How to fix an iphone screen

How to Fix an iPhone 3G Screen

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit


You, like many people, have broken your iPhone Application">iPhone screen! These steps and video will show you how to fix it yourself. Read entire guide before beginning the process.

Steps

1. Look at the bottom of your iPhone (the side with the home button) and locate the 2 screws on either side of the USB connector. Use a Phillips screwdriver to unscrew both these.
   
2. Remove the screen using one of these methods:
   
   • Use a wedging or scraping tool (like a flat screwdriver or whichever similar tool you have). Put your tool between the rubber and metal and lift the screen. The screen will still be attached to the iPhone so be sure to read the next step to be prepared.
     
   • Use a suction cup. Instead of using a scraper tool or a screwdriver which will damage the rubber surround, use a small suction cup. Place the suction cup right above the home button and gently pull up. The glass will pull right out with no damage to the surrounding rubber gasket.
     
   
   
3. Look for flaps in the top right holding the screen and phone together. You will see labels 1 and 2 on bright orange stickers on these flaps. Lift these flaps with your wedging tool. (Note: The #2 sticker on the phone used in this tutorial fell off.)
   
4. Look for a third sticker under the #2 flap. This one is a little different from the other two. You will need to lift the black "clamp" to release the #3 connection. Once the clamp is lifted, the screen will be free from the rest of the iPhone, simply pull it out.
   
5. Remove 6 more screws. There are 5 screws on the side rails: 3 on the side with the flaps and 2 on the other side. The 6th screw is in the top right. There is black tape over some of the screws in this step. (The black tape is not needed so if it is causing you problems when putting the phone back together later, you can cut it off.)
   
6. Separate the LCD screen from the glass. Put your wedger in between the rails and wedge the inner piece out. Don’t be afraid to apply a little pressure as the metal will not get deformed. This step will free the LCD screen from the metal frame.
   
7. Clean the metal frame from the broken glass. This step may take a while but make sure it is done well so the new screen fits snug. The glass will come out easy as it is broken and if there is some resistance, don’t be scared to use force as long as you are not greatly bending the metal frame because you will reuse it. Use the wedging device to scrap away stuck pieces of glass and leftover residue of the former adhesive. A heat gun or dryer can be used to loosen the glue but simply scraping it may work fine. The heat gun or dryer can also cause the reusable piece to become somewhat deformed.
   
   • Be careful not to get any tiny glass shards in your fingers or skin. If you do, read How to Remove a Splinter.
     
   
   
8. Prepare your new screen. If you have double sided tape, make sure it is cut out correctly. If you have super glue, make sure when applying it that you do not apply too close to the home button. Only apply adhesive, whichever one it may be, to the wide black plastic on the bottom or top, staying away from the middle. You don’t want to glue the home button or the listening piece on the top. Let adhesive set for a few minutes to make sure it is set.
   
9. Start reassembling your iPhone. Put the LCD and glass back together. There are two ways the screen can go and only one is correct. On one side, the rail is longer than the other, so that's a quick way to match it. You may find it easier to slide the LCD in from the bottom so the little clamp slides on nicely.
   
10. Put the 6 screws back that we took out before.
    
11. Slide the #3 cable back into the clamp, making sure the clamp is open. This step is easier if you push the #3 down to straighten it out a bit, then hold the #2 and #1 cable with your thumb. Once you have the #3 cable reinserted, press down the black clamp.
    
12. Put the #2 and #1 cables back on by simply pressing them onto the connector. Don’t worry about using a little bit of force or missing the connector a few times as it is bound to happen.
    
13. Put the screen back onto the phone. Start by inserting the top, the side with the connectors, then place the bottom in. It should fit in nicely, avoid using force. After the screen and LCD are nice and snug, put the last 2 screws into their places on either side of the USB.
    

Video

This video walks you through the steps until all the screws are removed.

Tips

• Put your screws where you know you will not lose them because they are very small and can easily get away from you.
  

Warnings

• If you are not comfortable fiddling with your iPhone, you could have people from Apple do this for you as you may cause more damage to the phone.
  
• This process will void your iPhone warranty.
  

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Things You'll Need

• Narrow flat head screw driver or something similar, make sure the item has a somewhat fine tip as it will be used for scraping.
  
• A very small Phillips Head Screwdriver (the one with the X shape to fit the screws).
  
• iPhone glass screen.
  
• Superglue or double sided tape.
  
• All these materials can be bought online in packages. A simple Google search, "iPhone screen repair kit", will produce you many results to choose from. Also, stores such as Zellers and Wal-Mart carry all the materials except for the screen. Ordering the materials offline will ensure that you get the correct size and type if you are uncertain.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Fix a Cracked iPod Touch Screen
  
• How to Fix Scratches on a PSP Screen
  
• How to Fix an iPhone or iPod Touch Losing WiFi Settings
  
• How to Print from Your iPhone
  

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