Category: Mobiles and Smartphones Repair and Service
Contents of this article
- How to replace the front panel
- Step By step instruction
Apple iPhone 6
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTION TO REPLACE THE FRONT PANEL
Power off iPhone before beginning disassembly. Remove
the two 3.6 mm Pentalobe screws next to the Lightning connector.
The next three steps demonstrate using the iSclack, a
great tool for safely opening the iPhone 6 that we recommend for anyone doing
more than one repair.. If the plastic depth gauge is attached at the center of
the iSclack, remove it now—it's not needed for larger phones like the iPhone 6.
Close the handle on the iSclack, opening the suction-cup jaws.
Place the bottom of your iPhone in between the suction
cups. Position the iSclack's upper suction cup against the display, just above
(but not covering) the home button.
Open the handles to close the jaws of the iSclack. Center the suction cups and
press them firmly onto the top and bottom of the iPhone.
Hold onto your iPhone securely and close the handle of
the iSclack to separate the suction cups, pulling the front panel up from the
rear case. The iSclack is designed to safely open your iPhone just enough to
separate the pieces, but not enough to damage the display cables. Peel the two
suction cups off your iPhone
If you don't have an iSclack, use a single suction cup to
lift the front panel: Press a suction cup onto the screen, just above the home
button.
Be sure the cup is pressed securely onto the screen to get a tight seal.
While holding the iPhone down with one hand, pull up on
the suction cup to slightly separate the front panel assembly from the rear
case. Take your time and apply firm, constant force. The display assembly is a
much tighter fit than most devices.
Using a plastic opening tool, begin to gently pry the rear case down, away from
the display assembly, while continuing to pull up with the suction cup. There
are several clips holding the front panel assembly to the rear case, so you may
need to use a combination of the suction cup and plastic opening tool to free
the front panel assembly.
Pull the plastic nub to release the vacuum seal on the
suction cup. Remove the suction cup from the display assembly.
Pull the home button end of the front panel assembly away
from the rear case, using the top of the phone as a hinge. Keep the front panel
supported at a 90º angle in relation to the rear case until you remove
it—allowing it to fall flat will strain the display cables and their
connections on the logic board.
Several clips along the top edge of the front panel form
a partial hinge, allowing the front panel assembly to swing open like a book.
During reassembly, align the clips just below the top edge of the rear case.
Then, slide the front panel upward until its top edge is flush with that of the
rear case.
Remove the following five Phillips screws securing the
front panel assembly cable bracket:
Three 1.2 mm screws
One 1.7 mm screw
One 3.1 mm screw
One 1.7 mm screw
One 3.1 mm screw
Remove the front panel assembly cable bracket from the
logic board.
In the next four steps, take care to pry up only on the
cable connectors, and not on their sockets on the logic board. Use the flat end
of a spudger to disconnect the front-facing camera and sensor cable connector.
Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the home
button cable connector.
Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the display
data cable connector. When reassembling your phone, the display data cable may
pop off its connector. This can result in white lines or a blank screen when
powering your phone back on. If that happens, simply reconnect the cable and
power cycle your phone. The best way to power cycle your phone is to disconnect
and reconnect the battery connector.
Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the digitizer
cable connector.
Remove the front panel assembly from the rear case.
Remove the following Phillips #00 screws from the
earpiece speaker/front-facing camera bracket:
One 2.3 mm screw
One 3.0 mm screw
One 2.2 mm screw
One 3.0 mm screw
One 2.2 mm screw
Remove the earpiece speaker/front-facing camera bracket
from the front panel.
Lift the front-facing camera out of its recess in the
front panel.
Holding the front-facing camera out of the way, remove
the earpiece speaker from the front panel. Be careful not to touch any of the
contacts on the speaker or the cable, oils can damage them and interrupt the
connection.
Keeping 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.
Fold the front-facing camera and sensor cable up to allow
access to the microphone.
Carefully pry the microphone end of the sensor cable off
of the adhesive holding it to the front panel.
Remove the front-facing camera and sensor cable from the
front panel.
Remove the two 1.9 mm Phillips #00 screws securing the
home button bracket.
Remove the home button bracket from the front panel.
Use the point of a spudger to disconnect the home button
cable connector by pushing it up and away from the home button.
Gently push the top left corner of the home button up
away from the front panel. Do not push the home button all the way through—you
only need to get a corner free so that you can pry it free with a spudger.
This membrane is very thin. If you feel like you're going to tear the button,
apply mild heat (with an iOpener, heat gun, or hair dryer) and try again.
Peel the home button the rest of the way off of the
display by prying gently with a spudger.
Use the point of a spudger to carefully separate the home
button cable from the adhesive securing it to the front panel.
Once all the adhesive has been separated, remove the home
button from the front panel.
Remove the following Phillips #00 screws securing the LCD
shield plate to the front panel:
One 1.7 mm screw
Six 1.6 mm screws (three on each side)
Six 1.6 mm screws (three on each side)
Lift the front-facing camera end of the LCD shield plate
up slightly.
Do not attempt to remove the shield plate entirely, it is still attached to the
front panel by the adhered-down home button cable.
Slide the point of a spudger behind the shield plate to
gently peel the home button cable up off of the front panel. The home button
cable is very thin, go slowly and be careful not to rip it. Remove the LCD
shield plate.
