How to Replace the Screen on Your iPhone 11
The screen on the iPhone 11 may have been strengthened through a dual ion exchange process, but it’s not indestructible. Drops can cause cracked and shattered screens. However, replacing the screen in your iPhone 11 is actually pretty easy, and you don’t need to rely on Apple to do it for you.
For this repair, you’ll need an eye opener, a set of iFixit opening picks, a suction handle or iSclack, a spudger, tweezers, and the following screwdriver bits: a P2 pentalobe bit, a Y000 bit, and a Phillips 000 bit.
Important Warnings and Preparations
Warning: Opening the iPhone’s display will compromise its waterproof seals. Have replacement seals ready before you proceed past this step, or take care to avoid liquid exposure if you reassemble your iPhone without replacing the seals.
Before you begin your repair, discharge your battery to below 25%. A charged lithium-ion battery can catch fire and/or explode if you accidentally damage it while you’re doing this repair. Power off your phone and then remove the two P2 pentalobe screws at the bottom edge of the phone near the charging port.
Heating and Opening the iPhone
The iPhone’s display is secured with some adhesive. To soften the adhesive, you need to place a heated eye opener on the bottom edge of the phone and leave it there for about a minute. If you have a cracked display, suction cups might have a hard time attaching to the glass. If you’re having trouble getting them to stick, cover the display with a piece of clear packing tape.
If you have an iSclack on hand, the next step will be easy. But if you only have an iFixit suction handle, follow the opening procedure on the guide at iFixit.com. Position the cups of the iSclack near the bottom edge of the iPhone, one on the front and one on the back, and then press the cups firmly into place, making sure the suction engages. Hold on to your iPhone securely and close the handles of the iSclack so it slightly separates the screen from the rear case of your phone. Be careful not to try and separate the whole thing; we’re only trying to make a gap for the next step.
When you see a small gap appear, insert an opening pick into the gap under the display to make sure the adhesive doesn’t readhere. Once inserted, slide the opening pick around the lower left corner and up the left edge of the iPhone. Make sure you slice through all the adhesive holding the display in place. Just be careful not to insert the pick too far; you could damage the internals, and you don’t want to make this a two-part repair.
Separating the Display
Take your pick and insert it again at the bottom edge, but this time, you guessed it, slide it up the right side of the phone to continue separating the adhesive. The top edge of the display is held on with both adhesive and clips, so gently pull the right side of the display down slightly towards the lightning port and insert your pick in the top right corner. While gently pulling down, slide the pick across the top edge of the iPhone and cut all the adhesive in the way.
Now all the adhesives should be separated. You can open the iPhone up by swinging the display up from the left side, kind of like the back cover of a book. Just be careful and don’t try to lift it all the way off; it’s still attached to the phone via ribbon cables. Next, grab something to prop up the display, like an old iPhone box, and if you want, you can even use a rubber band to hold it there.
Disconnecting the Battery
You’ll need your Y000 bit to remove the three screws securing the battery connector in place, and then use some tweezers to remove the bracket from the iPhone. With the pointy tip of your spudger or a clean fingernail, pry the battery connector up and away from its socket on the logic board.
Grab your Y000 again and remove the five screws from the logic board cover bracket. Use your tweezers to remove the bracket. Disconnect the LCD panel cable, the digitizer, and the front panel assembly connector with your spudger or clean fingernail. Once those are disconnected, you can free the display from the rest of the phone.
Removing the Front Assembly
At the top of the display, we need to remove the front assembly. Begin by removing four screws, three being Phillips and one Y000. Use the point of your spudger and gently pry up the top edge of the speaker and flip the speaker assembly down and away from the top edge of the display. But don’t pull it out yet; it’s still held in place by a cable.
Using your eye opener, heat up the top front of the display for about one to two minutes so that we can soften the adhesive holding down the sensors. Then carefully slide the edge of your opening pick underneath the flex cable, making sure to get under the microphone. Slowly twist the pick to separate the microphone, lifting it up. Just be really careful with your tweezers.
Reassembling the Display
Slide the small bracket straight up and off the ambient light sensor. Then use the same tweezers to wiggle the ambient light sensor from its notch in the display. Don’t pull it off the display though; it’s still attached via the flex cable. Working from left to right, slide your pick beneath the flex cable and underneath the proximity sensor/flood illuminator module. Gently wiggle and lift the earpiece speaker and front sensor assembly to separate it from its notch in the front panel.
Once everything is free, set aside your front panel assembly as you’ll need to transfer this part to your new display. With your new display in hand, grab your earpiece speaker and front sensor assembly. Gently press the proximity sensor and flood illuminator into the respective slots on the display. Next, with some tweezers, slide the ambient light sensor back into place and place its bracket straight onto it. With your finger, gently press the microphone back into place and press the flex cable below the microphone onto the display, making sure it’s all well adhered. You can also use a spudger for this step.
Final Steps
Now you can flip the speaker assembly over and reinstall the four screws securing the front assembly in place. Before you attach your display, you need to add new adhesive so you can retain water resistance in your phone. We have a video on how to do that, and we’ll link to it in the description below.
Bring your display over to your phone and, with your clean finger or spudger, reconnect all the cables from the display back onto the logic board. Now you can connect the battery again. Once finished, lay the bracket that covers the connectors back on and screw it back into place. If your display still has the adhesive liner, go ahead and remove it. Now we’re ready to lay the display back down on the phone. Carefully lower the display and align the clips along the top edge, and then carefully press the top edge into place before you press the rest of the display down. If you catch some resistance, check the condition of the clips around the perimeter of the display and make sure they’re not bent. Now go ahead and screw back in the pentalobe screws.
