IPad 2 LCD Backlight Not Working After Screen Replacement?

Not going to get into the details of replacing the iPad screen, there are other tutorials on that. I am going to cover a common problem and give an easy fix.

Step 1: Read ;)

It is necessary to unplug and remove the LCD when changing the screen, try to avoid removing while the iPad is on. It's almost impossible tho not to hit the button lol.
So what happens when you unplug while on is it messes up the backlight and when you power back on you freak out...but don't freak out!
Get a flashlight or hold under a light and
1. Enter password to get in(this is a pain if you have password enabled, if not go to next step)
2. Hold top button and swipe to power off.
3. Hold top button to power on
4. Voila!

Step 2: Did It Help?

Let me know!
I read where some people bought replacement LCD screens before learning this!

Comments

[CarlM110]

Superb, my screen cam alive
I just swiped where I thought slide off would be, then tried to power up and it cam on, thank you
By the way I’m in Wales, UK

[rjohnston7]

It’s been a few years since I’ve logged on and I can’t express enough of how happy it makes me that this has helped so many people!!! Thank you all and good luck in your projects!!
Also see my YouTube videos under user partsgeek420

[lsmith1664]

So I just paid a guy to replace the screen on my iPad. Got it home and the second time I went to access it, the backlight was so dim, I could not see the screen. I brought it back to him and he claimed it has nothing to do with the screen repair and must be a board issue. Here's the kicker....it was a two day old iPad and not even barely used! There were no issues prior to the screen crack. So he told me more $$ to repair and I said I will go somewhere else. Well tonight, the screen came back on by itself. So I do not know the cause. Are you saying here that if they turn the iPad on during the repair it does something to the backlight that would cause this problem? Mine almost seems like a short because it wasn't working for a week and now all of a sudden works, but I am not completely following the cause you mention in your post? Thanks so much

[Kmagn13]

Worked like a charm, never thought about the backlight... As a hint, if you have the home button cable installed and not the digitizer, you can hold power and home. Worked great thanks!!!

[Cindy329]

Hi all,

Just food for thought;

This method is also called "A Hard Boot"

It also fixes problems like screen freeze, and even really slow wifi connection.

Hope you all have all your problems solved by someone like "rjohnston7"

He was a lifesaver for me!

[Cindy329]

WOW!!!!!

This worked!

I am forever thankful to you......

C

[Wishful Coder]

Just found this post today. After having to replace a cracked screen this Instructable seemed to be the answer. I have only three comments. If you have a password on your iPad you really can't see the screen no matter how bright the flashlight you have, but here is a fix. One, always make sure that you have a current or semi-current backup of your device. Two, use your iCloud account and the "find my iPhone" app. From here you can find/lock or even erase the device remotely. If you use the remote force erase iPad, this will reboot the device regardless of whether you have a password (if powered on and available or if its powered off the device will erase as soon as it gets the signal). Yes, yes you just lost all the current data off your data off the iPad but, of course you had already followed step one, right? Erasing your iPad includes a reboot during the process. Third, thanks to this gentleman for making this Instructable for me and all the other people who have go thru this. BTW: Thank you!

[DaveA81]

Yes, it did work ! thanks !

[jabberwockdb]

This was a life saver! Instead of following some directions to solder jumper cables or an impossible to find component, I was able to follow these directions and resurrect my backlight within 15 minutes of discovering I had a problem!

Thanks so much! I just hope that other people find this out before it's too late. You should post a video on youtube!

[dhols]

You are an absolute genius!!! Cannot believe that those other rip-offs don't even mention this trick. Thank you and bless you! Must figure out a way of getting this tip to the top of google search hits - can anyone help?

[fun6]

Thanks a lot, you're great! just saved me a few dollars with that. Works like it should now.

[SH9]

Wow! tyty.. i was having mini heart attacks thinking i somehow broke a flex cable during the Dig repair. @_@. i like easy fixes

[Zibodiz]

Dude, you're a lifesaver! I was going to try replacing the component mentioned in a couple YouTube videos, but thankfully I tried your idea first. Thanks!

[nickole.cottrill]

Thank you so much for the tip!!!! I could not see well enough to put the password in so I just turned it off, which was easier to see! The ipad came back on as normal!!!! Thanks again!!!

[randyr2000]

Went to Apple store and they said 'nothing we can do - buy a new one'. Went to GameStop and they offered me $9 for it. Came home, saw your post and... voila!

Can't thank you enough!

[mandy.lamarre]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to cry before reading this. Can't thank you enough for posting this for others, like me, to see!!!!!!

[No1ToRun2]

I had it sitting on the top of the refrigerator for over a week waiting on a replacement bezel before reassembling it. When I tried to power it on a realized the back light wasn't illuminating all I could think was one of my three kids had gotten a hold of it. Panic definitely set in as I'm repairing it for a friends daughter who's birthday is tomorrow and this was the deadline I couldn't wait for a replacement back light or LCD. Thanks to google and your posting I've now reassembled it and turned it off than back on and the back light is fully functional! Major stress relief. Thank you much for sharing.

[cheryl.car]

i tried what you said and it still wont come on. any other suggestions?

[rjohnston7]

Awesome DesmondL! So happy it helped you and thanks for the kind words :)

[DesmondL]

I pray a blessing over your life, you just saved me from paying R1000 to have a backlight fixed on a ipad 2 thats not even mine. I just did what you said, and yes Voila, it`s working 100%.

Regards, Desmond - South Africa - Cape Town