case or LCD.
- Place the LCD back into the body for safekeeping until you're ready to move forward.
Step 34
Keep an eye on that iOpener! We want to avoid any overheating mishaps during your repair adventure. A quick tip: let it cool down for at least three minutes before giving it another warm-up.
The home button assembly is held on the front panel with adhesive. To make things easier, try using an iOpener to gently loosen it up.
- Pop that iOpener into the microwave and give it a whirl for thirty seconds on high power—let's get it nice and toasty!
- Now, gently set the warm iOpener right over the home button at the front edge of the display. You're doing great!
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Step 35
- Slide the plastic opening tool gently under the right side of the home button assembly and lift it up to break the adhesive seal on that side.
Step 36
- Carefully work your way around the left side of the home button to loosen the adhesive using the method described earlier.
- Gently lift the home button mount away from the front panel.
Step 37
- Gently slide the tip of your trusty plastic opening tool under the edge of the home button mounting bracket.
- Carefully glide the tool along the retaining spring bracket to release that sticky adhesive.
- Now, pop the home button with its mounting bracket right off the front panel.
Step 38
Take it easy with the iOpener, folks! We suggest giving it a little break of at least two minutes before you heat things up again during the repair. Keep it cool and happy fixing!
The camera bracket is glued to the front panel, so it’s best to give that adhesive a little nudge with an iOpener to make things easier.
- Warm up the iOpener by following the heating steps outlined at the start of this guide.
- Set the heated iOpener right over the front-facing camera at the top edge of the display and let it work its magic.
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Step 39
The camera bracket can slide about 2 mm to the left or right, depending on how you gently nudge it. Just give it a little push in the right direction!
- Gently use the flat end of a spudger to pry the camera bracket away from the sticky adhesive holding it to the front panel.
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Step 40
- Gently lift the camera bracket away from the front panel and set it aside.
Step 41
When swapping out your panel for a shiny new one, keep an eye out for any protective film that might be clinging to the outside or inside of the frame. You'll want to peel that off before moving on—it's like unwrapping a present!
- To put your device back together, just follow these steps in reverse order and use our iPad 2 CDMA Front Panel Adhesive strip guide to stick the front panel back on. If you get stuck or want a hand, you can always schedule a repair with us!
