iPad 5 LTE LCD Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 34 Steps
Hey there, repair pal! The battery isolation method in this guide is a bit old-school and might seriously damage the battery pins on the logic board, potentially ruining it for good. If you're isolating the battery this way, follow every warning super carefully. If you're tackling the guide without isolating it, skip the metal tools except when you really need them, like with screws, to avoid shorting the battery and zapping those delicate circuits.
Ready to replace that cracked LCD on your iPad 5 LTE? This guide will walk you through the steps! Just a heads-up, some parts of the guide use a Wi-Fi model, so the internals might look a little different than your LTE version. But no worries, the procedure is basically the same with a few minor differences noted. Also, a quick warning: the battery isolation method shown here is a bit old-school and could potentially cause some damage to the logic board pins if you're not careful. If you're going to try it, take it slow and work with caution. But hey, if you're feeling adventurous and want to skip isolating the battery, make sure to avoid using metal tools (except for removing screws, of course) to prevent any accidental shorts or damage to the sensitive components. If things get tricky, don't hesitate to schedule a repair.
Step 1
- Give your iOpener some love by heating it up and placing it on the left edge of your device for a solid two minutes. It's like a cozy warm hug for your gadget!
Tools Used
Step 2
- As the adhesive starts to loosen, keep in mind these spots that are extra sensitive to prying:
- Front camera
- Antennas
- Display cables
Step 3
In the next three steps, we'll introduce the Anti-Clamp, a nifty tool crafted to simplify the opening process. If you're not rocking the Anti-Clamp, feel free to hop down three steps for another way to tackle this.
Curious about how to wield the Anti-Clamp like a pro? Check out this guide!
If your iPad's surface feels a bit too slick for the Anti-Clamp to grip, no worries! Just use some tape to create a more textured surface.
- Give that blue handle a gentle tug backward to set the Anti-Clamp's arms free!
- Get your iPad comfy by placing something underneath it to keep it nice and balanced between those handy suction cups.
- Let's find the sweet spot! Stick the suction cups on the middle of the left edge—one at the top and another at the bottom.
- Now, hold the bottom of the Anti-Clamp steady and give the top cup a firm press to create a snug seal. You're doing great!
Step 4
- Slide that blue handle forward to lock in those arms—nice and steady.
- Twist the handle a full 360 degrees (or until the suction cups start stretching) to get things moving.
- Keep an eye on those suction cups to make sure they're staying in sync. If they start to drift out of line, just loosen them up a little and realign the arms. Easy fix!
Step 5
Take it easy! Just give it a gentle twist, no more than half a turn at a time. Then, kick back and chill for a minute between those twists. Let the Anti-Clamp and the clock work their magic for you.
For the full scoop on using a hair dryer, dive into this guide.
If the Anti-Clamp isn't opening up enough space, crank up the heat a tad and twist the handle clockwise by half a turn.
- Give the adhesive a minute to loosen up and create a small gap for you to work with.
- If your screen isn’t getting warm enough, grab a hair dryer and gently warm up the left edge of your iPad.
- Slide an opening pick under the digitizer once the Anti-Clamp has made enough space for you to slip it in.
- Skip this next step for now, you’ve got this!
Step 6
If your display is seriously cracked, try slapping on some clear packing tape for that suction cup to stick. Or, go for some heavy-duty tape as a backup. If nothing works, a dab of superglue can bond the suction cup right to the busted screen.
- When the screen feels warm to the touch, grab your suction handle and place it on the left edge of the screen, as close to the edge as possible.
- Gently lift the screen with the suction handle to create a small gap between the digitizer and the frame.
- Slide an opening pick into the gap between the digitizer and the frame.
Tools Used
Step 7
No need to stress if the opening pick is visible through the digitizer—just pull it out. The LCD screen should stay safe, but be mindful that you might leave behind some adhesive that's a bit tricky to clean up.
- Pop a second opening pick into the gap you just made.
- Slide that pick down to the bottom-left corner to break up the adhesive.
- Leave the pick hanging out in the bottom-left corner to stop the adhesive from sticking back.
Step 8
- If the opening pick gets stuck in the adhesive, gently roll it along the edge of the iPad to keep peeling that sticky stuff away.
Step 9
- Gently slide your opening pick up towards the top-left corner to loosen that stubborn adhesive.
- Keep the pick wedged in the top-left corner so the adhesive doesn’t sneak back and seal itself again.
Step 10
- Warm up your iOpener and gently press it to the top edge of your device for about two minutes. Give it time to work its magic!
Tools Used
Step 11
- Twist the pick around the top-left corner to peel away that adhesive.
Step 12
Steer clear of sliding the pick over the front camera – it could end up being a real lens bummer! Follow these steps to keep things safe and sound.
- Ease that opening pick along the top edge of the device, but stop right before hitting the front camera.
Step 13
- Gently slide the pick out until just the tip is nestled between the digitizer and the frame. You've got this!
- Carefully glide the pick above the front camera to break that adhesive seal. Nice and easy!
- Keep that pick steady near the right side of the front camera before you move on to the next step. Almost there!
Step 14
- Pop that pick back in and glide it over to the top-right corner to fully release the top adhesive.
- Keep the pick chilling in the top-right corner to stop the adhesive from getting all clingy again.
Step 15
- Warm up your iOpener and gently apply it to the right edge of the device for two minutes to loosen things up nicely.
Tools Used
Step 16
- Spin the pick around the top-right corner of the device to loosen that stubborn adhesive.
Step 17
Hey, the display cables are about halfway up from the bottom of the iPad. Pause your slide when you're three inches from the bottom—easy peasy!
- Grab your opening pick and gently slide it along the right edge of your iPad until you reach the middle. Easy does it, you got this!
Step 18
- Warm up your iOpener and gently place it on the bottom edge of the device for two minutes to get things loosening up nicely.
Tools Used
Step 19
Take it easy on rotating that pick around the corner—don't go all the way, or you might zap the antenna!
- Gently slide the bottom-left pick down to the corner to loosen up the adhesive.
- Leave that pick chilling in the bottom-left corner before we move on.
Step 20
Hey, slide that pick straight towards the home button—keep it cool and avoid going the other way, or you might damage the antenna!
If you need to slide the pick over this section again, simply take it out and re-insert it at the bottom-left corner. It's all about that perfect angle!
- Hey, grab a fresh opening pick and slide it into that gap you just made at the bottom edge of the iPad.
- Gently glide the pick over the antenna, stopping right before the home button.
- Leave the pick parked to the left of the home button before you keep going.
Step 21
Ease that pick in gently, up to 1 mm max, to keep the right antenna out of harm's way!
- Gently slide an opening pick into the little gap you've just created.
- Now, carefully slide that pick under the home button, moving it toward the bottom-right corner. Just make sure the tip stays between the digitizer and the frame—nothing too deep, just enough to do the trick!
Step 22
Just a friendly reminder: slide that pick gently towards the home button and resist the urge to push it the other way! That way, you'll keep your antenna safe and sound.
If you gotta slide the pick over this spot again, just pull it out and pop it back in at the bottom-right corner.
- Grab the pick again and carefully slide it toward the home button to fully detach the bottom adhesive. You've got this!
- Keep that pick right next to the home button as you move on to the next step. You're on a roll!
Step 23
- Heat up your iOpener and gently place it on the right edge of the device for two minutes.
Tools Used
Step 24
Take it easy on this step—patience is key. Make sure the adhesive is nice and soft before you start. Use a pick to carefully separate all the adhesive, and don’t worry if you need to stop and reheat it. No rush here, just take your time and get it right.
If you're feeling a lot of pushback, give those edges another quick heat-up and gently glide your opening pick along them.
- Give those two opening picks a gentle twist at the left corners of the iPad to lift the digitizer just a bit, peeling away the last of that adhesive.
Step 25
- Give the left edge of the digitizer a gentle upward lift to keep loosening that adhesive along the right side of the iPad.
Step 26
- While keeping the digitizer supported, slide an opening pick between the two display cables to peel away the last of the adhesive.
Step 27
- With all that adhesive peeled away, open the digitizer like a book and set it parallel to the iPad.
- While reassembling, clean off any leftover adhesive from the frame—and the digitizer if you're reusing it—with isopropyl alcohol. Swap it out with our adhesive strips or pre-cut adhesive cards.
- Keep an eye on the display cables during reassembly. Fold them neatly under the LCD screen to dodge any damage. If you run into any hiccups, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 28
- Peel off any tape that's covering the LCD screws to get them ready.
Step 29
- Time to free the LCD! Remove the four Phillips screws holding it in place:
- You've got three 4.0 mm screws
- And one 4.8 mm screw
Step 30
Hey there, tech wizard! Just a friendly reminder: don’t try to yank that LCD off completely. It's still hanging out, connected to the iPad by a few cables near the home button. So, lift it gently from the front-facing camera side, okay?
Take your time! Be gentle and keep your eyes peeled for those LCD cables as you carefully flip the display. You’ve got this!
Carefully place the LCD on a soft, clean, and lint-free surface to keep it safe.
- Grab your spudger's flat end and gently pry the LCD out just enough to get a solid grip with your fingers.
- Flip the LCD like turning a page in a book—lift near the camera and swing it over the home button side of the rear case.
- Lay the LCD face-down to open up access to the display cables.
Tools Used
Step 31
Grab a battery blocker to help you out here! Just be gentle—don't go shoving it under the connector with too much force, or you might cause a little more drama than you need.
Grab a playing card and slide it under the logic board connector like a pro to safely disconnect the battery. It's a simple step, but you'll feel pretty slick doing it!
- Grab your 2.3 mm Phillips screwdriver and remove the single screw holding the battery connector to the logic board.
- Leave that blocker in place to keep the battery connector leads from making contact until you've finished your repairs.
Step 32
- Carefully remove the three 1.4 mm Phillips screws that are holding the display cable bracket in place.
Step 33
Be careful! The display cable connector is snugly attached to the bracket's underside. So, when you’re sliding in the spudger, keep it a little reserved to avoid any connector mishaps.
- Grab your spudger and gently nudge the display cable bracket upwards from the logic board. Take it slow and steady – no need to rush this part.
Tools Used
Step 34
- Time to say goodbye to that LCD—let's remove it carefully!
