iPad 4 GSM Battery Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 59 Steps
Hey there, repair champ! Just a quick heads up: tackling this project might get a bit tricky, so make sure to take your time and have some fun with it. Remember, if you find yourself in a pickle, you can always schedule a repair and let the pros handle it!
Ready to breathe new life into your device? Let’s tackle that battery replacement together! Follow this guide to swap out the old battery for a fresh one. If you hit any snags along the way, don’t hesitate to schedule a repair for a helping hand!
Step 1
It’s a good idea to give your microwave a quick clean before you dive in, since any leftover gunk on the bottom might just hitch a ride on the iOpener.
– Pop that iOpener right in the middle of your microwave like a pro!
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Step 2
Keep an eye on the iOpener during your repair session! We want it to do its job, not explode on you. So, let’s keep it below 100˚C (212˚F) to avoid any drama.
If the iOpener looks like it’s been hitting the gym and is a bit swollen, give it some space. It’s not ready for a high-five just yet!
If the iOpener is still feeling a bit too toasty to handle, no worries! Just hang tight while it cools down a bit before giving it another go. Remember, a well-heated iOpener should stay cozy for up to 10 minutes.
– Give your iOpener a warm-up in the microwave for thirty seconds.
– As you work through the repair, keep that iOpener toasty by popping it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds whenever it starts to cool down.
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Step 3
The iOpener can get quite toasty, so watch your fingers! A trusty oven mitt might just become your new best friend.
– Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, gripping one of the flat ends to keep your fingers safe from the warm center.
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Step 4
No microwave? No problem! Just pop your iOpener into a pot of boiling water to warm it up.
– Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to completely dunk your iOpener.
– Get that water boiling! Once it’s bubbling away, go ahead and turn off the heat.
– Carefully place your iOpener into the hot water and let it soak for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure it’s fully submerged, giving it a nice warm bath.
– Using tongs (safety first!), lift out the heated iOpener from the water.
– Give your iOpener a good towel dry; we want it nice and cozy for action!
– And voila! Your iOpener is all set for use! If it needs a little extra heat, just repeat the process: boil the water, turn off the heat, and let it relax in there for another 2-3 minutes.
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Step 5
– Grab your trusty SIM eject tool or an uncoiled paperclip and gently pop that SIM tray out like a pro!
Step 6
– Gently slide the SIM tray out of its cozy little home and set it aside, free from the iPad’s grasp.
– If you’re swapping out the SIM card, just give it a little push to pop it out of its tray and slide in the shiny new one!
Step 7
Put on your safety glasses to keep those peepers safe, and remember to handle the LCD screen with care—it’s delicate, just like your grandma’s favorite vase!
– If your screen is sporting a crack, let’s keep it from shattering further and keep you safe during the repair—grab some tape and cover that glass up!
– Apply overlapping strips of clear packing tape over your iPad’s display until the whole face is nicely covered.
– Do your best to follow the remaining steps as laid out. Just a heads up, once the glass starts breaking, it might keep on cracking while you work, so you might want to have a metal prying tool handy to scoop out the pieces.
Step 8
Just a friendly heads-up: while you’re getting your hands dirty with this repair, make sure to rock those safety glasses! They’ll keep those pesky glass shards from crashing the party.
– Place the iOpener flat on the right edge of your iPad, making sure to smooth it out for a snug fit—this ensures it connects nicely with the iPad’s surface.
– Give it about 90 seconds to work its magic on the iPad before you dive into opening the front panel.
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Step 9
Getting that wedged tip of the opening tool between the glass and plastic might take a little elbow grease! Just take your time and be gentle, and don’t hesitate to wiggle the plastic tool back and forth as needed. You’ve got this!
– Hey there! Spot a tiny gap in the adhesive ring at the upper right corner of your iPad? It’s about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top. Let’s use that little flaw to our advantage!
– Now, grab your trusty tool and line it up with the mute button. Carefully slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into that gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just the tip! We want to gently widen that crack, not go crazy.
Step 10
– Ensure you position the tool just right—nestled between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass.
Step 11
– With the plastic opening tool snugly positioned between the front glass and the plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into the gap right next to where you’ve placed the tool. You’re on the right track!
Step 12
– Gently take out the plastic opening tool from your iPad and slide the opening pick a little deeper under the front glass, aiming for about 0.5 inches. You’ve got this!
Step 13
– As you tackle the task of peeling back the adhesive on the right side of your iPad, give that iOpener another warm-up, and place it back on the bottom edge of the iPad. You’re doing great!
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Step 14
This adhesive is super strong, so you might need to put in a little muscle. Take your time and be gentle!
If you spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from beneath the front glass, give it a gentle tug. While it’s perfectly fine to use the pick this deep, just a heads up – it might leave some adhesive residue on the LCD. Keep it cool and remember, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– As the iOpener warms up the bottom edge, start loosening the adhesive from the right edge of your iPad.
– Gently slide the opening pick down the side of the iPad, freeing the adhesive as you glide along.
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Step 15
You might want to slide that warm iOpener back to the right edge of the iPad as you tackle the adhesive. Just keep in mind, this might depend on how long the iPad has been cooling off while you were busy working your magic.
– If your opening pick seems to be glued down by the adhesive, give it a little ‘roll’ along the edge of the iPad to help release that sticky stuff. You’ve got this!
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Step 16
– Before you dive in and pull that first opening pick from the bottom corner of your iPad, slide a second pick right under the edge of the front glass on the right. This little buddy will help keep the adhesive from getting all clingy again.
– Give your iOpener a little reheat love, then place it on the top edge of the iPad. Let’s keep things warm and cozy!
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Step 17
The Wi-Fi antenna is snugly fastened to the bottom right corner of your iPad’s rear case with screws and a cable. Due to the unique positioning of the Wi-Fi antenna, it’s super important to take your time and handle it carefully, or you might accidentally cause some serious harm to it.
– Alright, friends, it’s time to take a deep breath and get ready to work with some precision! We’re about to carefully detach the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel. Just remember, the delicate parts connecting the antenna to the iPad’s bottom need some extra love—so let’s proceed with caution and attention to detail. Follow these steps closely and you’ll be just fine!
Step 18
Be careful not to slide the pick too far past the bottom right corner. You wouldn’t want to accidentally mess up the Wi-Fi antenna—let’s keep those signals strong!
– Gently glide that opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPad, freeing up the adhesive like a pro!
Step 19
Take your time and gently glide the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. Be extra careful near the corner where the Wi-Fi antenna hangs out—it’s a bit shy and can get a little grumpy if the adhesive is released the wrong way!
Just a friendly tip: keep that pick snugly under the front glass! Pull it out only a tad, leaving about 1/8″ (3 mm) of the tip still tucked away under there.
– Gently glide the tip of the opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad, freeing up the adhesive that’s holding the Wi-Fi antenna in place. You’ve got this!
Step 20
– Alright, you’ve made it past the Wi-Fi antenna! Now, about 3 inches (75 mm) from the right edge—right by the home button—reinsert that opening pick all the way in. You’ve got this!
– Now, slide that pick to the right. Feel that? That’s the adhesive giving way and letting the Wi-Fi antenna break free from the front glass. Keep going!
Step 21
Hey there! Remember, don’t heat that iOpener for more than a minute at a time. Give it a breather for at least two minutes before you fire it up again. Keep it cool and safe!
If the adhesive has gotten a bit too chilly along the bottom edge, just give that iOpener a quick reheat to cozy up the adhesive where you’re working. Keep it warm and carry on!
– Keep on gently peeling away the adhesive at the bottom of your iPad. As you do this, slide the opening pick around the home button, making sure to pull it out just enough to get a good angle. Once you’re past the home button, slide that pick back in to about 1/2 inch (10 mm) deep. You’re doing great!
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Step 22
– Keep on peeling that adhesive right along the bottom edge of your iPad like a pro.
– Slide the opening pick in and let it hang out under the front glass near the home button.
Step 23
– Pop that iOpener into the microwave for a quick reheat, then place it on the left edge of your iPad. This will help get the adhesive in that area all toasty and ready for action!
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Step 24
If your adhesive has decided to chill out a bit too much, simply swap out the iOpener along the top edge and keep going. And if the iOpener itself is feeling a little too cool, just give it another warm-up!
– Gently glide the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little tug to navigate around that front-facing camera bracket.
– The adhesive in this area is pretty robust, so you might need to apply some muscle. Take your time and stay steady to avoid any slips that could hurt you or your iPad.
– If your opening pick feels like it’s stuck in the adhesive, just give it a little roll as demonstrated in step 9.
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Step 25
If the adhesive is feeling cozy and warm, go ahead and take that iOpener off the iPad for some ease. But if it’s still hanging on tight, just give the iOpener another round of heat and rest it on the left edge while you get to work.
– Keep peeling away that sticky adhesive along the top edge of your iPad, and gently maneuver the opening pick around the top left corner. You’re doing great!
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Step 26
The digitizer cable is hanging out around 2″ (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you reach about 2.25″ (60 mm) from the bottom, it’s time to hit the brakes on that pick!
– Gently slide the opening pick down the left side of your iPad, and let it work its magic on that adhesive! Remember, the adhesive is a bit on the thinner side here thanks to the digitizer running along the left edge. Just keep the pick shallow—no more than half an inch (10 mm)—to avoid any mishaps with the digitizer. You’re doing great!
Step 27
Careful now! The 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 go snipping that cable!
– With the trusty opening pick still nestled under the bottom edge of your iPad, go ahead and gently free the adhesive at the bottom left corner. You’ve got this!
Step 28
It looks like some of the adhesive around the iPad’s edge might have decided to stick around a little longer than we’d like. No worries! Just grab a pick and gently slide it under the edge where the front glass is still holding on tight, then give that adhesive a little ‘snip’ to free things up.
– Grab one of those nifty opening picks and gently lift the bottom right corner of your iPad. Once it’s up, give it a friendly pinch with your fingers to hold it steady!
Step 29
Watch out for any leftover sticky stuff! Use an opening pick to slice through any adhesive that’s still keeping the front panel snug. You got this!
– 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 putting it all back together, remember to whip out a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to give that LCD a good clean, banishing any dust bunnies or pesky fingerprints before you seal the glass back on.
Step 30
The bottom left screw is hiding behind the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently nudge that ribbon cable aside and you’ll be able to grab the bottom left screw without a hitch!
– Let’s get things rolling by unscrewing those four tiny 2 mm Phillips #00 screws that are holding the LCD snugly to the aluminum frame. You’ve got this!
Step 31
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is a bit delicate and can snap if you bend it too much. Keep it safe and sound!
– Grab a plastic opening tool or a spudger, and gently lift the right edge of the LCD away from the iPad. You’ve got this!
– Now, carefully rotate the LCD along its left edge and let it rest on top of the front glass panel. Easy peasy!
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Step 32
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently peel back the tape that’s covering the LCD ribbon cable connector. You’ve got this!
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Step 33
– Gently lift the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF connector—it’s like giving it a little hug!
– Using your fingers or a trusty pair of tweezers, carefully pull the LCD ribbon cable out of its cozy home on the logic board.
– If the LCD screen decides to play hard to get and doesn’t power on after reconnecting the ZIF connector, just give the iPad a little nudge by holding down the power button and home button for at least ten seconds until the Apple logo pops up like a surprise party!
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Step 34
– Gently lift the LCD away from the front panel without putting your fingers on the screen. You’ve got this!
Step 35
If you’ve got it, go ahead and peel off that piece of electrical tape that’s hiding the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, and home button ribbon cable. Let’s get those connections ready for action!
Step 36
– Lift the retaining flap on the home button ribbon cable ZIF connector with care.
Step 37
– Grab a trusty pair of tweezers and gently pull the home button ribbon cable straight out from its cozy spot on the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 38
– Gently wiggle the home button ribbon cable out of its cozy spot in the rear case.
Step 39
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the tape holding down the digitizer ribbon cable to the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 40
– Lift the retaining flap on both of the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors with a gentle touch.
Step 41
– Grab that trusty spudger and gently slide the flat end under the digitizer ribbon cable to loosen up the adhesive that’s keeping it stuck.
– Once you’ve got it loosened, give that digitizer ribbon cable a nice, steady pull straight out from its cozy home on the logic board.
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Step 42
– Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and grab your trusty spudger. Use the flat end to carefully release the adhesive that’s holding the cable snugly against the rear aluminum case. You’re doing great!
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Step 43
– Gently coax the digitizer ribbon cable out of its cozy spot in the aluminum frame using your fingers.
– Carefully lift off the front panel from the iPad.
Step 44
– Gently peel back that pesky piece of electrical tape hiding the headphone jack assembly cable connector—it’s time for it to say goodbye!
– Grab your trusty spudger and with a delicate touch, flip up the retaining flaps on both ZIF connectors that are holding the headphone jack cable to the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 45
– Gently slide the flat end of a spudger under the headphone jack assembly cable, and watch as it releases from the adhesive holding it snugly against the rear aluminum frame.
– Now, give that headphone jack assembly cable a gentle tug and pull it straight out of its socket on the logic board. Easy peasy!
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Step 46
– Gently peel back the tape that’s hiding the SIM board cable ZIF connector. It’s like unwrapping a surprise!
– Flip up the little retaining flap on the SIM board cable ZIF connector. You’re almost there!
– With the tip of a spudger, carefully pull the SIM board cable straight out of its cozy spot on the logic board. You’ve got this!
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Step 47
Remember to gently pry under the connector, not the socket itself! If you go for the socket, you might end up with some serious damage, and we definitely don’t want that!
– Unplug the following connectors from their cozy homes on the logic board:
Step 48
– Unscrew those seven little screws holding the logic board tight against the rear aluminum panel. You’ve got this!
Step 49
– With the logic board in hand, grip it gently by the side closest to the dock connector and smoothly slide it down towards the bottom of the iPad. Take your time and enjoy the process!
Step 50
– Gently flip the logic board over, making sure to watch out for any cables that might try to tag along.
– With the spudger’s tip, carefully detach the three antenna connectors from their cozy spots on the logic board.
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Step 51
Handle the battery with care as you take it out of the iPad—no poking or prodding, please! Batteries are packed with some pretty nasty stuff that you definitely don’t want to accidentally taste or breathe in. Stay safe out there!
Get ready to tackle that battery! In the upcoming steps, we’ll gently peel back the adhesive, taking it two inches at a time. This way, we keep the battery happy and stress-free!
– The battery is really stuck to the aluminum frame with a generous amount of strong adhesive. But don’t worry, with a little patience and the right approach, you’ll have it out in no time!
Step 52
This adhesive means business! Loosening it will take some serious muscle. Take your time and be careful, and make sure your metal spudger stays in control. You’ve got this!
– Gently slide the flat end of your trusty metal spudger underneath the battery near the bottom of your iPad.
– Now, give that metal spudger a little slide—about 1.5 inches—underneath the battery to release the sticky stuff holding it in place.
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Step 53
– Just like we did earlier, gently wiggle the spudger about 2 inches under those other pesky adhesive strips. You’ve got this!
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Step 54
– Gently slide the metal spudger under the battery connector to free it from the adhesive that’s keeping it snug. You’ve got this!
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Step 55
– Keep peeling back the adhesive at the top of the battery like you’re unwrapping a present. You’re doing great!
Step 56
As you slide the spudger further under the battery, try to keep it as flat against the rear case as you can to prevent any bending of the battery. You’re doing great!
– Let’s pick up where we last left off! Slide the metal spudger another couple of inches underneath the battery.
– Now, keep that momentum going and repeat this for the other adhesive strips.
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Step 57
– Just like we did before, keep loosening the adhesive on all the strips until you reach about 4 inches deep.
Step 58
– On your final go, slide that metal spudger all the way to the right edge of the iPad like you’re giving it a high five!
– Keep this groove going for each of the adhesive strips – you’re almost there!
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Step 59
– First off, ensure that all that sticky adhesive glue has been loosened from the battery. We want it to be a smooth operation!
– Now, gently lift the left side of the battery, giving it a little twist toward the right side of your iPad. It’s like a little dance!
– Finally, remove that battery from the iPad with care. You’re almost there!
