iPhone 13 Pro Max Screen Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 33 Steps
Got a cracked iPhone 13 Pro Max screen that's unresponsive or showing nothing when powered on? This guide will walk you through replacing the screen (aka the display assembly) to get your phone back in action. Heads up: On iOS 17.6 and earlier, True Tone and auto brightness won’t work after a screen swap—even with an original Apple screen. Face ID also takes a break unless you’re running iOS 15.2 or newer. On iOS 18 and up, you can use Apple's Repair Assistant to calibrate your new screen and bring back True Tone on genuine Apple displays.
Step 1
Heads up! Before diving in, make sure to drain your iPhone battery to less than 25%. A fully charged lithium-ion battery could go from zero to fireworks if it gets punctured by accident. Stay safe and get to work!
Popping open your iPhone’s display will break its waterproof seals. Make sure you have fresh replacement seals on hand before moving forward, or be extra careful to keep liquids away if you put it back together without swapping the seals.
- Shut down your iPhone before you unleash your inner tech wizard.
- Take out the two 6.8 mm pentalobe P2 screws hanging out at the bottom edge of your iPhone.
Step 2
Just a friendly reminder: if you push your opening pick in too deep, it might not end well for your device. So, let’s mark it to keep things safe and sound!
Feeling creative? You can also add some flair by marking the other corners of the pick with different measurements.
Another fun idea: tape a coin to your pick about 3 mm from the tip for a little extra guidance!
- Mark a spot 3 mm from the tip on your opening pick using a permanent marker—this little guide will keep you on track!
Step 3
Put on those safety glasses to keep your peepers safe from any sneaky shards of glass that might pop out during the repair adventure!
Got a cracked iPhone screen? No worries! To keep those pesky glass shards from flying around and to make your repair a bit safer, simply tape over the glass. It's like giving your phone a little protective hug!
This tape will help hold everything together and give you some extra strength when you're prying and lifting that screen.
And hey, if you're really in a pickle, you can always superglue the suction cup to the screen. Just a little trick to get you through!
- Start by sticking overlapping strips of clear packing tape all over the iPhone's screen until it's completely covered. Think of it as giving your phone a protective hug!
- If the suction cup isn't playing nice in the next few steps, no worries! Just grab a sturdy piece of tape (like duct tape), fold it into a handle, and use that to lift the screen instead.
Tools Used
Step 4
The next three steps walk you through using the Anti-Clamp, a handy tool we created to make opening your device a breeze. Not using the Anti-Clamp? No worries—just skip ahead three steps for another way to open it.
For full details on how to work the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
If your iPhone’s surface feels a bit too slick for the Anti-Clamp to grip, slap on the included tape pad to get a better hold.
- Grab the blue handle and pull it back to unlock the Anti-Clamp’s arms—easy does it!
- Slide those arms gently over the left edge of your iPhone.
- Place the suction cups near the bottom edge—one on the front and one on the back, like a little tech hug.
- Squeeze the cups together to create suction and get a good grip on the area.
Step 5
Ensure the suction cups are keeping their cool and staying in sync! If they start to wander off track, just give them a little loosen and then guide those arms back into alignment. You've got this!
- Give that blue handle a little push away from the hinge to switch into opening mode.
- Twist the handle clockwise and watch as the cups start to stretch out.
Step 6
Turn no more than a quarter turn at a time, then take a breather for a minute. Let the Anti-Clamp and a little patience do the heavy lifting!
Place your iPhone on something solid and stable before moving forward.
For a full walkthrough on how to use a hair dryer safely and effectively, check out this guide.
If the Anti-Clamp isn't opening enough of a gap, warm up the area a bit more and twist the handle a quarter turn to loosen things up.
- Grab a hair dryer and warm up the bottom edge of your iPhone. You’ll want it to feel just a touch too hot to hold comfortably.
- Give it a minute for the adhesive to loosen up and create a nice little gap for you to work with.
- Once that gap is big enough, carefully slide an opening pick under the screen where the Anti-Clamp is working its magic.
- Feel free to skip the next three steps – we’ve got you covered!
Tools Used
Step 7
Don't let your hair dryer stay in one place for too long. Give it some room to breathe and keep things moving.
- 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 8
The adhesive keeping the display sealed is pretty tough, so breaking that initial seal can take a bit of elbow grease. If you're struggling to get started, just add some extra heat and give the screen a little gentle wiggle. This will help loosen the adhesive, making it easier to create a gap big enough to slide in your tool.
- Stick a suction handle to the bottom of your phone, but be careful not to stick it too close to the edge of the glass.
- Gently pull up on the suction cup with steady, even pressure to make just enough room between the front and back panels.
- Slide an opening pick into the gap you've created.
Tools Used
Step 9
- Grab a hair dryer and aim it at the right edge of your iPhone (the one with the power button) for about 90 seconds, or until that edge feels just a little too hot to touch. Don’t burn your fingers, though!
Tools Used
Step 10
Be careful not to push your pick more than 3 mm in. Going too deep could mess with the inner parts of your device!
- Gently glide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPhone to break that adhesive seal.
- Keep sliding it up along the right edge until you hit the top right corner.
- Nestle the pick in that top right corner for now before moving on.
Step 11
- Grab a hair dryer and warm up the top edge of your iPhone for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a bit too toasty to handle.
Tools Used
Step 12
Be careful not to insert your pick more than 3 mm, or you might accidentally mess with the top sensors. Keep it gentle, and you'll be fine!
- Gently slide the opening pick around the top right corner of your device to break the seal of the adhesive.
- Keep the pick in the top left corner while you move forward with the repair.
Step 13
Be careful around the left edge of your iPhone—there are some delicate cables hiding there. Avoid slipping your pick in this area, or you might accidentally mess with the cables.
Step 14
- Grab a hair dryer and warm up the left edge of your iPhone for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a bit too hot to handle.
Tools Used
Step 15
The cables on the left edge are a bit shy and can easily get hurt with a pick. To keep them safe and sound, follow this alternative method to peel away the left adhesive.
Gently twist your tool, applying gradual force. Patience is key!
If the adhesive is proving tough to separate, give the left edge a quick heat boost and try again.
- Pop a second opening pick into the bottom left corner of your iPhone.
- Give both picks a little twist at the same time until the clips along the left edge let go.
Step 16
Hold up on pulling the display all the way off just yet—there are still some delicate ribbon cables hooking it up to the iPhone’s logic board.
- Gently lift your suction handle off the screen.
- Open your iPhone by swinging the display up from the right side, just like opening the cover of a book.
- Prop the display against something sturdy so it stays put while you work on your phone.
- When putting it back together, place the display in position, line up the clips along the top edge, and carefully press the top edge down before snapping the rest of the display into place. If it’s not clicking in smoothly, double-check the clips around the display for any bends or damage.
Tools Used
Step 17
During this repair journey, it's super important to keep an eye on each screw and ensure it finds its way back to its original home. This way, you won’t accidentally give your iPhone a little too much character!
- Grab your trusty Y000 screwdriver and carefully unscrew those three 1.3 mm screws holding the battery connector cover in place. You've got this!
- Now, while you're in the zone, this is a perfect moment to power up your iPhone and check that everything's working smoothly before sealing that display back on. Just remember to completely power it down again before diving back into the repair. Keep up the great work!
Step 18
- Pop off that battery connector cover like it's the cap of a soda!
Step 19
Be careful not to mess up the black silicone seal around this and other board connectors. These little guys are the unsung heroes that keep water and dust from crashing the party inside your device.
- Grab your trusty spudger or a clean fingernail and gently lift that battery connector right up from its cozy little home on the logic board.
- Give the connector a little bend away from the logic board. This way, it won't accidentally reconnect and power up your device while you're working your magic.
Tools Used
Step 20
- Gently use the pointed end of a spudger or a clean fingernail to lift the display connector up from its socket on the logic board.
- When reconnecting press connectors like this one, carefully line up one side and press down until you hear a click, then do the same on the other side. Avoid pressing in the middle to prevent bending the pins, which can cause permanent damage.
Tools Used
Step 21
- Grab your trusty Y000 screwdriver and take out the two 1.1 mm screws holding down the front sensor connector cover.
- Switch to a Phillips screwdriver to remove the last two screws securing the front sensor connector cover:
- One 1.5 mm screw
- One 1.8 mm screw
Step 22
- Gently lift off the front sensor connector cover to get things moving.
Step 23
- Grab your trusty spudger and use the sharp end to gently pry off the front sensor assembly cable connector. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 24
- Carefully take off the display assembly.
- If you’re putting everything back together and want to freshen up the waterproof adhesive around the display edges, now’s the perfect time to do it.
Step 25
The next steps will guide you on how to move the front sensor assembly to your new screen. If your replacement screen has the assembly already attached, feel free to breeze through these steps.
- Grab your trusty Y000 screwdriver and get ready to tackle those three sneaky 1.4 mm-long screws holding the front sensor assembly bracket in place. You've got this!
Step 26
- Grab those tweezers or use your fingers to gently lift off the front sensor assembly bracket. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 27
You can use a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate to warm things up, but watch out—too much heat can fry your display, so keep it cool under pressure!
- Warm up an iOpener and place it on the top edge of the screen for a solid two minutes. This softens the adhesive and gets things ready for the next step.
Tools Used
Step 28
- Slide an opening pick gently between the ambient light sensor and its little nook in the screen.
- Carefully pry up with the pick to pop the ambient light sensor free from the screen.
Step 29
- Slide an opening pick gently between the proximity sensor and its slot in the screen.
- Carefully lift with the pick to detach the proximity sensor from the screen.
Step 30
- Gently nudge the proximity sensor cable away from the screen using either tweezers or your fingers. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 31
- Carefully slide an opening pick under the microphone cable, right next to the little metal rectangle (that's the microphone).
- Gently work the pick around the edges of the microphone to loosen up the adhesive holding it in place.
Step 32
By now, the adhesive might have cooled off. If that’s the case, grab your heated iOpener and give the assembly a quick one-minute warm-up before you dive back in.
- Carefully slide an opening pick under the left edge of the front sensor assembly.
- Gently work the pick underneath to loosen the assembly from the frame.
Tools Used
Step 33
- Compare your new replacement part to the original one—make sure to transfer any remaining components or peel off the adhesive backings from your new part before installing.
- To put everything back together, simply follow the steps you just completed in reverse order.
- Once you're done with the repair, depending on your replacement part, you can calibrate it using Apple's Repair Assistant if you’re on iOS 18 or later. Just update your device, go to Settings → General → About → Parts & Service History, tap Restart & Finish Repair, and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Be sure to dispose of your old parts properly by taking them to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
- Did the repair not go as planned? No worries, just give some basic troubleshooting a shot, or head over to our iPhone 13 Pro Max Answers community for some helpful tips.
