Guide To iPhone 4 Screen Replacement

After having dropped my iPhone 4 while in its case and finding out the screen was cracked i was determine to find a fix. Before when i had an iPod touch 2nd generation the screen was easily removed by taking out pins on the front of the screen, along with the iPhone 3 and 3gs the screen popped out after removing two screws. I assumed it would be as simple as that having done the procedure plenty of times for my friends broken gadgets. After buying this expensive phone my self and having to pay for yearly internet usage i figured i would take great care of it and skip the care protection plan. I did take extensive care of it, i would use a screen protector along with a case and never had any problems until a few days ago. I was sitting on a bench out side of school (bench was about 1 and a half feet from the ground) with my phone laying beside me i must have gone to grab it, but the phone slid off the bench and hit a mulch surface. I assumed one little drop couldn't do harm to a helicopter glass grade panel but when i went to pick it up i saw the ungodly crack under the screen protector. I am trying to say that this was a unlikely hit to the phone. As soon as i got home i looked up replacement parts for the phone and a quick tutorial. My recent fixes with previous apple products gave me the experience and know how to say BUY A FULLY ASSEMBLED REPLACEMENT PART , the vendors on eBay and sites like those are not out to help you, they are just looking for your money. You need to make sure you do the research before you buy the parts so be smart when you buy the replacement. So i proceeded to buy a fully assembled retina display and glass piece. THESE PIECES SHOULD NOT BE BOUGHT SEPARATELY  I STRESS THIS BECAUSE APPLE DOES THE LAMINATION OF THE TWO TOGETHER WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO BY HAND. If you have ever done a apple product repair such as iPod touches or iPhones you would think that the LCD and the Glass are two separate pieces, Instead on the iPhone 4 apple decided to use lamination of the two to reduce the glare, this was effective and took out the variable of dust particles getting in to the phone but makes the replacement of one twice the amount of money. 

Step 1: Tools, Material, and Advice

I worked in my bathroom because it is the place in my house with the leased dust.


Materials:
1.iPhone (black or white) Not verizon!
2.Full Assembly LCD Digitizer Replacement for iPhone 4 4G 

What you want to buy/recommendation (http://cgi.ebay.com/White-iPhone-4G-LCD-Touch-Screen-Assembly-Replacement-/190501198366?pt=Other_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item2c5ac19a1e)
SCAM: (http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-Digitizer-LCD-TOUCH-SCREEN-Glass-replacement-/220783622305?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3367bab8a1#ht_2682wt_932) (waste of money and time)

Tools:

1. Philips head size 00 screw driver (try to use a magnetized one)
2. Larger flat head screw driver
3. X-Acto
4. Tweezers/Pliers
5. Torch/Flashlight
6. Pens
7. Note Book
8. Soft surface to place Phone and replacement/ Lint free cloth.

Comments

[gsydonkee]

Lol. Yeah, I just agreed to do this for a friend thinking it was along the same lines as the 3gs!!!! Oops!!!!
Will let you know how I get on!

[ownjp]

Thanks the Guide, I think my iphone 4 can't be used. I have got a screen replacement from a online store: http://www.zeromartz.com/iphone-44s-repair-part-c-63_62_79.html . step by step the guide, My iphone 4 work well. thank u!!!

[russm313]

I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to write this very detailed instructable! It was truly invaluable. Did mine tonight, no problems at all!

[NelsonStudios]

You have helped me decide this isn't something I want to do for a 'friend of a friend'. Thanks.

[Ellen the Generous]

Does anyone have any recommendations for replacement assemblies on amazon? Any sellers/companies to stay away from?

[CoolJRT]

You can easily magnetise a screwdriver if you need.
Simply swipe a magnet along the rod in one direction and with one pole of the magnet.

[mp44sturm]

This by far was THE most helpful part of the instructable. I used pieces of clear tape to tape the screws to schematic to keep the screws organized.

[LgZeldA]

TAKE OUT THE SIM CARD IF YOU DIDN'T EARLIER! If you didn't and don't, it will come back to bite you in the arse in this step.

[YoshiK1]

Is it possible for someone to send me a side profile of the screw marked 'screw 2' in the first picture? I had lost this one and ordered a replacement set of screws from eBay but none of them seem to fit and there is no hole to screw it in as the bit it touches is a copper circle. It would be greatly appreciated if someone could do this for me. Thanks. Kris

[YoshiK1]

For this section you can untighten the 6 screws on either side without taking them off as the clips don't go all the way round the screw. Plus it can be a bit of a fiddle getting the screw and washer back on if you take it off fully. Just slacken them a little to make it easier ;)

[ride on toy dude]

Why not verizon????

[fougabaloop]

This is awesome! Thank you!

[arose21]

Great , thanks for share,i had grabber all fixed guide here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erednet-Community/486951567999130?ref=tn_tnmn

[CrushBot 2000]

Does the new screen work the same as the old one? I wonder because apple is bound to be upset if someone were selling apple parts, so they must be 3rd party and that's probably highly guarded technology. Not trying to be critical at all, just wondering because I need to the same thing.
Great and detailed 'ible, well written

[LucasOchoa]

the parts are exactly the same depending on where you order them... there may be a little variability it quality of packaging but mostly you can get an exact replacement. thank you for the comment

[Assadullah]

Hi hey guys how can I change my iphone screen.

[eeternity]

Is iphone 4 and 4s same inside? i have got 4s so would it be ok if i follow your steps??

[frisbyn]

Hi,
I have an Iphone 4s with a creaked screen and am looking to buy a new screen off Ebay. Was just wondering if this one is reliable. Here's the link, (http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250927151154).

Thanks.

[daleclark]

great tool. thank you so much for building it. Everything was exactly as it you said it would be. Took my son (his phone) and I 90 minutes beginning to end.. One issue. When i put it all back together everything works including wifi, but phone won't access att network. any thoughts with that?

[wouternet]

If your phillipshead screwdriver doesn't fit at this point, you are screwed.(LOL pun)
Apple decided to put very weird pentalobular screws (5 point star) in there. iFixit has some good tools, and a set of screws to replace them with normal phillips screws. Or look on Dealextreme for the tools. But they don't have just the replacement screws. Only all the screws.

[pmn9393]

lol, must be some kind of joke, if you cut an apple in half it looks exactly like the screws

[LucasOchoa]

haha, i would advise to stay away from ifixit because of there unreasonable prices, amazon will do fine. thank you for your input i greatly appreciate it.

[rich2871]

I agree, I bought stuff from them before and even though it was a bit pricy i thought it would be good, I replaced the screen on my iphone 4 with theirs and the screen came on but was unable to get the touch part working. Unfortunately I cant send it back, and dont want to get another from there as I heard there are many bad ones. All I really need to do is find someones old one and swap out the motherboard, i just want my stuff back from my old one.

[wouternet]

You're free to add it to your instructable.

[bsickle]

These are now available in the UK. I bought mine for £34.99 inc delivery from

www.fonerepublic.com

It was the cheapest place I could find selling the OEM parts.

[knutli]

Hi,

I broke my Iphone yesterday and then found your excellent description of the LCD/Digitizer replacement. Thank you!!

One thing though. How do you ensure you buy a proper Retina display and not just some junk/replica? The first of your links above is not working, could you maybe recommend a supplier of an original Apple quality black LCD/Digitizer?

[LucasOchoa]

I would be glad to take a look at the link from where you are buying it. You can contact me for any questions while or before you are doing the operation. Send me the link or comment it below. I also had that same question of if it really would be a quality retina display. Sure enough it was. So tell me how everything goes.
thank you

[ikssk]

To loosen the adhesive use a hair dryer. I found it helpful is to use eye dropper to apply alcohol 99.99 proof on the adhesive it self, especially the flex ribbon, makes the glue soften up, and makes pealing 100% easier. Hope this helps.

[LucasOchoa]

thanks so much! i really did not find it necessary on this attempt but your advice is appreciated greatly. dont forget to rate, and subscribe