iPhone 13 Pro Taptic Engine Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 30 Steps
The Taptic Engine is responsible for giving your iPhone that satisfying vibration and haptic feedback. If your iPhone 13 Pro isn't responding with the usual buzz, it's time for a replacement. Follow this guide to carefully remove and swap out the Taptic Engine like a pro.
Step 1
Heads up! Before you dive in, make sure to drain that iPhone battery to under 25%. A fully charged lithium-ion battery can be a bit of a fire hazard if it's punctured, so let's keep things safe and sound!
Popping open your iPhone’s display will break its waterproof seals. Make sure you have some replacement seals on hand before going further, or be extra careful to keep liquids away if you plan to put it back together without swapping the seals.
- Before you dive in, make sure to power off your iPhone completely.
- Next up, grab your screwdriver and remove the two 6.8 mm-long pentalobe P2 screws located at the bottom edge of the iPhone.
Step 2
If you push the opening pick in too deep, it could end up poking something it shouldn’t inside your device. Mark your pick with a little line to keep things safe and sound.
Feel free to mark up the other corners with different measurements, so you always know how far you’ve gone.
Or, for a quick hack, tape a coin to your pick exactly 3 mm from the tip—instant depth control!
- Grab your opening pick and measure 3mm from the tip. Mark that spot with a permanent marker to keep things neat and precise. You've got this!
Step 3
Put on those safety glasses to keep your eyes safe from any rogue glass bits that might make a surprise appearance during the repair.
Got a cracked screen on your iPhone? No worries! Just slap some tape over that glass to keep the shards in check and protect yourself while you tackle the repair.
If you're in a pinch, a little superglue on the suction cup can do the trick to help it stick to the screen.
- Cover the entire screen with slightly overlapping strips of clear packing tape. Think of it like giving your phone a shiny protective armor.
- If the suction cup refuses to stick in the next steps, try making a sturdy handle out of duct tape and use that to lift the screen instead. Sometimes you just need to get creative!
Tools Used
Step 4
Next up, we’re showing off the Anti-Clamp, a handy little tool we created to make opening your device a breeze. If you don’t have one on hand, no worries! Just skip ahead three steps for an alternate method.
Need the full rundown on how to use the Anti-Clamp? Check out this guide for all the details.
If your iPhone’s surface is giving you trouble and the Anti-Clamp just can’t grip it, try adding a little tape to boost the friction and make things stick!
- Yank that blue handle back to set the Anti-Clamp arms free.
- Slip the arms over either side of your iPhone—left or right, dealer's choice.
- Get those suction cups hugging the lower edge: one front, one back.
- Give the cups a good squeeze so they stick right where you want them.
Step 5
- Give that blue handle a gentle tug forward to secure those arms in place.
- Now, twist that handle a full 360 degrees or until you see those suction cups starting to stretch. You've got this!
- Keep an eye on those suction cups and make sure they're playing nice together. If they start to drift apart, just loosen them up a bit and line those arms back up. Easy peasy!
Step 6
Turn no more than a quarter at a time, then chill for a minute. Let the Anti-Clamp and a bit of patience do their magic!
Want the lowdown on using a hair dryer for repairs? Check out this guide.
If the Anti-Clamp isn’t giving you enough wiggle room, hit the spot with some more heat and give the handle a quarter turn.
- Place your iPhone on something solid—think hardcover book—so it chills hands-free and stays nice and level. You'll appreciate the setup in the next moves.
- Grab a hair dryer and warm up the bottom edge of the iPhone. You're aiming for 'just a bit too hot to touch' on the screen.
- Hang tight for a minute; this gives the sticky stuff inside time to loosen up and start making a gap.
- Once the Anti-Clamp has worked its magic and opened up enough space, slide an opening pick under the screen's plastic edge.
- Feel free to skip the next couple of steps—you're already ahead of the game.
Tools Used
Step 7
Keep your hair dryer moving—don’t let it chill in one spot too long!
- Grab a hair dryer or a heat gun and warm up the bottom edge of your iPhone for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a bit too hot to handle. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 8
The waterproof glue holding the screen is no joke—it takes some muscle to make that first gap. If the screen refuses to budge, add a bit more heat and gently wiggle it up and down. Eventually, you'll loosen the adhesive enough to sneak your tool in there.
- Place a suction cup near the bottom edge of your phone, but steer clear of the very edge of the glass.
- Gently pull up on the suction cup with steady pressure to create a small gap between the screen and the frame.
- Slide an opening pick into the gap just beneath the screen's plastic bezel.
Tools Used
Step 9
- Grab your hair dryer and give the right edge of your iPhone (yep, the one with the power button) a good blast for about 90 seconds. You’re aiming for a screen that’s just a bit too warm to comfortably touch—think freshly baked cookie, not molten lava.
Tools Used
Step 10
Keep your pick to a maximum of 3 mm – we don’t want you accidentally poking around and causing chaos with the internal components!
- Glide your opening pick around the bottom right corner of your iPhone like you're carving a tiny racetrack, loosening up the adhesive.
- Keep cruising up the right edge, pick in hand, until you hit the top right corner—almost there!
- Park that pick in the top right corner as a placeholder before moving on.
Step 11
- Grab your hair dryer and give the top edge of your iPhone a good blast of heat for about 90 seconds, or until it feels warm—almost too warm—to your fingertips.
Tools Used
Step 12
Keep your pick at 3 mm or less—going deeper risks poking the top sensors, and trust me, they don’t like surprises.
- Gently slide the opening pick along the top right corner of the iPhone to break the adhesive seal. No rush, just a smooth move.
- Once you're at the top left corner, leave the pick there to keep things steady as you move forward.
Step 13
- Grab a hair dryer and warm up the left side of your iPhone for about 90 seconds, or until it’s a bit too hot to handle. Just enough to get things nice and toasty—don't burn your fingers!
Tools Used
Step 14
Watch out for those tiny cables hanging out on the left side of your iPhone. Best to keep your pick away from that area—nobody wants surprise cable drama!
Step 15
Gently twist and apply pressure slowly to get the job done.
If you're having a tough time peeling off the adhesive, just reheat the left edge a bit and give it another go.
- Pop a second opening pick into the bottom left corner of your iPhone.
- Gently twist both picks at the same time until the clips along the left edge give way.
Step 16
Hold your horses! Don't yank the display off just yet—there are some delicate ribbon cables still hanging on and connecting it to the iPhone's logic board.
- First up, detach your suction handle from that screen. We want to give it some breathing room!
- Next, give your iPhone a little twist so the right edge is facing you. It’s like a dance move, but for your phone!
- Now, let’s pop that display open! Swing it up from the right side like you’re opening a book. Easy peasy!
- Pro tip: Lean that display against something sturdy to keep it propped up while you work your magic on the phone.
- When it’s time to put everything back together, lay the display back in place, align those clips at the top edge, and gently press the top edge down. Snap the rest of the display into place! If it’s not clicking in smoothly, take a peek at the clips around the edge — they might be a bit bent and need some love.
Tools Used
Step 17
As you tackle this repair, keep a close eye on those little screws! Make sure they find their way back home to avoid any mishaps with your iPhone. You've got this!
- Grab your trusty Y000 screwdriver and take out those three 1.3 mm screws holding the battery connector cover in place. You got this!
- Before you seal up your iPhone, why not power it on and give all the functions a quick test? Just remember to turn your iPhone off completely before diving back in. Happy repairing!
Step 18
- Pop off that battery connector cover and let the magic begin!
Step 19
Be super careful not to mess up the black silicone seal around this and other board connections. Those little seals are like tiny superheroes, guarding your device against water and dust sneaking in.
- Use the pointed tip of a spudger or a clean fingernail to gently lift the battery connector from its spot on the logic board.
- Carefully bend the connector away from the logic board just a little, so it doesn’t accidentally make contact with the socket and power up your phone while you're working. Safety first!
Tools Used
Step 20
- Gently use the pointy end of a spudger or even a clean fingernail to lift the display connector out of its socket on the logic board.
- When putting connectors like this back, line them up carefully and press down on one side until you hear a click, then do the same on the other side. Avoid pressing in the middle to prevent bending pins and causing 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 for the next part. Remove the last two screws from the cover:
- One is a 1.5 mm screw
- And the other is a 1.8 mm screw
Step 22
- Pop off the cover over the front sensor connector—easy does it!
Step 23
- Gently pry up the front sensor assembly cable connector using the pointed end of your spudger to unplug it.
Tools Used
Step 24
- Take off the screen—carefully, like you’re opening a present you don’t want to tear.
- If you’re feeling extra fancy during reassembly, this is the moment to lay down some fresh waterproof adhesive around the display’s edges.
Step 25
- Grab your Phillips driver and unscrew the four 1.5 mm screws holding the loudspeaker in place:
- Two screws with the bigger heads
- Two screws with the smaller heads
Step 26
- Gently slide an opening pick between the top edge of the Taptic Engine and the sticky adhesive strip to start loosening things up.
Step 27
- Carefully take out the loudspeaker.
Step 28
- Use the pointy end of your spudger to pop the Taptic Engine cable loose—careful, it's a gentle nudge, not a wrestling match.
Tools Used
Step 29
- Grab your Phillips screwdriver and take out the two screws holding down the Taptic Engine. It’s like unscrewing the lid on a jar—just a bit smaller.
- Switch to a standoff screwdriver to handle the 2.8 mm standoff screw securing the Taptic Engine. Give it a quick twist and it’s out.
- You’re looking for one 1.8 mm screw—small but mighty.
- And don’t forget the one 2.1 mm screw. It’s the last piece of the puzzle in this section!
Step 30
- Give your new replacement part a good look-over compared to the original—you might need to switch over some leftover bits or peel off those sticky backings from the new part before you dive in.
- To put your device back together, just work through these steps in reverse. Easy peasy!
- Got some e-waste? Don't just toss it—take it to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler. It’s the responsible thing to do!
- If things didn't quite go as planned, don’t sweat it! Try a little troubleshooting, or feel free to ask our community for some tips. And remember, if you’re really stuck, you can always schedule a repair.
