Introduction
For an easier repair, use our fix kit and follow this shorter guide to replace your iPhone’s entire screen.
For more advanced fixers, this guide will help you replace only the iPhone’s LCD and digitizer assembly (a.k.a. the bare “front panel”). This requires you to transfer several components from your original screen to the new one before installing it—including the front-facing camera, earpiece speaker, LCD shield plate, and home button assembly.
For all screen/display repairs, it's important to transfer the original home button onto the new display in order for Touch ID (fingerprint scanning) to function.
You can also use this guide to replace the following parts:
- Front Panel Assembly Cable Bracket
- LCD Shield Plate
- LCD Shield Plate Sticker
- Front Facing Camera Holder
- Earpiece Speaker Mesh
Tools
Parts
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Remove the two 3.4 mm P2 Pentalobe screws on the bottom edge of the iPhone, on either side of the Lightning connector.
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If your display glass is cracked, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping over the glass.
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Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone's display until the whole face is covered.
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If the broken glass makes it difficult to get a suction cup to stick in the next few steps, try folding a strong piece of tape (such as duct tape) into a handle and lifting the display with that instead.
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Pull the blue handle backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
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Slide the arms over either the left or right edge of your iPhone.
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Position the suction cups near the bottom edge of the iPhone just above the home button—one on the front, and one on the back.
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Squeeze the cups together to apply suction to the desired area.
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Pull the blue handle forwards to lock the arms.
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Turn the handle clockwise 360 degrees or until the cups start to stretch.
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Insert an opening pick under the screen when the Anti-Clamp creates a large enough gap.
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Skip the next three steps.
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If you don't have an Anti-Clamp, follow the next three steps to use a suction handle.
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Apply mild heat to the lower edge of the iPhone using an iOpener or hair dryer for about a minute.
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Apply a suction cup to the lower left corner of the display assembly.
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Take care not to place the suction cup over the home button.
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Pull up on the suction cup with firm, constant pressure to create a slight gap between the front panel and rear case.
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Place the flat edge of a spudger into the gap between the screen and rear case, directly above the headphone jack.
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Twist the spudger to widen the gap between the front panel assembly and the rest of the phone.
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Insert the flat end of the spudger on the left side of the phone, between the display assembly and rear case.
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Slide the spudger up the side of the phone to separate the adhesive and pop the clips free.
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Remove the spudger and reinsert it on the bottom edge, where you pried the phone open.
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Slide the spudger to the right, along the bottom edge of the phone.
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Slide the spudger up the right side to continue separating the adhesive and popping the display clips free from the iPhone.
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Gently grasp the display assembly and lift it up to open the phone, using the clips at the top of the front panel as a hinge.
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Open the display to about a 90º angle, and lean it against something to keep it propped up while you're working on the phone.
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Add a rubber band to keep the display securely in place while you work. This prevents undue strain on the display cables.
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Remove two Phillips screws securing the battery connector bracket, of the following lengths:
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One 2.9 mm screw
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One 2.2 mm screw
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Use the point of a spudger to disconnect the battery connector by prying it straight up from the logic board.
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Push the battery connector away from the logic board until it stays separated from its socket, so as to avoid any accidental connection to the battery while you work.
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Remove the following four Phillips screws securing the display cable bracket:
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Three 1.2 mm screws
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One 2.8 mm screw
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Use a spudger or a clean fingernail to disconnect the front camera flex cable by prying it straight up from its socket on the logic board.
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Lift the lower edge of the home button bracket until it clears the small peg on the right side.
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Slide the bracket out from under the EMI shield to remove it.
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Use a spudger to disconnect the home button connector by popping it out of its socket on the back of the display panel.
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Apply mild heat (with an iOpener, heat gun, or hair dryer) to soften the adhesive securing the home button gasket.
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Using your fingertip, gently press up on the home button from the front side of the display assembly. Use firm, constant pressure to slowly separate the home button's rubber gasket from the front panel.
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Use the pointed tip of a spudger to carefully separate the home button flex cable from the back of the display panel.
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Remove the following three Phillips screws securing the earpiece speaker bracket:
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Two 2.3 mm screws
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One 1.9 mm screw
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Pull back the front-facing camera to access the earpiece speaker.
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Remove the earpiece speaker.
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Holding the front-facing camera out of the way, use the point of a spudger to push the ambient-light sensor up out of its recess in the front panel.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to gently break up the adhesive securing the microphone to the front panel.
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Remove the following seven 1.3 mm Phillips screws:
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Three screws each on the left and right edges of the display panel.
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A single screw recessed 1.5 cm from the right edge of the screen.
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Prepare an iOpener and lay it over the top edge of the phone to loosen the tape connecting the EMI shield to the front panel.
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After a minute, insert an opening pick between the tape and display data cable.
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Push the pick downwards until it is flush with the upper edge of the EMI shield.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
50 comments
Swapping out the home button/main board flex cable on the iPhone 6 disabled TouchID. I assume it was also digitally signed like the home button. Is this also true of the 3D Touch panel now that it supplies that cable? In short, Is the original 3D Touch panel necessary for TouchID to work or will the replacement 3D Touch panel built into the replacement work?
Joe -
I've had touchID work after replacing the flex cable... I cant imagine there would be a problem with it this year...
Andrew -
Does the 6S need the home button flex cable to be moved for touch ID to work like the 6?
Nope! The home button flex cable is integrated into the display and cannot be transferred to the new one.
And then on the Iphone 6s the original flex cable hasn't to be moved. Only the button itself because it is paired with the CPU.
revher -
I've been prying for an hour with the pro tech tool kit. I CANNOT get the display up nearly enough to get a spludger under there. is there something i'm doing wrong? yes i've completely removed both screws. Its really hard to pull up with this crappy suction cup whil pushing back on the metal casing...
Try using a hair dryer or heat gun to soften the adhesive holding the screen in place. Once you do that, you can try pulling up on the screen and letting it down 10-20 times in quick succession to incrementally weaken the glue instead of pulling it all up in one shot (although I assume you've inadvertently done this if you've been working at it for an hour).
To anyone else having this issue, try inserting a thin putty knife first, then separate with guitar picks. Just be careful so you don't scrape the housing!
rka -
I had also no success with the suction cup, so I used strong tape and formed a grip with it. That worked for me.
In step 37, make sure that you keep the single screw separated from the others of the EMI shield, it is thinner!
Hi, just got the repair kit that came with IPhone 6S battery. I felt that there’s no explanation on which tool to use to remove the two 3.4mm P2 Pentalobe screws. It’s not helpful just to say “Remove the two 3.4 mm P2 Pentalobe screws on the bottom edge of the iPhone, next to the Lightning connector. “. It’s more important to explain how and what tool to use. The repair tool kit tools were not marked at all and it’s not right to assume that people know which tool or part to use. Please kindly address this issue. Thanks. Janet
Janet Monaghen -
@beingchen For the P2 pentalobe screws you should use the driver bit marked P2. Might be a little hard to see but it’s there, etched into the side of the bit.
Jeff Suovanen -
It’s very clear which tool you need. As it says these are “3.4 mm P2 Pentalobe screws” - so you need a 3.4 mm P2 Pentalobe screwdriver…
alexanderbrix1987 -
Just a P2 driver—3.4 mm is the length of the screw.
Jeff Suovanen -
If you can’t identify which screwdriver in the kit to use, you probably shouldn’t be working on your phone. Just sayin’
Keith Hockenbeck -
This is very useful
https://www.jerryrigeverything.com/wp-co...
sam distefano -
Is it ok to replace the battery if the phone screen is broken?
Reem -
Of course! As long as the screen and battery are disconnected from the motherboard, you can replace anything!
Charles Bejarano -
is it possible to change my battery on my iphone 6s and use a battery that has been already used in another 6s
morgan durnford -
Yeah it would work, but if the battery heath on the 2nd battery is bad, just get a new one.
Charles Bejarano -
@moe6802 Removing the battery can damage it, and it shouldn’t be used afterward. It may seem fine, but even minor battery damage can lead to a fire hazard. Not worth it for such a cheap part. If you need a battery, just get a new one.
Jeff Suovanen -
How do you discharge a battery? Do you just let the battery drain or is there something less time consuming that you can do?
Matthew Petts -
There is no easy way to discharge the battery in “less time”. Perhaps the fastest way is to play a visually-complex modern game or otherwise make your phone do a lot of work.
Lance J -
So my phone screen is completely black causing me to see nothing that is on my screen. And the battery is above 25%, near 100%. What do I do??
Jessica I -
you should post a question on the answers forum
Seizure Salad -
you should post a question on the answers forum
Seizure Salad -
I can’t the screws with the P2, seems that the screws are stuck, what can i do?
Alberto Jabiles -
My kit came with 3 screws. Are those to replace these 2 P2 screws? And what’s the third one for?
Daniel Morse -
If it came with 3 screws, then it’s an extra one just in case if a replacement screw gets lost.
Charles Bejarano -
My display is cracked/broken and not functioning. The slide bar doesn’t work. How do I shut down my phone?
Timothy Huss -
i have replaced several ipod batteries and laptop work, but these screws seem to loose but do not come out. how am i to remove them.shake the iphone?it seems the ioen is not in my kit, is that how to remove them?
this seems idiotic but i remember some other system magnets that firt make your screws easier to keep, but this might be changed….any video? this seems 1st step blues!!!!
makinfilms -
never ind ishook it… is that in the guide?….iopener is not in the kit……never was before is this an upsell? do i skip it? i dont have it
makinfilms -
My screws aren’t coming out either. I’ve loosened them, but they aren’t coming out. I’ve shaken the phone, given it some slight bangs…nothing.
Jesse Fisher -
The following info is not given until step 21 in the instructions, and probably too late at that.
DO NOT disconnect or reconnect any of the cables in this device until the battery itself has been disconnected!
Don’t skip that step, intending to do it at the end, as you may damage the phone.
ffissk -
2 thoughts:
1) Really? Steps 14-17 are about disconnecting the battery first, and step 17 notes “so it doesn’t get reconnected while you work.” How’d you get to step 21 and miss 14-17?
2) These pages are user-editable. (Probably (hopefully) “curated” by iFixit staff.) You should add a warning to step 17 (or step 24).
Bass Clef -
NOW THAT YOU’VE REMOVED 2 SCREWS, and
BEFORE YOU SNEEZE them into oblivion, or under the refrigerator (which is the same in many houses)
MAY I suggest:
1) Obtain:
— a piece of paper, such as normal printer paper (not too much writing on one side)
— a piece of tape, not too sticky, like masking tape (duct tape would be bad)
——— 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) wide
——— 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long
— a pencil (or pen)
2) Put the paper on the side of your work area
3) Lay the tape, sticky side up, on the paper
4) Fold each end of the tape (~1 inch/2.5cm) back under itself, so the folded part faces the paper. Press the folded-back tape onto the paper
You now have Sneeze & Wind Insurance for your tiny bits!
5) Put the 2 pentalobes end down on the top end of the tape, next to each other. Push them a little onto the tape so they stick
6) Use your pencil to note on the paper next to the screws: “1. Pentalobes”
Now you may proceed with dissassembly, without worrying about telling the 1.5mm from the 1.6mm screws.
or about sneezing!
Bass Clef -
My phone has a bad battery and a bad connector and I wasn’t able to get all of my photos before it died. Is there any chance I won’t lose them when I replace the battery? Or, is there any way to charge a 6s battery with a bad connector?
Liz R -
There is a great chance that photos, which are stored to flash memory, which is solid state memory, which is not affected when power is lost, will be there, right where you left them, once you restore power to your device. You could install a partially charged battery into your phone and then retrieve the important things, like your photos, if you don’t intend to continue using the phone. Else look at replacing the lightning connector assembly. Here: iPhone 6s Lightning Connector Assembly Replacement
TimD -
The P2 is not getting the screws loose at all. I have tried this several times and no budge on my iPhone 6s.
Cassandra Vigil -
To avoid to be screwed by lost or mixed screws:
- Use magnetic pad, wipeable
- Write the ifixit- steps next to the screws (maybe even with their sizes) and other bits removed
with a non-permanent marker
- When finished, simply wipe the pad, and it’s ready for the next repair
Hope that helps.
Ulrich Janßen -
I found a pentalobe 1 driver to work much better.
joelkevinjones -
The suction cup didn’t hold at all. I tried Windex and then hospital grade alcohol, but nothing worked. Finally had to use two exacto knife blades to begin lifting the screen. As soon as I got a little gap, used the spudger tool the rest of the way, The small philips driver didn’t fit the screws exactly, but with a little effort they came out. My battery adhesive strips snapped immediately and I had to remove the original battery the “hard way”. The kit came with replacement display adhesive but no explanation how to use it. I got some on - so better than nothing. Overall I’m happy with the results, and the new battery is charging now.
Daniel Wolf -
First step problem? Couldn’t get the screws out. I checked my other iPhone and realized the screws were missing!Just started prying it apart.
Hoyt Smith -
I went through the whole procedure, replaced the battery and got the screen back on. Then the 2 pentalope screws would not go into their sockets. They sink in all the way and spin, but it appears there are no threads to grab. The screen seems to be in position since I can insert a plug into the headphone jack without trouble. Did anyone else have this problem. Using the phone now with no screws. Yikes.
Walter Plante -
Hi Walter, in case you’re still dealing with this or anyone else has the same problem, check that the screw bosses on the bottom of the screen are straight and line up with the screw holes on the case. They should be at a 90° angle to the screen, but they’re easy to accidentally bend and could’ve gotten flattened against the screen.
Adam O'Camb -
I recommend a loop of tape attached to the table, and placing the screws on the tape in the order they were taken out. identifying the screws to put back is a simple matter of going the other way back up the tape.
David Taylor -
Did the repair for the second time, each time faster and easier. This steps by step is amazing and crystal clear no mistake possible.
Jean-Gabriel Duquesnoy -