iPhone 14 Pro Max Screen Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 29 Steps
Hey, just a heads up—lower your battery to under 25% before cracking open your device. It's a simple move to keep things safe and shock-free!
Got a cracked or unresponsive screen on your iPhone 14 Pro Max? Don’t sweat it—this guide walks you through swapping out that display assembly and getting your phone back in action. The steps here use the international A2894 model, but if you’re working on a different iPhone 14, don’t worry—the process is pretty much the same, even if a couple things look different. Before you dive in, power down your battery below 25% to keep things safe (trust us, it’s better for everyone if the battery stays calm). If your battery looks a little puffy, handle with care. Heads up: if your phone is running iOS 17.6 or earlier, you’ll lose True Tone and auto brightness after the screen swap, even with an Apple screen. Face ID won’t work unless you’re on iOS 15.2 or newer. Got iOS 18 or above? You can use Apple’s Repair Assistant to calibrate the new screen and bring back True Tone—if you’re using a genuine Apple display. Don’t forget some fresh adhesive to seal things up when you’re done. Your phone will work just fine, but it probably won’t be quite as waterproof as before.
Step 1
- First things first, let's give your iPhone a little break—power it down before we dive into the disassembly fun!
- Next up, grab your trusty pentalobe P2 screwdriver and carefully remove those two 6.8 mm-long screws hanging out at the bottom edge of your iPhone.
Step 2
Going too deep with your opening pick can poke something it shouldn’t! Mark your pick to keep things safe and sound.
Want to be extra precise? Mark the other corners of your pick with different measurements—style points for color coding.
Or, for a DIY twist, tape a coin 3 mm from the tip to give your pick a handy depth stop.
- Grab your trusty permanent marker and measure out 3 mm from the tip of the opening pick. Give it a little mark – you'll thank yourself later!
Step 3
Put on some safety glasses to keep your eyes safe from any sneaky glass bits that might fly out during the repair.
Got a cracked iPhone screen? Slap some tape over the glass to keep shards in place and your fingers safe while you work your repair magic.
If your suction cup just won’t stick, go full MacGyver and use a dab of superglue to get it to grip.
- Start by laying down some overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone's screen until it’s completely covered. Think of it like giving your phone a protective blanket!
- If the suction cup isn't cooperating in the next few steps, no worries! Just grab a sturdy piece of tape (duct tape works great) and fold it into a little handle to lift the screen instead. You got this!
Tools Used
Step 4
The next three steps show off the Anti-Clamp—a nifty tool we cooked up to make popping open your device a breeze. If you’re going old-school and skipping the Anti-Clamp, just jump ahead three steps for another way to get the job done.
Want the full lowdown on using the Anti-Clamp? Check out our dedicated guide.
If your iPhone feels slicker than a greased watermelon and the Anti-Clamp slips off, slap on some tape to give it a better grip.
- Give that blue handle a tug backward to set the Anti-Clamp's arms free!
- Now, slide those arms over either the left or right edge of your iPhone like a pro.
- Next up, place the suction cups close to the bottom edge of your iPhone—one on the front and another on the back.
- Squeeze those cups together to create a solid suction grip on your device. You've got this!
Step 5
- Slide the blue handle forward to lock those arms in place.
- Give the handle a full 360-degree clockwise spin or keep turning until the suction cups start to stretch out.
- Keep an eye on the suction cups — they should stay perfectly aligned. If they start to slip, just loosen them a bit and line the arms back up.
Step 6
Take it easy! Just give it a gentle twist—no more than a quarter turn at a time. Then sit back and chill for a minute before the next turn. Let the Anti-Clamp and a little patience work their magic for you.
Wondering how to wield a hair dryer like a pro? We've got a guide for that.
If the Anti-Clamp isn’t giving you enough space, just hit the spot with a bit more heat and twist the handle a quarter turn. You’ve got this!
- Set your iPhone on a solid surface like a hardcover book so it stays put and level—makes the next steps way easier.
- Grab a hair dryer and warm up the bottom edge of your iPhone until it feels just a bit too hot to touch.
- Hold tight for a minute to let the adhesive loosen up and create a little gap.
- When the Anti-Clamp has made a big enough opening, slide an opening pick under the screen’s plastic bezel.
- Go ahead and skip the next two steps.
Tools Used
Step 7
Keep your hair dryer on the move! Staying in one spot for too long can lead to some unwanted drama.
Got a suction handle? Great! Next up, let’s loosen that screen—just follow the next two steps and you’ll be on your way.
- Grab a hair dryer or a heat gun and give the bottom edge of your iPhone a warm hug for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a tad too hot to touch.
Tools Used
Step 8
The adhesive keeping that screen snugly in place is quite the tough cookie! Getting that first gap open requires a bit of muscle. If you find yourself struggling, don't sweat it—just add some extra heat and gently wiggle the screen up and down to loosen the adhesive. Soon enough, you'll have just the right gap to slide in your trusty opening pick.
- Stick the suction handle onto the bottom edge of the screen—just don’t go hugging the very tip of the glass.
- Give the suction cup a gentle, steady pull to open up a little gap between the screen and the frame. No Hulk strength needed—just keep it smooth.
- Slide an opening pick into that new gap, right under the plastic bezel of the screen. Precision beats force every time!
Tools Used
Step 9
- Give some love to the right edge of your iPhone (that’s the side with the power button) by blowing it warm with a hair dryer for about 90 seconds. You want it to feel just a smidge too hot to touch, but not like it’s been sunbathing in the Sahara!
Tools Used
Step 10
Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than 3 mm—so you don’t accidentally poke something important inside.
- Gently glide that opening pick around the lower right corner of your iPhone to break free the adhesive holding it tight.
- Keep on sliding up along the right edge of the iPhone until you hit the top right corner.
- Once you reach the top right corner, leave the pick in place for the next move!
Step 11
- Grab your hair dryer and warm up the top edge of your iPhone for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a bit too warm to comfortably touch. This helps loosen things up for the next step.
Tools Used
Step 12
Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than 3 mm—to avoid messing up the top sensors.
- Slide your pick under the top right edge of the phone, then glide it around the top-right corner and halfway across the top edge—just stop short of the earpiece speaker cut-out. Easy does it!
Step 13
- Warm up the left edge of your iPhone using a hair dryer for about 90 seconds, or until it feels just a tad too hot to handle.
Tools Used
Step 14
Heads up! There are some super delicate cables running along the left edge of your iPhone. Avoid sliding your pick in there or you might accidentally mess them up.
Step 15
Gently ease into the twist—slow and steady wins the race.
If the adhesive is playing hard to get, warm up the left edge a bit and try again.
- Slide a second pick into the bottom left corner of your iPhone—think of it as giving the phone a little pinch from both sides.
- Now, twist both picks at the same time, and watch the left edge clips pop free. Teamwork makes those clips dream work!
Step 16
If you don’t have anything nearby to prop the screen against, your trusty suction handle can step in and save the day.
- Turn your iPhone so the right edge is facing you, like it's ready for a chat.
- Gently lift the screen up from the right side, just like flipping open the front cover of a book.
- Prop the screen up against something sturdy while you work your magic on the phone.
- When it's time to put everything back together, lay the screen in place, match up those clips along the top edge, and press down the top edge carefully. If it gives you a hard time and doesn't click into place, check those clips around the screen's edges to make sure they're not all bent out of shape.
Tools Used
Step 17
As you tackle this repair, keep a close eye on each screw and remember to return it to its original spot. This will help prevent any accidental mishaps with your iPhone.
- Grab your Y000 screwdriver and carefully remove the eight screws holding down the battery connector cover:
- When putting everything back together, it’s a perfect time to power on your iPhone and make sure all functions are working before sealing the screen back in place. Remember to power it down completely before continuing with the reassembly.
- Six screws measuring 1.3 mm in length
- One screw measuring 1.6 mm in length
- One screw measuring 1.9 mm in length
Step 18
- Grab hold of that connector cover with your trusty tweezers and give it a gentle slide downwards to free those flex cables.
- Now, go ahead and take off the connector cover.
Tools Used
Step 19
Handle that black silicone seal with care! It's not just there for decoration; it keeps pesky water and dust out of your device. Let's keep it intact for maximum protection!
- Grab the pointed end of your spudger and gently lift the battery cable connector straight up to unplug it from its socket.
- Then, give the connector a little bend away from the logic board so it doesn't accidentally touch the socket and power up the phone while you're working.
Tools Used
Step 20
- Grab the pointy end of your spudger and gently pry the first display cable connector straight up to unplug it from its socket.
- When it’s time to reconnect, line up one side of the connector and press down until you hear a satisfying click, then do the same on the other side. Avoid pressing the middle — misalignment here can bend pins and cause permanent damage.
Tools Used
Step 21
- Grab the pointy end of your spudger and gently pop the second display cable connector straight up out of its socket. Easy does it!
Tools Used
Step 22
- Take off the screen carefully.
- Clean the surfaces with isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher), then add fresh adhesive exactly where it’s needed.
- When putting everything back together, feel free to stop here if you want to swap out the screen adhesives.
Step 23
These next steps show you how to move the front sensor assembly over to your new screen. If your replacement screen already has this assembly attached, feel free to skip ahead!
- Grab your trusty PH000 screwdriver and gently unscrew the two 1.4mm screws holding the sensor assembly bracket in place. Easy does it!
Step 24
- Grab your tweezers or just use your fingers to gently lift off the front sensor assembly bracket. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 25
You can totally use a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate to warm things up a bit, but hey, keep an eye on that temperature! We don't want to roast your phone—its display is a bit sensitive to heat. Play it safe and keep it cool!
- Warm up an iOpener and chill it on the top edge of the screen for a solid two minutes to get things loosened up.
Tools Used
Step 26
- Slip an opening pick gently between the proximity sensor and its slot in the screen.
- Use the pick to carefully lift the proximity sensor, gently separating it from the screen.
Step 27
- Slip your opening pick gently between the ambient light sensor and its little home on the screen.
- Carefully pry upwards with the pick to free the ambient light sensor from the screen.
Step 28
Now, if the adhesive has cooled off, it's time to give it a little warmth! Grab your trusty heated iOpener and apply it to the assembly for about a minute before moving on. You've got this!
- Slide an opening pick underneath the left edge of the front sensor assembly.
- Gently glide the pick under the assembly to separate it from the frame.
Tools Used
Step 29
- If you can, power on your device and check that your repair did the trick before sticking on new adhesive and sealing it up.
- To put your device back together, just follow these steps in reverse order.
- After swapping parts, you might be able to calibrate them using Apple's Repair Assistant (available starting with iOS 18). Just update your device, go to Settings → General → About → Parts & Service History, tap Restart & Finish Repair, and follow the prompts.
- The best way to keep that new screen secure is by applying a custom-cut sheet of double-sided tape to the frame, then setting the screen right back where it belongs.
- Got e-waste? Be sure to take it to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
- If things didn’t go quite as planned, try some basic troubleshooting or feel free to schedule a repair for some expert help.
