iPad 4 CDMA Front Panel Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 49 Steps
Heads up: this guide covers swapping out just the plain front panel. If you’ve got a Front Panel Assembly replacement part, pause before taking off the home button from your old panel, then simply follow the steps in reverse to pop in your new assembly.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Ensure that the plate can spin without any hiccups. If your iOpener gets jammed, it might heat up too much and cause a little burn action. Keep it moving for a smooth operation!
We suggest giving your microwave a quick clean before diving in. Any leftover mess on the bottom could end up stuck to the iOpener, and nobody wants that!
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of your microwave to get it warmed up just right.
Tools Used
Step 2
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder to keep an eye on that iOpener during your repair mission. Overheating can lead to some unexpected surprises, like a burst iOpener! So, let’s keep it cool and avoid heating it beyond 100˚C (212˚F).
If your iOpener is looking a little puffy, steer clear of touching it. Safety first!
Still feeling a bit too toasty in the middle? No worries! Just keep using it while it cools down a bit more before you give it another heat-up. A well-prepped iOpener should stay warm for around 10 minutes, giving you plenty of time to get the job done!
Microwave power varies, so you might need to adjust the heating time a bit. Your iOpener is ready to roll when it’s just a smidge too hot to handle comfortably.
- Pop that iOpener in the microwave for thirty seconds and let the magic happen!
- As you tackle the repair, keep an eye on your iOpener. If it starts to lose its warmth, give it another quick thirty seconds in the microwave. You're doing great!
Tools Used
Step 3
Caution: The iOpener is going to be quite toasty, so handle it with care! An oven mitt can be your best buddy here.
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, gripping one of the flat ends to keep your fingers safe from the hot center.
Tools Used
Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener gets really hot, so grab it by the end tabs and keep those fingers safe!
No microwave? No problem! Just pop your iOpener into a pot of boiling water and let it soak up the heat.
- Grab a pot or a pan and fill it up with enough water to give your iOpener a nice, cozy bath.
- Heat that water until it’s bubbling like a hot spring, then go ahead and turn off the heat.
- Carefully place the iOpener into the hot water for about 2-3 minutes, making sure it’s completely submerged – it’s time for a sauna!
- Using tongs (or your best kitchen skills), lift that warm iOpener out of the water.
- Give the iOpener a good towel dry – we want it to be all set for action!
- And voilà! Your iOpener is primed and ready to go! If you find it needs a little more warmth later, just repeat the water boiling dance for another 2-3 minutes.
Tools Used
Step 5
Pop on some safety glasses to keep your eyes safe, and handle the LCD screen gently to avoid any oops moments.
This helps keep those sneaky glass shards in check while giving your screen some solid backup as you gently pry and lift.
- Got a cracked display? No worries! Just to be safe and avoid any accidental cuts while you're working, stick some tape over the glass to keep it from shattering further.
- Grab some clear packing tape and cover the entire iPad display with overlapping strips. Make sure the whole surface is taped up to prevent any more damage.
- Now, keep following the guide step by step. But heads up—once that glass is cracked, it might keep breaking as you work. If it gets tricky, you might need to use a metal prying tool to carefully scoop the glass out.
Step 6
Just a friendly reminder: while you're tackling this repair, you might encounter some broken glass. We highly suggest rocking a pair of safety glasses to keep those pesky shards at bay and protect those peepers of yours!
- Place the iOpener flat along the right edge of the iPad, pressing it down so it makes solid contact with the surface.
- Let it chill there for about 90 seconds to warm things up before you try opening the front panel.
Tools Used
Step 7
Getting the tip of your opening tool wedged between the glass and plastic might need a bit of elbow grease. Take your time, be patient, and gently wiggle the tool back and forth until it slips in. You’ve got this!
- Hey there! There's a tiny little spot in the iPad's adhesive ring, right up in the upper right corner—about 2.0 inches (that's roughly 5 cm) from the top. We're going to take advantage of this little opening!
- Now, let's line up your tool with the mute button. Gently slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just get the very tip in there, enough to create a little space. You're doing great!
Step 8
- Ensure you position the tool just right—nestled between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass. You've got this!
Step 9
- With the tip of your trusty plastic opening tool snugly tucked between the front glass and the plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into the space right beside that tool. You're on the right track!
Step 10
- Carefully pull out the plastic opening tool from the iPad, then slide the opening pick a bit deeper under the front glass—about half an inch—to keep things moving smoothly.
Step 11
- As you tackle the adhesive on the right side of the iPad, give your iOpener another heat-up session and then place it back on the bottom edge of the iPad. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 12
The adhesive really knows how to stick around, so you might need to put in some elbow grease. Take your time and be cautious!
If you can spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from under the front glass, give it a gentle tug. While going this deep with the pick is pretty safe, it might leave some sticky residue on the LCD. Just a heads up!
- As the iOpener warms up that bottom edge, let's get started on loosening the adhesive from the right side of your iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down the edge of the iPad, giving that adhesive a little nudge to break free as you go.
Tools Used
Step 13
As you work on removing the adhesive, you might find it helpful to move the heated iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad. This is especially useful if the iPad has cooled down a bit during your repair process. Just keep an eye on it and adjust as needed!
- If the opening pick finds itself glued down by the adhesive, just give it a little 'roll' along the side of the iPad, and keep on working to peel away that sticky stuff.
Tools Used
Step 14
- Before you pull the first opening pick from the bottom corner of your iPad, slide a second pick underneath the right edge of the front glass. This will keep the adhesive from sticking back together on you.
- Re-heat the iOpener, then move it to the top edge of the iPad. You're almost there!
Tools Used
Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is nestled on the bottom right edge of the rear case of your iPad, held in place by screws and a cable. It's positioned just right, so handle it carefully! A little too much force, and you might end up causing some serious damage to the antenna. Proceed with caution, and you'll be good to go!
- Alright, folks! The next few steps are a bit tricky, so let's take it slow and steady.
- You'll need to carefully free the adhesive that's holding the antenna to the front panel. Just be super gentle with those delicate parts that connect the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Follow these steps closely, and you've got this!
Step 16
Be careful not to slide the pick past the bottom right corner. It might mess with the Wi-Fi antenna, and nobody wants that!
- Gently work the opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPad, carefully peeling away the adhesive there.
Step 17
Carefully slide the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. The Wi-Fi antenna hangs out near the corner, so take it easy to avoid cutting it loose by accident!
Keep the pick tucked just under the front glass—don’t pull it all the way out! Leave about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip sneaking underneath to keep things steady.
- Gently glide the opening pick along the bottom edge of your iPad, freeing up the adhesive over that Wi-Fi antenna like a pro.
Step 18
- After you pass the Wi-Fi antenna—about 3" (75 mm) from the right edge, or right next to the home button—slide your opening pick all the way back in.
- Gently slide the pick to the right to break the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass.
- The antenna is screwed and cabled to the bottom of the iPad. This step disconnects it from the front panel so you can remove the panel without causing any damage to the antenna.
Step 19
Keep your iOpener chill—heat it for no more than a minute at a time, then let it rest for at least two minutes before firing it up again.
If the adhesive along the bottom edge feels too chilly to work with, just give the iOpener another quick heat-up to warm things back up where you need it.
- Keep going with that adhesive at the bottom of your iPad! Gently pull the opening pick out far enough to glide around the home button, and then slide it back in to a depth of about 1/2 inch (10 mm) once you're past the home button. You're doing great!
Tools Used
Step 20
For iPad 4 models, slide your pick in gently, no deeper than 1/2 inch (10 mm) around here to keep that home button ribbon cable safe and sound.
- Keep peeling away the adhesive along the entire bottom edge of the iPad like a pro.
- Slide the opening pick under the front glass close to the home button and let it hang out there.
Step 21
- Pop that iOpener in the microwave for a quick warm-up, then place it on the left edge of your iPad. This will help to cozy up the adhesive in that area.
Tools Used
Step 22
If your adhesive has decided to chill a bit too much, just swap in a fresh iOpener along the top edge and keep the momentum going. If that iOpener is feeling a little too cool, give it a quick reheat!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, easing it out just enough to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
- Heads up: the adhesive here is super stubborn, so you might need to apply a bit of muscle. Take it slow and steady to avoid any slips or scrapes—safety first!
- If the pick starts sticking to the adhesive, try "rolling" it as demonstrated in step 9 to keep things moving smoothly.
Tools Used
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 and place it on the left edge while you tackle the rest of the job.
- Keep working that adhesive free along the top edge of the iPad, then glide your opening pick around the top left corner like a pro.
Tools Used
Step 24
Keep your eyes peeled! The digitizer cable is hiding about 2" (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you reach around ~2.25" (60 mm) from the bottom, it's time to stop sliding that pick and give yourself a high-five for making it this far!
- Gently slide your opening pick along the left edge of the iPad to loosen the adhesive bit by bit. Heads up: the adhesive here is pretty thin because of the digitizer running the length of this side. Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than about 10 mm (½ inch)—to avoid any accidental digitizer drama.
Step 25
Careful now! The bottom of that digitizer cable is hanging out just about an inch (25 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. Take your time and be gentle—let's not accidentally snip that cable!
- Slide the opening pick, still tucked under the iPad's bottom edge, to carefully loosen the adhesive at the bottom left corner.
Step 26
Sometimes the adhesive around the edge of the iPad decides to get sticky again. If that’s the case, gently slide a pick under the edge where the front glass is still holding tight and carefully 'cut' through the adhesive to loosen it.
- Grab an opening pick and gently pop up the bottom right corner of the iPad, then hold it steady with your fingers.
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky adhesive still hanging around! Use an opening pick to gently slice through any adhesive that might be keeping the front panel snug. You've got this!
- Grasp the iPad firmly by the top and bottom right corners, then gently swivel the front glass away from the device.
- When putting things back together, grab a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to wipe away any dust or fingerprints from the LCD before sealing it up.
Step 28
That bottom left screw is playing hide and seek behind the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently nudge the ribbon cable out of the way so you can grab that sneaky screw and remove it.
- Loosen and take out the four 2 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the LCD onto the aluminum frame. Keep them safe—these little guys are key!
Step 29
Handle the LCD gently, folks! That ribbon cable is delicate and could snap if you bend it too much.
- Grab a plastic opening tool or spudger and gently pry up the right side of the LCD from the iPad.
- Swing the LCD up and around its left edge, then carefully rest it on top of the front glass panel.
Tools Used
Step 30
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift that sneaky tape off the LCD ribbon cable connector. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 31
- Gently lift the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector like you're opening a treasure chest!
- With a little finesse—either your fingers or some trusty tweezers—carefully pull the LCD ribbon cable out of its cozy home on the logic board.
- If your iPad decides to play hard to get and the LCD screen refuses to light up after you've reconnected the ZIF connector, don't panic! Just give it a friendly force restart by holding down the power button and home button for about ten seconds until that glorious Apple logo makes its appearance!
Tools Used
Step 32
- Careful now, grab the LCD by the edges and gently lift it away from the front panel—no touching the front screen!
Step 33
If you see some electrical tape hanging out, go ahead and peel it off to uncover the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, and home button ribbon cable. You're doing great!
Step 34
- Lift the little retaining flap on the home button ribbon cable ZIF connector up and away. You've got this!
Step 35
- Grab your trusty tweezers and gently tug the home button ribbon cable straight out of its cozy socket on the logic board. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 36
- Carefully guide the home button ribbon cable out from its snug little spot in the rear case. You've got this!
Step 37
- With the spudger's tip in hand, gently lift up the tape that's holding the digitizer ribbon cable snugly against the logic board. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 38
- Gently lift the little flap on both digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors to unlock them.
Step 39
- Grab your trusty spudger and use the flat end to gently pry up the adhesive lurking beneath that digitizer ribbon cable. It’s like giving it a little nudge to say, 'Hey, time to come out!'
- Once it's loosened, pull that digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its cozy sockets on the logic board. You're almost there!
Tools Used
Step 40
- Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and grab your trusty spudger. Use the flat end to carefully break the adhesive that's keeping the cable snug against the rear aluminum case.
Tools Used
Step 41
- With a gentle touch, slide your fingers under the digitizer ribbon cable and carefully lift it out of its cozy spot in the aluminum frame.
- Now, it's time to liberate the front panel from the iPad. Go ahead and remove it with confidence!
Step 42
Heads up! Don’t let the iOpener get too hot during the repair. Give it a cool two-minute break before heating it up again to keep things safe and smooth.
The home button assembly sticks to the front panel with some adhesive. Warming it up gently with an iOpener to loosen the glue is a smart move.
- Pop the iOpener in the microwave and heat it up for one minute on high power (or just 30 seconds if you're rocking the newer gel-filled iOpener).
- Set the warm iOpener right over the home button at the front edge of the display.
Tools Used
Step 43
- Gently lift the home button ribbon cable off the front panel like you're unveiling a surprise!
Step 44
- Slide the plastic opening tool under the right side of the home button assembly and gently pry upwards to break free the adhesive on that side.
- Repeat the same move on the left side to loosen the adhesive holding the home button in place.
- Carefully lift the home button mount off the front panel like you’re unveiling a secret.
Step 45
- Gently slide the edge of your trusty plastic opening tool underneath the home button's mounting bracket.
- Carefully glide the tool along the retaining spring bracket to break free that sticky adhesive.
- With a little finesse, lift the home button along with its mounting bracket right off the front panel.
Step 46
Keep an eye on the iOpener's temperature during your repair adventures! We suggest taking a little breather of at least two minutes before giving it another heat-up. Stay cool while you fix it!
The camera bracket sticks to the front panel with some adhesive, so gently warming it up with an iOpener will help loosen things up nicely.
- Heat up the iOpener following the simple steps in the iOpener heating section at the start of this guide.
- Carefully place the warm iOpener right over the front-facing camera at the top edge of your device's display.
Tools Used
Step 47
The camera bracket can shimmy about 2 mm to the left or right, depending on how you nudge it.
- Grab the flat end of your spudger and gently nudge the camera bracket off the adhesive holding it in place on the front panel.
Tools Used
Step 48
- Gently lift the camera bracket away from the front panel and set it aside. You're doing great!
Step 49
- The front panel is still in place.
