Introduction
Learn how to replace your iPhone 7 screen. This guide is meant to be used with complete screen replacement parts only. The part should come with the front assembly, earpiece speaker, and EMI shield already installed, making for an easier repair.
All you need to do is remove the old screen and transfer the home button to the new screen, in order for Touch ID to function.
Tools
Parts
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Power off your iPhone before beginning disassembly.
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Remove the two 3.4 mm pentalobe screws on the bottom edge of the iPhone.
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If your display glass is cracked, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping over the glass.
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Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone's display until the whole face is covered.
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If the broken glass makes it difficult to get a suction cup to stick in the next few steps, try folding a strong piece of tape (such as duct tape) into a handle and lifting the display with that instead.
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Use a hairdryer or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the lower edge of the iPhone for about a minute in order to soften up the adhesive underneath.
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Pull up on the suction cup to create a small gap between the display assembly and the rear case.
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Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap.
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Slide the spudger to the left along the lower edge of the iPhone.
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Twist the spudger to widen the gap between the display and rear case.
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Slide the spudger up the left side of the iPhone, starting at the lower edge and moving towards the volume control buttons and silent switch.
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Insert the flat edge of a spudger into the bottom right corner of the device.
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Twist the spudger to widen the gap between the display assembly and the rear case.
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Slide the flat end of the spudger up the right side of the phone to break up the adhesive holding the display in place.
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Slide an opening pick along the top edge of the iPhone, between the rear case and front panel, to break up the remaining adhesive holding the screen in place.
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Pull the display assembly slightly away from the top edge of the phone to disengage the clips holding it to the rear case.
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Open the iPhone by swinging the display up from the left side, like the back cover of a book.
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Remove four tri-point Y000 screws securing the lower connector bracket, of the following lengths:
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Three 1.2 mm screws
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One 2.4 mm screw
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Use the point of a spudger to lift the battery connector out of its socket on the logic board.
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Use a spudger or a fingernail to disconnect the two lower display connectors by prying them straight up from their sockets on the logic board.
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Remove the two 1.3 mm Phillips #000 screws securing the bracket over the front panel sensor assembly connector.
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Remove the four Y000 screws securing the bracket over the home/Touch ID sensor:
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One 1.1 mm screw
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Three 1.3 mm screws
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Pry under the left edge of the home button cable connector to disconnect it from its socket.
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Carefully pry up the underlying connector and move it out of the way of the home/Touch ID cable.
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If the connector doesn't pry up easily, use a hair dryer or iOpener to heat and soften the adhesive securing the connector, and then try again.
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Flip the display assembly over. Use a hairdryer or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the lower edge of the display for about 90 seconds in order to soften up the adhesive underneath.
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Use an opening pick to gently separate the adhesive holding the home/Touch ID sensor cable to the back side of the display panel.
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Remove the home/Touch ID sensor assembly by lifting it through the front side of the display.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order. Don't forget to reapply the display adhesive before reinstalling the display.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our iPhone 7 Answers community for troubleshooting help.
108 comments
When putting the screen back on will the device loose it's water-resistant properties?
Joseph -
Wondering this too.
Draydan -
It will for sure lose it's water-resistant properties. So, please replace the water-resistant adhesive before assembly.
Jojo -
Yes, but you can buy a new replacement seal for a few bucks. However, it is extremely thin and very sticky so its almost impossible to do it right the first time (imagine placing a needle thin sized rubber band covered in glue around the tiny ledge you phone screen sits on). I would suggest you buy two because it is likely you’ll need a second shot at it…because if any part gets misplaced and sticks to the wrong spot, it will not come off, and that “sticky rubber band” turns into this horrible stringy tar/chewing gum ring that is impossible to manipulate…fair warning… it will most likely be pretty water resistant even if you don’t add a new seal to it… its not a waterproof phone in the first place :)
jaicdc -
Yes it will lose the water-resistant abilities. It is very hard to seal it back to it's original state.
Alec -
Is there any supplier that sells the original adhesive for the edge of the phone so we can make it better? Or do we have to just wing it with some cut double sided tape etc?
The short answer is yes, there are suppliers who carry the adhesive. It can be difficult to obtain and may be tempting to go for a replacement from eBay or somewhere similar, but I advise to steer clear of unverified vendors. If you can get one from iFixit, I strongly recommend that you use them - especially if you're only purchasing one for a DIY project. If iFixit doesn't have them, you can get these from Union Repair as one option. http://www.unionrepair.com/replacement-f...
Joshua -
We do offer the replacement adhesive if you need it—I wouldn't recommend trying to wing it. By the way, the phone will work fine without replacing the adhesive (it just won't be as waterproof), so if you don't have the adhesive on hand, it's perfectly okay to finish your repair and close up your iPhone, and then replace the adhesive at a later date.
Works wonderful!!
Can anyone confirm 7/7P's pentalobe screws have a ring of seal near the screw head?
Cooper Chase -
Confirmed, the screws have a black ring seal around the head.
rcheing -
Can’t get the display front
Bernadette Pfeifer -
From personal experience, I highly recommend before doing this procedure or any other, that you do a backup of your phone (preferably local) in case your procedure goes south.
ballina5ny -
I purchased the repair tools with the replacement battery from iFixit. The tools include a screw driver and three heads none were labeled 3.4 mm. I think the one that fit the pentalobe screws was labeled Y000. The guide should identify the screw driver head supplied by the kit not 3.4mm.
Mark Lieberman -
in the iphone 7 replacement battery kit from iFixit, the screwdriver that fits the 3.4 mm pentalobe screws is labeled P2 (and not Y000)
Jan-Tijn Oppermann -
3.4 mm is the height of the screw and is not related to the screw driver code.
Ahmad Vaziri -
the screwdriver PH000 does not work i wasted two screws and now they dont have the 4 cross mark they are now a circle, i buyed it all from Paraguay and it doesnt work, had to assembly back the parts because i got stuck like i mention with some screws, well im just going to send to a professional to install, thanks
Martin Frutos, Nuñez -
The bottom screws are Pentalobe, not Phillips.
Bram Driesen -
Before starting, I would recommend backing up your Iphone’s data just in case.
Jon Moylan -
If you managed to make it to this section, just send the phone into apple for 50 + 6 dollars shipping. The ribbon cables on the screen are designed to break. I can literally twist on the rest of the cable and it won’t fall apart but there is a diagonal section where it snaps. This is the fault of apple and the fault of ifixit for misrepresenting the fragility of the cables.
Ryan Huebert -
Had to reheat it a few times for a minute each with a hairdryer to get the seal to break after pulling and rocking the suction
Cynthia Lamb -
I’m technically challenged. Is there a premier national service who can professionally install a replacement battery got my 7 +?
Richard -
Do the screws come out in total?
YVES THEUGELS -
Is it the P2 you should use for the bottom??
YVES THEUGELS -
I heated the bottom of the phone with a hairdryer and then used a syringe to put a couple of drops of acetone directly into the bottom two screw holes. I GENTLY pulled on the screen with the suction cup and used the pry tool to GENTLY separate the screen. The sealant is applied around the entire display so be very careful pulling it off so you don’t break the fragile display cables.
Anthony Scaminaci -
At first it was very difficult to open, per instructions. I used a heat/ice pack and nuked it for 1 minute. The pry tool wasn’t working so I carefully used my pocket knife to wedge the cover open. The rest of the procedure went well until I cracked the glass while trying to get the top right corner to pop off. Other than that mistake, all went well. Tip: before setting the new battery, attach the battery connector first and leave enough room for the taptic engine, or better yet, place the taptic engine before adhering the replacement battery. This way you’ll have a small gap between the two, whereas mine barely fit. Good job on hosting the video, Gwendyl.
Klaus Preiss -
I love the fact that the screw bit and shaft are magnetic! I almost lost a screw and found it attached to the magnet.
I used a heat/ice pack and nuked it for 1 minute. At first the display cover was very difficult to open with the pry tool, per instructions. The pry tool wasn’t working so I carefully used the blade of my pocket knife to wedge the cover open. The rest of the procedure went well until I cracked the glass while trying to get the top right corner to pop off. Other than that mistake, all went well. Tip: before setting the new battery, attach the battery connector first and leave enough room for the taptic engine, or better yet, see the taptic engine in place before adhering the replacement battery. This way you’ll have a small gap between the two, whereas mine barely fit because I placed it almost too low.
Good job on hosting the video, Gwendyl.
Klaus Preiss -