iPhone 6s Plus Lightning Connector and Headphone Jack Replacement

Written By: Arthur Shi

Comments: 136

iPhone 6s Plus Lightning Connector and Headphone Jack Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

Follow the steps in this guide to replace the lower flex cable in an iPhone 6s Plus. This cable assembly is home to the headphone jack and Lightning connector. If your phone is having trouble charging or connecting via USB, or you have a loose headphone jack, replacing this component can resolve your issue.

You can also use this guide to replace the lightning connector bracket.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Insert a SIM eject tool into the hole in the SIM tray.
Press to eject the SIM tray.

Step 2

Remove the SIM tray.
When reinserting the SIM tray, be sure to orient the tray such that the SIM eject hole is on the bottom.

Step 3

Before disassembling your iPhone, discharge the battery below 25%. A charged lithium-ion battery can catch fire and/or explode if accidentally punctured.
Power off your iPhone before beginning disassembly.
Remove the two 3.4 mm Pentalobe screws on either side of the Lightning port.

Make sure you use the correct screw driver tip to remove these screws, which for the iPhone 6s Plus is the P2, otherwise you may strip the tip of the screw making it 10 times harder to remove. If once the screw is lose, it will not come off, use a magnet to remove it.

Miguel Perez - 30/12/17

If I do it by myself, will it damage the water resistant strip?

I know iphone 7 have it ,but I am not sure 6s plus have it.

Ganqian Zhu - 02/01/18

iPhone 6s has an adhesive gasket under the display, similar to the iPhone 7—however, it doesn’t add much in the way of waterproofing since the 6s has non-sealed openings in other parts of the phone. Water resistance on the 6s is primarily internal (seals around the logic board connectors, etc.). It may still be worthwhile to replace the adhesive on the 6s in order to help keep the display firmly seated so it doesn’t move/wobble at all under pressure, but the phone will continue to work fine whether you replace the adhesive or not.

Jeff Suovanen - 08/01/18

Salve nella procedura iniziale di smontaggio display con la ventosa non è menzionato il fatto di scaldare i lati del display per “ammorbidire” la striscia che incolla il display alla scocca.

Non è necessaria la cosa o è consigliabile ?

grazie

Hello, in the initial disassembling procedure with the suction cup, it is not mentioned how to heat the sides of the display to "soften" the strip that glues the display to the body.

Is not the thing necessary or is it advisable?

thank you

Daniele - 17/03/18

You’ve probably received your answer by now but for future enquirers, it does help the process of taking the screen off if heat is applied to the screen. If you have a hair Dryer use that on a low setting to heat the edges of the screen until it’s almost too hot to touch then slip very thin metal spudger around the edge to cut the adhesive. The carefully lift the screen with the help of the spudger and continue with your repair

Cheers Wayne

Wayne Lyell - 01/05/19

How do I know that the Battery has ZERO Charging Cycles on it when it arrives ? Is there a (downside) to Higher Capacity batteries ? It is INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT to maintain a “Zero Chinese Products Lifestyle”, so how do I know that I’m not getting a deficient Chinese battery, potentially a refurb. battery ?

integritybuilders - 18/03/18

When your repair is complete, you can use coconutBattery to check your new battery stats and cycle count. (A properly tested battery may already have a charge cycle or two on it.) Avoid higher capacity batteries on iPhones—they’re generally either gimmicks, unsafe, or both. As far as the quality of the part, that comes down to how much you trust your supplier and whether they guarantee the product.

Jeff Suovanen - 19/03/18

So I need to empty the battery to zero percent?

johnpatrickanat - 08/04/19

Below 25%, exactly as stated in the instructions. There’s no benefit to draining it further than that, and in fact you’ll slightly shorten the service life of the battery by draining it all the way to zero. Follow the instructions exactly as written—if you go off-script, you’re a lot more likely to break something.

Jeff Suovanen - 08/04/19

So my screen shattered completely and the screen first had colored lines on tge while right side then it went out completely. If i get an lcd and digitizer replacement I'd that oing to fix it

shellietheleo - 04/07/19

I would initially recommend a well-lit, comfortable area and placing the screws on a white piece of paper with the screw sizes written down (apparently there are magnetic mats, also). Also, I found placing the phone on a paper towel is good so that if a screw is dropped, it will lessen the likelihood of bouncing away.

Lou Fazio - 30/12/19

Step 4

Optionally, apply mild heat to the lower edge of the iPhone using an iOpener or hair dryer for about a minute.
Heat softens the adhesive securing the display, making it easier to open.

This is important. I’ve serviced a lot of iphones/ipads for my family as a hobby in the past.

The adhesive was so tight, I cracked the screen trying to pull it/pry it off.

I highly suggest heating at least the bottom edge enough to soften the adhesive

garbage911garbage - 29/04/19

I didn’t have an iOpener, nor a heat gun; however I do have a small personal size hand pillow filled with feed corn. Two minutes in the nuke machine got it plenty warm, and smelled like fresh popcorn too.

bradiac - 22/06/19

I would suggest that you are not shy with the hairdryer. A high heat on the bottom of the phone for at least a minute, if not more, if required.

Mark Taberham - 20/02/21

Step 5

Opening the display on the 6s Plus separates a thin strip of adhesive around the perimeter of the display. If you prefer to replace the adhesive, have a set of new adhesive strips ready before you continue. It's possible to complete the repair without replacing the adhesive, and you probably won't notice any difference in functionality.
Apply a suction cup to the lower left corner of the display assembly.
If your display is badly cracked, covering it with a layer of clear packing tape may allow the suction cup to adhere. Alternatively, very strong tape may be used instead of the suction cup. If all else fails, you can superglue the suction cup to the broken screen.

take out screws first!!

Yoav Karmon - 15/04/17

Make sure you use the right screw driver tip for i phone 6s Plus, which is the P-2. If the screw will not come off once is lose, try using a magnet.

Miguel Perez - 30/12/17

My cracked screen prevented the suction cup from sealing. SOLUTION: With a piece of clear packing tape across the screen, the suction cup will seal and pull.

Jim Cowles - 17/01/18

I broke my iphone screen in the first step!

Pierre Bertram - 06/10/19

This screen removal step got more wrestley than I anticipated. The adhesive is quite strong. I used a flat-ended razor tool that I have to begin the prying - I don’t know how I would have got it started without this.

Lou Fazio - 30/12/19

Ok - just got my battery replacement kit and even got the opening kit for added insurance just in case. Settled down to startwork after carefully cleaning my (immaculate) screen - no scratches or anything, with rubbing alcohol, removing screws and warming with a hair dryer, only to find the suction cup provided in the kit is worse than useless! It won’t stick to the screen well at all. When it does - it pops off at the lightest pull :-( Now what do I do to get this started?!

CoffeeCup -

Step 6

Pull up on the suction cup with firm, constant pressure to create a slight gap between the front panel and rear case.
Pulling too hard may damage the display assembly. Apply just enough pressure to create a small gap between the display assembly and the rear case.

I had a shattered front glass panel so I could not get the suction cup to seal properly. I tried a couple of different ways to get good suction but to no avail. I eventually used a Stanley knife to pry up the corner so I could get the spudger into the opening.

John Architzel - 23/06/17

A really high quality packing tape over the entire screen will usually be enough to use the suction cup on a shattered screen.

djwooten - 11/07/17

I used a suction cup on each side to provide counter traction. I braced the iphone between my knees and pulled apart while my helper inserted the spudger

jkanne - 09/09/17

This was by FAR the most difficult part of this whole thing. I confess the spudger was not cutting it so I used a butter knife to get into the small opening first, then used the spudger to go around the screen.

Julie Sanchez - 27/12/17

Hey everyone, if you never have done this part before be aware there is an extremely strong adhesive around the lip of the screen and once again is extremely strong. I had to get a friend to insert the pry/pick into the small gap while I used one hand to brace the phone down and the other to pull the suction cup without it digging into my hand. Go slow, it took me 5 tries because I didn’t realize how strong the adhesive was.

bartmistrot - 13/01/18

I also had a badly cracked lower screen - that glass was actually threatening to pull off the phone in chunks during this step, even with packing tape. Resorted to @j2arch’s tip and inserted a utility knife vertically into the seam between the display and phone body. Was able to lever the glass enough to get the spudger in there.

Jason Augustyn - 22/01/18

I have replaced sevrel screens for my sister in law and my niece. The packing tape has worked every time and that’s with it Shattered and pieces already falling out. You have to make sure the packing tape goes to the edge of the screen but doesn’t touch the frame. I have the plier like screen remover and use that it is much easier to remove the screen by your self with that tool. I also have the little finger suction cup that comes with the kit here. I bought the plier suction cup tool When I had to replace the screen that had the pieces of the screen missing and I don’t regret spending the extra money for that it has made a world of difference. I do this as a hobby it’s not a job for me. The electric divide repair kit from Lowe’s is also a very good kit to help. If you’re only going to do it once the kit that comes with the package is a great deal from ifixit. Well worth the money to spend the little extra to get the kit if you all ready don’t have the tools.

Brent - 14/03/18

If you try to use the spunger near the home button and try to pry it can crack your screen. This happened to me.

Jeffrey - 22/11/18

Same thing happened to me. This should be a big warning in these steps. If you have a small to moderate crack in you screen, but you weren’t planning on replacing the screen at the same time as another repair inside, there’s a risk of damaging the screen further and making it inoperable.

DW7ACCT -

I found it easiest to use two suction cups. One on the front as directed, and a second one on the back. Give the spudger to your assistant, and have them slip it in place while you pull the display from the case.

gordojenkins - 07/07/19

I gave up with the suction cup as it wasn't working for me with a cracked screen. Having heated the bottom of the phone with a hair dryer with a high heat for a good minute or so, I used a safety scraper (essentially a razor blade in a holder) along the bottom of the phone to separate the screen from the body of the phone. I used the scraper vertically between the bottom of the screen and the phone body and levered it sufficiently so that I could fit the spudger between the screen and the phone body. My experience when I first used the spudger around the frame was that the cracks in the screen caused the screen glass to separate from the frame, so I had to re-do it and ensure that the screen frame was separated from the phone body.

Safety scraper:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unger-CD170-Win...

Mark Taberham - 20/02/21

Step 7

The safest place to pry from is the notch in the front panel above the headphone jack.
While still maintaining pressure on the suction cup, insert the flat tip of a spudger into the gap, directly above the headphone jack.

This was by far the hardest part of the repair for me. Getting leverage while finding a way to prod with a spudger is a challenge in coordination. I used a second spudger with point holding the phone down by the headphone jack, with the other end of the spudger anchored to my desk.

drpotter - 12/07/17

When warmed, the suction cup was useless. Using the tip of a knife blade, was able to get it separated enough to insert spudger.

hutland - 09/02/20

For me this was the most time consuming task. I used a hair dryer for heating. I found a very tight adhesive. For a moment I thought of abandoning my efforts and take the assembly to a professional repairman. But as they say, patience is a virtue.

After fiddling for about 20 minutes, I achieved a barely noticable opening. So I decided to change the strategy. Instead of applying heat all over the base, I preceeded with small steps with heat concentrated near the opening. I applied intense heat only for about 15 to 20 seconds and immediately working with spudger. It took about an hour to completely open the case. It worked.

Thanks for reading.

- Mr Gamma

Gamma Pailvan -

I also struggled with this step. Lots of heat, 3 different suction cups, I finally could see a small gap... much too thin to fit even a piece of paper into. A video on another site said it was the easy way. I used a sharp craft knife barely into the seam between metal and glass and pried slightly. And it started up. Still a pain freeing the rest of the adhesive. Perhaps the adhesive really sets up over the course of 5 years? I have it hinged open now, so onto the next steps.

Mark Tollefson -

Step 8

Twist the spudger to widen the gap between the front panel and the rear case.

just changed the screen, but due to the tape along side the screen , it is best to heat a little so the glue losses and you can get the screen off better, like indicated

Bart Blanckaert - 13/03/18

Step 9

While firmly pulling up on the suction cup, slide the edge of the spudger under the bottom left corner of the display.

Step 10

Slide the tip of the spudger up the left side of the phone, between the front panel and the rear case.

Step 11

Insert the flat tip of the spudger under the right edge of the display.
Slide the spudger up the right side.

Step 12

Use a plastic opening tool to hold down the rear case while pulling up the suction cup to open the phone.
Do not remove the display completely, or you will damage the data cables connecting the display near the top edge of the iPhone.

Step 13

Pull up on the small nub on the suction cup to remove it from the display.

Remember to apply the screen gasket on the re-assemble. The gasket is provided in the kit but not mentioned here on the instructions.

Won Hong - 07/01/18

There’s a link to the entire gasket replacement procedure in Step 21.

Jeff Suovanen - 08/01/18

Step 14

Gently grasp the display assembly and lift it up to open the phone, using the clips at the top of the front panel as a hinge.
Open the display to about a 90º angle, and lean it against something to keep it propped up while you're working on the phone.
Don't open the display more than 90º—it is still connected to the top of the phone by the display, digitizer, and front camera cables which can tear easily.
Add a rubber band to keep the display securely in place while you work. This prevents undue strain on the display cables.
In a pinch, you can use an unopened canned beverage to support the display.

if the display cables are damaged how can you tell ?

Smiley McSmilebot - 22/01/20

In theory, I like the idea of propping up the screen with a rubber band and box/soda can like this, but after ripping the FaceTime camera cable twice, I realize that this method puts too much stress on the cable because it places the screen so far back. Even in this photo, you can see that the cable is taut. I’d recommend just holding the screen with your free hand to put the least amount of stress on that cable as possible.

Ben Estabrook -

Step 15

Remove two Phillips screws securing the battery connector bracket to the logic board, of the following lengths:
One 2.9 mm screw
One 2.3 mm screw
Throughout this guide, keep careful track of your screws so that each one goes back where it came from during reassembly. Installing a screw in the wrong place can cause permanent damage.

FYI - I used some blue painters tape wrapped around a piece of cardboard to hold the screws and brackets in place, in order, so they did not get lost. Some of those screws are MICROSCOPIC so be careful!

I also suggest having very good lighting, even a camping headlight for hands-free well lit work space. You will thank me later :-)

Julie Sanchez - 27/12/17

Use the bit labeled “PH000”.

Joe Teichert - 04/03/18

PH000 bit just wants to free-spin in the 2.3 mm screw. no bite in the head at all. had no difficulty removing the 2.9 mm screw with the same Phillips. had to abandon battery replacement effort.

Benjamin Stalcup - 07/03/18

For this part, neither PH000 or Y000 worked. Technically, it’ll set you back 31$ because you will need the PH00 screwdriver for this part, and the part where you need to open the screen. They have ph00 screwdrivers in every hardware store and even ifixit.com. just know that they put the wrong screwheads for you

Jack Daniel - 18/03/18

Do not lose track of which hole these screws go into. They MUST be put back into the correct hole that they came out of. If not, you will get the dreaded “long screw damage” on the mainboard, and that will be the end of the show.

Just remember where these screws go, and it will be fine.

Harry McDow - 25/04/19

Ended up employing a Philips #0 from a regular jeweler/precision kit on the 2.3mm screw. Bits seem a bit off for this step.

Vance Bell - 17/04/20

Step 16

Remove the battery connector bracket.

Does it matter if the brackets arent put back in the phone? I bought a used phone and brackets are missing. Thanks!

Coupon Crazy - 01/06/18

Auch die Abdeckung ist angeklebt. Also mit etwas Vorsicht und Geduld rangehen.

eckhardd@icloud.com - 17/12/20

If you have forgotten your High School German -

The cover is also glued. So take some care and patience.

Glen Paetz - 31/03/21

My bracket actually has a black wire connected on the underside that is attached to the metal bracket (with screw) below it in the picture. I decided to leave it on and just move it to the side.

Victor Ng-Thow-Hing -

Step 17

Use a spudger or a clean fingernail to disconnect the battery connector by prying it straight up off the logic board.

Step 18

Bend the connector back to ensure it doesn't make contact and power the iPhone on while you're working on it.

When putting the new battery in, make sure to line up the plug and not to the top of the battery… our battery was smaller so the plug would NOT have lined up if we used the top of the battery. ALSO, the plug was NOT 90 degrees so we had to finagle the plug. Also, make sure there is a clear CLICK when you plug in the connector or it may not work. Ours went in but guess didn’t go far enough so we had to take the screen off and push it harder until we heard the “click” then it worked fine.

Won Hong - 07/01/18

Step 19

Remove the following Phillips screws:
Three 1.3 mm screws
One 1.6 mm screw
One 3.0 mm screw
During reassembly, it's critical to place this 3.0 mm screw in the top-right corner of the bracket. Placing it anywhere else may damage the logic board.

I really don't see value in removing screen use box and rubber band keep at 90 degrees.

John Parker - 16/03/17

I leave screen on as well for this. - Tho I prefer a 45 degree lean.

Thor - 22/07/17

I just changed my battery and also left the screen attached. I was lucky enough to get all 3 adhesive battery strips out clean so I didn’t have a struggle with the battery coming out. If I was going to need to get rough with it I was going to take the screen off at that point.

Michael Gross - 03/10/17

To keep track of screws, draw a quick outline of the display cable bracket/cover, with five dots where screws should be. Drop the screws on the corresponding dot. Helps if you use magnet pad.

Christa - 23/06/18

Better yet, print out the pictures from the iFixit website, and use clear tape (“Scotch tape”) to TAPE the screws onto the place in the picture where they belong.

Tom - 28/08/18

Which screwdriver from the kit do I use for which screw?

Shiva Sharma - 14/07/18

I made a mistake and unscrewed the screw just north north west of the one circled in yellow. Of course I lost the screw. Can anyone give me any guidance about this? what does the wire connected to it do? What is the size of the screw, in case I have to replace it?

P.S. This is another reason to consider the possibility of NOT removing the screen just to replace the battery: removing the screen presents a additional possible headache, especially for people like me with bad eyesight who probably shouldn’t be doing this in the first place.

Tom - 28/08/18

I didn’t think this was necessary, bit I see it relieves stress on the front-facing camera and sensor cable connector; I did not disconnect the display connector nor remove the display screen.

Lou Fazio - 30/12/19

I second this finding. I too did not remove the screws nor the bracket. The cables look a bit stretched, but certainly not strained.

-Gamma

Gamma Pailvan -

This step of separating the two parts of the phone deserves careful consideration. In my case, I had propped up the display assembly with a box and rubber bands. However, only 2 of the battery adhesive strips came off easily. The effort to remove the battery with the display assembly attached was not a good move on my part. I jarred the ear speaker cable and after reassembly I had no camera or working ear speaker. Taking off these 5 screws and removing the three cables is not difficult. My suggestion: is you have ANY trouble removing the 3 battery adhesive strips, STOP, separate the two components, and then continue with the battery removal. Don’t struggle removing the battery with the display assembly attached. (I replaced the ear speaker cable, and all is working now)

Richard Perl - 15/02/20

Thanks for this tip! I am having a really hard time removing this plate because one of the screw heads are stripped. So I’ll try removing the battery adhesive strips first to see if I can get the battery out without removing the screen.

nathanfunk - 27/06/20

Use dixie cups and label them for each part you take out. You can stack the dixie cups to keep them in order.

Bradley Nolen - 26/06/20

I skipped this for the battery removal, but when I went to replace the seal, I had to remove it anyway.

dgol69 -

I lost the bottom left screw of the five in this step - anyone know if it’sgoing to cause a problem? ‘m going to go ahead and put thephone back together anyway - wil report back withresult

CoffeeCup -

OMG…. SO excited! It works! Seems that missing screw wasn’t an issue. The reason I’m so excited is, I’m a senior and have bever attempted anything like this before and was worried I’d mess it up, or it just wouuldn’t work for whatever reason. I know I never would have tried if it weren’t for finding this site, the great service, parts to do it and the videos/guides. Thank you so much ifixit. :-)

CoffeeCup -

I changed the battery, without removing the screen, when I closed the phone the front camera and speaker no longer work.

Mr T -

Step 20

Remove the display cable bracket.

Be careful on this step: with my iPhone, one of the connectors (the home button/fingerprint sensor) was stuck to the underside of the bracket and I almost strained its cable.

kevin - 15/02/21

Step 21

Be careful to only pry up on the connector itself and not the socket on the logic board.
Use a plastic opening tool to disconnect the front-facing camera and sensor cable connector.

FYI, in the video she uses the spudger for this but I think either one will work.

Julie Sanchez - 27/12/17

I found prying from the right to be better

Lou Fazio - 30/12/19

Is there any need for this step if only the Battery is replaced

mrrreid - 29/04/20

I don’t recommend using the spudger for this as you can do more damage that way. I scratched the black square thing underneath.

Laura Houghton - 05/08/20

I managed to remove the battery without disconnecting and removing the display first. This avoids possible difficulties in these steps (see below).

One has to be careful that, while fighting with the battery strips, the display remains in its 90º position

alfasw33 - 22/03/21

Step 22

Use a plastic opening tool to disconnect the digitizer cable by prying it straight up from its socket on the logic board.
When reconnecting the digitizer cable, do not press the center of the connector. Press one end of the connector, then press the opposite end. Pressing in the center of the connector can bend the component and cause digitizer damage.

Thanks you i fix it

God Hand - 28/10/17

“When reconnecting the digitizer cable, do not press the center of the connector. Press one end of the connector, then press the opposite end. Pressing in the center of the connector can bend the component and cause digitizer damage. “

The following note above was so helpful. I was speeding through the process of getting things back together, since it seemed easy to connect the digitizer cable, but I kept pushing it in the middle and I wouldn’t connect. Until I read through this step and realized it was easier if I would’ve connected one side and then the opposite side right after.

Jeffrey Robinos - 28/09/18

Don’t be too shy when pushing the ends of the digitizer connector back to place. If it does not connect properly, you might face the “half backlight” problem, even if you did not kill any LCD filter. Also check carefully, that you don’t clamp parts of the sticky sealing material placed around the connector inside the connection area.

Norbert Andreas Richartz - 16/11/18

This part was a very frustrating experience for me. I thought that my replacement screen was just poor quality, as it worked when it wanted to work. Pressing home/power repeatedly sometimes brought it back, charging to 100% also brought it back. The actual problem was that it is very easy to get some of the gasket material caught in the connector, which I couldn’t see until I used my jeweler's loupe. I used 91% alcohol to carefully clean all of this off until all pins were shiny, and it took about 6 tries to get it right. However, the screen’s been running well for 2 days now. I already bought another screen replacement which I have for a spare as it was 100% not the problem.

chumblyf - 06/05/20

I followed all the steps, so the sound is missed. What could be happened? thanks a lot. Fabio Balbino

Fabio Balbino - 17/06/20

Step 23

Make sure the battery is disconnected before you disconnect or reconnect the cable in this step.
Disconnect the home button/fingerprint sensor cable by prying it straight up from its socket on the logic board.

How much is this to replace?

Alistair knight - 18/02/17

And where could I buy from?

Alistair knight - 18/02/17

You can buy these at iFixit: iPhone 6s LCD and Digitizer - Original LCD

drgon - 23/02/17

After finishing the assembly I got the message “Touch ID cannot be enabled on this phone”. I found this connector was loose. Plugged it back in and that fixed it.

Bryan Province - 05/10/17

Thanks for the tip. Same thing happened to me, some leftover adhesive was in the way!

Lua Tech -

Always make sure to disconnect the battery before you do any work on the phone replacing any parts the digitizer or anything. And before you start make sure the phone is turned off you don’t want any power surges. If you also have a static electricity bracelet that also is a plus to use but isn’t a necessity just a nice piece of mind. Some cases you do need to use one so you don’t discharge static electricity to an electrical component and mess it up.

Brent - 14/03/18

Be very careful in this step. I noticed it’s very easy to tear the flex when trying to lift it out of its socket from the right side.

shoeib - 18/03/18

What is the cable and how is it connected/fixed to the motherboard between the bottom socket and the screw hole.

Mine came loose somehow?

Jason Engelsman - 16/07/18

I figured out my own question its the Wi-Fi diversity antenna cable. But how is it connected/secured to the motherboard?

Jason Engelsman - 16/07/18

i pressed on the center of the digitizer connection. and the bottom half of my screen didnt work. i then took that same front panel assembly and tried to install it on another old iphone 6s+ and i had the same issue.

can i still fix it?

what exactly is broken now?

alejandro rueda - 28/01/19

@mynameisoli Honestly this just sounds like a defective screen to me, but it’s hard to say for sure. Look closely at the connector at the end of the ribbon cable and check it for damage. If it’s slightly bent/curved, all the pins won’t make good contact in the socket. You can try bending it back so it lays flat, but you have to be very careful not to damage the connector or contaminate the pins with skin oils, so it’s tricky—and it may be harder to return as “defective” if you mess up the connector. So try this at your own risk. Apart from that, I would just return it and try a different display. Good luck!

Jeff Suovanen - 29/01/19

The 6s plus screen repair kit i bought has the wrong size cable here on the replacement part. SOL.

Alex Richardson - 07/03/20

Once I accidentally disconnected the display assembly cables before disconnecting the battery. Now the home button and fingerprint sensor doesn’t work. Any solution to this?? I have tried a different home button, even that doesn’t work.

a3roar - 06/06/20

I changed the battery on my iPhone and put all together again and charged it. When I pressed the home button the lock screen with my picture appeared and when I pressed it again the screen with the digits from 0 to 9 appeared. I was asked to enter my passcode, but when I did that nothing happened, the phone did not open.

What could be wrong? Is the home screen cable not fully connected or what could be the reason for this?

THORDUR JOHANNESSON -

Step 24

Remove the display assembly.
During reassembly, pause here if you wish to replace the adhesive around the edges of the display.

For instructions on home button swap out to the new screen you just installed, go here

iPhone 6s Plus Home Button Assembly Replacement

Superior Office Systems - 05/12/17

Do you know whether the adhesive contributes to waterproofing, or just for stability/adhesion?

Christa - 29/01/18

@kitabel The iPhone 6s case isn’t waterproof, so I don’t think adhesive around the display is contributing anything other than stability. The 6s series does have some water resistance, but it’s mostly internal and not something Apple advertises.

Jeff Suovanen - 30/01/18

If you have a replacement adhesive for the display, you may need to install it before reconnecting cables to the components. If the adhesive wraps all the way around the display, it will be impossible to install it once the display is reconnected.

Matthew Olwell - 16/04/19

These instructions worked great for me. Thank you!

Chris Enloe - 21/05/19

Step 25

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the antenna cable from the bottom of the logic board.

Step 26

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the Lightning connector cable from the logic board.

Step 27

Remove the three Phillips screws securing the Lightning connector bracket:
Two 3.5 mm screws
One 2.7 mm screw
Remove the bracket.

Step 28

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the antenna cable from the Lightning connector assembly.

Step 29

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the antenna cable from the top of the logic board.

I did not remove the antenna cable from the board because it does not necessary.

István Borsányi - 16/05/20

We were not able to remove the cable, despite following the tips; it meant that the speaker unit was tethered to the phone during repair, which is not ideal, but we took care of it and all went well.

Matthew Dearden -

Step 30

Carefully lift the antenna cable and de-route it from the edge of the phone. Use the point of a spudger to help lift the cable free it from the retaining clips.
If the cable does not have enough room to lift up, loosen this Phillips screw securing the logic board so that the board can give more wiggle room.
Be sure to re-tighten this screw during re-installation.
If the cable snags near the SIM reader, it's likely caught on the SIM tray ejection mechanism. Use the point of a spudger to slide the plastic rod out of the way.
During re-installation, be sure to route the antenna cable underneath the logic board corner.
During reassembly, you can also re-insert the SIM card tray after re-routing the antenna cable.
If you feel any resistance, stop and make sure that the tray isn't snagging the antenna cable.

I didn’t need to do this step to remove the lightening charge port. In later steps I just put the speaker to the side with the cable attached. I also didn’t take the display off. I just left it at 90 degrees, attached to the iPhone box; like picture early. It made it much easier.

Joel Sarmiento - 24/09/19

I did not remove the antenna cable from the board because it does not necessary.

István Borsányi - 16/05/20

it also appears there is something under the sim tray keeping the antenna cable trapped and unable to remove all the way. luckily you dont need to remove it all the way to preform the repair.

penguin2fish4rain -

Step 31

Remove the six Phillips screws securing the speaker to the rear case:
One 2.5 mm screw
Two 2.7 mm screws
One 1.5 mm screw
One 1.7 mm screw
One 2.6 mm screw securing the speaker to the bottom edge of the rear case.

Still working on it but I am not having any success getting the 2.6mm screw back in now 1+ hour into it.

colfax80 - 07/04/19

The blue one is the hard part to assembly back.

István Borsányi - 16/05/20

Do not pry-off the antenna from the speaker module!

István Borsányi - 16/05/20

Step 32

Insert the flat end of a spudger between the long edge of the speaker module and the case wall.
Pry gently to loosen the speaker module.
Once the module is loose, lift and remove the speaker module and the attached antenna cable from the phone.

Peel off the adhered

Anthony Fisher - 13/04/21

There is also a screw to remove from the speaker near the lightning connector . It is a screw with the screwhole in the bottom of iPhone

John Jaspers -

Hi John,

I think I noted all the screws in step 3 and step 7. Did I miss any?

Arthur Shi -

Step 33

Use the point of a spudger to disconnect the Taptic Engine flex cable from the lower flex cable.

Maybe it would be best to have people remove the screws first? Otherwise prying the flex cable (which is very thin and not super flexible) may result in it breaking from the Taptic Engine. Just a thought.

Kayne Caplinger - 21/08/19

The cable is plenty flexible, hence the name. ;) Remove the screws first if you like, but there’s no harm in doing it this way.

Jeff Suovanen - 26/08/19

Step 34

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the Taptic Engine to the rear case:
One 3.1 mm screw
One 2.1 mm screw
Remove the Taptic Engine.

Step 35

Peel back the tape over the screw securing the Lightning connector flex cable to the lip of the phone.

Step 36

Remove the following five Phillips screws:
One 2.9 mm screw
One 1.9 mm screw
One 1.5 mm screw
One 1.6 mm screw
One 1.3 mm screw set in the bottom edge of the rear case

Step 37

Prepare an iOpener and lay it across the bottom of the phone to soften the adhesive holding the Lightning connector flex cable in place.
Wait about a minute for the adhesive to soften before removing the iOpener and continuing.

Step 38

Insert an opening pick under the Lightning connector flex cable and slowly slice through the adhesive holding the cable to the rear case.

Step 39

Continue sliding the opening pick underneath the flex cable.

Step 40

Use an opening pick to pry the left microphone off the edge of the rear case.

make sure you don’t remove the little black plastic part that goes between the microphone & case, it was firmly attached to the left microphone.

Rhonda Tregay - 20/01/18

The instructions don't mention it, but the photo shows the microphone by the headphone jack also being eased back, which we did have to do; agree with Rhonda's comment, and separating those parts took persistence.

Matthew Dearden - 07/05/22

Step 41

Insert the point of a spudger into the headphone jack and wiggle it slightly to loosen the headphone jack from the bottom edge of the case.

Step 42

Remove the Lightning connector assembly.
If your replacement part did not come with a headphone jack gasket, use tweezers to remove the gasket from the old part and transfer it to the replacement part.
Before re-installation, use a spudger to scour any remaining adhesive residue from the rear case. You can use high concentration isopropyl alcohol to help with the process.

Save the sealant rubber from the jack and the lighting connector if the new one does not have it.

István Borsányi - 16/05/20

Conclusion

Compare your new replacement part to the original part. You may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our iPhone 6s Plus Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Author

Arthur Shi

Member since: 03/01/18

218088 Reputation

23 comments

Hardest thing I have every done!! But well worth it. Now I know I need to go up on my labor price!!! :-) Thanks a ton from South Carolina!!

apriltanner1975 - 03/11/16

Just did this. Agree with everyone else, just flip the speaker over to get to the lightning connector assembly. Changes the repair time drastically

ztune - 26/06/17

I just completed this repair, replacing the Headphone Jack/Lightening port, battery and iSight camera all at the same time. I removed everything as it explained in the guide, but can totally see how not removing the logic board would save time and isn't 100% necessary. I imagine that peeling the upper portion of the headphone/lighting port is slightly easier with the logic board removed, and you don't have to worry about that antenna cable. If I did it again, I would probably still remove the logic board.

Michael Cornforth - 27/07/17

you would have to be crazy to remove the board. just flip the speaker up on its back and rest against logic board. 20 mins should complete this . i cant stress enough that board or camera does not need removed . PERIOD

Smartfone NI - 02/08/17

I completed this and it starts charging, but the home button stop working. It still sense my finger print, but it does not respond when i click on it.

Any help?

Poh Chun Hou - 05/08/17

In my experience that would be either a bad connection at the display connections or a damaged flex cable somewhere.

Sam Luber - 21/10/17

Does anyone have any idea why my SIM card is now not recognized ?

Tom Hogan - 19/11/17

I am moving all the parts of my iPhone 6s plus over to a new housing because mine is badly damaged does anyone know what that gold paste is under the big flax cable for all the io ports?

Do i need to buy some more if so where ?

pls help with any advice…

Max - 22/11/17

needs a step for the rebuild on when to peel adhesive strips since they are underneath.

Rhonda Tregay - 20/01/18

Just finished, including putting up tools. 2 hours. I agree with Chris and markrodhumm on leaving out some of the steps.

Terry Dunlap - 24/01/18

Hey guys, just replaced my Lightning connector and it works great now. However when i’m not on wifi I have no service or it jumps in and out a lot. What could be the problem ?

Dillon Lackus - 04/04/18

Before doing anything in this article or taking or sending your phone or device in to be serviced:

Take a tooth pick, or a brand new never been used before toothbrush, or some canned air and using a flashlight to see inside the port, clean out any gunk, dirt, lint, or other obstruction from the charging port and try plugging your phone/device in again. Also, try a different charging cable to rule out the possibility of a bad cable. I know Apple cables are expensive, but it might just be the cheapie cable you purchased at a convenience store that is the culprit.

Yes your repair might actually be this simple.

By the way iFixit, excellent article!

John - 03/07/18

Is it possible to only replace/repair a faulty headphone jack on it’s own?

OR does the part, come only as one piece; iPhone 6s Plus Lightning Connector and Headphone Jack Replacement?

I’m currently having my iphone 6s plus repaired by a local iPhone repair shop for a faulty lightening connector (phone not charging). I also have intermittent issue with my iphone being stuck in headphone mode but after a software update it fixed and worked for a while but recently gone back to being stuck in headphone mode SO I am now curious if the iPhone repair shop will fix this headphone jack issue at the same time by replacing the Lightening Connector.

Hence my question: Is it possible to only replace/repair a faulty headphone jack on it’s own?

OR does the part, come only as one piece; iPhone 6s Plus Lightning Connector and Headphone Jack Replacement?

any feedback would be appreciated, I’m concerned and currently lack confidence in the repair shop at their lack of honesty in the past.

catelyn.dowell - 08/10/18

Hi Catelyn,

The headphone jack is attached to the Lightning connector assembly in such a way that it is replaced together as a unit.

Arthur Shi - 25/10/18

I cant reinforce strongly enough to follow John’s suggestion,

CLEAN OUT THE PORT before trying this repair.

sounnder - 12/10/18

Great, simple step by step instructions to follow.

Cost me parts and 2 hours of my time instead of spending on a brand new phone.

Thank you.

imayoda - 17/11/18

I replaced my unit since the charging port stopped working. Now the charging port is working but the speaker and microphones aren’t. Which steps do I need to revisit to fix this issue?

Ahmed Hassan - 25/12/18

faulty cable

Tristan Haugh - 24/03/21

Don’t have a dog near you doing this. You will end up having to measure every single screw before assembling it just to realize that two are already missing….

Lukas - 08/04/19

You know, it was a lot easier putting it back together than I thought it would be. I'm really proud of myself, knowing that I had the skill to successfully repair a freakin' iPhone.

Thank you a billion for this guide!

Grey - 28/08/19

Well done Grey! That was not an easy guide to complete!

Arthur Shi - 28/08/19

I just completed this repair. I can’t believe it worked. I agree with the others that removing the display seems unnecessary as you can keep the antenna in place and just move the speaker instead of removing it. Great service, though. I still can hardly believe it actually worked. I fixed my dodgy headphone jack that was giving me a lot of grief.

Felix - 15/08/20

I successfully repaired my 6s Plus by transplanting the rear camera and lightning/headphone jack assembly from a badly damaged donor phone. I was worried about all of the adhesives, but the whole process was pretty straightforward with this guide. Looking forward to getting another couple of years out of this phone!

tsndrs -