iPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 30 Steps

The Taptic Engine is what gives your iPhone that satisfying buzz and haptic magic. This guide walks you through how to yank out and swap the Taptic Engine in your iPhone 12 mini. Keep some fresh adhesive handy for putting everything back together when you're done.

Step 1

- Shut down your iPhone before you start taking it apart—let’s keep things chill.

- Use a pentalobe screwdriver to take out the two 6.7 mm screws from the bottom edge. These are the gatekeepers to your phone’s insides!

Step 2

- Mark the opening pick 3 mm from the tip using a permanent marker—precision is key, and you got this!

Step 3

- Start by layering some clear packing tape over the iPhone's screen until the entire face is nicely covered. It's like giving your phone a protective blanket!

- If the suction cup isn't playing nice in the next steps, just grab a sturdy piece of tape (duct tape works wonders) and fold it into a handle. You can lift the screen with that instead—easy peasy!

Step 4

- Pull the blue handle back to release the Anti-Clamp's arms. Nice and easy!

- Gently slide the arms onto either the left or right edge of your iPhone. Get it snug but not too tight!

- Place the suction cups near the bottom edge of your iPhone—one on the front, and one on the back. Make sure they're lined up just right.

- Press the cups together to create a solid suction. Hold it for a moment to make sure it sticks—you're almost there!

Step 5

- Slide the blue handle forward to lock the arms in place.

- Rotate the handle clockwise a full 360 degrees or until you notice the suction cups starting to stretch.

- Keep an eye on the suction cups to make sure they stay lined up. If they start to drift, just loosen the cups a bit and realign the arms.

Step 6

- Set your iPhone on a solid surface like a hardcover book so it can relax hands-free, lying flat like a sunbather. This way, you’ll have an easier time tackling the next steps.

- Grab your trusty hair dryer and warm up the bottom edge of your iPhone. It should feel just a smidge too hot to touch—perfect for loosening things up!

- Take a breather for about a minute to let that adhesive chill out and create a little opening gap for you.

- When the Anti-Clamp gives you enough space, slide an opening pick under the screen's plastic bezel like a pro.

- Feel free to skip the next three steps.

Tools Used
  1. Hair DryeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 7

- Grab your trusty hair dryer or heat gun and warm up the bottom edge of your iPhone for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a tad too hot to touch. You're doing great!

Tools Used
  1. Hair DryeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement
  2. Heat GuniPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 8

- Rock that single suction handle by sticking it right on the bottom edge of your phone—get it as close to the edge as you can for maximum grip.

- Cracked display giving you attitude? Slap some clear packing tape over it to help the suction cup stick. If your tape game is strong, you can skip the suction cup altogether. And hey, if things are really wild, go ahead and superglue that suction cup to the shattered screen—just make sure you're ready for the commitment.

Tools Used
  1. Suction HandleiPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 9

- Give that suction cup a good pull with steady hands to open up a tiny gap between the screen and the metal frame—you're doing great!

- Now, slide an opening pick into that little gap between the screen and the plastic bezel (just avoid poking the screen itself). You're on the right track!

Step 10

- Warm up the right edge of your iPhone (the one with the power button) using a hair dryer for about 90 seconds, or until it’s just a tad too hot to handle. Let's get that screen ready for action!

Tools Used
  1. Hair DryeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 11

- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner and up the right edge of the iPhone, carefully cutting through the adhesive that’s keeping the display stuck in place.

Step 12

- Grab your hair dryer and warm up the top edge of your iPhone for about 90 seconds, or until it feels a bit too hot to comfortably touch. This loosens things up for the next step!

Tools Used
  1. Hair DryeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 13

- Slip your pick under the top-right corner of the screen—just like you’re sliding a slice of cake out of the pan.

- Glide the pick around that top-right edge. If it feels stubborn, don’t worry—those clips love to put up a fight.

- Keep sliding along the top edge to slice through any leftover adhesive holding the display hostage.

Step 14

- Give the left edge of your iPhone some love with a hair dryer for about 90 seconds, or until it’s just warm enough that you’d rather not touch it. You’re looking for that perfect ‘almost too hot’ feel—don’t burn yourself though!

Tools Used
  1. Hair DryeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 15

Step 16

- Slide a second opening pick into the bottom left corner of your iPhone.

- Now, give both picks a gentle twist together until you hear those left edge clips pop free!

Step 17

- Turn your iPhone so the right edge is facing you, ready to get this party started!

- Gently open your iPhone by lifting the display from the right side, just like flipping open the front cover of your favorite book.

- Prop the display up against something sturdy to keep it in place while you work your magic on the phone.

- When it's time to put everything back together, lay the display back down in its rightful spot, align those clips along the top edge, and give the top edge a nice press until it clicks into place. If it’s being stubborn and doesn’t snap easily, take a moment to check those clips around the edge and make sure they're not bent out of shape.

Step 18

- Unscrew the Y000 screw that's 1.25 mm long, holding the battery and display connector cover bracket in place. You're doing great!

- When you're putting everything back together, take a moment to power on your iPhone and check that all the functions are working like a charm before sealing the display back up. Just remember to turn your iPhone completely off again before diving back into your repair work!

Step 19

- Grab your trusty tweezers and gently lift off the battery and display connector bracket. Careful now, we're almost there!

- Look closely at the little hinges on the right edge of the connector bracket. It's important to line them up with their buddies during reassembly. You'll nail it!

Tools Used
  1. TweezersiPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 20

- Grab a spudger or just use your clean fingernail to gently lift the battery connector out of its cozy little home on the logic board.

- Give the connector a slight bend away from the logic board. This little move is like putting up a do not disturb sign, making sure it doesn't accidentally reconnect and power up your phone while you’re in repair mode.

Tools Used
  1. SpudgeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 21

- Grab a spudger or use a clean fingernail to gently lift the OLED panel cable connector out of its slot on the logic board.

- To reattach those connectors, carefully align one side first, then press down until it clicks into place. Do the same for the other side. Avoid pressing the middle—misalignment can bend the pins, and that could lead to some permanent damage.

Tools Used
  1. SpudgeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 22

- Unscrew the five tiny Y000 screws, each just 1 mm long, that are holding the front sensor assembly cover bracket in place. You've got this!

Step 23

- Grab your trusty tweezers and gently lift out the front sensor assembly bracket. Easy does it!

Tools Used
  1. TweezersiPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 24

- Gently pry up the front sensor assembly cable connector using a spudger or even a clean fingernail to disconnect it without a fuss.

Tools Used
  1. SpudgeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 25

- Lift off the display assembly like you’re opening a treasure chest.

- If you want to keep your device splash-friendly, take a timeout here to refresh the waterproof adhesive around the edges.

Step 26

- Time to tackle that first screw! Say goodbye to the 1.3 mm-long Phillips #000 screw.

- Next up, let’s take out the 2.1 mm-long Phillips #000 screw. You're on a roll!

- Now, let’s get that 1.6 mm-long Y000 screw out of there. You're doing great!

Step 27

- Grab your trusty tweezers and gently lift away the Taptic engine connector cover bracket. You're almost there!

Tools Used
  1. TweezersiPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 28

- Grab your trusty spudger and gently pry the Taptic Engine flex cable straight up from its socket. You've got this!

Tools Used
  1. SpudgeriPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement

Step 29

- Unscrew that 3 mm-long standoff screw and set it aside like it's a tiny treasure.

Step 30

- Take a moment to compare your new part with the original one—don't forget to transfer any remaining components or peel off any sticky backings before getting it into place.

- To put everything back together, just follow the steps above in reverse. Make sure to apply fresh adhesive where needed and give the areas a quick clean with some isopropyl alcohol (>90%).

- Got e-waste? Make sure to send it to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler so it’s disposed of properly.

- Repair didn’t go as planned? No worries! Give troubleshooting a shot, or if you need a hand, feel free to schedule a repair.

Tools Used
  1. TweezersiPhone 12 mini Taptic Engine Replacement
Success!
Line up your new part with the old one like best buds—make sure you transfer any leftover bits or peel off any sticky protectors before popping it in.
When you’re putting everything back together, just reverse the steps above. Clean sticky spots with isopropyl alcohol (over 90%) before adding new adhesive.
Got broken bits? Drop your e-waste off with an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler so it doesn’t haunt the planet.
If your repair went sideways, don’t panic—try some basic troubleshooting, or check out our iPhone 12 mini Answers community. If you’re still stuck, you can always schedule a repair.

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