iPhone 12 Pro Taptic Engine Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 40 Steps
Ready to give your iPhone 12 Pro its buzz back? The Taptic Engine is what keeps those vibrations and haptic feedback feeling snappy. Follow these steps to swap out or remove the Taptic Engine, and your phone will be shaking things up again in no time.
Step 1
- Grab a SIM card eject tool (or, if you're feeling resourceful, a paperclip) and gently insert it into the tiny hole on the SIM card tray, right by the volume button edge of your iPhone.
- Give it a little push, and voilà! The tray should pop right out.
Tools Used
Step 2
The SIM card practically leaps out of the tray—just tip it over and let gravity do the work.
- Pop out the SIM card tray from your iPhone. A little tug is all it takes!
- When you’re ready to slide the SIM card back in, make sure it’s snug in the right direction inside the tray. It’s all about the perfect fit.
- There’s a thin rubber seal around the tray that helps keep water and dust at bay. If it’s cracked or gone AWOL, swap out the gasket or the entire tray to keep your iPhone’s innards safe and sound.
Step 3
- Before you dive in, make sure your iPhone is powered off. Trust me, your fingers will thank you.
- Flip your iPhone over and unscrew those two 6.75 mm pentalobe P2 screws hanging out at the bottom edge. It’s like unlocking the gateway to repair glory.
Heads up! Before you get started, make sure your iPhone battery is under 25%. A full battery can be a bit feisty and may ignite or explode if it gets a little too much love. Better safe than sorry!
Opening up your iPhone's display? Just a heads-up—you're going to break its waterproof seals. Make sure you've got replacement seals ready before diving in further, or if you're skipping the new seals, be extra careful about keeping it away from liquids when you put it all back together.
Step 4
Pushing the opening pick in too deep can mess with your device—so give your pick a mark to keep things chill.
Feel free to label the other corners with different measurements if you want to get fancy.
Or, for some DIY flair, tape a coin 3 mm from the tip of the pick.
- Grab your opening pick and make a mark with a permanent marker, exactly 3 mm from the tip. Precision is key—think of it as giving your pick a stylish little tattoo.
Step 5
Grab those safety glasses! They’ll keep your eyes safe from any rogue glass bits that might decide to fly during the repair. Better safe than sorry!
Got a cracked screen on your iPhone? No worries! Just grab some tape and cover that glass to keep the shards from going everywhere and protect yourself while you tackle the repair.
If you're in a real bind, a little superglue on the suction cup can work wonders for sticking it to the screen!
- Start by laying down some overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone's screen until you’ve got the whole face covered like a protective shield.
- If the suction cup isn’t playing nice in the next few steps, grab a sturdy piece of tape (duct tape works wonders) and fold it into a handle to lift the screen instead. You've got this!
Step 6
The next few steps show you how the Anti-Clamp works—this handy tool was created to make opening your device a breeze. If you're not using the Anti-Clamp, just skip ahead three steps for an alternate method.
Need help with the Anti-Clamp? We've got a detailed guide just for you.
If your iPhone is being a little slippery and the Anti-Clamp can't get a good grip, no worries—just use some tape to create a better surface for it to hold onto.
- Pull the blue handle back to release the Anti-Clamp's arms.
- Slide the arms over either the left or right side of your iPhone.
- Place the suction cups close to the bottom edge of the iPhone—one on the front and the other on the back.
- Press the cups together to create a strong grip on the area you want.
Step 7
- Slide that blue handle forward to secure those arms like a boss!
- Twist the handle a full 360 degrees or until those suction cups start to stretch out. You've got this!
- Keep an eye on those suction cups and make sure they're still best buddies. If they start to drift apart, just loosen them up a bit and guide those arms back into alignment.
Step 8
Go easy on those turns—just a quarter twist at a time, then chill for a minute before the next move. Patience here pays off, just let the Anti-Clamp do its thing!
For a step-by-step on how to handle a hair dryer like a pro, take a look at this guide.
If the Anti-Clamp isn't opening up enough space, just warm the area a bit more and give the handle a 90-degree twist.
- Place your iPhone on something solid like a hardcover book so it stays put and level—this makes the next steps way easier.
- Use a hair dryer to warm up the bottom edge of the iPhone until it feels just a bit too hot to handle.
- Pause for a minute to let the adhesive soften and create a little gap for you to work with.
- Slide an opening pick under the plastic screen bezel once the Anti-Clamp has made enough space.
- Skip the next three steps.
Tools Used
Step 9
Keep that hair dryer moving—parking it in one spot for too long isn’t doing your device any favors!
- Grab a hair dryer or heat gun and warm up the bottom edge of your iPhone for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a bit too toasty to touch.
Tools Used
Step 10
- Grab your single suction handle and stick it near the bottom edge of the phone, but steer clear of the very edge of the glass to keep things smooth.
Tools Used
Step 11
Be sure to slide that opening pick under the sturdy plastic bezel to keep your screen safe and sound! You should spot a little gap forming, and the pick shouldn’t snag on anything. If you don’t see that gap, just give the screen a gentle lift to create it.
The adhesive that keeps your screen snug as a bug is super strong, so popping that first gap takes some muscle! If you’re struggling to make that initial opening, don’t sweat it—just add a little more heat and gently wiggle the screen up and down to loosen that sticky stuff until you can slip in your tool. You got this!
- Grab the suction cup and pull up steadily with some solid pressure to gently loosen the screen from the frame.
- Slide an opening pick in at a sharp angle into the gap you created.
Step 12
- Grab a hair dryer and give the right edge of your iPhone (the one where the power button lives) a warm hug for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a tad too toasty to touch. You're heating things up for a reason!
Tools Used
Step 13
Keep your pick to a maximum of 3 mm – going deeper might lead to some unexpected surprises inside!
- Glide the opening pick along the bottom right corner of your iPhone—think of it as giving your phone a little spa treatment, loosening up the adhesive.
- Keep sliding the pick up the right edge, cruising all the way to the top right corner.
- Park the pick in the top right corner for now, like saving your spot in a really good book.
Step 14
- Grab that trusty hair dryer and give the top edge of your iPhone a warm hug for about 90 seconds, or until it feels like it’s just a tad too hot to handle. You're doing great!
Tools Used
Step 15
Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than 3 mm—or you’ll risk poking the top sensors, and they prefer not to be bothered.
- Gently glide the opening pick around the top right corner of your iPhone to break that stubborn top adhesive free.
- Keep the pick in the top left corner while you gear up for the next step.
Step 16
- Warm up the left side of your iPhone with a hair dryer for about 90 seconds, or until it’s just a bit too warm to comfortably touch. We’re looking for ‘toasty,’ not ‘scorched.’
Tools Used
Step 17
Heads up! There are some sensitive cables hanging out along the left edge of your iPhone. Avoid poking your pick there to keep everything safe and sound.
Step 18
Gently twist to work your magic! If the adhesive is playing hard to get, give the left edge a little heat to help it loosen up.
- Slip a second pick into the bottom left corner of your iPhone. It’s like giving your phone a double high-five.
- Now, twist both picks at the same time until you feel those left-side clips let go. Teamwork makes the clips work!
Step 19
Hold off on fully lifting the display—there are some delicate ribbon cables still tethering it to the iPhone’s logic board, and they don’t like surprises.
- Turn your iPhone so its right edge is facing you. You're doing great!
- Open the iPhone by lifting the display up from the right side, just like flipping open the front cover of a book. Easy peasy!
- Prop the display against something sturdy to keep it upright while you work your magic on the phone. You've got this!
- When it's time to put everything back together, gently place the display in position. Align those clips along the top edge and carefully press the top edge into place before snapping the rest of the display down. If it doesn't click into place smoothly, take a moment to check if the clips around the display's perimeter are in good shape and not bent. You're almost there!
Step 20
As you tackle this repair, remember to keep a close eye on each screw and return it to its original spot. This way, you’ll keep your iPhone safe and sound, just like it was before the adventure began!
- Take out the two tiny 1.1 mm Y000 screws holding down the battery and display connector cover. Don't lose them—those little guys love to roll away.
- When you're putting things back together, this is your moment to power up your iPhone and make sure everything’s working before sealing it shut. Once you’re done testing, shut it down fully before moving forward.
Step 21
- Pop off the cover to get started.
Step 22
Take care not to mess up the black silicone seal around this and other board connections—these little guys help block out water and dust, so keeping them intact is a win for your device!
- Grab a spudger or use your fingernail—whichever feels cooler today—and gently lift the battery connector up from its little spot on the logic board.
- Tilt the connector away from the logic board just a bit. This keeps it from sneaking back into place and powering up the phone while you’re working your magic.
Tools Used
Step 23
- Grab a spudger or your trusty fingernail to gently disconnect the display cable connector. You've got this!
- When it's time to re-attach, align those connectors just right and press down gently on one side until you hear that satisfying click. Then, do the same on the other side. Remember, no need to press down in the middle! If things get misaligned, you might bend those delicate pins, and nobody wants that. Take it slow and steady!
Tools Used
Step 24
- Grab a spudger or even your trusty fingernail to gently unplug that digitizer cable connector. It's like giving your device a little hug!
- If you notice any stubborn parts of your screen acting all grumpy and unresponsive after your repair, just disconnect the battery, reseat that connector with a satisfying click, and check for any dust bunnies or other sneaky obstructions hanging out in the socket. You got this!
Tools Used
Step 25
- Grab your trusty Y000 driver and let's tackle those four screws holding down the front sensor connector cover. You've got this!
- Keep an eye out for three screws that are each 1.1 mm long – they’re the little ones in the bunch.
- And don’t forget about the one slightly longer screw at 1.4 mm – it’s the tall guy in the crew!
Step 26
- Lift the cover up from the left side until the little clip on the right pops free.
- Take the cover off.
- When putting it back, start by snapping the clip on the right edge into its spot, then swing the rest of the cover down to close it.
Step 27
- Gently use a spudger or your fingernail to pop that front sensor assembly cable connector loose. A little nudge is all it takes!
Tools Used
Step 28
- Time to say goodbye to the display assembly! Carefully remove it and set it aside.
- When you're putting everything back together, feel free to take a moment here if you want to swap out that waterproof adhesive around the edges of the display. It's a great chance to keep things nice and snug!
Step 29
- Grab your trusty Phillips driver and carefully unscrew the four 1.6 mm screws that are holding the loudspeaker in place. You've got this!
Step 30
- Take out the loudspeaker with care.
Step 31
- Grab your trusty Y000 driver and unscrew the two 1.4 mm screws holding the SIM card reader connector cover in place. It's a small job, but every little step counts!
Step 32
- Gently lift off the SIM card reader cable connector cover.
Step 33
- Gently use the tip of a spudger to lift the SIM card reader cable connector straight up and out of its socket on the logic board.
Tools Used
Step 34
- Grab your Y000 driver and unscrew the three fasteners holding down the SIM card reader.
- Two of these are 1.4 mm—twinsies!
- The last one's a 1.1 mm screw—short and sweet.
Step 35
- Carefully take off the bracket holding down the Taptic Engine cable connector.
Step 36
If you're in a bit of a jam, a small flathead screwdriver can save the day! Just be extra careful to keep it steady so it doesn’t slip and accidentally mess with nearby parts.
To tackle those standoff screws, grab a standoff screwdriver or bit. It makes the job way smoother and less frustrating. You've got this!
- Grab your trusty standoff or a small flathead screwdriver, and let's tackle that 2.82 mm long standoff screw holding the SIM card reader in place. You've got this!
Step 37
- Pop out that SIM card reader like a pro!
- Before you put everything back together, make sure that little plunger is snugly pushed into the edge of the phone. Trust us, it’ll make life easier.
Step 38
- Gently use the tip of a spudger to lift the Taptic Engine cable connector out of its socket on the logic board, nice and steady—like you're untangling headphones.
Tools Used
Step 39
- Out come the three screws holding down the Taptic Engine.
- Two of these are 2.8 mm standoff screws—like tiny castle guards.
- The third is a 1.8 mm Phillips screw, the solo act in this trio.
Step 40
- Line up your new part with the old one—sometimes you’ll need to move over little bits or peel off sticky layers before it fits just right.
- Put everything back together by working through the steps above backwards.
- Got old tech lying around? Take it to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler to keep it out of the trash.
- If things didn’t go quite as planned, try some basic troubleshooting, or you can always schedule a repair for a helping hand.
