Back Cover Removal

ID: 136580

Description: This is a prerequisite-only guide! This guide...

Steps:

1. Power off your phone before beginning disassembly.
2. Use a hairdryer, a heatgun, or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the right edge of the back of the phone for about a minute to soften the adhesive underneath.

3. Apply a suction handle to the back cover.
4. Lift with a suction handle to create a gap between the back cover and the frame of the phone.
5. Insert an opening pick into the gap.
6. If the glass is badly cracked, cover it in packing tape to create a surface for the suction cup to adhere to.
7. If the adhesive won't budge, apply more heat, not excessive force. Too much force could break the glass.

8. Note that there is more adhesive along the top edge and around the camera bezel than around the rest of the phone.
9. Cut carefully around the left edge near the fingerprint sensor or you risk damaging the ribbon cable inside.
10. If, at any point, the adhesive feels stubborn, apply more heat—not more force.

11. Starting from the center, cut the adhesive up and down the right side with an opening pick.
12. Do not insert the pick more than halfway into the phone when cutting near the fingerprint sensor or cameras, or you risk damaging internal components.

13. Be careful near the corner, as the glass is very weak. Apply more heat at any time if the adhesive becomes stuck.
14. Leave an opening pick in the upper-right corner.
15. Use another opening pick to cut the adhesive around the bottom-right corner.
16. Leave that opening pick in the phone.

17. Use a heat gun or hair dryer or apply a heated iOpener to the left side of the rear panel for at three minutes to soften the adhesive underneath.

18. Be careful near the corners, as the glass is weakest there.
19. Insert an opening pick into the lower-left corner of the rear panel.
20. Using another opening pick, cut the adhesive along the left edge of the rear panel.
21. Don't insert an opening pick in more than halfway on the left edge near the fingerprint sensor or you may damage the ribbon cable inside.
22. It is fine if opening picks fall out as the back cover becomes separated.

23. Using the inserted opening pick, carefully cut the adhesive around the upper-left corner of the rear panel.
24. Finally, cut the last of the adhesive along the top of the phone.
25. Use an iOpener, hair dryer, or heat gun to apply more heat as needed where you are cutting the adhesive.

26. Separate the right side of the rear cover first.
27. Tilt the cover up along the left edge to expose the fingerprint sensor ribbon cable.
28. Do not pull out the fingerprint sensor ribbon cable yet.
29. The fingerprint sensor cover might stay attached to the midframe.

30. Use the tip of a spudger to pry the fingerprint sensor ribbon cable up and out of its socket.

31. Remove the back cover.
32. To re-install the back cover:
33. Use tweezers to peel away any remaining adhesive from the phone's chassis. Then clean the adhesion areas with high concentration isopropyl alcohol (at least 90%) and a lint-free cloth to prep the surface for the new adhesive. You don't have to clear out adhesive down to the plastic but larger pieces should be removed.
34. Turn on your phone and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing the phone.
35. Carefully apply the new adhesive to the back cover, then line up one edge of the glass against the phone chassis and firmly press the glass into the phone.