Apple Original iPhone Screen Repair

Print this articleLike most modern phones, the Apple iPhone is made up of a number of modular components, so that when something goes wrong the device can be repaired instead of having to be replaced. Repairing the screen is a fairly in-depth process, requiring that you take the device completely apart, and also requires that you replace a few parts that may be working perfectly fine. The task is neither easy nor foolproof, and it requires some special tools.

Related Searches: 1st Gen Display Assembly

Whether your iPhone's LCD is cracked, the glass digitizer is scratched or the "Home" button isn't working, you have to replace them all as they are fused together into a single component called the display assembly. The display assembly consists of the LCD, digitizer, "Home" button, mic, earpiece and a few other components and small circuit boards. The display assembly sits at the bottom of the device from a repair perspective, so you will first have to remove everything else from above the display in order to replace the defective assembly.

Repair Tools

Before you can take your 1st generation iPhone apart, you'll need to have the right tools. You need a #00 Phillips screwdriver, which is a small version of a standard Phillips screwdriver, to remove the various screws holding the iPhone together. You also need some kind of pry tool to force various housings and connectors apart, along with a dental pick to force the rear panel off of the device. Finally, since the iPhone doesn't have an easily removable SIM card, you need a SIM card ejector tool, although you can also use a paperclip for this purpose.

Repair Procedure

Repairing your original iPhone first requires that you remove the SIM card and pry off the plastic cover at the bottom of the device. Remove the screws at the bottom of the device, then use your pick to pry off the back cover. Remove the three screws in the control board, then pry up the white antenna cables, camera, battery and control board. Note that there are connectors on the underside of the control board that you have to disconnect in order to completely remove the board, and that the battery is permanently connected to the board. Remove the ten screws around the perimeter of the device, then lift the display assembly away from the front bezel.

Repair Warnings

The iPhone was not designed to be taken apart by users, and doing so could irreparably damage the device. Be sure to ground yourself by touching something metal before you open the device, and don't perform the repair in a high static environment. The rear case is extremely difficult to remove and will often leave you with a bent housing, making the device difficult to put back together. If your 1st generation is, for some reason, still under warranty, opening it in this manner will void that warranty.

ReferencesiFixit: Installing iPhone 1st Generation Display AssemblyRead Next:

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