IFIXIT 13 Pro iPhone Max Screen Replacement User Manual

IFIXIT 13 Pro iPhone Max Screen Replacement

INTRODUCTION

If your iPhone 13 Pro Max screen is cracked, not responding to touch, or not showing a picture when your phone is powered on, use this guide to restore your iPhone to working order with a new screen, a.k.a. display assembly.

Note: True Tone and auto brightness functionality is disabled after a screen replacement, even when using an original Apple screen. Face ID is also disabled unless the iPhone is running iOS 15.2 or newer.

TOOLS:

• P2 Pentalobe Screwdriver iPhone (1) Anti-Clamp (1)
• Hair Dryer (1)
• Heat Gun (1)
• iOpener (1)
• Phillips #00 Screwdriver (1)
• iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) (1)
• Suction Handle (1)
• Tri-point Y000 Screwdriver (1)
• Spudger (1)
• Tweezers (1)
• Packing Tape (1)
• iSclack (1)
• Safety Glasses (1)

PARTS:

• iPhone 13 Pro Max Screen (1)
• iPhone 13 Pro Max Display Assembly Adhesive (1)
• NuGlas Tempered Glass Screen Protector for iPhone 13 Pro Max/14 Plus (1)
• iPhone 13 Pro Max Test Cable for Screen and Digitizer (1)

USING INSTRUCTION

Step 1 — Remove the pentalo be screws

Caution: Before you begin, 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 6.8 mm-long pentalo be P2 screws at the bottom edge of the iPhone.

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.

Step 2 — Mark your opening picks

• If inserted too far, an opening pick can damage your device. Follow this step to mark your pick and prevent damage.
• Measure 3 mm from the tip and mark the opening pick with a permanent marker.
• You can also mark the other corners of the pick with different measurements.
• Alternatively, tape a coin to a pick 3 mm from the tip.

Step 3 — Tape over any cracks

• If your iPhone has a cracked screen, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping over the glass.
• Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone’s screen until the whole face is covered.
• This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the screen.

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

• If you can’t get the suction cup to stick in the next few steps, fold a strong piece of tape (such as duct tape) into a handle and lift the screen with that instead.
• If all else fails, you can superglue the suction cup to the screen.

Step 4 — Anti-Clamp instructions

• The next three steps demonstrate the Anti-Clamp, a tool we designed to make the opening procedure easier. If you aren’t using the Anti-Clamp, skip down three steps for an alternate method.
• For complete instructions on how to use the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
• Pull the blue handle backward to unlock the Anti-Clamp’s arms.
• Slide the arms over the left edge of your iPhone.
• Position the suction cups near the bottom edge of the iPhone—one on the front, and one on the back.
• Squeeze the cups together to apply suction to the desired area.
• If you find that the surface of your iPhone is too slippery for the Anti-Clamp to hold onto, you can use the included tape pad to create a grippier surface.

Step 5

• Push the blue handle away from the hinge to engage opening mode.
• Turn the handle clockwise until you see the cups start to stretch.
• Make sure the suction cups remain aligned to each other. If they begin to slip out of alignment, loosen the suction cups slightly and realign the arms.

Step 6

• Support your iPhone on a sturdy object before continuing.
• Use a hair dryer to heat along the bottom edge of the iPhone. The screen should feel slightly too hot to touch.
• For complete instructions on how to use a hair dryer, check out this guide.
• Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.
• Insert an opening pick under the screen when the Anti-Clamp creates a large enough gap.
• If the Anti-Clamp doesn’t create a sufficient gap, apply more heat to the area and rotate the handle a quarter turn.
• Don’t crank more than a quarter turn at a time, and wait one minute between turns. Let the Anti-Clamp and time do the work for you.
• Skip the next three steps.

Step 7 — Heat the bottom edge

• Use a hair dryer or a heat gun to heat the bottom edge of the iPhone for 90 seconds or until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.
• Never leave your hair dryer in one spot for an extended period.

Step 8 — Insert an opening pick

• Apply a suction handle to the bottom edge of the phone, while avoiding the very edge of the glass.
• Pull up on the suction cup with firm, constant pressure to create a slight gap between the front panel and rear case.
• Insert an opening pick into the gap.
• The watertight adhesive holding the display in place is very strong; creating this initial gap takes a significant amount of force. If you’re having a hard time opening a gap, apply more heat, and gently rock the screen up and down to weaken the adhesive until you create enough of a gap to insert your tool.

Step 9 — Heat the right edge

• Use a hair dryer to heat the right edge of the iPhone (the edge with the power button) for 90 seconds or until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.

Step 10 — Separate the right adhesive

• Slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPhone to separate its adhesive.
• Continue sliding up the right edge of the iPhone until you reach the top right corner.
• Don’t insert your pick more than 3 mm, as you may damage internal components.
• Leave the pick in the top right corner before continuing.

Step 11 — Heat the top edge

• Use a hair dryer to heat the top edge of the iPhone for 90 seconds or until the screen is  slightly too hot to touch

Step 12 — Separate the top adhesive

• Slide the opening pick around the top right corner of the iPhone to separate the top adhesive.
• Don’t insert your pick more than 3 mm, as you may damage the top sensors.
• Leave the pick in the top left corner before continuing.

Step 13 — Screen information

There are delicate cables along the left edge of your iPhone. Don’t insert your pick here, as you may damage the cables.

Step 14 — Heat the left edge

Use a hair dryer to heat the left edge of the iPhone for 90 seconds or until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.

Step 15 — Separate the left adhesive

The cables along the left edge are very easy to damage with a pick. Follow this alternate procedure to separate the left adhesive.

• Insert a second opening pick in the bottom left corner of the iPhone.
• Twist both picks simultaneously until the left edge clips release.
• Apply the twisting force gradually.
• If you’re having trouble separating the adhesive, reheat the left edge.

Step 16 — Open the iPhone

• Remove your suction handle from the screen.
• Open your iPhone by swinging the display up from the right side, like the front cover of a book.

Don’t try to fully separate the display yet, as several fragile ribbon cables still connect it to the iPhone’s logic board.

• Lean the display against something to keep it propped up while you’re working on the phone.
• During reassembly, lay the display in position, align the clips along the top edge, and carefully press the top edge into place before snapping the rest of the display down. If it doesn’t click easily into place, check the condition of the clips around the perimeter of the display and make sure they aren’t bent.

Step 17 — Remove the battery connector cover

• Use a Y000 screwdriver to remove the three 1.3 mm screws securing the battery connector cover.
• Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your iPhone.
• During reassembly, this is a good point to power on your iPhone and test all functions before you seal the display in place. Be sure to power your iPhone back down completely before you continue working.

Step 18

• Remove the battery connector cover.

Step 19 — Disconnect the battery

• Use the pointed end of a spudger or a clean fingernail to pry the battery connector up from its socket on the logic board.
• Try not to damage the black silicone seal surrounding this and other board connections. These seals provide extra protection against water and dust intrusion.
• Bend the connector slightly away from the logic board to prevent it from accidentally making contact with the socket and providing power to the phone during your repair.

Step 20 — Disconnect the display cable

• Use the pointed end a spudger or a clean fingernail to pry the display connector up from its socket on the logic board.
• To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

Step 21 — Unscrew the front sensor connector cover

• Use a Y000 screwdriver to remove two 1.1 mm screws from the front sensor connector cover.
• Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the remaining two screws from the front sensor connector cover:
• One 1.5 mm screw
• One 1.8 mm screw

Step 22

• Remove the front sensor connector cover.

Step 23

• Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the front sensor assembly cable connector.

Step 24

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

Step 25 — Unfasten the front sensor bracket

• The remaining steps demonstrate how to transfer the front sensor assembly to a new screen. If your replacement screen comes with the assembly preinstalled, skip these steps.
• Use a Y000 screwdriver to remove the three 1.4 mm-long screws securing the from sensor assembly bracket.

Step 26 — Remove the front sensor bracket

• Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the front sensor assembly bracket.

Step 27 — Heat the front sensor assembly

• Heat an iOpener and apply it to the top edge of the screen for two minutes.
• A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display is susceptible to heat damage.

Step 28 — Disconnect the ambient light sensor

• Insert an opening pick between the ambient light sensor and its recess in the screen.
• Pry up with the pick to separate the ambient light sensor from the screen.

Step 29 — Disconnect the proximity sensor

• Insert an opening pick between the proximity sensor and its recess in the screen.
• Pry up with the pick to separate the proximity sensor from the screen.

Step 30 — Reposition the proximity sensor

• Use tweezers, or your fingers, to move the proximity sensor cable away from the screen.

Step 31 — Disconnect the microphone

• Insert an opening pick under the microphone cable, close to the microphone (the metal rectangle).
• Slide the opening pick around the perimeter of the microphone to separate its adhesive.

Step 32 — Remove the front sensor assembly

At this point, the adhesive may have cooled down. If so, apply a heated iOpener to the assembly for one minute before continuing.

• Insert an opening pick under the left side of the front sensor assembly.
• Slide the pick under the assembly to separate it from the frame.

Step 33

• Remove the front sensor assembly.
• When transferring the assembly to a new screen, follow these instructions:
• Connect the sensors to their slots in the frame to help align the main section of the assembly.
• Use Tesa tape to re-adhere any sections of the assembly that are no longer sticky.

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

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 13 Pro Max Answers community for troubleshooting help.

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