iPad 4 CDMA Rear Facing Camera Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 59 Steps
Ready to bring your camera back to life? This guide will help you swap out that rear-facing camera like a pro! Let's dive in and get your device snapping pictures again. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Double-check that the plate spins without any hitches. If your iOpener gets stuck, it might overheat and cause a burn, so keep it moving!
Before diving in, give your microwave a quick clean-up. Trust us, that old residue on the bottom might just end up sticking to the iOpener, and we want your repair to go smoothly!
- Pop that iOpener right in the middle of the microwave and let it work its magic.
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Step 2
Keep it cool! Overheating the iOpener is a no-go – it could burst on you. Aim for no more than 100˚C (212˚F).
If your iOpener looks like it's puffing up, don't even think about touching it. It's better safe than sorry!
Is your iOpener too hot to handle in the middle? No worries! Let it chill out a bit before you reheat it. A perfectly heated iOpener will stay warm for up to 10 minutes, so you’ve got time.
Microwave power varies, so your heating time might need a little tweak. The iOpener is ready when it’s just a tad too warm to keep your fingers on comfortably.
- Give the iOpener a quick 30-second zap in the microwave to warm it up.
- Keep it toasty! Whenever the iOpener cools down during your repair, just pop it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds to bring the heat back.
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Step 3
Heads up! The iOpener gets seriously hot, so handle it with care. Wearing an oven mitt is a smart move to keep your fingers safe.
- Carefully grab the iOpener by one of its flat ends to avoid the hot middle, and take it out of the microwave.
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Step 4
Heads up—this iOpener gets super hot, so grab it only by the end tabs to keep things chill and safe.
If you don't have a microwave, no worries! Simply follow this step to heat your iOpener using some good ol' boiling water.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to completely cover your iOpener.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil, then turn off the heat.
- Drop your iOpener into the hot water and let it soak for 2-3 minutes, making sure it’s fully submerged.
- Carefully fish out the warmed iOpener using tongs.
- Dry it off thoroughly with a towel—no one likes a soggy tool!
- Your iOpener is now good to go! If it cools down, just repeat the boiling and soaking steps to heat it back up.
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Step 5
- Grab a SIM eject tool or a straightened paperclip and gently pop out that SIM tray!
Step 6
- Gently slide the SIM tray out of its cozy little home and set it aside. Easy, right?
- If you're swapping out the SIM card, just give it a little nudge to pop it out of the tray and replace it with the shiny new one. You've got this!
Step 7
Pop on those safety glasses to keep your eyes safe, and handle the LCD screen with care—it's delicate!
This will help keep those pesky glass shards under control and add some much-needed strength while you're gently prying and lifting the display.
- Got a cracked screen? No worries! To avoid any further mess and keep your fingers safe, cover the shattered glass with some tape.
- Grab some clear packing tape and start laying overlapping strips all over the iPad's display until the whole front is sealed up tight.
- Keep moving through the guide as best as you can. But fair warning: once the glass starts cracking, it may keep splintering as you work. You might have to use a metal prying tool to scoop the glass out carefully.
Step 8
Heads up! Since you might be handling some broken glass here, it’s a smart move to pop on your safety glasses to keep those sneaky shards from flying your way.
- Place the iOpener flat along the right edge of your iPad, making sure it sits nice and snug against the surface. A little smooth action here ensures that the iOpener is making solid contact.
- Give it about 90 seconds to work its magic on the iPad before you start tackling the front panel. Patience is key here—don’t rush!
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Step 9
Getting the tip of your opening tool wedged between the glass and plastic might take a bit of muscle. Stay cool, take it slow, and gently wiggle that tool back and forth until it slides in nicely.
- There's a tiny gap in the iPad's adhesive ring in the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (5 cm) from the top of the device. This is your entry point.
- Line up your tool with the mute button, then gently insert the tip of your plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just a small nudge to widen the crack a bit—that’s all it takes!
Step 10
- Carefully slide your tool right where the plastic display bezel meets the front panel glass—this is the sweet spot to get things moving.
Step 11
- Place the tip of the plastic opening tool snugly between the front glass and plastic bezel. Now, gently slide a plastic opening pick right next to it, squeezing into the gap.
Step 12
- Gently slip out the plastic opening tool from the iPad, then slide the opening pick a bit deeper under the front glass, about half an inch in.
Step 13
- While you’re carefully working to release the adhesive on the right side of your iPad, go ahead and reheat the iOpener. Place it on the bottom edge of the iPad to help loosen up the adhesive. A little extra heat goes a long way!
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Step 14
This adhesive is tough stuff—don’t be shy about using a bit of muscle, but keep it cool and steady.
If the tip of the opening pick is peeking under the front glass, pull it out a little. Don’t worry—this won’t cause any damage, but it might leave a bit of sticky residue on the LCD, so keep it clean and be cautious!
- While the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start loosening the adhesive along the right edge of your iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down the edge of your iPad, releasing the adhesive as you move along.
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Step 15
If you notice the adhesive isn't quite letting go, you might need to slide the heated iOpener back to the iPad's right edge. How much time the iPad's cooled down while you’ve been busy will play a role here, so adjust accordingly!
- If the opening pick decides to get cozy with the adhesive, just give it a gentle roll along the side of the iPad. Keep at it and the adhesive will let go, no sweat.
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Step 16
- Before pulling out that first opening pick from the bottom corner of your iPad, slide in a second pick under the right edge of the front glass. This little trick keeps the adhesive from sticking back together on you.
- Warm up your iOpener again, then shift it over to the top edge of the iPad to keep things nice and pliable.
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Step 17
The Wi-Fi antenna is securely attached to the bottom right corner of the rear case with screws and a cable. Be careful when handling it — a little too much force or the wrong move could damage the antenna beyond repair.
- Alright, here’s where you need to put on your careful hat. Take it easy and stay steady through the next steps.
- You’re about to loosen the adhesive holding the antenna in place, but be gentle! We don’t want any mishaps, so handle the delicate parts connecting the antenna to the bottom of the iPad with care. Follow these steps closely and you’ll be golden.
Step 18
Keep the pick from sliding past the bottom right corner—going further could crank up some drama with your Wi-Fi antenna!
- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad to loosen the adhesive and get things moving.
Step 19
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 be easily cut if the adhesive comes loose the wrong way.
Keep the pick tucked just a tiny bit under the front glass—about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip should stay put—no need to yank it all the way out!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad, carefully loosening the adhesive near the Wi-Fi antenna.
Step 20
- Once you have moved past the Wi-FI antenna (approximately 3" (75 mm) from the right edge, or right next to the home button) re-insert the opening pick to its full depth.
- Slide the pick to the right, releasing the adhesive securing the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass.
- The antenna is attached to the bottom of the iPad via screws and a cable. This step detaches the antenna from the front panel, ensuring that when you remove the panel, the antenna will not be damaged.
Step 21
Do not heat the iOpener more than a minute at a time, and always allow at least two minutes before reheating it.
If the adhesive has cooled too much along the bottom edge, reheat the iOpener to warm the adhesive where you are working.
- Continue releasing the adhesive along the bottom of the iPad, pulling the opening pick out far enough to go around the home button, and re-inserting it to a depth of 1/2 inch (10 mm) once the pick is past the home button.
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Step 22
On iPad 4 models, insert the pick to a maximum depth of 1/2 inch (10 mm) in this area, to avoid damaging the home button ribbon cable.
- Continue releasing the adhesive all the way along the bottom edge of the iPad.
- Leave the opening pick wedged underneath the front glass near the home button.
Step 23
- Pop the iOpener into the microwave to get it nice and warm, then gently place it on the left edge of your iPad. This will help soften up the adhesive in that area, making things easier when you're ready to peel it off.
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Step 24
If the adhesive has cooled down too much, just place the iOpener back along the top edge and keep going. And if your iOpener has lost its heat mojo, pop it back in the microwave to warm it up again.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the top edge of the iPad, easing it out just enough to work around the front-facing camera bracket.
- Heads up: the adhesive here is super stubborn, so you might need to apply some serious elbow grease. Take it slow and steady to avoid any slips or scrapes on you or your iPad.
- If the pick starts to get stuck in the adhesive, try "rolling" it as demonstrated in step 9 to keep things moving smoothly.
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Step 25
Once the adhesive feels nice and warm, go ahead and take the iOpener off the iPad for easier handling. If it’s still a bit sticky, just heat the iOpener again and rest it on the left edge while you keep working your magic.
- Peel off the adhesive along the top edge of the iPad, and carefully slide the opening pick around the top left corner. Easy does it!
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Step 26
Heads up! The digitizer cable hangs out about 2" (50 mm) from the bottom edge of your iPad. When you’re sliding that pick along, ease off once you hit roughly 2.25" (60 mm) from the bottom to avoid any surprises.
- Gently slide the 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 (half an inch)—to avoid any accidental digitizer drama.
Step 27
Heads up! The bottom of the digitizer cable is just about an inch (25 mm) from the iPad’s bottom edge. Take it slow and steady to avoid cutting this little guy.
- Keep that opening pick tucked under the bottom edge of the iPad and carefully peel away the adhesive at the bottom left corner.
Step 28
Sometimes, the adhesive around the edge of the iPad might decide to stick back in place. If that happens, gently slide a pick under the area where the front glass is still holding on and carefully 'cut' through the adhesive. It should release without a problem!
- Grab one of your trusty opening picks and gently wedge it under the bottom right corner of the iPad, then lift it up enough to get a good grip with your fingers.
Step 29
Watch out for any stubborn adhesive that might still be hanging on! Use an opening pick to carefully slice through any sticky spots keeping the front panel in place.
- Grab the iPad by the top and bottom right corners and gently swivel the front glass away from the device.
- When putting everything back together, give the LCD a good once-over with a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to blow off any dust or fingerprints before snapping the glass back on.
Step 30
That bottom left screw is playing hide and seek behind the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently slide the ribbon cable out of the way so you can grab that sneaky screw and remove it without any fuss.
- Unscrew the four 2 mm Phillips #00 screws that are holding the LCD to the aluminum frame. A little twist and you'll be one step closer to victory!
Step 31
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is delicate and doesn’t like to be bent too much—treat it gently to keep things smooth.
- Grab a plastic opening tool or spudger and gently pry up the right edge of the iPad’s LCD.
- Then, swing the LCD open like a door on its left side and rest it carefully on top of the front glass panel.
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Step 32
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently peel back the tape that's holding down the LCD ribbon cable connector. Take it slow and steady—you got this!
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Step 33
- Gently flip up the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector. It's like giving it a little stretch before the big move.
- Now, using your fingers (or tweezers if you're feeling fancy), carefully pull the LCD ribbon cable out of its socket on the logic board. Take your time, no rush here!
- If the LCD screen stays stubborn and refuses to light up after reconnecting the ZIF connector, give your iPad a quick power reset by holding down the power and home buttons for about 10 seconds. The Apple logo should pop up, signaling the restart.
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Step 34
- Careful now, grab the LCD by the edges and gently lift it away from the front panel—no touching the front screen!
Step 35
If you spot any electrical tape hiding the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, or home button ribbon cable, go ahead and peel it off gently.
Step 36
- Gently lift the little flap holding the home button ribbon cable in place. It’s like opening a secret door – easy, but rewarding!
Step 37
- Grab a pair of tweezers and carefully pull the home button ribbon cable out of its socket on the logic board. Nice and steady, you've got this!
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Step 38
- Carefully wiggle the home button ribbon cable out of its little home in the back case. A little patience goes a long way here, but you've got this!
Step 39
- Gently use the pointy end of your spudger to lift up the tape holding the digitizer ribbon cable onto the logic board. Take it slow and steady!
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Step 40
- Gently flip up the little retaining flap on both digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors to unlock them.
Step 41
- Grab that trusty spudger and gently slide the flat end under the digitizer ribbon cable to break free the adhesive holding it in place.
- Now, with a smooth, steady motion, pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out from its cozy little sockets on the logic board.
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Step 42
- Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and use the flat end of a spudger to carefully loosen the adhesive holding it to the rear aluminum case. No need to rush, just take your time!
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Step 43
- Gently wiggle the digitizer ribbon cable free from its slot in the aluminum frame using just your fingers.
- Lift the front panel off the iPad carefully.
Step 44
- Gently peel back and take off the piece of electrical tape hiding the headphone jack assembly cable connector.
- With the tip of your trusty spudger, carefully flip up the little retaining flap on both ZIF connectors that hold the headphone jack cable in place on the logic board.
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Step 45
- Gently slide the flat end of your spudger under the headphone jack assembly cable, and free it from the adhesive that's holding it against the rear aluminum frame.
- Now, carefully pull the headphone jack assembly cable straight out of its socket on the logic board. Nice and easy!
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Step 46
- Gently peel away the tape that's holding down the SIM board cable ZIF connector.
- Flip up the little flap on the ZIF connector to release the cable.
- Take your spudger, carefully pry the SIM board cable from its socket on the logic board, and pull it out straight. You got this!
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Step 47
- Unscrew the three 1.75 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the SIM board to the aluminum frame. Keep them safe—you'll need these little guys again!
Step 48
As you gently move the headphone jack assembly cable aside, remember to take it easy on the headphone jack itself—yanking too hard could lead to some unwanted drama, like tearing it off. Stay smooth and steady!
- Gently tuck the headphone jack assembly cable aside, then go ahead and lift the SIM board out of the iPad.
Step 49
- Gently peel away the adhesive tape covering the headphone jack assembly. Be careful not to damage anything while you’re at it!
Step 50
- Unscrew the 2.6 mm Phillips #0 screw that's keeping the camera cable in place with the headphone jack assembly. Easy peasy!
Step 51
- Grab your trusty spudger and use the flat end to gently pry the front-facing camera out of its cozy spot on the headphone jack assembly.
- Still holding the spudger? Nice! Slide it over to the right to break the adhesive grip on the camera cable, and let it loose.
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Step 52
- Grab the spudger and carefully lift the retaining flap on the microphone cable ZIF connector. Just a gentle nudge, and you're in business!
- Now, gently slide the spudger under the microphone ribbon cable to disconnect it from the ZIF connector. A smooth, easy move.
- Next, move the spudger to the left to break the adhesive seal that's holding the microphone ribbon cable to the headphone jack assembly. It should come off without a fuss.
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Step 53
- Gently use the flat end of the spudger to lift the antenna connector cable out of its cozy home on the headphone jack assembly board. You've got this!
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Step 54
- Gently flip up the little flap holding the volume/power button ribbon cable connector onto the headphone jack assembly board.
- Carefully slide the volume button ribbon cable out of its ZIF connector.
Step 55
These screws are set at an angle into the aluminum frame. Keep your screwdriver lined up straight with the screw to avoid stripping it—no one likes a stubborn screw!
- Let's get those screws out of the headphone jack assembly! Grab your trusty tools and remove the following screws:
- Five 2.6 mm Phillips #0 screws
- Two 2.2 mm Wide Head Phillips #00 screws
- Two 2.6 mm Phillips #00 screws
Step 56
- Gently grip the ribbon cable of the headphone jack assembly and carefully slide it toward the bottom of the device, keeping it parallel to the iPad. Take your time, it’s just a little tug to get it moving!
Step 57
- With a firm grip on the headphone jack assembly using both hands, gently pull it away from the iPad, keeping an eye out for any cables that might get snagged along the way.
Step 58
- Gently wedge the flat end of your spudger under the rear facing camera and carefully pop it off its socket beneath the headphone jack assembly board.
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Step 59
- To put your device back together, just follow these steps in reverse order and use our iPad 4 CDMA Front Panel Adhesive strips guide to stick the front panel back on. If things get tricky, no worries—you can always schedule a repair!
