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iPhone 5S Volume Controls 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 - Battery Connector
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  • There are two 1.6 mm Phillips screws securing the metal battery connector bracket to the logic board. You need to remove them.

Step 17

  • Take the metal battery connector off the iPhone.

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Step 18

  • Lift up the battery connector with the flat end of a spudger, but make sure that you don't lift the socket on the logic board.

  • Be careful while you're doing this, because if you lift the logic board socket instead, you may break the connector.

Step 19 - Battery (1)
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  • There are two 1.6 mm Phillips screws securing the metal battery connector bracket to the logic board. You need to remove them.

Step 20

  • Separate the metal battery connector bracket from the iPhone.

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Step 21

  • Lift the battery connector out of its socket on the logic board with the flat end of a spudger.

  • Make sure to only lift up the battery connector and not the socket itself. If you lift the socket, you may break the connector completely.

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Step 22

  • Move the tip of the spudger between the battery and the headphone jack. This will unfold the battery adhesive tab.

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Step 23

  • Pull the battery adhesive tab away from the phone with a pair of tweezers.

  • Separate the two white adhesive strips by cutting the black battery adhesive tab between them.

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Step 24

  • Pull the tab the furthest in evenly straight up.

  • Do not twist the tab, but try to keep the adhesive strip as wide and as flat as possible. If the adhesive bunches up, it might tear.

  • Do not pull the tab against any of the components of the phone. This may damage the adhesive, which would in turn tear the strip.

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Step 25

  • Carefully pull the tab around the corner of the battery. Make sure you pull evenly.

  • Separate the tab from the battery once you round the corner, to avoid the sharp corner.

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Step 26

  • In order to free the strip from the phone, pull it along the side of the battery.

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Step 27

  • There's an outside battery adhesive tab which you need to pull straight up. Be careful while you're pulling it around the corner of the battery.

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Step 28

  • Keep pulling the strip along the edge of the battery until it's completely freed from the phone.

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Step 29

  • Take the battery out of the rear case.

Step 30 - Volume Controls
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  • There are three Phillips screws securing the volume button and ringer switch brackets to the side of the rear case:

  • One 1.9 mm screw

  • Two 1.6 mm screws

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Step 31

  • Pry the ringer switch bracket away from the side of the case with the tip of a spudger.

  • Take the ringer switch out of its recess located between the ringer switch bracket and the case.

  • When you start the reassembling process, make sure that the red line is at the top of the button. The notch in the back of the ringer switch needs to be positioned (and mated with) the same as the mechanical switch on the cable.

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Step 32

  • Pry the volume button bracket from the side of the rear case with a spudger.

  • Take out the volume buttons.

  • When you start the reassembling process, make sure that the 'volume up' button (the '+') is in the hole closes to the ringer switch.