iPad 4 Wi-Fi Headphone Jack Board Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 54 Steps
Follow this guide to swap out the headphone jack board with ease.
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, so keep it moving!
Before diving in, give your microwave a quick clean! You don't want any stubborn crumbs sticking to the iOpener – trust us, it's not a good look.
- Pop the iOpener right in the middle of the microwave!
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Step 2
Heads up! Don’t let the iOpener get too hot — heating it past 100˚C (212˚F) might make it pop like a balloon.
If the iOpener looks puffed up or swollen, keep your hands off it, okay?
If it’s still too toasty in the center to handle, just keep using it and give it a bit more time to cool down before heating again. When heated right, the iOpener stays warm for about 10 minutes.
Microwave power can vary, so adjust heating time accordingly. Your iOpener is ready when it’s just a tad too hot to hold comfortably.
- Give your iOpener a warm-up in the microwave for thirty seconds. It's like a spa day for your tool!
- As you tackle the repair, keep that iOpener cozy by reheating it in the microwave for another thirty seconds whenever it starts to cool down. Keep the warmth flowing!
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Step 3
The iOpener gets super toasty, so handle it with care! A cozy oven mitt can come in handy if things get a bit too warm.
- Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave by grabbing one of the two flat ends—steer clear of the hot middle part!
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Step 4
Heads up! The iOpener gets super hot, so make sure to grab it only by the end tabs to keep your fingers safe and sound.
No microwave? No problem! Just pop your iOpener in some boiling water to heat it up like a pro.
- Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to give your iOpener a nice warm bath.
- Get that water boiling! Once it's bubbling away, turn off the heat.
- Gently place your iOpener into the hot water for 2-3 minutes. Make sure it's enjoying the soak and is completely submerged.
- Use tongs to carefully lift the warm iOpener out of the water. Safety first!
- Give the iOpener a good drying off with a towel to get it ready for action.
- And voilà! Your iOpener is all set to go! If it needs a little more heat, just repeat the boiling, turning off the heat, and soaking for another 2-3 minutes.
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Step 5
Put on your safety glasses to keep those peepers protected, and tread lightly so you don't accidentally give your LCD screen a rough time.
This helps keep those sneaky glass shards from escaping and gives your display some extra toughness while you pry and lift it up.
- If your display glass has taken a hit and cracked, keep things safe and avoid any ouch moments by taping it up before you dive in.
- Cover the iPad’s screen with overlapping strips of clear packing tape until the entire front is shielded like a pro.
- Stick to the steps ahead as best you can. Just a heads up: once that glass is cracked, it might keep spreading as you work, so you might need to carefully scoop it out with a metal prying tool.
Step 6
Just a quick heads-up! As you dive into this repair, keep in mind that you might be dealing with some pesky broken glass. We recommend rocking a pair of safety glasses to protect those peepers from any rogue shards that might fly your way. Safety first, folks!
- Place the iOpener flat against the right edge of the iPad, making sure it’s nice and smooth for optimal contact between the iPad's surface and the iOpener. You're setting the stage for success!
- Give the bag a little chill time on the iPad for about 90 seconds before you dive into opening the front panel. Patience is key!
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Step 7
Getting the opening tool's tip wedged between the glass and plastic might take a bit of muscle—stay cool and patient! Gently wiggle the plastic tool back and forth to ease it in without rushing.
- Check out this 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 spot is your secret entry point.
- Line up your tool with the mute button, then gently slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into the crack between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just a quick nudge with the tip is enough to pry it open a bit.
Step 8
- Remember to position your tool just right—nestled between the plastic display bezel and the front panel glass. You've got this!
Step 9
- Hold the tip of your plastic opening tool snugly between the front glass and plastic bezel, then slide a plastic opening pick into the gap right next to it to gently work things loose.
Step 10
- Gently slide the plastic opening tool out from the iPad, then carefully nudge the opening pick a bit deeper under the front glass—aim for about half an inch in. Keep it smooth and steady!
Step 11
- While you're busy loosening that stubborn adhesive on the right side of the iPad, give your iOpener a little reheat love and place it back on the bottom edge of the iPad.
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Step 12
This adhesive is tough stuff, so you might need to bring your A-game and a bit of muscle. Take it slow and steady!
If you spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from beneath the front glass, give it a gentle tug. While diving this deep with the pick won't cause any harm, it might leave a little adhesive residue on the LCD. Just a heads up!
- As you warm up the bottom edge with your trusty iOpener, let’s get started on loosening that stubborn adhesive from the right edge of the iPad.
- Gently slide the opening pick down along the edge of the iPad, freeing the adhesive little by little. You're doing great!
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Step 13
Depending on how long your iPad has had to cool down while you worked, you might need to pop that heated iOpener back onto the right edge to soften the adhesive again before continuing. Keep it cozy!
- If your opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, just give it a little roll along the edge of the iPad to keep breaking that sticky seal.
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Step 14
- Before pulling out that first opening pick from the bottom corner of the iPad, slide a second pick under the right edge of the front glass to keep that sticky adhesive from making a reunion.
- Give the iOpener another warm-up and shift it to the top edge of the iPad to keep things nice and toasty.
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Step 15
The Wi-Fi antenna is snugly attached to the bottom right edge of the iPad's rear case with screws and a cable. Since the orientation of the Wi-Fi antenna is a bit finicky, be sure to take it slow and steady—otherwise, you might accidentally turn it into a fancy paperweight!
- Heads up! The next steps need some serious finesse.
- You’ll carefully peel away the adhesive holding the antenna to the front panel without messing up the fragile connections at the bottom of the iPad. Take it slow and follow along closely.
Step 16
Hey there! Just a quick heads up: avoid sliding the pick past the bottom right corner. It could lead to some unplanned damage to the Wi-Fi antenna. Let's keep everything safe and sound!
- Gently glide the opening pick around the lower right corner of the iPad to free up that pesky adhesive.
Step 17
Slide the opening pick carefully along the bottom right edge of the front panel. Watch out for the Wi-Fi antenna hanging out near the corner — it’s super easy to nick if the adhesive lets go the wrong way.
Keep the pick sneaky—don’t pull it all the way out from under the front glass. Just slide it back a smidge so about 1/8" (3 mm) of the tip is still tucked underneath. Easy does it!
- Gently slide the opening pick along the bottom edge of your iPad to loosen the adhesive holding down the Wi-Fi antenna. Keep it smooth and steady!
Step 18
- Once you're past the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3" or 75mm from the right edge, or right by the home button), slide the opening pick all the way in—let it dive deep!
- Now, gently slide the pick to the right. This will free the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass. Easy peasy!
- The antenna is connected to the bottom of the iPad by screws and a cable. Detaching it here ensures that when you lift off the front panel, your antenna stays safe and sound.
Step 19
- Keep sliding that opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad, carefully pulling it out enough to curve around the home button, then pop it back in about half an inch (10 mm) past the button. Smooth moves!
Don’t go overboard with heating the iOpener—just a minute at a time, and give it a nice breather for at least two minutes before you heat it up again. Patience is key!
If the adhesive has cooled down a bit too much along the bottom edge, simply reheat the iOpener and give the adhesive some love where you're working. A little warmth can go a long way!
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Step 20
For iPad 4 models, slide the pick in gently, no deeper than 1/2 inch (10 mm), to keep that home button ribbon cable safe and sound.
- Keep peeling back the adhesive all along the bottom edge of the iPad.
- Keep that opening pick snugly tucked under the front glass near the home button to hold your progress.
Step 21
- Warm up the iOpener in the microwave, then place it on the left edge of the iPad to gently heat and loosen the adhesive in that area.
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Step 22
If the adhesive has cooled down too much, pop the iOpener back along the top edge and keep going. If the iOpener is feeling chilly, just give it another warm-up.
- Gently glide that opening pick along the top edge of your iPad, giving it a little tug to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
- The adhesive here is like super glue on steroids, so you might need to put in some effort. Just take it slow and steady—no need to rush and risk any mishaps with your iPad.
- If your pick feels like it's stuck in the adhesive, just 'roll' it like a pro as shown in step 9!
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Step 23
If the adhesive feels nice and warm, go ahead and take the iOpener off the iPad for easier handling. But if it’s still clinging on like a stubborn sticker, just heat up the iOpener again and rest it on the left edge while you keep working your magic.
- Keep peeling back the adhesive along the top edge of your iPad, then glide your opening pick around the top left corner like a pro.
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Step 24
Heads up! The digitizer cable hangs out about 2" (50 mm) up from the bottom edge of your iPad. When you're sliding your pick in, ease off once you hit around 2.25" (60 mm) from the bottom to keep things safe and sound.
- 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 since the digitizer runs along this entire side. Keep your pick shallow (no more than about 10 mm or half an inch) to avoid poking the digitizer.
Step 25
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.
- Grab that opening pick still hanging out at the bottom edge of your iPad, and gently slide it along the bottom left corner to break the adhesive seal. Easy does it!
Step 26
Sometimes the adhesive around the edge of your iPad likes to play sticky again. If that happens, gently slide a pick under the spot where the front glass is still holding on and carefully "slice" through the adhesive to free it up.
- Take an opening pick and gently pry up the bottom right corner of the iPad. Once it's lifted, grab it with your fingers and carefully pull it away. Easy does it!
Step 27
Watch out for any sticky adhesive still hanging on, and gently use an opening pick to slice through any glue that’s keeping the front panel stuck down.
- Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners and gently rotate the front glass away from the device. Think of it like a slow dance, just a little turn to get things moving.
- When you're putting everything back together, take a microfiber cloth and a bit of compressed air to clear off any dust or fingerprints on the LCD. A clean surface makes all the difference, trust us!
Step 28
The bottom left screw is hidden behind the home button ribbon cable connector. Gently nudge the home button ribbon cable aside to get that tricky bottom left screw out. You've got this!
- Unscrew the four 2 mm Phillips #00 screws holding the LCD to the aluminum frame—time to set them free!
Step 29
Handle the LCD with care! That ribbon cable is delicate and could snap if you bend it too much. Keep it safe and sound!
- Grab your trusty plastic opening tool or spudger and gently lift the right edge of the LCD out of your iPad. You've got this!
- Now, give that LCD a little twist along its left edge and let it rest comfortably on top of the front glass panel. Nice and easy!
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Step 30
- With the spudger's pointy end, carefully lift up the tape that's keeping the LCD ribbon cable connector cozy under wraps.
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Step 31
- Lift up the little flap that’s holding the LCD ribbon cable in place. It’s like unlocking the door to the next step.
- Now, gently grab the LCD ribbon cable (either with your fingers or some tweezers) and pull it out of the socket on the logic board. No need to rush, just take it slow and steady!
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Step 32
- Carefully lift the LCD away from the front panel—just keep your hands off the front glass to avoid any smudges or surprises.
Step 33
If you see it, peel off the electrical tape covering the Wi-Fi antenna, speaker cable, and home button ribbon cable. Easy peasy!
Step 34
- Gently lift the flap on the home button ribbon cable ZIF connector, just like opening a little secret compartment.
Step 35
- Grab a pair of tweezers and gently pull that home button ribbon cable straight out of its cozy socket on the logic board. Nice and easy—no force needed!
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Step 36
- Gently free the home button ribbon cable from its cozy spot in the rear case.
Step 37
- Grab a pair of tweezers and gently peel back the tape that's holding the digitizer ribbon cable to the logic board. Take it slow and steady – it's just a little tape, but this step can make all the difference!
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Step 38
- Gently flip up the retaining flap on each of the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF connectors to unlock them.
Step 39
- Grab that trusty spudger and gently slide the flat end underneath the digitizer ribbon cable to break free the adhesive. You're almost there!
- Now, with a steady hand, pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out from its cozy little home on the logic board. You've got this!
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Step 40
- Gently lift the digitizer ribbon cable and grab your trusty spudger. Use the flat end to carefully unstick the adhesive holding the cable to the back of the aluminum case. You've got this!
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Step 41
- Gently wiggle the digitizer ribbon cable free from its snug spot in the aluminum frame using your fingers.
- Carefully lift the front panel off the iPad.
Step 43
- Gently glide the flat end of your trusty spudger under the headphone jack assembly cable, freeing it from the adhesive that’s been keeping it cozy with the rear aluminum frame.
- Now, give that headphone jack assembly cable a nice, straight pull to release it from its snug home on the logic board.
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Step 44
- Gently nudge the front-facing camera ribbon cable out of the way using the flat edge of a spudger—no need to rip it off, just a little shimmy!
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Step 45
- Carefully lift and peel away the adhesive tape that’s holding down the headphone jack assembly.
Step 46
- With the spudger in hand, gently lift the retaining flap on the microphone cable ZIF connector. You've got this!
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Step 47
- Gently slide the spudger tip under the microphone ribbon cable and coax it out of its snug little spot on the ZIF connector.
- With the flat side of your spudger, nudge the microphone ribbon cable to the side so it can chill out for a moment.
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Step 48
- Gently lift the little retaining flap that's holding the volume/power button ribbon cable connector snugly against the headphone jack assembly board.
Step 49
- Carefully pop the volume button ribbon cable out of its ZIF connector.
- Gently lift the volume button ribbon cable upwards to tuck it out of the way.
Step 50
These screws are set at an angle into the aluminum frame. Keep your screwdriver lined up straight with the screw to avoid stripping it—steady hands win the day!
- Time to dive in! Let's get those screws out of the headphone jack assembly. Here's what you'll need to remove:
- Five 2.6 mm Phillips #0 screws
- Two 2.2 mm Wide Head Phillips #00 screws
- And finally, two 2.6 mm Phillips #00 screws
Step 51
- Grasp the ribbon cable of the headphone jack assembly gently and lift the assembly straight up toward the top edge of the device with care.
Step 52
- With one hand, grab hold of the headphone jack assembly and gently pull it away from the iPad, keeping an eye out for any sneaky cables that might try to cling on.
Step 53
- With the flat end of a spudger in hand, gently nudge the rear-facing camera out of its cozy spot on the underside of the headphone jack assembly board. You've got this!
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Step 54
- The headphone jack board is still with us.
