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iPhone 5S Display Assembly Replacement

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Step 1 - Front Panel Assembly

  • Turn off your iPhone before starting the disassembling process.

  • There are two 2 mm Pentalobe screws next to the Lightning connector. You need to remove them.

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Step 2 - ISclack Opening Procedure
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  • In the next two steps you'll learn how to use the iSclack - a tool for safely opening the iPhone 5s. Using this tool is recommended for anyone who plans on repairing their device more than once. If you're not planning on using the iSclack, proceed to step 4.

  • Open the suction cups by closing the handle on the iSclack.

  • Put the bottom of your iPhone between the suction cups. It needs to be pressed against the plastic depth gauge.

  • Put the bottom of your iPhone between the suction cups. It needs to be pressed against the plastic depth gauge.

  • Open the handles in order to close the iSclack. Position the cups so that they are pressing the top and bottom of your iPhone in the center.

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Step 3

  • Hold your iPhone securely and separate the suction cups once again (by closing the handle). Pull the front panel away from the rear case.

  • The iSclack is designed in a way that will open your iPhone safely and enough to separate the pieces. It won't damage the home button cable.

  • Remove the suction cups from your iPhone.

  • Skip the next three steps and proceed with step 7.

Step 4 - Manual Opening
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  • In case you don't have an iSclack, you can use a single suction cup in order to lift the front panel.

  • Press the cup onto the screen, above the home button.

  • Make sure the cup is pressed completely against the screen. This will get you a tight seal.

Step 5

  • There are several ribbon cables connecting the front panel to the rest of the phone and it is also attached with clips. You need to loosen the clips just enough to disconnect the cables. Do this slowly and carefully to avoid any damage.

  • The cup should be firmly pressed to the front panel assembly (near the home button).

  • Hold the iPhone down with one hand and pull up on the suction cup. Separate the front panel (the home button end) only a little from the rear case.

  • Pry the edges of the rear case down and away from the front panel assembly using a plastic opening tool. Do this while pulling up with the suction cup.

  • You may need to apply some force in order to do this. Don't rush it and be careful, because the 5s front panel assembly is harder to remove than on other devices.

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Step 6

  • There are still some ribbon cables securing the front panel assembly at the top of the iPhone, so don't remove the assembly completely immediately.

  • Pull up the ring on the suction cup to separate it from the iPhone.

  • Take the suction cup off the display assembly.

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Step 7

  • Pry open the iPhone enough to reveal the metal bracket that is covering the home button cable.

  • If you open the iPhone too much, you can damage the home button cable or the socket it plugs into. The cable should be loose. In case it's stretched taut, that means that you've opened the iPhone too much.

  • Bear in mind that the Touch ID function will work only with the phone's original home button assembly. If you rip the cable, you'll have to install a new home button which won't come with the Touch ID features.

  • Push the bracket with the tip of a spudger and take it off with a pair of tweezers.

Step 8

  • Take out the home button cable connector out of its socket with the tip of a spudger.

  • Be careful not to lift out the entire socket. You only need to separate the cable connector from its socket. The socket itself is located on its own glued-down cable that can also be pried up if you're not careful.

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Step 9

  • After releasing the connector, pull the assembly away from the rear case (by the home button end). Use the top of the phone as a hinge of sorts.

  • In the next few steps, keep the front panel assembly at a 90º angle (in relation to the rear case) until you have removed it.

Step 10

  • There are four Phillips screws securing the front panel assembly cable bracket to the logic board. You need to remove them.

  • Two 1.7 mm screws

  • One 1.2 mm screw

  • One 1.3 mm Phillips screw

  • The last one might not get attracted to a magnetized screwdriver, so be careful not to lose it while you're removing the screws.

Step 11

  • Take the front panel assembly cable bracket away from the logic board.

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Step 12

  • Disconnect the front-facing camera and sensor cable with the flat end of a spudger.

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Step 13

  • Disconnect the digitizer cable connector (you're still supporting the front panel).

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Step 14

  • Lastly, disconnect the LCD cable connector.

  • While you are reassembling your phone, the LCD may pop off the connector. If this happens, your phone could have white lines or a blank screen when you turn it back on. To solve this problem, reconnect the cable and power cycle your phone. The best way to do this is to disconnect and then reconnect the battery.

Step 15

  • Separate the front panel assembly from the rear case.

Step 16 - Earpiece Speaker
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  • There are two screws securing the upper component bracket. You need to remove them.

  • One 4 mm Phillips screw

  • One 2.3 mm Phillips screw

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Step 17

  • Lift the left leg of the bracket off of the earpiece speaker with the tip of a spudger.

  • Move the bracket to the left to unclip it using a pair of tweezers.

Step 18

  • Take the bracket off the display.

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Step 19

  • Take off the earpiece speaker using a pair of tweezers.

  • In case you're planning on using your fingers instead of tweezers, be careful not to touch the gold contacts on the front panel, because finger old can get in the way of good contact.

Step 20 - Front Facing Camera And Sensor Cable
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  • A mild adhesive is keeping the front facing camera and sensor cable attached to the display assembly.

  • Soften the adhesive with an iOpener and remove it.

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Step 21

  • Pry the earpiece speaker contact cable gently up in order to separate this part of the camera and the sensor cable from the adhesive. Do this either with a metal spudger or with the edge of a pair of tweezers.

  • Insert the tweezers or the spudger directly under the earpiece speaker contacts. If you don't do this correctly, you can damage certain sensors and microchips.

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Step 22

  • Lift out the ambient light sensor out of its slot in the display assembly with the point of a spudger.

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Step 23

  • Separate the front-facing camera part of the cable from the display assembly. Do this gently and with the flat end of spudger.

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Step 24

  • Peel off the cable assembly off the LCD shield plate and remove it from the display.

  • Make sure that you don't touch the digitizer cable while doing this.

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Step 25 - Home Button Assembly
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  • There's one Phillips screw (captive) securing the home button cable. You need to remove it.

  • A spring contact backing is holding the captive screw and the home button cable together. When you start the reassembling process, make sure that the contact is in the correct orientation. It should be on the side of the screw nearest the LCD.

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Step 26

  • Fold the home button cable down, so that it's not in the way of the home button bracket.

Step 27

  • There are two 1.4 mm Phillips screws on the home button bracket. You need to remove them.

Step 28

  • Take the the home button bracket off the display assembly.

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Step 29

  • Peel the home button cable up with the point of a spudger.

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Step 30

  • Lift the top left corner of the home button up from the front panel.

  • Don't lift it completely, just enough to free a corner which you will then pry with a spudger.

  • If at any moment you think you might tear the button (given that the membrane is very thin), apply heat and try again.

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Step 31

  • Separate the home button completely from the display with a spudger.

Step 32

  • Take the home button assembly off the front panel.

Step 33 - Display Assembly
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  • There is one 2.7 mm Phillips screw on the back of the display assembly. You need to remove it.

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Step 34

  • There are two 1.2 mm Phillips screws on the each side of the LCD frame. You need to remove all four of them.

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Step 35

  • Separate and remove the LCD shield plate from the display assembly.




Parts required for
this repair