iPad 3 4G Rotation Lock/Mute Switch Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 63 Steps
Whether you like to use the mute switch as a rotation lock or the rotation lock as a mute switch, this guide will help you swap out a busted one with ease.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: double-check that the plate spins smoothly without any hiccups. If your iOpener gets stuck, it might overheat and cause a burn, so keep an eye on it!
We suggest giving your microwave a little TLC before diving in, as any stubborn bits of food on the bottom might just cling to the iOpener like a bad habit.
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of your microwave and get ready for the next step!
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Step 2
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder to keep the iOpener from getting too toasty during your repair adventures. Overheating can make it pop, and we definitely don't want that! So, aim to keep it below 100˚C (212˚F).
If the iOpener looks like it's been hitting the gym and appears swollen, give it some space—don't touch it!
Still feeling the heat? If the middle of the iOpener is too warm to handle, keep using it while it cools down a bit before you give it another round of warmth. A well-heated iOpener should stay cozy for about 10 minutes!
Depending on the power of your microwave, you might need more or less time. The iOpener is ready when it’s just about too hot to handle comfortably.
- Give that iOpener a cozy thirty-second microwave hug.
- As you work your magic on the repair, keep that iOpener nice and toasty by giving it a quick reheat in the microwave for another thirty seconds whenever it cools down.
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Step 3
Heads up! The iOpener is going to be piping hot, so handle with care. If your hands start to feel the heat, grab an oven mitt to keep things cool and safe.
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, holding it by one of the flat ends. Trust us, the center can get really hot, so give it a firm but gentle grip to keep your hands safe!
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Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener gets seriously hot, so make sure to grab it only by the end tabs to keep your fingers safe.
No microwave? No problem! Just warm up your iOpener by dunking it in some boiling water instead.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to completely cover your iOpener.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil, then switch off the heat.
- Pop your iOpener into the hot water, making sure it’s fully submerged, and let it soak for 2-3 minutes.
- Use tongs to carefully lift the iOpener out of the water—watch out, it’s hot!
- Dry it off thoroughly with a towel to avoid any drips.
- And just like that, your iOpener is good to go! Need to warm it up again? Repeat the boiling and soaking steps.
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Step 5
- Grab your trusty SIM eject tool or a straightened paperclip, and let's get that SIM tray out in style!
Step 6
- Gently slide the SIM tray out of its slot and take it out of the iPad.
- If you're swapping the SIM card, pop out the old one from the tray and pop in the new one.
Step 7
Pop on those safety glasses to keep your eyes safe, and make sure to handle that LCD screen with care – we don’t want any accidental damage!
This will help keep those pesky glass shards under control and maintain some structure while you're prying and lifting the display. Keep it safe and steady!
- Got a cracked display glass? Keep those shards from going rogue and protect yourself by taping up the glass before diving in.
- Cover the iPad's screen with overlapping strips of clear packing tape until it’s fully wrapped up like a present.
- Follow the rest of the guide as usual. Heads up: once the glass is fractured, it might keep cracking while you work, so you might have to carefully scoop out the pieces using a metal prying tool.
Step 8
Heads up! Since you'll be handling broken glass here, we highly recommend rocking some safety glasses to keep those sneaky shards from causing any trouble.
- Place the iOpener flat along the right edge of the iPad, pressing it down so it makes solid contact with the surface.
- Let it hang out there for about 90 seconds to warm things up before you try to open the front panel.
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Step 9
It might take a little bit of elbow grease to slip the wedged tip of the opening tool between the glass and plastic. Stay cool and take your time, gently wiggling the tool back and forth as needed. Patience is key here, and remember—slow and steady wins the race!
- Check out the tiny gap in the iPad’s adhesive ring up in the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) down from the top. This little spot is your secret entry point.
- Line up your tool with the mute button, then gently slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into the crack between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just a quick nudge with the very tip is all it takes to pry it open a bit.
Step 10
- Place your tool carefully between the plastic bezel and the front panel glass, making sure it's in the sweet spot. This is where the magic happens!
Step 11
- Keep the tip of your plastic opening tool tucked 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 12
- Gently slide the plastic opening tool out from the iPad, then carefully nudge the opening pick a bit deeper under the front glass—about half an inch should do the trick.
Step 13
- While you're gently working on loosening the adhesive on the right side of your iPad, heat up the iOpener once more and place it along the bottom edge of the device. Give it a moment to do its magic!
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Step 14
The adhesive is super strong, so you might need to channel your inner superhero! Take your time and be gentle.
If you can spot the opening pick just under the front glass, gently pull it out a bit. Don’t worry, using the pick this far won’t cause any harm, but it could leave a bit of adhesive goo on the LCD. Just a heads up!
- 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, freeing the adhesive bit by bit as you go.
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Step 15
As you peel away the adhesive, you might find it helpful to reposition the warmed iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad. This little dance depends on how long your iPad has been cooling while you were busy working your magic.
- If your opening pick is feeling a bit clingy and gets stuck in the adhesive, just give it a gentle 'roll' along the side of the iPad to keep freeing that adhesive. You're doing great!
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Step 16
- Before you pop that first opening pick out of the bottom corner of your iPad, slide a second pick under the right edge of the front glass. This little buddy will keep the adhesive from getting all clingy again.
- Give that iOpener a little heat boost, then place it at the top edge of the iPad. Let's get things warmed up!
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Step 17
Hey there! Just a heads up – the Wi-Fi antenna hangs out at the bottom right edge of the iPad's rear case, secured by screws and a cable. Since it's a bit finicky, be super careful while working on it; one wrong move could spell disaster for the antenna. Let's keep it safe and sound!
- Alright, friends! Time to take it slow and steady. We've got some delicate work ahead.
- Carefully detach the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel, making sure to treat those fragile connections to the bottom of the iPad like the precious gems they are. Pay close attention to the upcoming steps!
Step 18
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, carefully working through the adhesive there.
Step 19
Carefully slide your opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. Watch out for the Wi-Fi antenna hanging out near the corner—it's super easy to nick if you release the adhesive the wrong way.
Don’t pull the pick all the way out from under the front glass—just slide it out a bit so about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip stays tucked underneath.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad. You'll feel the adhesive give way over the Wi-Fi antenna—no pressure, just a smooth motion!
Step 20
- Once you’ve made it past the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3" (75 mm) from the right edge, or right next to the home button), pop that opening pick back in all the way.
- Slide the pick to the right to break the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass. Be gentle, but firm!
- The antenna is held in place with screws and a cable at the bottom of the iPad. This step will separate the antenna from the front panel, so when you remove the panel, you won’t risk damaging it.
Step 21
Keep the iOpener heating sessions to under a minute each, and give it a cool-down window of at least two minutes before firing it up again.
If the adhesive has cooled down a bit too much along the bottom edge, just give that iOpener a quick reheat to warm things up where you're working. You've got this!
- Keep on gently peeling away the adhesive at the bottom of your iPad. Make sure to pull that opening pick out far enough to navigate around the home button. Once you’ve successfully passed the home button, reinsert the pick to a depth of about 1/2 inch (10 mm). You’ve got this!
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Step 22
When working on iPad 4 models, gently insert the pick to about 1/2 inch (10 mm) in this area—this will keep you clear of the home button ribbon cable and save you from a potential headache later. Go slow and steady!
- Gently peel back the adhesive all along the bottom edge of the iPad—take your time, no rush!
- Keep the opening pick tucked underneath the front glass near the home button. It'll help keep everything steady while you work.
Step 23
- Give that iOpener a quick spin in the microwave and then place it right on the left edge of the iPad. This will help the adhesive in that area to warm up and loosen up a bit.
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Step 24
If the adhesive has gotten a bit too chill, just swap out the iOpener at the top edge and keep on trucking. If the iOpener is feeling a little cold, give it a quick reheat and get back to the task at hand.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little nudge to get around the front-facing camera bracket.
- This section has some pretty thick adhesive, so you might need to apply a bit more force. Go slow and steady—it's easy to slip and damage your iPad if you're not careful.
- If the opening pick seems stuck in the adhesive, try giving it a little roll, just like in step 9.
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Step 25
If the adhesive is nice and toasty, feel free to take the iOpener off the iPad for easy handling. But if it's still holding on tight, just give the iOpener another warm-up and place it on the left edge while you get to work.
- Keep peeling back the adhesive along the top edge of the iPad, and glide your opening pick around the top left corner like a pro.
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Step 26
The digitizer cable hangs out around 2" (50 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. When you're about 2.25" (60 mm) from the bottom, it's time to stop sliding the pick.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the left edge of your iPad, letting it work its magic on that adhesive as you go! It's pretty thin here, thanks to the digitizer hanging out along the whole left side. Just be sure to keep the pick no deeper than about 1/2 inch (10 mm) to avoid any accidental run-ins with the digitizer. You've got this!
Step 27
Be super careful! The bottom of the digitizer cable is only about 1 inch (25 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. Take your time and work gently to avoid cutting this cable. You've got this!
- Slide the opening pick, which is still tucked under the bottom edge of the iPad, to gently loosen the adhesive at the bottom left corner.
Step 28
It looks like some of that adhesive along the edge of your iPad may have re-stuck itself. No worries—grab a pick and gently slide it under the edge where the front glass is still holding on. Give it a little cut through the adhesive to separate them. You got this!
- Take an opening pick and gently lift the bottom right corner of the iPad. Once it's loose, grab it with your fingers and give it a little tug.
Step 29
Watch out for any sticky adhesive still hanging on—grab an opening pick and carefully slice through any glue that’s keeping the front panel stuck down.
- Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners, and gently twist the front glass away from the body of the iPad. A little rotation goes a long way!
- Before you put everything back together, take a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to give that LCD a nice clean. Dust and fingerprints be gone!
Step 30
- Grab your trusty Phillips #00 screwdriver and unscrew the four 2 mm screws holding that LCD in place on the aluminum frame. Gently set them aside—you'll need them again soon!
Step 31
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is delicate and could snap if you bend it too much. Keep it happy and it will keep you happy!
- Grab a plastic opening tool or spudger and gently pry up the right edge of the iPad's LCD.
- Swing the LCD up from the left side and carefully rest it on top of the front panel.
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Step 32
- Gently slide the tip of your spudger under the tape to lift and reveal the LCD ribbon cable connector beneath.
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Step 33
- Gently lift up the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector.
- Using your fingers or a pair of tweezers, carefully pull the LCD ribbon cable out of its socket on the logic board.
- If the LCD screen doesn't turn on after reconnecting the ZIF connector, try a quick restart by holding down the power and home buttons together for at least ten seconds, until you see the Apple logo.
Step 34
- Gently lift the LCD off the front panel, making sure to avoid touching the front. Take it slow and steady!
Step 35
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift up that piece of tape holding the touchscreen ribbon cable to the logic board. Take your time, no rush!
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Step 36
- Gently lift the little flap on both touchscreen ribbon cable ZIF connectors to unlock them.
Step 37
- Grab the flat end of your spudger and gently wiggle it under the digitizer ribbon cable to break the adhesive seal.
- Once you've loosened it up, carefully pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out from its sockets on the logic board. Easy does it!
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Step 38
- Gently peel back the touchscreen ribbon cable and use the flat end of a spudger to carefully break the adhesive holding the cable to the rear aluminum case. Take your time, no rush!
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Step 39
- Gently wiggle the touchscreen ribbon cable free from its groove in the aluminum frame using your fingers.
- Lift the front panel off the iPad to reveal the inner components.
Step 40
- Gently peel away and take off the bit of electrical tape hiding the headphone jack assembly cable connector.
- With the tip of your trusty spudger, lift up the little retaining flap on both ZIF connectors that are keeping the headphone jack cable attached to the logic board.
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Step 41
- Gently slide the flat end of a spudger underneath the headphone jack assembly cable to break free the sticky adhesive holding it onto the rear aluminum frame. Easy does it!
- Now, give that headphone jack assembly cable a straight pull to release it from its socket on the logic board. You're almost there!
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Step 42
- Carefully peel back and take off the tape that's holding down the SIM board cable ZIF connector.
- Gently flip up the little retaining flap on the SIM board cable ZIF connector—think of it like opening a tiny door.
- Use the tip of a spudger to pull the SIM board cable straight out from its socket on the logic board. Steady hands win here!
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Step 43
- Unscrew the three 1.75 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the SIM board snugly against the aluminum frame. You're doing great!
Step 44
Gently move the headphone jack assembly cable aside without yanking it—pulling too hard might just rip the headphone jack right off, and that’s a mess nobody wants!
- Gently hold the headphone jack assembly cable aside and carefully lift the SIM board out of the iPad.
Step 45
- Gently lift and peel away the adhesive tape that’s covering the headphone jack assembly.
Step 46
- Use your trusty Phillips #0 screwdriver to take out the lone 2.6 mm screw that holds the camera cable to the headphone jack assembly. You're almost there!
Step 47
- Gently wiggle the flat end of your spudger to pop the front-facing camera out of its socket on the headphone jack assembly.
- Keep that spudger in place and slide it to the right to peel back the adhesive securing the camera cable.
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Step 48
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the retaining flap on that microphone cable ZIF connector. You've got this!
- Now, slide the spudger under the microphone ribbon cable and pop it out of its cozy ZIF connector. Easy peasy!
- Give that spudger a little wiggle to the left to break the adhesive bond holding the microphone ribbon cable to the headphone jack assembly. You're almost there!
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Step 49
- Gently slide the flat end of your spudger under the antenna connector cable to lift it out of its socket on the headphone jack assembly board. Easy does it!
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Step 50
- Lift up the little flap holding down the volume/power button ribbon cable connector on the headphone jack assembly board.
- Gently pop the volume button ribbon cable out of its ZIF connector.
Step 51
These screws are tilted into the aluminum frame. Make sure to keep your screwdriver aligned with the screw to prevent stripping it. You've got this!
- Time to get those screws out of the headphone jack assembly! Here's what you'll need to remove:
- Five 2.6 mm Phillips #0 screws
- Two 2.2 mm Wide Head Phillips #00 screws
- Two 2.6 mm Phillips #00 screws
Step 52
- Grasp the headphone jack assembly’s ribbon cable and gently slide the assembly straight down, keeping it close and parallel to the iPad.
Step 53
- Grab the headphone jack assembly with both hands and gently pull it away from the iPad. Be careful not to snag any cables along the way—take your time!
Step 54
The two screws on top are tilted towards the aluminum frame. Just remember to keep your screwdriver aligned with the screw for a smooth ride!
- First, grab your screwdriver and start removing the screws holding the power & volume button cable to the aluminum frame. Here's what you need:
- Two 5.5 mm Phillips #0 screws
- One 2.6 mm Phillips #0 screw
- Two 2.6 mm Phillips #0 screws
Step 55
- Peel off the plastic covering the volume buttons, like you're unwrapping a gift—just a little less festive!
Step 56
This screw is tilted into the aluminum frame. Just make sure you keep your screwdriver aligned with the screw while you work, and you’ll be all set!
- Unscrew the lone 2.6 mm Phillips #00 screw that's keeping the volume button frame attached to the aluminum frame. You've got this!
Step 57
- Carefully slide the edge of a plastic opening tool under the sleep/wake sensor—take it slow to keep that delicate cable safe.
- Gently work the tool around the sensor to loosen up the adhesive holding it in place.
Step 58
- Gently slide your spudger under the power and volume cables to loosen that sticky adhesive without a fuss.
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Step 59
- Gently use the tip of the spudger—skip the wide edge here—to carefully loosen the adhesive holding down the volume button branch of the ribbon cable.
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Step 60
- Keep sliding the spudger tip up toward the top of the iPad to gently free the adhesive and keep things moving.
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Step 61
- Keeping the spudger tip tucked under the ribbon cable, carefully pop the power button loose from its snug spot in the aluminum frame.
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Step 62
- Grab the power & volume button cable with both hands and gently pull the volume buttons and lock switch out of their cozy spots in the aluminum frame.
- Carefully lift and remove the power & volume button cable from the back of the aluminum case, making sure everything stays intact.
Step 63
- Use the spudger to gently nudge the mute/lock switch out of its snug spot in the aluminum frame.
- Carefully lift the mute/lock switch away from the back aluminum case and set it aside.
