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iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the home button ribbon cable. The cable includes the switch, but not the button cover.

What you need

  1. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement, Home Button Ribbon Cable: step 1, image 1 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement, Home Button Ribbon Cable: step 1, image 2 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement, Home Button Ribbon Cable: step 1, image 3 of 3

    • If your display glass is cracked, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping the glass.

    • Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone's display until the whole face is covered.

    • This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the display.

    • Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from any glass shaken free during the repair.

    Edit

  2. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 1

    • Before you proceed, discharge your iPhone 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 3.6 mm Pentalobe screws next to the Lightning connector.

    Edit

  3. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 3, image 2 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 3, image 3 of 3

    • In the following steps you will be pulling the display up out of the phone body. The display is composed of a glass screen and a plastic bezel with metal clips.

    • Regardless of the tool you use, you need to be sure you pull up the entire display.

    • If the glass begins to separate from the plastic, as shown in the first image, slide a plastic opening tool between the plastic frame and the metal phone body to pry the metal clips out of the case.

    • If you are reassembling a phone with a separated display bezel, you may want to place a thin strip of adhesive between the plastic bezel and the glass to keep the phone closed.

    Edit

  4. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement, iSclack Opening Procedure: step 4, image 1 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement, iSclack Opening Procedure: step 4, image 2 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement, iSclack Opening Procedure: step 4, image 3 of 3

    • The next two steps demonstrate using the , a great tool for safely opening the iPhone 5 that we recommend for anyone doing more than one repair. If you aren't using the iSclack, skip to [invalid guide link].

    • Close the handle on the iSclack, opening the suction-cup jaws.

    • Place the bottom of your iPhone in between the suction cups, against the plastic depth gauge.

    • The top suction cup should rest just above the home button.

    • Open the handles to close the jaws of the iSclack. Center the suction cups and press them firmly onto the top and bottom of the iPhone.

    Edit

  5. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 2 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 5, image 2 of 2

    • Hold onto your iPhone securely and close the handle of the iSclack to separate the suction cups, pulling the front panel up from the rear case.

    • The iSclack is designed to safely open your iPhone just enough to separate the pieces, but not enough to damage any cables.

    • Peel the two suction cups off your iPhone.

    • Skip the next three steps and continue on [invalid guide link].

    Edit

  6. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 1

    • Press a suction cup onto the screen, just above the home button.

    • Be sure the cup is completely on the screen to get a tight seal.

    • If you're opening an iPhone with cracked glass, neatly lay a couple strips of packing tape across the front and squeeze out as many bubbles as you can. This will give the suction cup a surface to grab, and minimize the spread of broken glass.

    Edit

  8. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1

    • Make sure the suction cup is firmly attached to the front panel assembly.

    • While holding the iPhone down with one hand, pull up on the suction cup to slightly separate the front panel assembly from the rear case.

    • Take your time and apply firm, constant force. The display assembly is a much tighter fit than most devices.

    • With a plastic opening tool, begin to gently pry the rear case down, away from the display assembly, while you pull up with the suction cup.

    • There are several clips attaching the front panel assembly to the rear case, so you may need to use a combination of the suction cup and plastic opening tool to free the front panel assembly.

    Edit

  9. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 1

    • Continue to pry up around the sides of the front panel assembly, detaching the clips along the left and right side.

    Edit

  10. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 9, image 2 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 9, image 3 of 3

    • Do not try to completely remove the front panel assembly from the rear case, as there are several ribbon cables still attached at the top of the iPhone.

    • Once the clips have been released on the bottom and sides of the front panel assembly, pull the bottom of the assembly away from the rear case.

    • 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.

    • Add a rubber band to keep the display securely in place while you work. This prevents undue strain on the display cables.

    Edit

  11. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the following two screws securing the metal battery connector bracket to the logic board:

    • One 1.8 mm Phillips screw

    • One 1.6 mm Phillips screw

    Edit

  12. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 11, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the metal battery connector bracket from the iPhone.

    Edit

  13. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 12, image 1 of 1

    • Use a plastic opening tool to gently pry the battery connector up from its socket on the logic board.

    • Be very careful to only pry up on the battery connector and not the socket on the logic board. If you pry up on the logic board socket, you may break the connector entirely.

    Edit

  14. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 13, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the following screws securing the front panel assembly cable bracket to the logic board:

    • Two 1.2 mm Phillips screws

    • One 1.6 mm Phillips screw

    • This screw tends to not be attracted to a magnetized screwdriver. Take care not to lose it when removing, and make sure it gets back into the right place—a magnetized screw may interfere with the compass.

    Edit

  15. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 14, image 1 of 2 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 14, image 2 of 2

    • Lift the display cable bracket toward the battery to unhook it, and remove it from the iPhone.

    • During reassembly, clip the left-hand hooks under the logic board and lower the bracket towards the outside of the phone.

    Edit

  16. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 15, image 1 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 15, image 2 of 3 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 15, image 3 of 3

    • Use a plastic opening tool to disconnect the three front panel assembly cables:

    • Front-facing camera and sensor cable

    • LCD cable

    • Digitizer cable

    • When reassembling your phone, the LCD cable may pop off the connector. This can cause white lines, or nothing at all to appear when powering your phone back on. If that happens, simply reconnect the cable and power cycle your phone. The best way to power cycle your phone is to [invalid guide link].

    Edit

  17. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 16, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the front panel assembly from the rear case.

    Edit

  18. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 17, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the two 1.3 mm Phillips #000 screws securing the home button bracket to the display assembly.

    • NOTE: When reinstalling the two 1.3 mm Phillips #000 screws, take care not to over tighten them as they can penetrate the other side of the display.

    Edit

  19. iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 18, image 1 of 2 iPhone 5 Home Button Ribbon Cable Replacement: step 18, image 2 of 2

    • Use a plastic opening tool to pry the edge of the home button ribbon cable up from the display assembly.

    • Start on the right, at the area of the ribbon cable between the gold contact points, and work to the left.

    • Going left to right may rip your ribbon cable as the contacts are well adhered to the front panel.

    • Prying directly at one gold contact point or the other may break its soldering and pop it off the ribbon cable.

    • If you have trouble sliding the plastic opening tool under the contact points, flip the tool over and gently push against the right side of the contacts to loosen the adhesive, then try again.

    Edit
Conclusion

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

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System

Member since: 09/24/09

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