iPad 8 LTE LCD Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 46 Steps
Follow this guide to swap out the LCD on your iPad 8. Unlike the latest iPads and most smartphones, the glass digitizer and LCD on the iPad 8 are separate parts—not glued together. Heads up: this guide is for the LTE model only. If you have the Wi-Fi version, click here. When disconnecting the battery using a battery blocker, handle with care—the battery contacts are fragile and can bend or break, causing permanent damage. If you decide to skip isolating the battery, try to avoid metal tools except when absolutely necessary (like removing screws) to prevent short circuits and protect sensitive components. Some photos may show a different model and might look a bit different, but don’t worry, it won’t impact the steps. If you get stuck, you can always schedule a repair!
Step 1
- Warm up that iOpener and give it a cozy hug on the left edge of your device for about two minutes.
Tools Used
Step 2
- While waiting for the adhesive to soften up, keep an eye out for these parts that don’t like being poked:
- Front camera
- Antennas
- Display cables
Step 3
The upcoming three steps walk you through using the Anti-Clamp, a handy tool we created to make popping open your device a breeze. Not using the Anti-Clamp? No worries—just skip ahead three steps for a different approach.
For the full scoop on how to handle the Anti-Clamp like a pro, check out this guide.
If your iPad's surface feels too slick for the Anti-Clamp to get a good grip, stick some tape on there to give it a better hold.
- Give that blue handle a gentle tug back to free the Anti-Clamp's arms.
- Set your iPad on something sturdy so it's nice and level between the suction cups.
- Place the suction cups close to the center of the left edge—one at the top and one at the bottom.
- Keep the bottom of the Anti-Clamp steady and give a firm press down on the top cup to create a solid suction.
Step 4
- Slide the blue handle forward to lock those arms in place.
- Twist the handle a full 360 degrees clockwise (or until you see those cups start to stretch).
- Keep an eye on those suction cups—make sure they stay aligned. If they start to shift out of place, just loosen them a bit and realign the arms. Easy fix!
Step 5
Take it easy and avoid cranking more than half a turn at a time. Give it a minute to catch its breath between turns. Let the Anti-Clamp and timing do their magic for you!
For all the nitty-gritty on how to wield a hair dryer like a pro, be sure to check out this handy guide.
If the Anti-Clamp isn't creating enough of a gap, give it some extra love with heat and twist that handle clockwise for a half turn.
- Give it a minute to let the adhesive loosen up and create a little gap for you to work with.
- If your screen isn’t warming up enough, grab a hair dryer and gently heat along the left edge of the iPad.
- Once the Anti-Clamp has made a decent opening, slide in an opening pick beneath the digitizer.
- You can skip the next step.
Step 6
- Once the screen is pleasantly warm to the touch, grab a suction handle and stick it to the left edge of the screen, as close to the edge as you can get.
- Gently lift the screen with the suction handle, just enough to create a tiny gap between the digitizer and the frame.
- Now, slide an opening pick into that gap you just created. It should fit perfectly and make the next step a breeze!
Got a seriously cracked display? No worries! Try sticking a piece of clear packing tape over it to give your suction cup something to grab onto. If that doesn't work, strong tape can step in as a backup hero. And if all else fails, you can always superglue the suction cup to the screen for a solid grip. Just take it slow and steady, and you'll be back on track in no time!
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Step 7
No need to panic if the opening pick makes a guest appearance through the digitizer — just give it a gentle tug and pull it out. Your LCD screen should remain unharmed, but be aware that you might leave behind some sticky adhesive that's a bit of a pain to clean up.
- Slide a second opening pick into the gap you just made.
- Gently move the pick down toward the bottom-left corner to loosen the adhesive.
- Keep the pick wedged in the bottom-left corner so the adhesive doesn't stick back together.
Step 8
- If your opening pick gets caught in the sticky adhesive, just give it a smooth little roll along the edge of the iPad to keep that separation groove going.
Step 9
- Gently slide that first opening pick up towards the top-left corner of your device to break free the adhesive hold.
- Keep that pick in place at the top-left corner to make sure the adhesive doesn't sneak back into action.
Step 10
- Warm up your iOpener and place it on the top edge of your device for a solid two minutes.
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Step 11
- Gently spin the pick around the top-left corner of your device to break the adhesive's grip. A little twist goes a long way here!
Step 12
Keep your pick away from sliding over the front camera lens—nobody wants a scratched selfie! The next steps will help you dodge that pitfall.
- Gently glide the opening pick along the top edge of your device, making sure to stop just shy of the front camera. You're doing great!
Step 13
- Gently pull the pick out so that just the tip stays wedged between the digitizer and the frame.
- Carefully slide the pick over the front camera area to loosen up the adhesive.
- Keep the pick resting near the right side of the front camera before moving on to the next step.
Step 14
- Grab that pick and slide it gently towards the top-right corner of your device to fully break free from the adhesive's grip. You're doing great!
- Once you've done that, keep the pick in the top-right corner to stop the adhesive from trying to stick again. Easy peasy!
Step 15
- Warm up an iOpener and stick it to the right edge of your device for a cozy two-minute spa session.
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Step 16
- Gently maneuver the pick around the top-right corner of your device to break that adhesive bond. You've got this!
Step 17
The display cables hang out about halfway up from the bottom of your iPad. Just slide until you're about three inches away from the bottom, then stop. You've got this!
- Grab a fresh opening pick and gently slide it into the middle of the iPad's right edge. You're on your way to a great repair adventure!
Step 18
- Warm up your iOpener and let it work its magic on the bottom edge of your device for about two minutes. This will make everything a bit more pliable, so you can get into the action.
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Step 19
Avoid spinning the pick all the way around the corner to keep the antenna safe and sound.
- Gently slide the pick down to the bottom-left corner to loosen up that adhesive.
- Keep the pick wedged in the corner before moving on to the next step.
Step 20
Gently slide the pick towards the home button, but avoid pushing it the other way — that could hurt the antenna. Stay on the right track!
If you need to glide the pick over this spot again, just pull it out and pop it back in at the bottom-left corner to keep things smooth.
- Grab a fresh opening pick and slide it into the gap you just made along the bottom edge of your iPad.
- Carefully slide the pick across the antenna, stopping just shy of the home button.
- Keep the pick to the left of the home button and hold tight before moving on.
Step 21
Be super careful and only slide that pick in about 1 mm—your right antenna will thank you for it!
- Gently slide an opening pick into the gap you just made.
- Carefully wiggle the pick under the home button, moving it toward the bottom-right corner—just the tip should sneak between the digitizer and the frame.
Step 22
Just a heads up: slide that pick toward the home button, not away! We don’t want to accidentally give the antenna a bad day.
If you need to glide the pick over this part again, just pull it out and pop it back in at the bottom-right corner.
- Slide the pick back in and gently glide it toward the home button to fully free the bottom adhesive.
- Keep the pick resting just to the right of the home button before moving on.
Step 23
- Warm up an iOpener and stick it on the right edge of your device for a solid two minutes to loosen things up.
Tools Used
Step 24
Take your time with this step—patience is key! Make sure the adhesive is nice and warm so it’s easy to work with, and gently separate all the adhesive using a pick. If things get tricky, don’t hesitate to pause and reheat before moving on.
If you're feeling some serious resistance, give the edges another heat-up and gently work along them with an opening pick. It'll help you get through it!
- Gently twist the two opening picks at the left corners of the iPad to carefully lift the digitizer, loosening the last bit of adhesive holding it down.
Step 25
- Gently lift the left edge of the digitizer to ease the adhesive off the right side of the iPad. Take your time and let the adhesive slowly loosen up as you go—patience is key here!
Step 26
- As you hold the digitizer steady, gently slide an opening pick between the two display cables to break free the final bit of adhesive holding them together. Keep it smooth and steady—you're doing great!
Step 27
- Once the adhesive is all separated, open the digitizer gently like a book and lay it flat next to the iPad.
- When putting everything back together, don’t forget to clean off any leftover adhesive from the frame—and from the digitizer if you’re reusing it—with some isopropyl alcohol. Pop in some fresh adhesive using our adhesive strips or pre-cut adhesive cards.
- Be extra careful with the display cables while reassembling. Make sure they’re tucked neatly under the LCD screen so they don't get damaged.
Step 28
- Grab your trusty pair of tweezers and gently peel off the tape that's keeping the home button cable ZIF connector in place. Easy does it!
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Step 29
- Grab a spudger, an opening tool, or just your trusty fingernail and gently lift up that little hinged locking flap on the home button cable ZIF connector. You've got this!
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Step 30
- Grab your trusty tweezers and gently pull that home button ribbon cable straight out from the ZIF connector. Keep it steady and smooth—no rush!
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Step 31
To keep your iPad safe and sound, make sure you’re prying only on the connectors. Avoid poking around the socket on the logic board. Keep it neat, keep it clean!
- Gently slide the flat end of a spudger under the two digitizer cable press connectors to carefully pop them loose.
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Step 32
Watch out—don’t poke or rip the home button ribbon cable! It’s delicate and wants to stay happy.
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the vibration isolator nestled right below the SIM card reader.
- Now, go ahead and take out that vibration isolator!
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Step 33
The cable is gently held in place with a bit of light adhesive. Nothing too tricky, just a little sticky support to keep it secure.
- Gently grab the home button cable with tweezers and lift it away from the rear case—think of it like giving it a little stretch, not a tug-of-war!
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Step 34
Grab your trusty opening pick and carefully slice through any leftover adhesive that might still be holding the front panel assembly to the frame. It’s like giving your device a little haircut!
Make sure to keep an eye on those areas of the digitizer; without the right insulation, they could accidentally ground out against other components, leading to some touch input hiccups. No one wants that!
Just a heads up, the insulation is a bit of a ninja—it's not visible to the naked eye and is quite different from the foam dust barrier strips you might find on many iPads.
- Carefully take off the front panel assembly.
- If your new display starts acting up with random, ghostly touches, a quick fix is to add a super thin insulating tape like Kapton (polyimide) tape to the highlighted spots on the back of the panel. Replacement digitizers usually come with this insulation, so you might not need extra tape.
- When putting everything back together, make sure to scrape off any leftover adhesive from the iPad, then clean those sticky areas using high concentration isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) and a lint-free cloth. This gets the surface ready for fresh adhesive to stick like a charm.
- Give your iPad a full test to make sure everything’s working, then apply pre-cut adhesive strips to the back of the display following the adhesive application guide before sealing it up.
Step 35
- Grab some tweezers or just use your fingers to peel back any tape hiding those LCD screws. Easy does it!
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Step 36
- Grab your Phillips screwdriver and carefully take out the four 4.3 mm screws holding the LCD screen in place.
Step 37
The LCD is gently stuck to the frame, so take your time peeling it off.
- Slide a spudger gently between the frame and the top-right corner of the LCD.
- Carefully wiggle the spudger to loosen the adhesive without rushing.
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Step 38
- Go ahead and do the same thing for the top-left corner of the LCD. You got this!
Step 39
Hold your horses! Don't try to yank the LCD out just yet; it's still cozy with a flex cable.
- Gently wedge the flat tip of a spudger under the LCD just enough to get a good grip with your fingers.
- Flip the LCD over like turning a page in a book—lift near the camera and fold it back over the home button side of the frame.
- Place the LCD screen face down on a clean, soft, lint-free surface so you can easily access the display cables.
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Step 40
- Grab your Phillips screwdriver and carefully unscrew the tiny 2.3 mm screw that holds the battery connector to the logic board in place.
Step 41
Check out these photos to get a good look at the battery connector hiding under the logic board. Keep them handy as you carefully disconnect the battery.
You'll notice those funky cantilever springs on the logic board that gently press against the battery contact pads. Since both the logic board and battery are glued down tight, grab something thin and flexible to slide between the contact points and pop that battery free!
Step 42
Watch out when you're isolating that battery with a blocker! The battery contacts are a bit delicate and can bend or break, which could lead to some serious trouble down the road.
Make sure the logo on the battery blocker is facing upwards—no sneaky upside-down moves!
Avoid shoving the battery blocker under the connector with too much muscle. If it’s being stubborn, try sliding a playing card under the logic board to gently disconnect the battery instead.
Ideally, the battery blocker or your trusty playing card should glide under the logic board smoothly, without any obstacles. Once in place, it should sit at about a 15-degree angle—just right for the next step.
- Gently slide the battery blocker under the logic board's battery connector, angling it at about 35 degrees. Think of it as giving your device a little nudge!
- Keep that battery blocker snugly in place while you tackle the next steps. You're doing great!
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Step 43
- Grab your Phillips screwdriver and carefully take out the three 1.4 mm screws holding down the display cable bracket.
Step 44
- Grab your tweezers or just use your fingers to carefully lift off the display cable bracket.
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Step 45
- Gently use the flat end of a spudger to lift and unplug the LCD cable press connector.
- When reconnecting press connectors like this one, line up one side carefully and press down until you hear a click, then do the same on the other side.
- Avoid pressing in the middle — if the connector is off-center, the pins might bend and cause permanent damage.
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Step 46
- Time to put your device back together! Just retrace your steps and follow these instructions in the opposite order.
- Got some e-waste? Don't let it pile up! Take it to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler and do your part for the planet.
- If things didn't go quite as expected, don't sweat it! Give some basic troubleshooting a shot, or feel free to connect with our iPad 8 Answers community for a little extra support.
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