Apple Watch Screen Replacement

Written By: Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Comments: 168

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

Cracked the glass on your Apple Watch? Time to get that fixed up. Follow this guide to replace the screen—which includes the OLED display and fused glass digitizer (touchscreen).

As a precaution against damaging your device, this guide starts by disconnecting the battery, in the only way you can—by removing it.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Before starting repairs, take your watch off the charger and power it down.
If your touchscreen is broken and prevents powering off the watch, use this alternate method to power it down.

Step 2

Prepare an iOpener (or grab a hair dryer or heat gun) and heat the face of the watch until it's slightly too hot to touch.
Leave the iOpener on the watch for at least a minute to fully heat the screen and soften the adhesive holding it to the case.
You may need to reheat the iOpener, or move it around on the screen as sections cool, to heat the screen enough to pry it off.

Save yourself some time—use a hair dryer. After multiple efforts with the iOpener, I could not get the screen to pop enough to pry it up. That’s when I grabbed a hair dryer and had it off within minutes.

Patrick -

I heated it up with hair dryer for less then 2min and stick the blade in that was supplied with infix kit and popped right off.

MIke C -

Does heating the screen not run the risk of damaging it like you can with a phone?

Wade -

Step 3

Because the gap between the screen and watch body is so thin, a sharp blade is required to separate the two. Read the following warnings carefully before proceeding.
Protect your fingers by keeping them completely clear of the knife. If in doubt, protect your free hand with a heavy glove, such as a leather shop glove or gardening glove.
Be careful not to apply too much pressure, as this might cause the knife to slip and cut you, or damage the watch.
Wear eye protection. The knife or glass may break, sending pieces flying.

In my instance, the problem started with the face/screen popping off because the battery swelled. So I didn’t need to heat the face and pry it off. I did heat it a bit in order to warm the residue adhesive on the edge of the face and the case frame and found it easier to scrap it off gently with the craft blade that came with the $39.21 battery replacement kit. If this is your issue, you can skip the prying up steps.

jeb605 - 11/12/20

Same situation as jeb605 - my watch battery swelled and popped the screen off. Fortunately the force touch sensor did not debond from the watch. Thinking about just cleaning the back side of the screen and applying new adhesive. I used an alternate kit that did not come with the force touch sensor.

Tom Karches - 03/06/21

Step 4

Using a curved blade minimizes the chance of scratching the case or cracking the glass. Only pry with the curved section of the blade, and not the tip or flat section.
Place the curved section of the blade in the gap between the glass and case on the lower edge of the watch face, and press firmly straight down into the gap.
Be very careful to maintain complete control over the knife—once the gap opens, if you're pressing too hard on the knife it may slip in and cut the battery.
This should wedge the gap open and cause the glass to lift slightly up from the case.
When the glass has lifted, gently rotate the knife down, opening the gap more by pushing the glass up.

It is not possible to separate the screen from the casing? I have heated this thing numerous times and the opening is way too small to get any type of blade, knife or other tool in between. Any suggestions???

Paul - 27/06/16

Using a curved blade like the guide recommends, angle the blade straight down between the glass and the edge of the frame, mid-way along the bottom edge of the case. The metal of the case will flex *just a little bit*, allowing you to slowly rotate the blade so the cutting edge is now pointing towards the center of the watch instead of down towards your work surface. You may need to rock the blade back and forth, sort of massaging the curve into the seam between the glass and the metal before it works. And like they mention above, lots of heat. I used the heatpack they sell, put it in my toaster oven on 200. I started at 130, and went up in 20 degree increments until it worked.

Pete - 04/07/16

I've tried everything, heating it up until it's too hot to touch, pressing the knife in the gap straight down, at an angle, nothing seems to work. I've tried using all my arm strength and it still doesn't even enter the gap. Is the iFixit Jimmy not thin enough for the job?

Kenneth - 20/08/17

It’s not. The Jimmy’s a great pry tool, but not a cutting blade and not sharp enough for this particular job. You want a curved razor like the guide suggests.

Jeff Suovanen - 03/09/19

Just to emphasise after quite a struggle - the blade absolutely matters!! I tried about 5 and almost gave up before the last one lifted the glass quite easily. Obviously, you want a thin blade! No, thinner than that!

Mark Moore - 11/10/19

Plenty of heat helps this part. Also PLEASE PLEASE wear a glove. Nearly lost a finger thinking I was careful enough…

jake - 20/05/20

Apple Watch Ceramic Series 3… Unable to crack open even with curved razor. The tolerances are extremely tight. Does anyone have any tips? Being ceramic, there is no flex at all.

kurt - 21/01/21

I got hung up on this step for over an hour. The key for me was to keep the watch straps on! I initially took them off thinking it would be easier to work with the watch, but I guess just the little pressure I placed on the glass while trying to hold the watch and use the blade was enough to keep it in place. At first I thought I didn’t use enough heat and ended up reheating the iOpener a few times and applying it to the watch over the course of an hour. I put the top strap on, put it back flat on the table and held the watch secure with just the strap. I gave it another go with the blade and the screen instantly popped off. Also, be careful with the force you use on the blade… it seems with adequate heat, you don’t need to use that much (I ended up cutting through the Force Touch sensor and punctured the battery).

phchang - 02/03/21

I would never use a knife like this to remove the screen. It’s way to wide to get in between the glass and body, without potentially breaking the glass. I use the Ultra Thin iFlex Opening Tool, sold by IFIXIT. Seriously. You won’t wanna use a fat blade like that after you take the iFlex for a test drive.

Donald Fournier - 10/05/21

I used the rounded blade provided by iFixIt themselves as part of the Series 1 battery replacement kit and even that was wide enough that it scratched my case while trying to pry the screen up. Also I had to heat the iOpener like 3 or 4 times consecutively at 30s each and leave it on the screen for 5+ minutes before the screen would even budge. Heating for 30 sec and leaving on the screen for 1 minute was not even close to enough.

Happily After Ever -

The display came off nicely after heating the iOpener a couple of times and wiggling the blade a bit. Now i have replaced the battery and the force touch sensor an thought I was ready for a dry run. So I did not peel off the final layer of film so that I can still remove the display. What I see is not good, the display is full of stipes and pixles in many colors. So, did I break the display (e.g. by heat) or does it have to be completely glued to the sensor in order to work?

Jörg -

I got the answer. Unfortunately, I broke the display. A magifying glass revealed that I have scratched the cable where I inserted the blade. Replacing the display and I fixed it!

Jörg -

For anyone who’s having trouble getting the screen separated from the case, try leaving the iopener on the Watch for longer like around 4 or 5 minutes

Eli Duffer -

Hi, I bought the battery replacement kit for my Apple Watch Series 2 in steel. Not having a microwave, I used a hot air gun with a temperature set at 110 degrees celsius and tried to carry out the display opening maneuvers as per your video. The display didn't move, I tried all over the edge but nothing. What am I doing wrong?

greetings, thank you,

Maurizio S.

maurizio sabatini -

Ik heb er een brede soldeerpunt van 15mm opgezet op 200 graden, mesje erin en gaan met die banaan.

J No -

Step 5

Once you've opened the gap enough, insert the tip of an opening pick under the glass.
Slide the pick along the bottom edge to separate adhesive holding the screen to the case.
Be careful not to insert the opening pick too far. Only about 1/8" ( about 3 mm) is necessary, any deeper and you may damage cables.

Step 6

Roll the opening pick up the side of the button side of the watch, gently pushing in to separate the adhesive and widening the gap as you go.
Remember not to push the pick in too far—it's easier to avoid this by rolling the pick, rather than dragging a tip along.

Step 7

Work the pick around the top right corner, and roll it along the top edge of the screen.

Step 8

Continue working the pick around the perimeter of the screen, rolling down along the left side to cut the last of the adhesive.
Leave the pick in place to keep the adhesive from resealing the screen in place.

Step 9

While holding the first pick in place, use a second to check that all of the adhesive is separated around the entire perimeter of the screen.

Step 10

There are two cables connecting the screen to the inside of the watch, near the top left corner. Be careful when prying or you may damage these cables.
Pry slightly up on the right side of the screen, to free it from any remaining adhesive.
Pry up on the left to free it as well—but do not attempt to remove the screen as it is still held in place by two cables.

My iwatch screen came lose. There are two strips loose I don’t know how or where they connect to. The watch still powers on and screen is not cracked. Can you advise how to get it back on again?

dawnnstojkovic -

Step 11

If you can see the top layer of your Force Touch sensor among the display adhesive, it means the two layers of the sensor separated and you're going to need to replace or repair it.
iFixit screen and battery repair kits come with a replacement Force Touch sensor, so if you got one of those, don't fret.
The top layer of the sensor may be adhered to the back of the screen—if so, push it back down and separate it.

Hi, thanks for the guide, nice work. I miss a picture of the natural opening of the screen, as the mentioned “Force Touch sensor slides” gets connected from the screen to the main body of the watch by a pair of very thin wires. None of these wires are seen in any of the pictures among this guide, which may lead novices to not pay enough attention to them, broke them accidentally, or not knowing what are them for. Picture on step 13 is absolutely impossible without removing the slides / thin wires of the force touch sensor in advance.

Cheers

Javier Enrique Díaz - 20/02/20

"If you can see the top layer of your Force Touch sensor" - How are we supposed to know whether we can see this or not? If one of your images shows us this then can you please point this out. Also, an image of what it should look like, without the problem would be good.

Just discovered this article you have posted about replacing the Force Touch Sensor. After looking at the article I can now see your first image, above, is showing the separated Force Touch Sensor. Perhaps you should link to it in this article, so people can get a better idea of what it is and what it looks like:

Apple Watch Force Touch Sensor Replacement

djones - 03/11/22

Same issue as djones I think. My watch was forced apart by an expanding battery and it came apart in such a way that the force touch sensor was still intact, connected to the watch back and still glued to the face. If I had an image showing the two connectors to the force touch sensor along the same side as the cables, I would have better understood and released the force touch sensor from the face before pulling the sensor away from it's connection in the base. Would have saved $20+ on buying a replacement sensor. Thank you for the documented process.

Jeff Overbey -

Step 12

Lift the screen up and shift it to the left, minding the display data and digitizer cables.

I have 2 other small cables which are missing in your photos. Can you also explain what to do with them? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_6ngMn9...

Pavel Guzenko - 19/06/20

Looks like you forced touch sensor is still attached to the screen and not the body. I’ve got the same issues. I’m going to try to use the plastic tool and heat to gently remove it from the screen and return it down to the body. You can see it in their fix of it… Apple Watch Force Touch Sensor Replacement . Hope this helps.

Andrew Marjamaa - 02/08/20

Be VERY careful when moving the display and attached 2 cables. While they are reasonably protected it is easy to over stress these cables, resulting in tearing of the mini ribbon cable attached at the base. Move the screen the absolute minimum required to get to the battery.

Joe Smith -

Step 13

Place the watch on an elevated surface, at least 1/2" or 1 cm tall—a small box or the edge of a book will work great. This will allow the screen to hang down vertically and give better access to the battery.
Be careful not to bump the screen or strain the cables while you work.

Your iFixit shipping box is a great size for this

Joe Smith - 22/03/20

I would taped the watch to the elevated surface and rotated the surface around as I needed to

Andy Campbell - 10/09/20

I could not get the face to swing out of the way as shown for fear of tearing the tab connectors. I let it “hang” as much as it would and had to work with it partly in the way through the entire process

jeb605 - 11/12/20

Step 14

Use scissors to cut one of your opening picks to about the width of the battery. Try not to leave any sharp corners.
Insert the modified pick between the right side of the battery and the case.
Use constant, steady pressure to slowly pry the battery up, separating it from the adhesive securing it to the system board.
Be careful not to deform or puncture the battery.
On the larger (42 mm) models, it's possible to accidentally pry at the system board underneath the battery. Insert the pick only far enough to get underneath the battery, not the system board.
If needed, apply a little high concentration isopropyl alcohol (90% or greater) around and under the battery to help weaken the adhesive.
Do not attempt to remove the battery as it is still connected.

I tried removing the battery with the prying tool as instructed, but I think it may have slightly damaged the outer black plastic wrapping of the battery. Does this mean the battery is now damaged and needs to be replaced? Or is that just a cover around the battery and it doesn’t matter? I just don’t want any battery chemicals leaking out. Asking before I stick the screen back on the watch, I’ve done all the rest and it seems fine otherwise.

Danae - 16/06/18

Hi Danae, the black plastic is technically just protective, but I would highly recommend replacing the battery. It’s possible there is additional unseen damage, and that plastic helps protect against swelling and normal wear of the battery inside the device.

Sam Goldheart - 18/06/18

I had to use the pry tool instead of the pick as the pick was not moving it. Was careful not to damage the battery but found it much easier to get movement and know exactly where I was prying with the pry tool.

Joey Totherow - 12/02/20

Great tutorial but I’ve run into a problem changing the battery on my 42mm Original Series watch .

Getting the battery off with the pick has proven impossible and I’m about to try using the isopropyl alcohol.

• Can you provide any tips on how best to apply it, how long to give it to take effect, how often to apply etc. ?

• Given how narrow the gap is, also how to ensure nothing gets damaged by the alcohol?

• Is there any inherent risk in using the pry tool as Joey ended up doing?

Thanks for any advice

Allan Davidson -

Hey so I’m about to do a repair on one and noticed that it’s drains of battery making it pretty much safe to work with but do I really need to remove the battery? Like can’t I just remove the screen right there and now?

Christopher Renteria -

Step 15

Rotate the battery counterclockwise to expose its connector.

So, wenn man dann die Watch richtig erwärmt hat und das Glas sich löst geht der Rest ziemlich schnell.

Danke

Andy

eddash -

Step 16

Hold the battery up and out of the way, to expose the battery cable connector.
Use a plastic opening tool, prying against the bottom of the case to separate the battery cable connector from the watch's battery cable.
Remove the battery from the watch.
If the battery is visibly dented or deformed, it should be replaced. For best results, replace with a new battery whenever it is removed.

Why should you remove the battery if you only need to replace the screen?...?

Douglas Richey - 17/07/17

Douglas - this iFixit is for Apple Watch Battery Replacement - looks like you need to remove the screen to replace the battery...

jimvaughn6 - 16/08/17

You will find that it is a good precautionary measure to disconnect the battery anytime you are repairing or replacing a screen as a short can occur when reconnecting the screen rendering it useless even if you have the unit turned off.

Bryan Solo - 15/12/17

Great repair guide! You iFixit guys are awesome. Took me about 2 hours but then I am very careful and I replaced the touch sensor at the same time since I had it open anyway. Make sure you have at least 2, and better 3 adhesive gaskets. You need 2 and, well, it’s easy to mess one up while trying to place it.

rbolling - 28/12/17

Will removing the battery reset my icloud info? I have a guy who says he can do this, but i dont want him to run off with my watch after he replaces the battery…

dreadmusicreview - 19/07/18

I did not disconnect the battery first. After replacing the screen, it didn’t work. I have to assume I created a short. The watch will still turn on and haptics are evident, but the display doesn’t work. Are there any further repairs to save my watch at this point?

Scotty Beauchamp - 26/06/19

Yeah, sounds like you shorted part of the board. If it’s a Series 0 you’re working with, just go get a new one. Not worth fixing.

Thomas Gehman - 19/07/19

How do I insert the new battery???

WebPoppy8 - 28/06/19

After replacing the battery I tried to turn it on and was presented with the red snake, I let it go for about an hour. When I checked it the red snake was gone, when I tried to turn it on it showed the Apple logo for about 4 seconds then went away. Is this normal, and if not what should I do?

Donald Goodman - 28/07/19

I'm having a similar issue, did you manage to resolve it?

Craig Lyon - 18/03/20

Did you calibrate the battery? You need to fill it up completely and let it continue to charge for a few hours first.

Grant Glass - 09/05/20

Is it possible to place a battery in and charge/start the watch without the screen plugged in? I want to check integrity of the battery. I was thinking to put it on charge in a closed clear plastic container without the new screen on to see if the battery is good. I ‘really’ do not want to wait another 20 days for a battery replacement and the battery has no visual punctures, front looks good and the back where the adhesive is (or were, rather) is deflated and slightly ‘knobby’. I do not know if it is damage or just how it generally looks like or maybe it looks like so because of the old adhesive. It is not inflated or abnormally expanded. Anyone who knows about this? I used a hair dryer directly on the watch opened to loosen up the adhesive, is that a no-no?

Philip Bromander - 10/09/19

The battery swelled up and popped off the screen, so went directly to Step 12. Luckily the adhesive below the Force Touch sensor was intact. Was able to complete the fix using the Adhesive Strip after replacing the battery. Works again! Thanks!

Alex Danci - 18/09/19

Hi Alex, I’m having the same problem with my series one with the screen has popped off due to the battery swelling. Did you have any issues starting from step 12?

Glenn -

The apple logo keeps flashing on my series 1 watch, tried force restart with crown and side button but it still just keeps on flashing the apple logo, does anyone have any advise? Is the issue with the battery? Do I need to get a new battery? I change the screen as the screen was broken and used the existing battery.

shafeeqrahaman - 29/03/20

yes the issue was with battery, swapped with a new battery and booted up fine.

shafeeqrahaman - 01/04/20

Having the same issue.good to hear it’s the battery and not me.

Grant Glass - 09/05/20

my watch was completely unloaded and stays in power saver mode when I charge. When I load in power saver mode the red light turns green for a few moments then switch back to red and no longer charge. When I remove the battery and put it back on the charger the charge starts again for a while and then stops. Do I need to change the battery? (apple watch serie 4 nike)

IXO bf - 01/10/20

Where should I dispose of my old I watch battery?

oconnor84 - 23/11/20

I replaced the screen and battery on mine. Now, it will not charge. Everything works fine, except charging. Any ideas why this may be?

Donald Fournier - 05/02/21

My series one has two other cables/strings in the bottom left corner. Why do none of the pictures address this?

thatgreatdeal - 18/05/21

My watch hasn’t recalibrated with the new battery. Even a couple of weeks later I still get premature low battery - it can take hours for the final 10% to run out after the first 90% only took 9 hours. I left it off the charger for multiple days after installation and yet I could still quickly wake it up by pressing the crown to see the time reported with red numbers, so I don’t think it fully ran out.

Is there a way to force calibration? A Google search didn’t yield anything useful in the first several pages of results.

Chris B - 25/05/21

Hy Chris,

Same problem as you. Have you found a solution ?

luc poli - 17/04/22

If you’re lucky (?) the swollen battery will pop the screen right off for you. Anyone know where to get a replacement battery for a Series 0 watch?

rmann - 30/05/21

Watching various videos and instructions from others, I found that there’s no need to remove the screen if your goal is to only swap out the battery.

It’s meant to make it easier to clean off the old glue and install some double-sided adhesive tape but it was far more simpler to loop the tape around the screen with a pair of tweezers than to try to wrangle with the metal bracket securing the display and digitiser cable connectors.

T-7000 glue can presumably be used in lieu of double-sided adhesive tape but it’s definitely more messier.

Anyway, I was initially quite annoyed about my battery expanding and popping the screen off but very quickly got over it when I realised it was a simple $20 DIY fix. Guess I got lucky this time..

osienna -

I’m just replacing the battery. The screen and eveything is fine. While i’ve done just that and the new battery seems secure and eveything, i don’t know which is the adhesive strip that i’d use to re-secure the watch face back onto the watch itself. I don’t need a sensor because the watch face is fine, i just need the adhesive strip and i’m not seeing anything labelled as such in the kit. Ive got 2 tesa stickers (?) and one 3M sensor thing with a little compotent thingy attached to it. Which is the double sided adhesive that goes around the base of the watch to secure the face to the watch?? I was lucky in that my old swollen battery pushed the face off so replacing the battery was fairly easy. Now i just need to secure the face to the body. Any advice?

Anthony Rezendes -

Have followed the guide as best I could but when everything is reconnected the watch will not power up. Have disconnected and reconnected several times but still the same. Fear that is only going to do damage. Watch was working before removing swollen battery which had caused screen to detach.

johnriding -

How do you put in the battery and close the Watch

Liam Cassidy -

DOESN'T WORK FOR ME : Have followed the guide in every point but i have now the red snake.

Just after repairing i put the watch on the charger, let it some hours to charge.

when I took it, the watch was hot. It started up and was working. I let it discharge then put it back on the charger. After a few hours, it was not charged and showed the green snake. When I took it out, it showed the red snake.

Has anyone had this problem and found a solution?

luc poli - 17/04/22

Replaced my Series 1 battery/force sensor. The swelled original battery popped the watch open, so no prying necessary. However, the watch wouldn't work normally afterward, only displaying the "put me on my charger!" image of the charge cord with the disc on the end.

iFixIt was great about sending a replacement... battery, tools, force touch sensor, the whole kit, no charge. Replacement #2 required prying it open, but the force touch sensor stayed put, so I didn't have to replace that the second time. Watch is charging and behaving normally as I calibrate the battery. Can unlock etc.

Be very gentle/careful with the tiny force touch sensor screw. A great comment above says if you lose it, you can put in bit of a pick to press the sensor snug where the screw would hold it. I strongly recommend using a cheap hands-free, head-mounted magnifier w/light for this job. A loop of tape to stick the watch to a surface to hold it still while fiddling with the tiny cable connections was a HUGE help. Take your time!

Geneius -

Bonjour, connaissez-vous par hasard la référence de la batterie pour AppleWatch 2 de 42mm ?

Merci

drakkar_1er@yahoo.fr -

Bonjour @drakkar1er35709

Nous la vendons dans notre boutique : Apple Watch (42 mm Series 2) Battery Si vous avez besoin d'autres infos, veuillez contacter notre service client au support@ifixit.com (pour la boutique américaine) ou au eustore@ifixit.com (pour la boutique européenne et française).

Ce sera un plaisir de vous aider !

Bien à vous, Claire

Claire Miesch -

Yeah, after reading all this - no way I’m trying this myself!!

Joseph Ryan -

Step 17

Fold the screen up and over to the right, to expose the cables underneath.

Step 18

The display and digitizer cable connectors are secured beneath a small metal bracket that is adhered to the speaker.
Use a plastic opening tool to flip the bracket toward the display and up from the speaker.
If you simply pry toward the watch band you may tear the cables.

I managed to replace the force touch sensor without removing the screen

Andy Campbell - 10/09/20

Thanks, Andy. After reading your comment, and as I only needed to replace the battery since nothing was wrong with the screen, I too was able to remove the sensor without detaching the screen.

jeb605 - 11/12/20

The metal holder thing was glued to cable below. I damaged as I pulled it up and now the watch won’t turn on.

K E -

Step 19

Steady the bracket from the left side using your fingers or tweezers.
At the same time, insert a small (1 mm) flathead screwdriver under the tiny tab on the right.
Finally, place one finger behind the tab, and pinch the bracket hard between your finger and the screwdriver to detach the cover.
This releases two slotted tabs that hold the cover to the bracket, and should free the cover.
Prying the cover off can be challenging and may take more than one attempt. Be patient, and take care not to pull on the bracket or tear the attached cables.

Also agree: a little too much pressure and the ribbon cable tears at the point it enters the bracket. Take it SLOW and make sure you have really good light and vision. Orient yourself.

Dave Varon - 30/09/17

And this is where things went south for me too. Ended up disconnecting from the rest of the watch and the Taptic Engine. I read through this and watched this portion of Ifixit’s YouTube video no less than 15 times, so confusing they way it’s worded and the pictures didn’t help. Now I’m out of luck and out of $190.

Timothy Hipps - 05/01/18

Pas de problèmes me particulier à cette étape. Le fait de pousser très légèrement sur la petite languette qui dépasse a suffit, il n’y a vraiment pas besoin de forcer.

Raphaël WOLFF - 01/01/19

If you lift out carefull the whole lit / coverbox of the screen connector between your thumb and your pointing finger.

Then you can peel the cover easy up with your other pointing finger Nail.

You can feel the smal clip with your nail and lift easy up.

It works fine by me without any metal of plastic tool.

Evert - 01/08/19

And if you do tear your cable? Do you have a video for replacing this?

aalao - 27/10/19

I also tore the cable, I assume that once that happens I’m screwed? I have a battery and force touch sensor if anyone needs one for free let me know!

Connor Bourque - 22/11/19

Evert is correct - this can be done with a fingernail and does not need to be hard. Seems much safer.

sambrightman - 21/12/19

Evert is correct, using fingernail works.

Thomas Rossano - 14/01/20

It is possible to replace the force touch sensor without removing the screen

Andy Campbell - 10/09/20

There isn’t really a latch that goes with this. Just use the screwdriver to create a bit of space and it comes right off. I assume where most people go wrong is by pinching the case together as they try to separate it. Also, to reduce your chance of breaking it, There is no need to bring it to the nearly 90 degree angle as depicted and 50-60 degree angle allows it to pop back a bit without damaging anything.

Jerrod Anderson - 26/01/21

WATCH OUT! It is possible to slip with the screwdriver and completely bungle the connector that the screen plugs into. This is impossible to recover from unless you have the time and microsoldering skills to replace the cable that the screen plugs into.

Adam Roach - 03/03/21

I skipped this part as I found it difficult to do and almost made me damaged the entire cover when I tried inserting the screw driver head to the holes beside side it and prying the side part too. So I stopped trying. Ended up looping the adhesive around the screen careful not to touch the adhesive’s sticky side. (I replaced the adhesive along with the swollen battery. ) It was a success.

Note: I should have zoomed in the photo and now it makes more sense.

Edward Cruz - 14/03/21

Step 20

Grab the cover with your tweezers and slide it toward the top of the watch to free the final slotted tab, and remove the cover.

Step 21

Carefully pry up to disconnect the display data and digitizer cables.
Be careful not to touch any of the exposed pins directly, as your finger oils may impede connectivity.
Remove the display.

So how do you get the display off the screen or did I already mess it up cause I just did it

Jamie Groff - 17/05/17

Hello guys , appreciate the effort that u guys are doing , have one question though , I own a series 2 watch and I was thinking about changing my screen caz is cracked but I can't find that many lcd for 2 series , and now my question Would a 1 series lcd match my 2series watch? Keep on searching but no answers!!! Many thanks

cris cri - 29/09/17

Great repair guide! You iFixit guys are awesome. Took me about 2 hours but then I am very careful and I replaced the touch sensor and the battery at the same time since I had it open anyway. Make sure you have at least 2, and better 3 adhesive gaskets. You need 2 and, well, it’s easy to mess one up while trying to place it.

rbolling - 28/12/17

I followed the above instructions and successfully replaced the broken screen, however the new screen won’t pair to my iphone or fully boot up, only goes to a certain point (Pairing stage) and then starts over; any suggestions on what the problem could be?

Gregg Hardy - 26/01/19

The display bracket that holds the 2 display connections is the most difficult part of this procedure. (Once you get the display off). A bit clearer explanation would be helpful (or a diagram of where you are actually putting the 1mm flathead and then twisting.

jeff53 - 14/04/19

I agree with Jeff53, by far the retention clip bracket was the most nerve racking part on my first attempt. I found that inserting a sharp pointed exacto knife blade between the bracket and metal tops of the screen connectors along the edge that has the smaller clip (closest side to the battery connector) while it was still in a glued down position actually works easier than prying the entire connector up first as done in this guide and then trying to hold it with tweezer while inserting a flat tip screwdriver into that very tiny slit between the bracket and the top of the connectors. Once the excto blade is inserted, just a little twist of the blade pops the retention clip off easily.

Chad McCollister - 26/08/19

One other suggestion is to plan on replacing the force touch pressure sensor gasket any time you pry a screen off one of these watches. They are very inexpensive now ($5 range) and easily damaged when prying up the screen or when trying to remove glass shards embedded along the edge of the screen. Replacing the gasket also assures new, fresh adhesive to hold the new screen onto the watch body properly and keeping water resistance intact. If you skip the gasket replacement, plan on a high likelihood of the new screen coming loose and having to take it all back apart again just to replace that $5 adhesive gasket down the road.

Chad McCollister - 26/08/19

how do you put the screen back on

Kristen Meggs - 24/10/19

hi, after some advice. After replacing the battery and force touch pressure sensor i have no touch control of the screen. i’ve redone the procedure several times and everything looks perfect. but no touch. touch was working before the battery repplacement. i see no tears in the cables and i havent forced anything.

Kevin Rook - 03/08/20

Hi Kevin

I have the same issue. Did you manage to find a solution or reason?

Thanks

Begoña Montánchez - 12/04/21

It is possible to replace the force touch sensor without removing the screen

Andy Campbell - 10/09/20

Great guide! I followed each of the steps, took my time and I’m actually successful. I replaced the new adhesive and reversed the steps. Took a little over an hour but I read more than once and really, really took my time. It took patience and the right tools. Thank you!

Jan Truzinski -

Did I miss how to make sure the face is secured once again after repairs are made?

Angela Smitherman -

Those steps are part of the Force Touch Sensor replacement guide as is indicated on the last step of this guide.

Nekoniaow -

Conclusion

Continue from Step 22 of the Force Touch Sensor guide to re-seal your watch and complete your repair.

Author

Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Member since: 17/10/09

506915 Reputation

69 comments

Does anyone know if I can replace my glass display for the saphier one??

dracospitfire - 02/05/15

Yes, they are cross compatible. Look under features at Apple Watch (42 mm, Original & Series 1) Screen

Arthur Larin - 26/03/17

First of all WHERE CAN WE BUY A OEM GENUINE AUTHENTIC APPLE GLASS REPLACEMENT?

My question is if Apple doesnt sell oem genuine ones who will?

gleeglee217 - 02/05/15

How much do the respective Sapphire and Gorilla Glass displays weigh by themselves?

Mac 128 - 20/08/15

There are replacement touch screen/digitizer available on eBay. But the question is how do you separate the OLED display from your damaged touch screen to just replace the glass?

dotbear040306 - 28/11/15

Exactly. thats what ifixit sells, they should have a guide for it.

Andrew - 30/03/16

I found a video in German that shows this. I can't believe this iFixit guide fails to go into the crucial steps of the repair it's supposed to be about! Beware, this is not something a home hobbyist is going to be able to do. I got most of the way through my repair before I came across this german vid, and now I'm going to try to source a complete glass+LCD unit. Separating the LCD from the glass is hard enough, but you need special equipment to bond the old LCD to the new glass, and there's a good chance the two won't talk to each other anyway, based on the comments below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvWPfUhp...

Pete - 04/07/16

That’s simply not possible, as they’re laminated insanely close together. You kind of have to replace the OLED too, as they’re permanently bonded together.

Liam Powell - 09/02/18

Can somebody help me with links or numbers from where I can buy the display for my Apple Watch 42mm. Can't seem to find anywhere.

Ruchit Shah - 19/03/16

Ifixit sells all the parts you need for this repair on all Apple Watch models

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

Can somebody help me with website links as to where I can but Apple Watch display 42mm. I have cracked mine and can't find anywhere online to buy the spare part to replace it myself.

Ruchit Shah - 19/03/16

Ifixit sells all the parts you need for this repair

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

That looked easy but what if the screen is already cracked?

ron roca - 31/05/16

This should work exactly the same even if the screen is already cracked

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

hello! how to fix the other side of iwatch. other side i mean where put to charger ???

df - 24/06/16

Can somebody help me with links or numbers from where I can buy the display for my Apple Watch 42mm. Can't seem to find anywhere.

Mycoal 23 - 12/10/16

You can find all parts on ifixit

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

Can I replace Apple Watch stainless steel screen with a screen from aluminum Apple Watch?

Thomas Vartanian - 22/10/16

Yes, they are cross compatible. Look under features here: Apple Watch (42 mm, Original & Series 1) Screen

Arthur Larin - 26/03/17

You should start a business where as you fix these Apple Watch screens and charge for it. I would gladly pay send my watch to an independent contractor of apple to replace my Apple Watch screen if I could find one.

Gordon Elliott - 03/11/16

Where can I find someone to replace my 38mm watch screen? Just the screen is cracked, everything else is working fine. Anywhere in Johannesburg?

Alice Yu-Chen Chung - 05/02/17

Ok I successfully fix my watch screen (glass only had to cut the lcd off and reattach with that loca glue) looks great but the digitizer will not work. I have read on many forms that they are serialized if so can that be fixed if so how? Has anyone successfully repaired an iwatch that works fully?

mike - 06/02/17

The battery in my watch expanded and ejected the display, unfortunately the display is totally missing. Looks like it is junk now, except for the band?

kklotz - 13/02/17

Apple now has a recall for this

Tom - 04/08/17

What do you use to "glue" the watch face back down with?

mkk65 - 10/03/17

I'd like to know this too!

imachunty - 22/03/17

Ifixit sell replacement adhesive for both sizes of apple watch

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

Le tutoriel est pafaitement clair.

1H00 pour realiser cette reparation.

Prévoir un joint fore touch sensor .

youstt - 25/04/17

Hi, will the screen off a 42mm Series 2 Apple Watch fit, and work, with a 42mm Series 1 watch?

lukecresswell16 - 30/04/17

Unfortunately I believe they use two different types of connectors

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

Step 21-22 is a lot more difficult than displayed here so be warned! Inside where they advise you to put the tweezer is right up against the connector and any movement of the tweezer in this position will no doubt damage the connector.

There isn't even a warning posted at these steps which is terrible for fixit!!! check the net for other videos on how to get this little box assembled apart - there are far better ways I discovered but too late for me :(

Brent - 30/05/17

Brent what happened to your watch?

I might have similar problem

Ivan Sorkin - 21/06/17

Trop compliqué :-(

J'ai finalement fait réparé ma montre ici :

https://www.atelierfamilial.fr/reparatio...

Pour moins de 200€, avec une garantie d'un an.

Paul

Paul Vallejo - 13/06/17

After replacing my Apple Watch screen and digitizer, my battery lasts for 3-4 hours, Digital Crown is not working and hart rate ca't be measured. But the rest works fine, I'm not sure why. Can someone suggest me troubleshooting path?

Ivan Sorkin - 21/06/17

Some people on the Internet of said that this repair is not possible without losing some functionality, is that true?

rickcostel - 05/07/17

Is it possible to use a Apple Watch Series 1 LCD and digitizer to replace a cracked screen on the Series 2 model? Thanks!

Charlie Eccher - 14/10/17

Please i need to know if this is possible too

fikayoogunfuye - 26/09/18

I don’t thinks so, as they both use different connectors

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

Hi,

Thantk to this guide I’ve succesfully replaced the digitizer on 38mm!

Everything works fine but display is not as bright as it should be.

It is OK during start, the apple logo is bright, then it goes much much darker.

I’ve checked the brightness settings obviously :).

Any idea why it goes darker when finishing booting?

Robert Bonat - 18/10/17

I would like to get a new screen for my Apple Watch (Series 2) 42mm.

Do you sell it? Or dou you know where can I buy it?

Luis Angel Cerritos - 13/11/17

Ifixit sell them

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

Is this the same process for a Series 2? And is the screen the same? I am trying to fix my Series 2 watch. Thank you

Laszlo Rendas - 14/11/17

The screen is not the same, but the process is

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

I had a company fix my Apple Watch when I got it make it seems darker and isn’t as bright as before I took it in. Any clue as to what could have happened? Please email if u have an idea

Patty Forbush - 15/11/17

how i can recover glass of lcd by grow or what ?

MOHD - 18/11/17

Is this screen compatible with Series 3 Apple Watch?

Jai Aenugu - 05/01/18

No, as they use different connectors

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

Is this compatible with Apple watch series 3?

Jai Aenugu - 05/01/18

The process is, but not the screen

My name is Boring - 13/07/19

Is this compatible with Apple watch series 3?

Thomas Swainson - 25/03/18

No… u have to get the one for series 3:-/

MzPhixit - 25/03/18

I replaced one of these and the screen popped off after they started wearing it. Somehow it didn’t break despite detaching and flinging onto a tile floor, but I still haven’t figure out how to put it back together and be able to trust it. You’d think 300LSE is trustworthy (it is for iPads), but not this time :(

LFB - 29/03/18

Great guide, but can I just confirm one thing? My series 1 has a cracked screen, but the display including the touch functionality seems to still work perfectly, and the only reason I’m not wearing it since the crack is that there are tiny sharp bits of glass. Given that the touch screen and display seem ok, is it possible to just replace the glass, as opposed to the whole display as per this how-to ?

cheers,

Ian

Ian McIntosh - 03/04/18

There is, but it is way too complicated… involves using a thin wire to separate the digitiser (touch screen) from the lcd display which is very labour intensive, then using a special laminate, which you can get, but then also you need the industrial machinery to bind them together… this is why even though I have the exact same problem as you I am thinking of replacing the whole screen with lcd. I will post a reply here if/when I am successful!

Danae - 02/06/18

Fait sans difficulté, fonctionne parfaitement.

matthieu.requenna - 31/08/18

Just updating for anyone wondering if the screen replacement worked. It was successful for me! Followed the steps exactly and it worked :)

Danae - 18/09/18

I’m still wondering what kind of glue is to be used on the screen

pxolo10 - 25/11/18

Well thanks for the video. But I Destroy the battery cable while try to hold the cable down to remove the battery…..after that I realized it wasn't realy nesessary to remove the batterie to change the display….So better just leave battery :-/

Mischa Mang - 15/03/19

after we replace the screen, we can use the mode water resistant?

Maria.

Maria Gili - 02/05/19

I got a new screen. But the watch only shows the apple logo when it’s charging. And when I take the watch off the charger it doesn’t show anything.

andrew aguiar - 01/08/19

Is there a person/vendor that buys salvaged parts? I have a case, battery, etc that are intact but the display and screen are beyond repair.

Chris Jordan - 28/09/19

Any one does the job on apple watch 4? How much?

Mario Green - 15/11/19

From where I can buy lcd screen for Apple Watch?

Uae123uae@gmail.com

FAIZ BALLAITH - 15/05/20

Is it necessary to replace force touch sensor when replacing screen? Also, if you reuse original force touch sensor, do I need to get two adhesive strips, one to stick sensor to case and one to seal watch?

Angelo Mastrella - 08/10/20

I bought Sapphire screen replacement, force sensor, battery & strip. The screen got loose in 2 weeks It seems the glue on the force sensordid not hold it. Just last about 2 weeks. Now I need to do the job again, replace the force sensor and adhesive strip.

Not Good !

Jimmy - 20/01/21

I'm a bit lost and out of loop probably, but do the series 4,5 and 6 have the same display? As in I can replace the Series 6 display with the Series 5 one? (44mm)

Nathan Petain -

My screen was not the issue - battery swelled and popped the screen off. I put in new battery and new adhesive strip. After getting all back together it looks perfect. It charges up, but all the text is red and no touch interaction does anything. anyone know what is wrong?

eric cole -

I can’t get close to getting the screen loose. I’ve tried several different spudgers, even the iFixit one. But nothing works. I heated the watch with a hair dryer until it was too hot to hold except with a cloth but still no joy. I’ve got a series 5 watch with a ceramic case. Tips and suggestions?

Kim Swithinbank -

Any recommendations on who can replace my watch 6 screen, I’m in Detroit Michigan. Thanks in advance.

Edward Speare -