Introduction
Use this guide to replace a scratched or damaged rear case on your iPhone 5c.
This guide requires removing the battery. The adhesive strips securing the battery are not re-usable, so you'll want to have a supply of replacement adhesive strips on hand before you begin. Alternatively, you can secure the battery using a piece of double-sided tape. The battery is pretty tightly secured in the device, but the tape will keep it from rattling.
You can also use this guide for reference when replacing the power button grounding cable.
Tools
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If your display glass is cracked, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping 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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This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the display.
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Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from any glass shaken free during the repair.
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The next two steps demonstrate using the [product|IF145-243|iSclack], a great tool for safely opening the iPhone 5c that we recommend for anyone doing more than one repair on an iPhone 5, 5s, or 5c. If you aren't using the iSclack, skip to [invalid guide link].
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Close the handle on the iSclack, opening the suction-cup jaws.
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Place the bottom of your iPhone in between the suction cups, against the plastic depth gauge.
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The top suction cup should rest just above the home button.
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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.
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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.
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The iSclack is designed to safely open your iPhone just enough to separate the pieces, but not enough to damage any cables.
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Peel the two suction cups off your iPhone.
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Skip the next three steps and continue on to [invalid guide link].
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Press a suction cup onto the screen, just above the home button.
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Be sure the cup is completely on the screen to get a tight seal.
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Make sure the suction cup is firmly attached to the front panel assembly.
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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.
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Take your time and apply firm, constant force. The display assembly is a much tighter fit than most devices.
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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.
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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.
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Lift the home button end of the front panel up to gain access to the connectors near the top of the phone.
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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.
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In a pinch, you can use an unopened canned beverage to hold the display.
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Add a rubber band to keep the display securely in place while you work. This prevents undue strain on the display cables.
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Remove the following Phillips #000 screws securing the front panel assembly cable bracket to the logic board:
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Two 1.3 mm screws
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One 1.7 mm screw
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One 3.25 mm screw
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It is especially important to keep track of your screws in this step for reassembly. Accidentally using the 3.25 mm screw or the 1.7 mm screw in the bottom right hole will result in significant damage to the logic board causing the phone to no longer boot properly.
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Be careful not to over-tighten the screws. If they don't fit easily when you are securing them, they may be the wrong size, don't force them.
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Use a plastic opening tool to disconnect the LCD cable connector.
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The LCD and Digitizer connectors are on the same cable assembly, so prying the LCD connector up should disconnect both connectors. Double check that the two cables are fully disconnected before removing the display.
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When reassembling your phone, the LCD cable may pop off its connector. A blank screen, or white lines on the display could be caused by a loose connection. Should this happen, reconnect the cable and power cycle your phone. The best way to power cycle your phone is to disconnect and reconnect the battery.
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Try to keep the strips flat and unwrinkled during this procedure; wrinkled strips will stick together and break instead of pulling out cleanly.
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Slowly pull one of the battery adhesive strips away from the battery, toward the bottom of the iPhone.
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Pull steadily, maintaining constant tension on the strip as it slips out from between the battery and the rear case. For best results, pull the strip at a 60º angle or less.
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Guide the strip carefully around the corner and up the side of the battery. Be careful not to snag it on any of the other internal iPhone components.
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The strip will stretch to many times its original length. Continue pulling, re-grabbing the strip near the battery if necessary, until the entire strip comes free.
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Follow our [invalid guide link] to safely warm the adhesive securing your battery to the rear case.
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Be careful when handling the bag, as it will be quite hot.
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Lay the iOpener flat on the backside of the iPhone to the right of the camera. Smooth it out so that there is good contact between the back of the iPhone and the iOpener.
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Let the bag sit on the iPhone for approximately 90 seconds before attempting to remove the battery.
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Carefully wedge a plastic card under the battery on the side nearest the logic board.
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Do not pry against the logic board or you may damage the phone.
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Avoid prying near the top edge of the battery, or you may damage the upper component ribbon cable.
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Slide the card from the top of the battery to the bottom, pushing toward the edge of the case.
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If necessary, repeat the same procedure with the case side of the battery.
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Lift and remove the battery from the iPhone.
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There should be no resistance. If the battery remains stuck, reheat the iOpener and pry again.
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When installing the battery, refer to this guide to replace your battery's adhesive strips.
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Perform a hard reset after reassembly. This can prevent several issues and simplify troubleshooting.
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The far right screw hole on the speaker has a contact bracket wrapped around it. This small part may fall off unexpectedly, so it's best to remove it and note the orientation for reassembly.
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The flat portion of the contact clip should rest against the speaker, as shown.
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The alignment bracket on the far end of the speaker assembly is adhered, but may fall off if handled aggressively.
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The angled end should face up and line up with the outside edge of the speaker.
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Remove the following screws securing the logic board to the rear case:
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Two 2.3 mm Phillips screws
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Three 2.7 mm standoff screws
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These screws have a Phillips bit pattern, but we found the best removal tool to be a 2.5 mm flathead driver.
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When putting the standoffs back in, it helps to use the tip of a spudger like a screwdriver to get them started.
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Holding the phone level, lift the bottom end of the logic board up enough to grasp it with your fingers.
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Pull the logic board away from the rear-facing camera just enough to expose the gold contact cap under the top end of the board.
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Remove the gold-colored contact cap from the threaded post in the rear case, and set it aside.
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Use the pointed end of a spudger to gently fold the power/sleep button bracket down from the top of the rear case.
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Use tweezers to grab and remove the button.
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For reassembly, note the orientation—the metal bar should be flush with the bottom of the button.
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If you can't get a hold on the power button from inside the case, use a spudger to slightly push it in from the outside.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.