iPad 4 GSM Display Bezel Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 47 Steps
This display bezel guide was originally made for the iPad 3 Wi-Fi, but good news — the steps to pop off the bezel are exactly the same for the iPad 4, whether it’s the 4G or Wi-Fi model.
If you've found yourself with a busted display bezel, don't stress! This guide will walk you through replacing it. While it was originally designed for the iPad 3 Wi-Fi, good news—it works for the iPad 4 models too, whether you’ve got the 4G or Wi-Fi version. Just follow along and you'll have your screen looking brand new in no time!
Step 1
For carousel microwaves: Double check that the plate is spinning without any hiccups. If your iOpener gets stuck, it might overheat and cause a bit of a burn—definitely something you want to avoid!
It's a good idea to give your microwave a quick clean before diving in, as any lingering mess on the bottom might just hitch a ride on the iOpener.
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave and get ready for some heat!
Tools Used
Step 2
Keep the iOpener at a reasonable temperature! Overheating it could cause it to pop like a balloon, and we don’t want that. Don’t go past 100˚C (212˚F), okay?
If your iOpener looks like it's puffed up or swollen, avoid touching it. Just a friendly safety reminder!
If the iOpener is still too hot in the middle to handle, give it a minute to cool down a bit before reheating. A well-heated iOpener should stay warm for about 10 minutes – just enough to get the job done without rushing it.
Depending on your microwave's power, you might need a bit more or less time. The iOpener is ready when it's just about too hot to handle comfortably.
- Pop the iOpener in the microwave for 30 seconds to give it a good heat-up.
- As you work through the repair, the iOpener will cool down, so just keep reheating it in the microwave for another 30 seconds whenever needed.
Tools Used
Step 3
Heads up, the iOpener's going to be pretty hot! Handle it with care and maybe throw on an oven mitt if you're not a fan of burning your hands.
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, gripping it by one of the flat ends. Watch out for the hot middle—give it some space so you don’t burn your hands.
Tools Used
Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener can get pretty hot, so make sure to grab it by the end tabs. Safety first!
No microwave? No problem! Just heat your iOpener by placing it in boiling water instead.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it with enough water to dunk your iOpener completely.
- Bring that water to a rolling boil, then switch off the heat.
- Carefully place your iOpener into the hot water and let it soak for 2-3 minutes, making sure it's fully submerged.
- Use tongs to fish the warm iOpener out of the water—no burnt fingers here!
- Give your iOpener a good dry off with a towel.
- And voilà, your iOpener is all warmed up and ready to get to work! If it cools down, just repeat the boil-and-soak routine for another 2-3 minutes.
Tools Used
Step 5
Pop on some safety glasses to keep those peepers safe, and handle the LCD screen gently to avoid any oops moments.
This will help keep those glass shards under control and maintain the display's strength as you pry and lift it. No worries, it's all about safety and keeping things intact!
- Got a cracked display glass? No worries! To keep things in check and avoid further mess while you're fixing it, stick some tape over the cracks to hold it together.
- Start by laying down a few strips of clear packing tape across the iPad’s screen, overlapping them until the whole surface is covered. It's like putting a protective blanket on your device!
- Now, go ahead and follow the guide step by step. Just a heads up: once that glass is cracked, it might keep cracking as you work. You might even need to grab a metal prying tool to carefully lift the glass out. But don’t stress, we’ve got you covered!
Step 6
Heads up! Since you’ll likely be dealing with some broken glass here, it’s a smart move to rock some safety glasses to keep those sneaky shards from causing trouble.
- Place the iOpener flat on the right edge of your iPad, making sure it's in full contact with the surface. This will give it the perfect grip to work its magic.
- Let the bag chill on the iPad for about 90 seconds. That’s the sweet spot before you dive into opening up the front panel.
Tools Used
Step 7
Getting that stubborn opening tool tip between the glass and plastic might take a little muscle. No worries, just be patient and take your time. Gently wiggle the plastic tool back and forth until it slips in. Slow and steady wins this race!
- There's a little gap in the iPad's adhesive ring at the upper right corner, about 2 inches (5 cm) from the top. Time to take advantage of this spot.
- Line up your tool with the mute button. Gently insert the tip of your plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just slide in the tip – you don't need to go too deep, just enough to open up the crack a bit.
Step 8
- Place the tool carefully in the sweet spot—right between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass. This is where the magic happens, so make sure it’s just right!
Step 9
- Gently wedge the tip of the plastic opening tool between the front glass and plastic bezel. Then, slide a plastic opening pick into the gap, right alongside the plastic tool. You’re almost there – keep it steady!
Step 10
- Take out the plastic opening tool from your iPad and gently slide the opening pick a little further underneath the front glass—aim for about 0.5 inches in depth.
Step 11
- As you work on loosening the adhesive along the right edge of the iPad, pop the iOpener back in the microwave to warm it up again, then place it neatly on the bottom edge to keep things toasty.
Tools Used
Step 12
- While the bottom edge gets its warm-up from the iOpener, start peeling back the adhesive on the right side of your iPad.
- Carefully glide the opening pick down the edge, easing off the adhesive as you go. Take it slow, there's no rush!
The adhesive is pretty strong, so you might need to apply a bit of muscle here. Take it slow and steady – you'll get it!
If you spot the tip of the opening pick peeking under the front glass, gently pull it out a little. Don't worry, getting this deep won't cause any harm, but you might end up with some sticky residue on the LCD. Just something to keep in mind!
Tools Used
Step 13
You might need to slide the heated iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad while loosening the adhesive. How long the iPad has cooled down during your work will decide if this move is necessary.
- If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, gently roll it along the side of the iPad, easing the adhesive away as you go.
Tools Used
Step 14
- Before you take that first pick from the bottom corner of your iPad, slide a second pick under the right edge of the front glass to keep the adhesive from sticking back down. Trust me, it's worth it!
- Reheat your trusty iOpener, then move it up to the top edge of your iPad. Let's get that glass ready to come off!
Tools Used
Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna hangs out on the bottom right edge of the iPad’s rear case, held in place by screws and a cable. Because it’s sitting just so, you’ll want to handle it with care—one wrong move and you might say goodbye to your Wi-Fi antenna forever.
- Alright, time to slow things down a bit and take it easy. These next steps need your full attention, so make sure you're ready.
- Now, you're going to need to carefully free up the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel. The tricky part? You want to make sure you don't accidentally damage those delicate parts that connect the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Follow these steps closely, and you'll be just fine.
Step 16
Heads up! Don’t push the pick past the bottom right corner or you might accidentally mess up the Wi-Fi antenna.
- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad to release the adhesive. A little patience here will go a long way!
Step 17
- Gently slide the opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad to loosen the adhesive holding down the Wi-Fi antenna.
Take it easy when sliding the opening pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. The Wi-Fi antenna is right there near the corner and can get damaged if the adhesive isn't released just right. Move with care, and if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Gently pull the pick out from under the front glass, but don't yank it all the way. Leave about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip still tucked under the glass. It'll help you keep control as you move forward!
Step 18
- Once you've passed the Wi-Fi antenna (roughly 3" (75 mm) from the right edge, or right near the home button), go ahead and reinsert the opening pick all the way in.
- Gently slide the pick to the right to loosen the adhesive that’s holding the Wi-Fi antenna onto the front glass.
- The antenna is secured to the bottom of the iPad with screws and a cable. By detaching the antenna from the front panel now, you’ll ensure that when you remove the panel, the antenna stays safe and sound.
Step 19
Don’t keep the iOpener in the heat for more than a minute at a time, and be sure to give it a cool down break of at least two minutes before heating it up again.
If the adhesive along the bottom edge has cooled off too much, just give the iOpener another quick warm-up to soften it back up where you’re working.
- Keep sliding that opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad, carefully pulling it out far enough to get past the home button. Once you’re past it, pop the pick back in about half an inch (10 mm) to keep that adhesive in check.
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 that adhesive all along the bottom edge of the iPad—slow and steady wins the race!
- Leave your opening pick chilling right under the front glass by the home button to keep things loose.
Step 21
- Pop the iOpener in the microwave for a quick heat-up and place it along the left edge of the iPad. This will help loosen up the adhesive in that area, making the next steps easier.
Tools Used
Step 22
If the adhesive has cooled down too much, no worries! Just pop the iOpener back along the top edge and give it another go. If it’s still feeling cool, warm it up again and get back to work.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little tug to get around the front-facing camera bracket.
- The adhesive in this area is pretty stubborn, so you might need to apply a bit of muscle here. Just take it slow and steady to avoid any accidental slips or bumps that could damage your iPad.
- If the opening pick gets stuck due to the adhesive, try giving it a little 'roll' as shown in step 9.
Tools Used
Step 23
If the adhesive is nice and toasty, go ahead and take the iOpener off the iPad for easier handling. But if it's still feeling a bit too clingy, just give the iOpener another heat-up, then place it on the left edge while you get to work.
- Keep peeling back the adhesive along the top edge of the iPad, then smoothly slide your opening pick around the top left corner like a pro.
Tools Used
Step 24
The digitizer cable is about 2" (50 mm) up from the bottom of the iPad. Once you’ve slid the pick about 2.25" (60 mm) from the bottom, it's time to stop! No need to go too deep—just be careful not to overdo it.
- Gently slide your opening pick along the left edge of the iPad to loosen the adhesive. Heads up: the adhesive is pretty thin here because of the digitizer running along this side. Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than about half an inch (10 mm)—to avoid any accidental damage to the digitizer.
Step 25
The digitizer cable sits just about 1 inch (25 mm) from the bottom of the iPad. Take your time and handle with care—let's not make this cable's last day!
- Grab your opening pick and gently slide it under the bottom edge of your iPad. Now, with a bit of finesse, work it along the bottom left corner to peel away the adhesive. You got this!
Step 26
If some of the adhesive along the edge of your iPad decided to stick back down, no worries! Just gently slide a pick underneath the part where the front glass is still holding on and carefully 'cut' through the adhesive. Easy does it!
- Grab one of your trusty opening picks, gently wedge it under the bottom right corner of the iPad, then lift and hold it with your fingers.
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky bits still hanging on, and use your trusty opening pick to gently slice through any adhesive holding that front panel in place. Take it slow and steady!
- Grab your 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 quick once-over with a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to zap away any dust or fingerprints before you pop the glass back on.
Step 28
The bottom left screw is a little tricky to reach because the home button ribbon cable is in the way. Gently move the ribbon cable aside, and you'll be able to get to that screw.
- Grab your Phillips #00 screwdriver and carefully take out the four 2 mm screws holding the LCD to the aluminum frame. Easy does it!
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care—its ribbon cable is delicate and doesn't like to be bent too much. Treat it like a shy puppy!
- Grab that trusty plastic opening tool or spudger and gently pry up the right edge of the LCD from the iPad's embrace.
- Now, swing the LCD around its left edge and let it rest comfortably on top of the front glass panel like it's taking a little break.
Tools Used
Step 30
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift that piece of tape off the LCD ribbon cable connector. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 31
- Gently flip up the locking flap on the LCD ribbon cable’s ZIF connector.
- Carefully slide the LCD ribbon cable out of its socket on the logic board using your fingers or tweezers.
- If the LCD screen doesn’t light up after reconnecting the ZIF connector, try a force restart by holding down both the power and home buttons for about ten seconds until the Apple logo shows up.
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 there's a piece of electrical tape blocking your Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, or home button ribbon cable, go ahead and peel it off. Just a little tape removal, nothing too wild!
Step 34
- Gently flip up the little flap holding the home button ribbon cable ZIF connector in place.
Step 35
- Grab your trusty tweezers and gently pull the home button ribbon cable straight out from its socket on the logic board. Easy does it!
Tools Used
Step 36
- Carefully unplug the home button ribbon cable from its cozy spot in the back case.
Step 37
- Gently slide the tip of your spudger under the tape holding down the digitizer ribbon cable on the logic board, peeling it back like a pro.
Tools Used
Step 38
- Gently lift the retaining flap on both of the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors. A little nudge should do the trick—no need to force it!
Step 39
- Grab your trusty spudger and use the flat end to gently loosen the adhesive that's holding the digitizer ribbon cable down.
- Once it's free, carefully pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its snug sockets on the logic board.
Tools Used
Step 40
- Gently peel back the digitizer ribbon cable, then grab the flat end of your trusty spudger to carefully lift off the adhesive holding the cable in place against the rear aluminum case. Take your time – we’re all about precision here!
Tools Used
Step 41
- Gently use your fingers to lift the digitizer ribbon cable out of its snug spot in the aluminum frame.
- Carefully detach the front panel from the iPad. Easy does it!
Step 42
- Start by gently slipping the edge of your plastic opening tool between the plastic and aluminum frames at one of the corners. Be careful, but confident—it’s a small step with big rewards.
- Now, slowly and steadily glide the plastic tool along the edge of the iPad. You’ll feel the adhesive give way as you go. Keep it smooth and steady—you're doing great!
Step 43
- Keep sliding that plastic opening tool along the entire left edge of the iPad, nice and steady, just like before.
Step 44
- As you reach the bottom left corner, twist the plastic opening tool around the edge and keep sliding it along the bottom.
Step 45
- Now, glide that plastic opening tool down the right side of your iPad like you're peeling a sticker off – smooth and steady.
Step 46
- Keep an eye on that front-facing camera as you gently slide the plastic opening tool along the top edge of your iPad—no one wants a surprise selfie!
Step 47
- Once you've loosened the adhesive all around the edges, gently lift the plastic display bezel off your iPad and give yourself a little pat on the back!
