iPhone X WiFi Antenna Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 71 Steps
Swapping out the WiFi antenna is a great way to tackle issues like weak or missing WiFi signals, sluggish internet speeds over WiFi, and connection hiccups.
Step 1
- Grab a SIM card eject tool or just use a paperclip, and gently insert it into the tiny hole on the SIM card tray. It's right near the side button on your iPhone—easy to spot!
- Give it a firm push to pop the tray out. Don't be shy—just a little pressure and you'll be all set!
Tools Used
Step 2
The SIM card likes to make a quick exit from the tray, so keep an eye out for it!
- Pop out the SIM card tray from your iPhone like a pro!
- When you're putting the SIM card back, make sure it's sitting just right in the tray—nobody likes a misaligned card.
- There's a nifty little rubber gasket around the SIM tray that keeps water and dust at bay. If you notice it's damaged or missing, don’t just shrug it off—swap it out or replace the whole tray to keep your iPhone's insides safe and sound.
Step 3
Before diving in, make sure your iPhone's battery is below 25%. A lively lithium-ion battery can be a bit of a drama queen and might catch fire or even explode if it gets a surprise puncture!
Cracking open your iPhone’s display is going to break those waterproof seals, so if you want to keep your phone splash-proof, have fresh seals on hand before you get too far. If you skip the replacement, just be extra careful to keep your phone dry once you’ve put it back together.
- First things first: power off your iPhone before diving into the disassembly. Safety first!
- Grab your pentalobe screwdriver and carefully remove the two 6.9 mm screws at the bottom edge of your iPhone. Easy peasy.
- If the screws give you trouble and are stripped or damaged, don't sweat it—just replace them and keep going!
Step 4
Pushing the pick in too deep can give your device a bad day—so let's mark your pick to keep things safe.
Want extra precision? Add measurement marks to all the pick's corners and feel like a repair scientist.
Or for a quick hack, tape a coin to your pick, exactly 3 mm from the tip—your device will thank you.
- Grab your opening pick and measure 3 mm from the tip. Use a permanent marker to make a little mark—this is your guide for the next steps!
Step 5
Grab your safety glasses! You’ll want to protect your eyes from any sneaky glass bits that might decide to make a quick getaway during the repair.
Got a cracked screen on your iPhone? No worries, just tape over the glass to keep any further damage in check and avoid any cuts while you're working on the repair.
If you're really stuck, try supergluing the suction cup to the screen. It'll help you get a better grip for the fix!
- Cover the iPhone’s screen by layering clear packing tape strips until it’s fully wrapped like a pro.
- If the suction cup refuses to stick in the next steps, no worries! Fold a sturdy tape strip (think duct tape) into a little handle and use that to gently lift the screen.
Step 6
In the next few steps, we're going to show you how the Anti-Clamp works—it's a handy little tool we made to help with the opening process. If you're not using the Anti-Clamp, just skip ahead three steps for another way to do it.
Need more details on how to use the Anti-Clamp? We’ve got a full guide for you right here.
If your iPhone's surface is feeling a bit too slippery for the Anti-Clamp to grip, no worries! A bit of tape can help create the perfect grip.
- Grab that blue handle and pull it back to let the Anti-Clamp’s arms loose.
- Slide the arms over the left or right edge of your iPhone—whichever feels right.
- Line up the suction cups near the bottom of your iPhone—one on the screen side, one on the back.
- Give those cups a gentle squeeze so they stick right where you need them.
Step 7
- Slide that blue handle forward to lock those arms in place. Nice and snug!
- Give the handle a full spin clockwise—360 degrees, or until you see the cups start to stretch. Go ahead and channel your inner DJ.
- Keep the suction cups lined up like best friends at a dance party. If they start drifting apart, loosen them a bit and bring those arms back together.
Step 8
Take it easy and don't go overboard—just a quarter turn at a time. Give it a minute to breathe in between. Let the Anti-Clamp and time do their thing. Patience is key!
You can try using a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate to warm things up—just be careful, as too much heat might harm the display or battery.
If the Anti-Clamp isn’t making enough space, give the area a bit more heat and twist the handle a quarter turn to help things along.
- Warm up your iOpener and slip it through the arms of the Anti-Clamp like a pro.
- Fold the iOpener so it’s chilling right on the bottom edge of your iPhone.
- Give it a solid minute—let that adhesive loosen up and wait for a gap to show up.
- Slide an opening pick under the screen and the plastic bezel (not the screen itself—let’s keep things friendly).
- Go ahead and skip the next three steps—you’re already ahead of the game!
Tools Used
Step 9
If you’re using a hairdryer or heat gun, go easy on the heat—too much can roast your screen instead of helping.
Warming up the bottom edge of your iPhone gives the adhesive a little nudge, making it way easier to pop that display open.
- Grab a hairdryer, heat gun, or whip up an iOpener, and let it work its magic on the lower edge of your iPhone for about a minute. This will help loosen that stubborn adhesive hiding underneath. You're doing great!
Tools Used
Step 10
- If you're using just one suction handle, stick it to the bottom edge of your phone, making sure to steer clear of that curved glass area. You've got this!
Tools Used
Step 11
The screen is sealed tight with some seriously tough adhesive, so popping open that first gap takes a bit of muscle. If you’re struggling to get it started, try warming it up a little more and gently wiggle the screen up and down. That’ll loosen the glue enough to slide your tool in and get things moving.
- Give that suction cup a good pull with steady, confident pressure to open up a little gap between the screen and its frame.
- Slide an opening pick into that gap beneath the screen's plastic bezel, making sure to avoid the actual screen itself.
Step 12
Be careful not to push your pick more than 3 mm in, or you might end up hurting something inside. Take it easy and go slow.
- Gently slide the opening pick around the bottom left corner and then up the left side of the iPhone, carefully cutting through the adhesive that’s keeping the display stuck in place.
Step 13
Heads up! There are some fragile cables chilling along the right edge of your iPhone. Avoid poking your pick there or you might cause some unwanted cable drama.
Step 14
Keep your pick shallow—no deeper than 3 mm—or you might give those display cables a bad day.
- Grab your pick and slide it along the bottom edge, then cruise up the right side of your iPhone to keep peeling away that sticky adhesive. Keep it smooth and steady!
Step 15
Handle those clips like they're made of glass! Too much force and they might just shatter. Take your time and stay patient.
Keep your pick close to home—no more than 3 mm deep! We wouldn't want to accidentally poke that front panel sensor array.
The top edge of the display is held in place by both glue and clips. It’s a bit of a double whammy, but don't worry, you’ve got this!
- Gently glide that opening pick around the top corner of your display, giving it a little wiggle as you pull it down toward the Lightning port. You're doing great!
- Now, slide that pick on over to the opposite corner and cut through any leftover adhesive holding your display in place. Almost there!
Step 16
- Grab the tiny nub on the suction cup and give it a little pull to pop it off the front panel.
Step 17
Hold up—don't yank the display off just yet! There are some delicate ribbon cables still attached to the iPhone's logic board, and they don't appreciate surprises.
As you lift the display, make sure the frame tags along. If it gets left behind in the device, that's just more work for you!
- Gently lift the iPhone's display from the left side, just like flipping open the cover of a book. It's all about that smooth swing!
- Prop the display up against something sturdy while you work your magic on the phone. Keep it steady, my friend!
- When you're ready to put it all back together, place the display in its rightful spot, align those clips along the top edge, and give the top edge a gentle press until it clicks into place. If it’s being a bit stubborn, take a moment to check the clips around the display's perimeter to ensure they’re not bent out of shape.
Step 18
Keep a close eye on every screw during this repair and make sure each one goes back exactly where it came from—your iPhone will thank you!
- Let's get those Y000 screws off! There are five screws holding the logic board connector bracket in place. Here’s the breakdown:
- Three screws at 1.1 mm
- One screw at 3.1 mm
- One screw at 3.7 mm
Step 19
The bracket might be hanging on a bit. Give it a gentle yet determined lift to break it free.
- Take off that bracket with confidence!
- Now's a great time to power up your iPhone and give everything a test run before you seal that display back up. Just remember to turn your iPhone completely off before diving back into the work.
Step 20
Be gentle around the black silicone seal on this and other board connections—these little barriers help keep out water and dust. Treat them kindly so your device stays protected!
- Gently use the tip of a spudger or a clean fingernail to lift the battery connector up from its spot on the logic board.
- Carefully bend the connector slightly away from the board so it doesn’t accidentally reconnect and power up your phone while you’re working.
Tools Used
Step 21
- Gently pry open the front panel sensor assembly connector using a spudger tip or even your fingernail. A little finesse goes a long way!
Tools Used
Step 22
- Poke the OLED panel cable connector free using a spudger tip or your fingernail—no need to wrestle with it, just a gentle lift.
- To reconnect, line up the connector and press down on one side till it clicks, then do the same for the other. Skip pressing the middle or you'll risk bending pins. If it’s looking wonky, double-check the alignment to avoid a permanent oops.
Tools Used
Step 23
- Grab your spudger and pop up the digitizer cable connector—just a little finesse needed here.
- Plugging it back in takes some patience. Line it up, then gently press with your fingertip—side to side until you feel that satisfying click.
- Screen acting stubborn? If touch isn’t working, unplug the battery and try seating the connector again. Make sure it clicks and that the socket’s clear of any dust or debris.
Tools Used
Step 24
The front panel sensor assembly flex cable is held in place with a light adhesive, so it’s easy to handle without worry.
- Gently lift the cable and let the adhesive work its magic as it comes apart.
Step 25
- Take out the display assembly carefully.
- When putting it back together, take a moment here if you want to swap out the waterproof adhesive lining the edges of the display.
Step 26
Heads up! Avoid touching the trio of grounding pads chilling near the bottom of your iPhone—they're sensitive little guys.
- Let’s get that bracket out of the way! Remove all seven screws holding it down under the Taptic Engine and speaker:
- Two Y000 screws, 1.9 mm each
- One Y000 screw, 1.2 mm
- One Y000 screw, 1.6 mm
- One Phillips screw, 2.4 mm
- One Phillips screw, 1.7 mm
- One Phillips screw, 1.5 mm
Step 27
- Gently lift the bracket from the edge closest to the battery. Don’t go all the way just yet, as it's still hanging on by a tiny flex cable.
Step 28
- Hold the bracket out of the way and use the pointy end of your spudger to gently pop up and disconnect the flex cable hiding underneath.
Tools Used
Step 29
- Time to say goodbye to that pesky bracket! Go ahead and remove it.
Step 30
- Unscrew the 2.1 mm Y000 screw holding down the speaker connector cover and set it aside gently.
Step 31
- Pop off that speaker connector cover and keep it somewhere safe—you're on a roll!
Step 32
- Gently use the tip of your trusty spudger to lift and unplug the speaker connector, like a pro.
Tools Used
Step 33
As you gently lift the speaker, remember to watch out for that flex cable you just unplugged. If it gets a little tricky, just hold it to the side so the speaker can wiggle free without a hitch!
- Slide a spudger under the top edge of the speaker, right near the iPhone's case edge.
- Carefully lift and pop up the top edge of the speaker, but don't rush it!
- When putting the speaker back, double-check the flex cable's position—make sure it doesn’t get stuck under the speaker.
Tools Used
Step 34
- Grab the speaker by its side edges and give it a gentle side-to-side wiggle to break free from the adhesive that's holding it to the bottom edge of the iPhone.
- Carefully pull the speaker away from the bottom edge of the iPhone until the adhesive gasket lets go.
Step 35
- Time to take out the speaker! Gently lift it out, making sure not to tug too hard. Just give it a little wiggle and it should come right out. Nice and easy!
Step 36
Be careful not to touch the sticky parts! Hold the gasket only by the outer edges of the liner to keep everything clean and smooth.
- Heads up! The speaker's gasket is a one-time wonder, so let's get ready to swap it out during reassembly.
- Grab those tweezers and let's say goodbye to the old gasket—gently peel it off the frame and speaker.
- Time to clean up! Use a microfiber cloth and some isopropyl alcohol to wipe away any sticky residue left behind from the gasket.
- Before you pop in the new speaker gasket, make sure you know which way it goes—look for the big cutout that should fit snugly around the speaker grille mesh.
- Peel off the larger, clear liner from the gasket, then with your trusty tweezers, place the gasket right on the bottom of the speaker.
- Now, give that gasket a good press down with your fingers or a spudger to make sure it sticks like it means it!
- Finally, remove the last liner, and carefully position the speaker back in place, ensuring that the connector isn't hiding underneath.
Step 37
- Unscrew the 2.3 mm Phillips screw holding down the Taptic Engine. Time to give it some wiggle room!
Step 38
- Grab your spudger and gently lift the Taptic Engine flex cable straight up from its socket. It's like a mini tug, but make sure you're steady and don't yank it out!
Tools Used
Step 39
- Carefully take out the Taptic Engine.
Step 40
The iPhone X’s battery is held in place on the back case by four stretch-release adhesive strips—one at the top and three at the bottom. Easy to peel, just take it slow!
- Each strip of adhesive comes with a black pull-tab at its end, gently stuck to the battery’s side edge to keep things neat and tidy.
Step 41
Be careful not to poke or stab the battery with anything sharp. A punctured battery could leak harmful chemicals or even catch fire. Take it easy and stay safe!
Each tab features a nifty little loop right in the middle. If you're struggling to get a grip on the tab, just slide a tool through that loop for a little extra help!
- Carefully peel away the first battery adhesive tab from the bottom edge of the battery. You've got this!
Step 42
Heads up! Be extra gentle with the speaker cable connector just below the center adhesive tab to keep everything happy and intact.
- Go ahead and repeat the previous step to carefully lift off the last two sticky adhesive tabs holding the battery down at the bottom edge.
Step 43
If the strips snap, no worries! They don’t always behave as expected. Keep going for some extra tips on how to get those stubborn bits out.
In the upcoming steps, you'll gently pull each tab to gradually stretch the adhesive that's snug under the battery. This nifty stretch-release adhesive gives up its grip when you give it a good stretch, making it a breeze to lift the battery right out!
- Boost your chances of success with these tips:
- If a strip decides to break off under the battery and plays hard to get, just move on to the other strips and keep rolling with the steps below.
- Remember, don’t squish the battery! Hold your iPhone securely by its sides.
- Gently keep those strips flat and wrinkle-free as you pull them.
- Take it slow and steady—give the strip a good 15-30 seconds to stretch and separate for each one.
- Pull at a nice low angle to avoid any snags along the bottom edge of the battery.
Step 44
If any of the adhesive strips decide to play hide and seek under the battery and you can't get them back, no worries! Just go ahead and remove the leftover strips, and then follow the steps below like a pro.
The strip will stretch out, getting much longer than its original size. Keep pulling and if needed, grab it again closer to the battery.
If the adhesive tabs snap during removal, no worries! Use your fingers or some gentle tweezers to pull out the rest, and keep going.
- Grab one of the outer battery adhesive tabs and gently pull it towards the bottom of your iPhone. Nice and steady, we’re almost there!
- Keep the tension consistent as you pull, ensuring it slides smoothly out from between the battery and rear case. Take it slow—patience is key!
Tools Used
Step 45
- Tackle the other side by repeating the previous step, but save that center strip for last. You've got this!
Step 46
- Carefully lift out the center strip—don’t let it catch on the speaker flex cable, or you’ll have a bad day!
Step 47
Be careful when handling the final pull tab—it's pretty close to the Face ID hardware. If things go south, only Apple can work their magic on it. Take your time and handle with care!
- Carefully peel and pull apart the tab on the last adhesive strip located at the top edge of the upper battery cell.
Step 48
Heads up: the adhesive strip might snap the battery out suddenly, so keep a hand gently resting over the battery to keep it steady—just don’t press on the battery itself, or you might accidentally tear the strip beneath it.
Avoid yanking the battery out forcefully. If it's being stubborn, drop a little more alcohol to loosen the glue. And never twist, bend, or poke the battery with your pry tool.
Watch out for the delicate ribbon cables and the wireless charging coil tucked right under the battery—they’re easy to damage if you’re not careful.
If the adhesive underneath the battery tears off and you can't pick it up, just drop a few drops of strong (90%+) isopropyl alcohol under the battery edge where the adhesive gave out.
Want to try other ways to loosen the battery from the case? Keep going to the next step below.
- Peel off that last stubborn adhesive strip.
- If you've already cleared away all four adhesive strips, feel free to skip the next step.
- Give it about a minute to let the alcohol do its magic and soften the glue. Then, use the flat edge of a spudger to carefully pry up the battery.
Tools Used
Step 49
If you're going to use pry tools to pop the battery out of your iPhone, tread lightly! Too much force could damage the delicate ribbon cables or the wireless charging coil hiding snugly beneath the battery.
Give your iPhone a little warmth until the rear case is just a smidge too hot to touch comfortably. But watch out—don't go overboard and risk igniting that battery!
- If any sticky strips snapped off and the battery’s still glued to the rear case, grab an iOpener or fire up a hair dryer to heat the area right behind the battery.
- Flip your iPhone over and slide something sturdy (like dental floss or a skinny piece of guitar string) underneath the battery.
- Rock the string back and forth in a sawing motion along the battery’s length to slice through the adhesive. Hang in there—it’s stubborn, but patience wins. Just don’t squish or poke the battery.
- Wrap the ends of the string around a cloth (or throw on some gloves) to save your fingers from the struggle.
Tools Used
Step 50
- Grab the battery from the bottom edge and gently lift it out of your iPhone.
- If there's any leftover alcohol solution inside, give it a careful wipe or let it air dry before popping in your new battery.
- Put the Taptic Engine and speaker back in place before installing the new battery to help keep everything lined up perfectly.
- Before sticking down the replacement battery, briefly reconnect its connector to the logic board socket to make sure it seats just right.
- If your new battery doesn’t come with adhesive strips, check out this guide for tips on swapping those out.
- After putting everything back together, do a force restart to avoid hiccups and make troubleshooting easier.
- Stick the battery down, unplug it, and keep reassembling your device.
Step 51
- Grab your trusty spudger and gently pry away those three cables connected to the front camera assembly:
- First up, we have the dot projector.
- Next is the front camera.
- And last but not least, the infrared camera.
Tools Used
Step 52
The camera cables are gently stuck to the midframe.
- Grab your trusty spudger and get to work! Start at the connector and gently slide the spudger between the IR camera cable and the case to give that cable some breathing room. You've got this!
- Now, let's show that front camera cable some love too. Just repeat the same process and separate it from the case!
Tools Used
Step 53
- Warm things up a bit to help the adhesive on the front camera assembly relax and let go.
Step 54
- Gently remove the front camera assembly. Take your time, it's a delicate piece, so handle it with care!
Step 55
- Carefully unplug these cable connectors to keep things moving smoothly.
- Start with the WiFi Antenna connector.
- Next, detach the Wide-Angle Camera connector.
- Then, disconnect the Power Button / Flash / Microphone connector.
- Follow up by unplugging the Telephoto Camera connector.
- Don’t forget the Dock Flex connector.
- Next, remove the Button / Wireless Charging connector.
- Finally, disconnect the Cellular Antenna connector.
Step 56
- Gently pop off that WiFi Antenna cable connector like a pro.
Step 57
- Gently unplug the Wide-Angle Camera cable connector to keep things moving smoothly.
Step 58
- Gently unplug the connector for the Power Button, Flash, and Microphone cable. Take your time—no need to rush this part.
Step 59
- Gently unplug the Telephoto Camera cable connector to keep things safe and sound.
Step 60
- Unplug the Dock Flex cable connector – easy peasy.
- Now, gently bend the cable upwards at a 90-degree angle. This will give you the space you need to gracefully remove the logic board.
Step 61
- Gently unplug the Button / Wireless Charging cable connector to keep things cool and ready for the next step.
Step 62
- Unplug that Cellular Antenna cable connector like a pro!
- Gently nudge the cable to the side, making way for the next steps.
Step 63
Pop that metal grounding tab back in place just like you found it. Keep it chill, keep it oriented!
- Heads up: The logic board won’t budge if the SIM card tray is still hanging out. If you skipped that earlier, pop it out now.
- Take out the two Phillips screws that hold things together.
- Next up, grab the 2.0 mm Phillips screw that’s grounding everything.
- Remove the grounding tab—just slide it on out.
- Unscrew the Phillips screw that’s 2.7 mm long.
- And finally, remove the 2.1 mm Phillips screw.
Step 64
- When you pop out the SIM card, a little pin slides out from the frame and nudges the eject lever in the SIM card holder. Make sure to gently push that pin back into the frame so it doesn’t get in the way when you’re taking out the logic board.
Step 65
- Grab your fine tip tweezers and gently slide the SIM card eject lever toward the edge of the case.
- When you're done, the eject lever should look like this—no more pesky pins blocking the logic board from coming out.
Tools Used
Step 66
- The logic board assembly sits on two posts that pass through the lower board and are fastened to the upper board. To take it out, gently lift it straight up and evenly so it clears the stand-offs without any hiccups.
Step 67
- Unscrew the 1.4 mm Phillips screw that’s holding down the first grounding tab.
- Lift off the grounding tab carefully.
- Keep an eye on how the tab is positioned so you can snap it back just right during reassembly.
Step 68
- Unscrew four 1.5 mm Phillips screws. Easy peasy – just grab your screwdriver and go to work!
Step 69
Keep an eye on how those tabs are oriented, and make sure to give them a proper home when you're putting everything back together. You've got this!
- Take out the two 1.1 mm Y000 screws—don’t lose these tiny superheroes!
- Pop out the two grounding tabs. Easy does it!
Step 71
- Ready to put everything back together? Just retrace your steps in reverse order and you’ll be back up and running. If things get tricky, you can always schedule a repair.
