Gadgetory

if your iPad's front panel is crack like this ones is you can either live with it buy a new one or as I'm going to show you today fix it just remember that this isn't something you should do if you have an Apple Care Plus or other warranty that covers accidental damage also I encourage you to watch my video on what to know before trying to fix a smartphone or tablet it will help you decide if you should tackle the repair yourself or just take your iPad to a shop and lastly understand that by following the instructions in this video you do so at your own risk before you begin you'll need to get the necessary replacement parts and tools on this iPad we're replacing just the front panel not the LCD and we'll be reusing the home button and metal camera bracket from the old panel and you can buy replacement panels online between 50 and 150 dollars just be sure you buy the right one for your iPad and depending on where you buy the panel it may come with pre-cut adhesive strips if it doesn't you'll need to buy them or cut your own strips from double-sided tape as for tools you'll need a hairdryer or heat gun a few thin metal blades several plastic spudger x'g ATAR picks or plastic case opening tools and a phillips double zero screwdriver again you can pick these up online if you don't have them lastly I'll be replacing the panel on an iPad 2 but the same basic steps can be used on the iPad 3 the first step is the back of all the iPads data using iCloud or iTunes just in case something goes wrong with that done you can begin removing the cracked panel by heating its edges with a hairdryer or heat gun this loosens the adhesive that holds the panel to the case heat a small area of the panel until you can easily insert a thin tool between the panel and the case and gently pry them apart if the panel doesn't easily come away from the case keep heating the area also take care not to insert the tool too far into the iPad doing so can damage the LCD and other internal components once you've created a small gap in one area work your way around the edge heating and prying as you go you'll need to leave placeholders like this spudger in the separated sections to prevent the panel and case from sticking back together you'll also need to be very careful when working to the right of the home button the Wi-Fi antenna is attached to the panel here and you'll need to gently pry it loose without damaging it and although we're not really worried about breaking the panel anymore take care around the bottom left corner the panels digitizer cable is located here and you don't want to damage any other internal components by carelessly yanking it loose with the panel separated from the case we need to disconnect it from the main circuit board unfortunately the connector is located under the LCD so remove the displays four Phillips screws and lift it away from the case holding it along the right edge and folding it over along the left then disconnect the LCD connector from the mainboard and set the display somewhere safe we can now disconnect the broken panel first carefully flip up the two locking levers on the digitizer cable connector as you remove the cable from the connector you'll need to gently peel it away from the main boards metal shielding with the broken panel completely detached we can now remove the home button contact using our phillips screwdriver then using our hairdryer again heat and remove the bracket and button the camera plate comes off in a similar manner you'll also want to remove any pieces of adhesive that are still stuck to the metal case we're now ready to assemble and install the new front panel first attach the old home button and camera plate using your pre-cut adhesive strips next reconnect the digitizer cable and flip down the locking levers reconnect the LCD and secure it to the frame with its screws now fold the front cover over into place being extremely careful not to damage its cable at this point we're just testing the panel's fit and functionality so we haven't applied any of the adhesive strips turn the iPad on and verify that everything works if it does turn the unit off lift open the panel apply the adhesive strips now before closing the panel for hopefully the last time carefully inspect the LCD and inside of the panel for dust if you see any gently remove it using a microfiber cloth or puff of air avoid touching the inside of the panels viewing area or the LCD with your fingers or anything else that might damage these surfaces once you're sure both surfaces are clean fold the front panel back onto the metal case and press firmly but gently along the edges after removing the front panels protective film the fix is complete now I'm not going to lie this is a tough fix but if done right it can breathe new life into a broken iPad now if you have questions about this fix or any of my cracking open videos you can contact me through Twitter and to see more tear down photos of the iPad and other tech gadgets go to TechRepublic comm forward slash cracking open for CNET and TechRepublic i'm bill daley you