iPad 4 CDMA LCD Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 32 Steps
Follow this guide to swap out that LCD like a pro! It's easier than you think, and you'll be back to enjoying your device in no time. If you hit a snag and need a hand, just schedule a repair.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Ensure that the plate has the freedom to spin like a dancer on the floor! If your iOpener gets a little too cozy and gets stuck, it might just overheat and throw a little tantrum, potentially causing some burns. So, let's keep it moving and grooving!
It's a great idea to give your microwave a little scrub before diving in. Any stubborn gunk left behind could end up joining the iOpener party, and we definitely don't want that!
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of your microwave to get things warmed up and ready to roll.
Tools Used
Step 2
Keep an eye on the heat while using your iOpener! If it gets too hot, it could pop like a balloon. Aim to keep it under 100˚C (212˚F).
If your iOpener looks like it's been working out and is a bit puffy, steer clear of it.
Still feeling the heat? No worries! Just let it chill for a bit before you give it another round of warming. A well-heated iOpener should stay cozy for about 10 minutes.
Microwave wattages vary, so you might need to adjust the heating time a bit. You'll know the iOpener is ready when it's just a smidge too warm to comfortably hold.
- Warm up the iOpener in the microwave for about thirty seconds to get it ready for action.
- As you work through the repair, if the iOpener starts to cool down, just pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds to keep things nice and toasty.
Tools Used
Step 3
Heads up! The iOpener gets super hot, so handle with care. Oven mitts or a thick towel are your best friends here.
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, grabbing it by one of the two flat ends to keep your fingers safe from the hot middle part.
Tools Used
Step 4
The iOpener gets pretty hot, so make sure to grab it by the tabs at the ends. Safety first, and let's keep those fingers safe!
Don't have a microwave? No problem! Just follow this step to warm up your iOpener in some boiling water. You've got this!
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to give your iOpener a nice, warm bath.
- Bring the water to a roaring boil and then switch off the heat.
- Carefully lower the iOpener into the hot water for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure it's soaking up all that heat!
- Use some trusty tongs to pull the iOpener out of the bubbly water—safety first!
- Give the iOpener a gentle pat down with a towel until it's nice and dry.
- And voilà! Your iOpener is all set for action! If you ever need to give it another heat boost, just repeat the hot water dance for 2-3 minutes after boiling again. If the going gets tough, don’t hesitate to schedule a repair.
Tools Used
Step 5
Rock those safety glasses to keep your peepers protected, and remember to handle that LCD screen with care like it's a precious gem!
This will help keep those pesky glass shards from flying around and will also give a little bit of strength when you're prying and lifting the display. Stay safe and steady!
- If your display glass is cracked, keep the shards in check and avoid any ouchies by taping over the glass before you start.
- Cover the iPad’s screen with overlapping strips of clear packing tape until it’s fully sealed.
- Try to follow the rest of the guide as usual. Just a heads-up: once the glass is broken, it might keep cracking as you go, so you might need to carefully scoop out the glass pieces using a metal prying tool.
Step 6
Just a quick heads-up! While you're diving into this repair, keep in mind that broken glass can be a little tricky. We highly suggest rocking some safety glasses to shield your eyes from any unexpected flying bits. Safety first, but you got this!
- 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.
Tools Used
Step 7
Getting that stubborn tip of the opening tool in between the glass and plastic might need a bit of elbow grease. Take your time and be gentle, giving the tool a little wiggle as you go. You've got this!
- Spot a tiny gap in the iPad's adhesive ring at the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) down from the top. This little opening is your secret entry point.
- 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, enough to nudge it open a bit.
Step 8
- Be sure to position the tool just right—nestled between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass.
Step 9
- Keep the tip of your plastic opening tool tucked between the front glass and plastic bezel, then gently slide a plastic opening pick right beside it to ease into the gap.
Step 10
- Take that plastic opening tool out of the iPad, and gently slide the opening pick further under the front glass, aiming for about half an inch deep. You've got this!
Step 11
- As you work on loosening the sticky stuff on the right side of the iPad, give the iOpener a little reheat love, and pop it back on the bottom edge of your iPad.
Tools Used
Step 12
The adhesive is pretty tough, so you might need to put some muscle into it. Take your time and work carefully!
If you spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from under the front glass, gently pull it back just a smidge. Using the pick this deep won’t harm anything, but it might spread some sticky adhesive gunk onto the LCD.
- As the bottom edge soaks up some warmth from the iOpener, let’s get cracking on freeing that pesky adhesive from the right edge of your iPad.
- Gently glide the opening pick down the right edge of your iPad, making sure to release the adhesive as you go. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 13
As you peel away the adhesive, you might find it useful to bring that heated iOpener back over to the right edge of the iPad. This little move can come in handy, especially depending on how chilly your iPad has gotten while you were busy tackling other tasks.
- If your opening pick seems to be a bit shy and gets stuck in the adhesive, gently 'roll' it along the edge of the iPad to help release the sticky stuff.
Tools Used
Step 14
- Before pulling out the first opening pick from the bottom corner of your iPad, slide a second pick under the right edge of the front glass to keep that sticky adhesive from sticking back together.
- Warm up the iOpener again and move it over to the top edge of the iPad to loosen things up there.
Tools Used
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 quirky, take your time and handle it gently to avoid any permanent damage. You've got this!
- Heads up: the next steps need some serious care and attention.
- You’ll need to carefully peel away the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel without messing up the delicate parts connecting it to the bottom of the iPad. Take it slow and follow each step closely.
Step 16
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder: don't slide that pick too far past the bottom right corner. You wouldn't want to accidentally mess with the Wi-Fi antenna, right? Keep it safe and sound!
- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad to loosen that stubborn adhesive.
Step 17
Careful as you slide the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel — the Wi-Fi antenna hangs out near the corner and can get snagged if the adhesive lets go the wrong way.
Just a friendly reminder: don't yank that pick all the way out from under the front glass! Instead, gently pull it out a smidge so that about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip stays snugly tucked under the glass. You're doing great!
- Gently glide the edge of your trusty opening pick along the bottom side of the iPad, freeing the adhesive over the Wi-Fi antenna like a pro.
Step 18
- After you've navigated past the Wi-Fi antenna—about 3 inches (75 mm) from the right edge, or right next to that handy home button—pop that opening pick back in as deep as it can go.
- Now, slide that pick to the right and watch as it releases the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna snugly against the front glass.
- Just a heads up: the antenna is secured to the bottom of the iPad with screws and a cable. This step is key for detaching the antenna from the front panel, making sure that when you lift off that panel, the antenna stays safe and sound.
Step 19
Keep it cool with the iOpener! Don't heat it for more than a minute at a time, and give it at least a two-minute breather before reheating. Your device will thank you with better vibes!
If the adhesive has taken a little too long to warm up at the bottom edge, give the iOpener a quick reheating session to get that adhesive nice and toasty for your work area.
- Keep on peeling away that adhesive at the bottom of the iPad! Gently tug on the opening pick until it wraps around the home button, then slide it back in about 1/2 inch (10 mm) past the button. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 20
When working on iPad 4 models, slide your pick in no deeper than 1/2 inch (10 mm) here to keep that home button ribbon cable safe and sound.
- Keep peeling back that adhesive along the bottom edge of your iPad—you're doing great!
- Nestle the opening pick right underneath the front glass near the home button, and let it hang out there for now.
Step 21
- Pop the iOpener back in the microwave to warm it up, then place it on the left edge of the iPad to gently soften the adhesive in that spot.
Tools Used
Step 22
If the adhesive has taken a chill pill, just swap out the iOpener along the top edge and keep on trucking! If the iOpener itself is feeling a bit too cool, give it a little reheat to bring the heat back.
- Gently glide that opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, pulling it out just a tad to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
- The adhesive in this area is quite sturdy, so you might need to use a bit of elbow grease. Take your time and stay steady—let's keep both you and your iPad safe and sound.
- If the pick starts to feel stuck in the adhesive, try giving it a little 'roll' as shown in step 9.
Tools Used
Step 23
If your adhesive is feeling nice and toasty, go ahead and remove the iOpener from the iPad to make things easier. But if it's still a bit clingy, just heat that iOpener back up and place it on the left edge while you get to work.
- Keep peeling away the adhesive at the top edge of your iPad, and gently maneuver the opening pick around that tricky top left corner.
Tools Used
Step 24
The digitizer cable is about 2 inches (50 mm) up from the bottom of the iPad. Stop sliding your pick when you reach around 2.25 inches (60 mm) from the bottom. Keep it steady and be gentle – you're almost there!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the iPad’s left edge, carefully loosening the adhesive as you move. The adhesive here is pretty thin because of the digitizer running along the entire left side. Keep the pick shallow—no more than about 10 mm (half an inch)—to avoid any accidental damage to the digitizer.
Step 25
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 be gentle—let's not snip that cable by accident!
- With the trusty opening pick still nestled under the bottom edge of your iPad, give a gentle nudge to free the adhesive in the bottom left corner. You're doing great!
Step 26
Sometimes, the adhesive around the iPad's perimeter may reattach itself. No worries—just slide a pick gently under the edge of the iPad where the front glass is still stuck and carefully 'cut' through the adhesive. It's like giving it a little nudge to move along!
- Grab one of those nifty opening picks and gently lift up the bottom right corner of your iPad. Once you've pried it open a bit, use your fingers to hold it steady. You've got this!
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky stuff that might still be holding on! Grab your opening pick and gently slice through any adhesive that's keeping your front panel in place. You're doing great!
- Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners and gently twist that front glass away from the device. You got this!
- When it's time to put everything back together, don’t forget to give that LCD a little love with a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to keep it sparkling clean before reattaching the glass.
Step 28
The bottom left screw is hiding behind the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently nudge that ribbon cable out of the way so you can get to that sneaky screw!
- Time to get your screwdriver ready! Unscrew those four 2 mm Phillips #00 screws that are keeping the LCD snugly attached to the aluminum frame. You've got this!
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is delicate and doesn’t like to be bent too much, so treat it gently.
- Grab your trusty plastic opening tool or spudger and gently nudge the right edge of the LCD out of the iPad. It's like giving it a little lift-off!
- Now, swing that LCD around on its left edge and lay it down comfortably on top of the front glass panel. It's a cozy little spot for it to rest!
Tools Used
Step 30
- With the spudger's tip in hand, gently lift the tape that's hiding the LCD ribbon cable connector. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 31
- Lift the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector with a gentle flick.
- Using your fingers or some trusty tweezers, carefully wiggle the LCD ribbon cable out of its cozy home on the logic board.
- If your iPad is feeling a little shy and the LCD screen doesn't light up after reattaching the ZIF connector, just hold down the power and home buttons together for about ten seconds. Wait for that delightful Apple logo to pop up and let you know it's back in action!
Step 32
- To put your device back together, just follow these instructions in reverse order and use our iPad 4 CDMA Front Panel Adhesive strips guide to stick the front panel back on. If you hit a snag or want a hand, don’t hesitate to schedule a repair!
