iPad 4 CDMA Wi-Fi Antenna Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 51 Steps
Ready to get your Wi-Fi back up and running? Replacing your antenna is easier than it sounds! Follow this guide and you'll be surfing the web in no time. If you hit any bumps along the way, no worries—just schedule a repair and we'll help you out.
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Double-check that the plate spins without any hiccups. If your iOpener gets stuck, it could overheat and cause a burn. Keep things spinning smoothly!
It's a good idea to give your microwave a quick clean before getting started. Any leftover crumbs or gunk on the bottom could end up sticking to your iOpener, and nobody wants that.
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of your microwave. Give it some space to warm up evenly.
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Step 2
Keep an eye on that iOpener, but don’t let it get too toasty! Overheating can make it burst, and nobody wants that. Stick to a max heat of 100˚C (212˚F).
If your iOpener looks like it's starting to puff up, hands off! It's best to leave it alone until it's safe to touch.
Still too hot to handle in the middle? No worries—just let it cool a bit before you try reheating. A well-heated iOpener should stay warm for around 10 minutes. Patience is key!
Microwave wattage varies, so your heating time might too. Your iOpener is ready when it’s just a tad too warm to keep your fingers on comfortably.
- Pop the iOpener in the microwave for 30 seconds to heat it up.
- As you go along with the repair, just reheat the iOpener every time it starts to cool down. Another 30 seconds in the microwave should do the trick!
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Step 3
Heads up! The iOpener gets seriously hot, so handle with care. Rock an oven mitt if you want to keep your fingers happy.
- Take the iOpener out of the microwave, but make sure to grab it by one of the two flat ends. You definitely don’t want to mess with the hot center. Handle with care and stay safe!
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Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener gets super toasty, so make sure to grab it only by the little tabs at the ends to keep your fingers safe.
Don't have a microwave? No worries! Just pop your iOpener in some boiling water to heat it up. Simple, right?
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to fully dunk your iOpener.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil, then turn off the heat.
- Submerge the iOpener in the hot water for 2-3 minutes, making sure it’s completely soaked.
- Use tongs to fish out the hot iOpener—careful, it’s warm!
- Dry it off thoroughly with a towel.
- Now your iOpener is good to go! Need it hotter? Just boil the water again, turn off the heat, and give it another 2-3 minute soak.
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Step 5
Pop on some safety glasses to keep those peepers safe, and handle the LCD screen like it’s the crown jewel — gentle does it!
This will help keep those pesky glass shards under control and ensure the display stays solid when you're gently prying and lifting.
- If your display glass is cracked, keep those pesky shards from spreading and avoid any ouch moments by taping over the glass before you start.
- Cover the iPad’s display with overlapping strips of clear packing tape until the entire front is wrapped up nicely.
- Follow the rest of the guide as best you can. Just a heads up: once that glass is cracked, it might keep cracking as you go, and you may find a metal prying tool handy to carefully scoop out the glass pieces.
Step 6
Heads up! Since you might be handling some shattered glass here, slipping on a pair of safety glasses is a smart move to keep those sneaky shards from flying your way.
- Place the iOpener flat along the right edge of the iPad, pressing it down so it makes solid contact with the surface.
- Give it about 90 seconds to work its magic before you try popping open the front panel.
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Step 7
Getting that opening tool tip between the glass and plastic might take a bit of muscle. Stay cool and patient—gently wiggle the tool back and forth until it slides in. You've got this!
- There's a tiny gap in the iPad's adhesive ring near the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) down from the top. This little weak spot is your entry point.
- Line up your tool with the mute button, then gently slip the tip of a plastic opening tool into the space between the front glass and plastic bezel. Just a quick nudge with the tip to widen the crack is all you need.
Step 8
- Make sure you're placing that tool in just the right spot—between the plastic bezel and the glass front panel. It’s like finding the perfect groove, so take your time!
Step 9
- Keep the tip of your plastic opening tool tucked between the front glass and the plastic bezel, then gently slide a plastic opening pick right next to it in the gap. Easy does it!
Step 10
- Gently remove the plastic opening tool from the iPad, then slide the opening pick a little deeper under the front glass, about 0.5 inches in. Take your time—this part can be tricky, but you're doing great! If you run into any issues, don't hesitate to schedule a repair.
Step 11
- While you're gently working to free the adhesive on the right side of your iPad, go ahead and heat up your iOpener again. Then, place it on the bottom edge of your iPad to give it some extra heat love. That should help loosen things up nicely!
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Step 12
This adhesive is super strong, so you might need to bring out some serious muscle. Take it slow and steady!
If you spot the opening pick tip peeking under the front glass, gently pull it out just a little bit. Going this deep with the pick won't cause any harm, but you might end up with some adhesive goo on the LCD. A little mess, but nothing we can't clean up!
- While the bottom edge gets its warm-up from the iOpener, start working on loosening the adhesive along the right edge of the iPad.
- Slide the opening pick carefully down the edge, gently peeling away the adhesive as you go. Take your time and let the pick do the work!
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Step 13
You might need to slide the heated iOpener back over to the right edge of the iPad as you peel away the adhesive. How long the iPad has cooled down while you’ve been working will decide if this move is necessary.
- If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, gently roll it along the edge of the iPad to keep freeing that stubborn glue.
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Step 14
- Before you pull the first pick from the bottom corner of the iPad, slide a second pick underneath the right edge of the front glass to keep that sticky adhesive from getting all clingy again.
- Give your iOpener a quick reheat, then place it on the top edge of the iPad to get that adhesive loosened up.
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is snugly attached to the bottom right corner of the iPad’s rear case with screws and a cable. Be extra careful here—if you're not paying attention, you could accidentally cause some serious damage to the antenna. Slow and steady wins the race!
- Heads up—these next steps need a steady hand and a bit of patience.
- You’ll carefully loosen the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel, making sure not to mess with the fragile parts connecting the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Take it slow and follow each step closely.
Step 16
Keep the pick from sliding past the bottom right corner—going too far 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 to break free the adhesive that's holding it down. Take your time, and you'll get there!
Step 17
Slide your opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel with care. The Wi-Fi antenna hangs out near the corner, so take it slow to avoid accidentally cutting through its adhesive.
Keep the pick tucked just a tiny bit under the front glass—don't pull it out all the way! Leave about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip still hanging out beneath the glass to keep things smooth.
- Gently slide the opening pick's tip along the bottom of your iPad, loosening the adhesive around the Wi-Fi antenna. Take it slow and steady—it’s like peeling a sticker, but with more finesse.
Step 18
- After you’ve passed the Wi-Fi antenna—about 3" (75 mm) from the right edge, right next to the home button—slide the opening pick all the way in.
- Gently slide the pick to the right to free up the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass.
- Keep in mind, the antenna is screwed and connected by a cable at the bottom of the iPad. This step safely separates it from the front panel so you don’t accidentally damage it when removing the panel.
Step 19
Heat up the iOpener in short bursts, no more than a minute at a time. And give it a cool down period of at least two minutes before giving it another go!
If the adhesive has cooled down too much on the bottom edge, give your iOpener another heat-up session to warm up the adhesive in the area you're working on.
- Keep sliding the opening pick under the bottom edge of the iPad, carefully navigating around the home button. Once you’re past it, pop the pick back in about 1/2 inch (10 mm) deep and keep that gentle prying action going.
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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 sliding that adhesive separator all along the bottom edge of your iPad—slow and steady wins the race!
- Leave the opening pick snugly tucked under the front glass near the home button to keep things steady.
Step 21
- Pop that iOpener into the microwave for a little warmth therapy, then place it on the left edge of your iPad. This will help get the adhesive nice and toasty in that area!
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Step 22
If the adhesive's cooled down too much, no worries! Just swap the iOpener to the top edge and keep going. If it’s really not hot enough, give it another round of heat and get back to work!
- 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 some solid pressure. Take it slow and steady to avoid any slips or scrapes on you or your device.
- 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 23
If the adhesive feels nice and toasty, go ahead and set the iOpener aside for now. But if it’s still clinging on like glue, give the iOpener another warm-up and rest it on the left edge while you keep working your magic.
- Peel away the adhesive along the top edge of your iPad, then gently slide the opening pick around the top left corner to loosen it up.
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Step 24
The digitizer cable is about 2 inches (50 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. When you're about 2.25 inches (60 mm) from the bottom, stop sliding the pick. You're almost there!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the left edge of your iPad to release the adhesive. The adhesive's a bit thin here because of the digitizer running all along the left side. Keep your pick shallow (about 1/2 inch, or 10mm) to avoid any accidental damage to the digitizer—be cool, stay steady.
Step 25
Heads up! The bottom of the digitizer cable is just about an inch (25 mm) from the bottom edge of the iPad, so take it slow and steady to avoid accidentally cutting it.
- Carefully slide the opening pick underneath the bottom edge of the iPad and gently peel away the adhesive in the bottom left corner. Take your time and make sure to go slow, it’s all about precision here.
Step 26
Sometimes the adhesive around the edge of the iPad likes to stick back down. If that happens, just slide a pick under the spot where the front glass is still holding tight and carefully 'cut' through the adhesive to free it up.
- Take one of the opening picks and gently wedge it into the bottom right corner of the iPad. Once it's in, give it a little tug with your fingers to lift it up. Easy does it!
Step 27
Watch out for any stubborn adhesive that might still be hanging on! Use an opening pick to gently slice through any sticky spots keeping the front panel in place.
- Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners and gently twist the front glass away from the device. It's like a little dance move, but for your tech!
- When you're putting it all back together, whip out a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to give that LCD a sparkling clean before you seal the glass back on. Dust and fingerprints? Not on our watch!
Step 28
The bottom left screw is playing hide and seek under the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently nudge the home button ribbon cable out of the way so you can grab that tricky screw.
- Loosen and remove the four tiny 2 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the LCD snugly in place on the aluminum frame.
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care—its ribbon cable is delicate and can snap if you bend it too much.
- Grab a plastic opening tool or spudger and gently pop up the right edge of the iPad's LCD.
- Swing the LCD open like a little door on its left side and carefully rest it on top of the front glass panel.
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Step 30
- Gently slide the tip of your spudger under the tape covering the LCD ribbon cable connector and peel it back with care.
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Step 31
- Gently lift the little retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable's ZIF connector—think of it like opening a tiny door.
- Carefully pull the LCD ribbon cable out of its socket on the logic board using your fingers or tweezers. No sudden moves!
- If the LCD screen doesn’t light up after reconnecting the ZIF connector during reassembly, try a force restart by holding down the power button and home button for about ten seconds until the Apple logo pops up.
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Step 32
- Carefully lift the LCD off the front panel, making sure to avoid touching the front of the screen.
Step 33
If you spot any electrical tape hiding over the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, or home button ribbon cable, go ahead and peel it off gently.
Step 34
- Gently flip up the little flap holding the home button ribbon cable in place on its ZIF connector.
Step 35
- Grab your trusty tweezers and gently wiggle the home button ribbon cable straight out from its socket on the logic board. Easy does it!
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Step 36
- Gently lift the home button ribbon cable out of its snug spot in the rear case.
Step 37
- Carefully use the tip of a spudger to lift and peel back the tape holding the digitizer ribbon cable onto the logic board. Take it slow and steady!
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Step 38
- Gently lift the little flap on both digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors to unlock them.
Step 39
- Gently slide the flat end of your spudger under the digitizer ribbon cable to carefully pry up the adhesive holding it in place.
- Pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out from its connectors on the logic board with a steady hand.
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Step 40
- Gently peel back the digitizer ribbon cable and grab your trusty spudger. Use the flat end to carefully release the adhesive that's holding the cable to the back of the aluminum case. Take your time, we don’t want any surprises!
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Step 41
- Gently use your fingers to lift the digitizer ribbon cable from its cozy spot in the aluminum frame. No need to rush, just a smooth pull.
- Carefully detach the front panel from the iPad, making sure not to yank it. Just a little wiggle and it'll come free!
Step 42
If there's some electrical tape covering the Lightning connector cable, go ahead and peel it off. You got this!
Step 43
- Unscrew the two 2.9 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the Lightning connector to the back case—time to let that connector go!
Step 44
- Grab the flat end of your spudger and gently lift the Lightning connector cable straight out of its home on the logic board. Take your time—this part's a little delicate, but you've got this!
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Step 45
- Carefully use the flat end of a spudger to lift the Lightning connector cable away from the aluminum frame without rushing it.
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Step 46
- Gently pull the Lightning connector straight out from its spot in the rear case—easy does it!
Step 47
- Gently slide the tip of your spudger under the speaker and Wi-Fi antenna connectors, then lift them straight up off their sockets on the logic board. Easy does it!
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Step 48
- Let's start by loosening the screws holding the Wi-Fi antenna in place on the back case:
- Two tiny 1.75 mm Phillips #00 screws (small head)
- One 4.15 mm Phillips #00 screw
- One 1.8 mm Phillips #00 screw (wide head)
Step 49
- Gently slide the flat end of your spudger under the Wi-Fi antenna to carefully pry up the foam adhesive attaching it to the speaker assembly.
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Step 50
- Grab the Wi-Fi antenna and speaker cable with a firm but gentle grip, like you're holding onto your favorite snack.
- With a little care, lift the cables off the rear case, just enough to give them some breathing room.
Step 51
- 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 you get stuck or want a hand, you can always schedule a repair with us!
