iPad 3 Wi-Fi Home Button Control Board Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 38 Steps
Get ready to dive into the world of DIY repairs! This guide will help you swap out that Home Button Control Board like a pro. Let's get those fingers moving and make your device feel brand new again! If you find yourself in a pinch, remember you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Ensure that the plate is spinning smoothly. If your iOpener gets a little stuck, it might just overheat and cause some trouble. Let's keep it cool and running smoothly!
Give your microwave a quick clean before you start—otherwise, any leftover mess on the bottom might hitch a ride and stick to your iOpener.
- Pop that iOpener right in the middle of the microwave and let it warm up!
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Step 2
Keep an eye on your iOpener and don’t let it get too hot — overheating might make it pop! Never heat it beyond 100˚C (212˚F).
If your iOpener looks puffed up or swollen, hands off — it’s time to set it aside.
If it’s still too toasty in the middle to handle, keep using it gently while it cools down a bit more before reheating. When heated just right, your iOpener should stay warm for about 10 minutes.
Microwave power varies, so your heating time might need a little tweak. When the iOpener feels just a tad hotter than you’d want to hold, it’s ready to rock.
- Give that iOpener a quick zap in the microwave for thirty seconds to warm it up. It's like a cozy blanket for your device!
- As you tackle the repair, keep an eye on the iOpener; when it starts to cool down, just pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds. Easy peasy!
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Step 3
The iOpener can get pretty hot, so make sure you're careful when handling it. If it feels too toasty, grab an oven mitt to stay safe.
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, making sure to grab it by one of the flat ends to steer clear of that toasty center. Stay safe and keep it cool!
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Step 4
The iOpener gets pretty toasty, so make sure you’re holding it by the end tabs to avoid any surprise burns. Safety first!
No microwave? No problem! Just heat up your iOpener by dipping it in some boiling water instead.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to give your iOpener a nice, cozy bath.
- Bring that water to a rolling boil, then turn off the heat – we're not cooking pasta here!
- Carefully drop your iOpener into the warm water for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure it's completely submerged – it deserves a full soak!
- Using some tongs (safety first!), retrieve your heated iOpener from its steamy spa treatment.
- Give the iOpener a good towel dry – we want it nice and dry for action.
- And voilà! Your iOpener is all set for its next adventure! If it needs a reheat, just repeat the water boiling and soaking process 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 – it's delicate!
This will keep those sneaky glass bits in check and give your display some extra muscle while you pry and lift.
- If the glass on your display is cracked, tape it up to prevent any further breakage and keep things safe while you're working on the repair.
- Apply overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPad's display until it’s fully covered. The tape will help contain any glass shards.
- Try to follow the steps in the guide as best as you can. Just a heads up, once the glass starts cracking, it’s likely to keep cracking as you work, so you might need to use a metal prying tool to scoop out any shattered glass.
Step 6
Just a heads up! You'll be dealing with some broken glass, so it's a smart move to rock those safety glasses to keep your peepers safe from any pesky flying shards.
- Position the iOpener flat against the right edge of your iPad, making sure it’s nice and cozy so it can work its magic on the screen.
- Give it about 90 seconds to warm things up before you dive in and start prying that front panel open.
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Step 7
It might take a little muscle to slide the tip of your opening tool between the glass and plastic. Just take your time, stay patient, and gently wiggle the tool back and forth as needed.
- In the upper right corner of your iPad, you'll notice a tiny gap in the adhesive ring. It's about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top edge. This is your starting point, a small weakness to work with.
- Position your tool near the mute button. Gently slide the tip of your plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just aim to get the very tip in there—enough to gently widen the crack.
Step 8
- Be sure to slide that tool right into the sweet spot—between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass. You've got this!
Step 9
- Place the tip of your plastic opening tool in the gap between the front glass and plastic bezel, keeping it snug. Then, gently slide a plastic opening pick into the space right next to it. You've got this!
Step 10
- Take the plastic opening tool out of the iPad, then gently slide the opening pick further under the front glass to about a depth of 0.5 inches.
Step 11
- As you tackle that stubborn adhesive on the right side of the iPad, don't forget to give your iOpener a little extra warmth and then place it back on the bottom edge of the iPad. You've got this!
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Step 12
The adhesive is pretty strong, so you might need to apply a bit of muscle here. Take it slow and steady—you've got this!
If you spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from under the front glass, gently pull it back a bit. Going this deep with the pick won’t cause damage, but it might spread some adhesive goo onto the LCD.
- As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, let's start freeing that adhesive from the right edge of your iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down the edge of the iPad, peeling away the adhesive as you go. Easy peasy!
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Step 13
If the adhesive is being a bit stubborn, you might need to move the heated iOpener back to the right edge of the iPad as you release it. This will depend on how long the iPad has been cooling down while you were busy with other tasks.
- If the opening pick gets stuck on the adhesive, just 'roll' it along the iPad’s edge to keep breaking that sticky seal.
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Step 14
- Before you get your first pick under that bottom corner of the iPad, make sure to slide a second pick just under the right edge of the front glass. This keeps the sticky adhesive from going back to its old ways.
- Give that iOpener a little reheat, then gently move it up to the top edge of the iPad.
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is securely fastened to the bottom right corner of the iPad’s rear case with screws and a cable. The antenna’s position means you’ll need to take extra care while handling it—too much force could cause irreversible damage. So, go slow and steady to keep things in one piece!
- Take a deep breath – these next steps need some careful hands. No rush, just steady and precise.
- You'll need to gently free the antenna from its adhesive buddy on the front panel, but be careful not to mess with the sensitive bits holding the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Follow along with the next steps and you'll be golden.
Step 16
Hey there! Just a heads up: don't push that pick too far past the bottom right corner. You might accidentally mess with the Wi-Fi antenna, and we definitely don't want that to happen!
- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPad to loosen that stubborn adhesive holding it down.
Step 17
As you glide that opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel, be super careful! The Wi-Fi antenna is hanging out right near the corner, and if the adhesive gets a little too wild, it could end up getting severed. Let's keep that connection intact!
Keep the pick snugly under the front glass—just a little peeking out is perfect! Aim for about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip to still be tucked under there. You're doing great!
- Gently glide the opening pick along the bottom edge of your iPad to free the adhesive around the Wi-Fi antenna. You've got this!
Step 18
- Once you've danced your way past the Wi-Fi antenna (that's about 3" or 75 mm from the right edge, right next to the home button), go ahead and slide that opening pick back in all the way.
- Now, give that pick a little shimmy to the right to break free the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna snug against the front glass.
- Remember, the antenna is fixed to the bottom of the iPad with screws and a cable. This step is all about giving the antenna a gentle release from the front panel, so when you go to lift off the panel, the antenna stays safe and sound.
Step 19
Keep the iOpener's heat game strong, but not too hot! Heat it for no more than a minute at a time, and give it a chill break of at least two minutes before giving it another go.
If the adhesive along the bottom edge has cooled off too much, just give the iOpener another warm-up to soften it back up where you’re working.
- Keep sliding that pick under the bottom edge of the iPad, carefully looping it around the home button. Once you’ve passed the button, tuck the pick back in about 1/2 inch (10 mm) to keep things moving smoothly.
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Step 20
For iPad 4 models, slide the pick in no deeper than 1/2 inch (10 mm) here to keep that home button ribbon cable safe and sound.
- Keep easing that adhesive off along the entire bottom edge of your iPad—slow and steady wins the race!
- Slip the opening pick under the front glass by the home button and let it hang out there for now.
Step 21
- Warm up the iOpener in the microwave and place it on the left edge of the iPad to get that adhesive nice and toasty in that area.
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Step 22
If your adhesive has decided to cool off too much, simply swap in a fresh iOpener along the top edge and keep the momentum going. And if your trusty iOpener is feeling a bit chilly, give it a little reheating love.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little tug to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
- The adhesive here is pretty strong, so you might need to apply some elbow grease. Just take it slow and steady—no need to rush and risk an oops moment that could harm both you and your iPad.
- If the pick starts to feel stuck in the gooey adhesive, try giving it a little 'roll' as shown in step 9.
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Step 23
If that adhesive is feeling warm and cozy, go ahead and take the iOpener off the iPad for ease of use. But if it’s still giving you a sticky situation, just give the iOpener another quick heat-up and set it on the left edge while you get to work.
- Keep peeling back that adhesive along the top edge of your iPad, and gently maneuver the opening pick around the top left corner.
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Step 24
The digitizer cable hangs out about 2" (50 mm) from the iPad's bottom edge. When sliding your pick in, ease up and stop once you hit around 2.25" (60 mm) from the bottom to keep things safe and sound.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the left edge of your iPad to loosen the adhesive bit by bit. Heads up: 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 digitizer drama.
Step 25
Heads up! The bottom of the digitizer cable is just about an inch (25 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. Take it slow and steady to avoid cutting this little guy. You've got this!
- With your trusty opening pick still tucked under the bottom edge of your iPad, gently release the adhesive at the bottom left corner. You've got this!
Step 26
Sometimes the adhesive around the edge of the iPad decides to stick back down like a stubborn sticker. If that happens, gently slide a pick under the edge where the front glass is still hanging on and carefully slice through the adhesive to free it.
- Take your trusty opening pick and gently lift the bottom right corner of the iPad. Once you’ve got it pried up, grab it with your fingers and keep going!
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky adhesive still holding things together, and gently use an opening pick to slice through any glue that's keeping the front panel stuck.
- Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners, and gently twist the front glass away from the device. You've got this!
- When you're putting everything back together, take a moment to use a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to give that LCD a nice clean-up. Say goodbye to dust and fingerprints before sealing the glass back on!
Step 28
- Unscrew those four tiny 2 mm Phillips #00 screws that are keeping the LCD snug against the aluminum frame. You've got this!
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is as delicate as a butterfly's wings and could snap if you bend it too much. Keep it gentle, and you'll be just fine!
- Grab a plastic opening tool or a spudger and gently lift the right edge of the LCD off the iPad. Nice and easy!
- Now, slowly rotate the LCD around its left edge and rest it carefully on the front panel. You're doing great!
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Step 30
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift that tape off the LCD ribbon cable connector like you're unwrapping a surprise gift. Easy peasy!
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Step 31
- Lift the little flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector like you're unveiling a surprise!
- Now, gently tug the LCD ribbon cable out of its cozy spot on the logic board using your fingers or a trusty pair of tweezers.
Step 32
- Carefully lift the LCD away from the front panel without touching the screen. You've got this!
Step 33
If you spot a bit of tape holding down the digitizer ribbon cable to the logic board, go ahead and gently peel it back.
- Lift the retaining flap on both of the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors with care.
Step 34
- Grab that trusty spudger and gently slide the flat end under the digitizer ribbon cable to loosen up that sticky adhesive beneath it. You've got this!
- With a steady hand, carefully pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its cozy sockets on the logic board. Easy peasy!
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Step 35
- Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and grab your trusty spudger. Use the flat end to carefully break the adhesive that's holding the cable to the back of the aluminum case. You're doing great!
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Step 36
- With a gentle touch, carefully pull the digitizer ribbon cable out of its snug little home in the aluminum frame.
- Now, it's time to take off the front panel from the iPad. Go ahead, you got this!
Step 37
- Unscrew the two 2.1 mm Phillips #00 screws that are holding the home button control board snugly to the home button assembly. You've got this!
Step 38
- Now it's time to put your device back together! Just retrace your steps in reverse and you'll have it all set up in no time. If you hit a snag or feel like you need a hand, don’t hesitate to schedule a repair!
