iPhone 11 Display Panel Replacement
By Jeff Suovanen • Difficulty: Moderate
Introduction

If your iPhone 11 screen is cracked, not responding to touch, or not showing a picture when powered on, use this guide to get your iPhone working again with a new screen, a.k.a. display assembly.

If the back of your new screen already includes a thin metal LCD shield plate, follow this shorter guide instead for an easier repair. But if the plate is missing, keep reading—this guide will show you how to replace your screen and keep your old LCD shield plate.

The combined earpiece speaker + sensor assembly affixed to the back of the screen is paired to your individual iPhone from the factory, so you must use the instructions below to transfer it from your old screen to your new one. It contains the flood illuminator, which is part of the biometric Face ID security feature. If it is damaged or replaced, Face ID won’t work, so take extra care not to damage any of these components during this procedure. If damaged, only Apple’s “authorized” technicians can restore Face ID function.

Note: True Tone functionality won’t work after a screen replacement, even when using an original Apple screen.

Remove the pentalobe screws
  • 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 6.7 mm-long pentalobe 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.
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.
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.
  • 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.
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 backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
  • Slide the arms over either the left or right edge of your iPhone.
  • Position the suction cups near the bottom edge of the iPhone—one on the top, and one on the bottom.
  • 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 tape to create a grippier surface.
Step 5
  • Pull the blue handle forward to lock the arms.
  • Turn the handle clockwise 360 degrees or until the cups start to stretch.
  • Make sure the suction cups remain aligned with each other. If they begin to slip out of alignment, loosen the suction cups slightly and realign the arms.
Step 6
  • Heat an iOpener and thread it through the arms of the Anti-Clamp.
  • You can also use a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate—but extreme heat can damage the display and/or internal battery, so proceed with care.
  • Fold the iOpener so it lays on the bottom edge of the iPhone.
  • Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap under the screen and the plastic bezel, not the screen itself.
  • 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.
Heat the lower edge of the phone
  • Heating the lower edge of the iPhone helps soften the adhesive securing the display, making it easier to open.
  • Use a hairdryer or heat gun or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the lower edge of the iPhone for about a minute.
Step 8
  • If you're using a single suction handle, apply it to the bottom edge of the phone, while avoiding the curved portion of the glass.
Lift the display slightly
  • 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 under the screen and the plastic bezel, not the screen itself.
  • 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.
Separate the screen adhesive
  • Slide the opening pick around the lower left corner and up the left edge of the iPhone, slicing through the adhesive holding the display in place.
  • Don't insert your pick more than 3 mm, as you may damage internal components.
Screen information
  • There are delicate cables along the right edge of your iPhone. Don't insert your pick here, as you may damage the cables.
Step 12
  • Re-insert your pick at the bottom edge of the iPhone, and slide it up the right side to continue separating the adhesive.
  • Don't insert your pick more than 3 mm, as you may damage the display cables.
Step 13
  • The top edge of the display is secured with both glue and clips.
  • Gently pull the right edge of the display down slightly (in the direction of the Lightning port).
  • Insert your pick into the top-right corner of the phone.
Step 14
  • Continue pulling the display down (toward the Lightning port) as needed in order to make a gap large enough for the pick.
  • Slide the pick to the top left corner and cut any remaining adhesive securing the display.
  • Don't insert your pick more than 3 mm, as you may damage the Face ID sensor array.
Remove the suction cup
  • Pull the small nub on the suction cup to detach it from the front panel.
Open the iPhone
  • Open the iPhone by swinging the display up from the left side, like the back 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.
  • Prop the display up against something sturdy.
  • 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
  • To access the screws in the following step, tilt the display by slightly lifting its lower edge.
  • Be careful not to strain or tear the display cables.
Unscrew the battery connector cover
  • Use a Y000 driver to remove the three 1.1 mm-long screws securing the battery connector bracket.
  • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.
  • 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.
Remove the battery connector cover
  • Remove the bracket.
Disconnect the battery
  • Use 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 contacting the socket.
Unscrew the logic board cover screws
  • Use a Y000 driver to remove the five 1.1 mm screws securing the logic board cover bracket.
Remove the logic board cover bracket
  • Remove the bracket.
Disconnect the display
  • Use a spudger or a fingernail to disconnect the LCD panel cable connector.
  • Disconnect the digitizer connector next to it.
Disconnect the front sensors
  • Use the point of a spudger or a fingernail to disconnect the front panel sensor assembly connector.
Remove the display assembly
Unscrew the front assembly
  • Remove four screws securing the speaker/sensor assembly:
  • Three 1.6 mm Phillips screws
  • One 1.3 mm Y000 screw
Flip the speaker assembly over
  • Use the point of a spudger to gently pry up the top edge of the speaker.
  • Flip the speaker assembly over—down and away from the top edge of the display.
  • The speaker remains attached via very thin ribbon cables. Be careful not to strain or damage the cables.
Heat up the top edge of the display
  • Use a hairdryer or heat gun or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the top front of the display for 1-2 minutes, in order to soften the adhesive securing the sensors.
Pry up the microphone
  • Carefully slide the edge of your opening pick underneath the flex cable below the microphone.
  • Twist gently to separate the microphone, while being careful not to strain or damage the flex cable.
  • If needed, use the point of the spudger to finish separating the microphone from its notch in the front panel.
Remove the ambient light sensor bracket
  • Use tweezers to slide the small bracket straight up and off of the ambient light sensor.
Loosen the ambient light sensor
  • Use tweezers to wiggle the ambient light sensor and lift it from its notch in the display.
  • If the sensor does not wiggle free after a few seconds, apply more heat and try again.
  • The sensor remains attached to the rest of the sensor assembly via a very thin flex cable. Be careful not to strain or damage the cable.
Step 32
  • Working left to right, slide an opening pick beneath the flex cable and underneath the proximity sensor + flood illuminator module.
  • Gently wiggle and lift to separate the module from its notch in the front panel.
  • It's helpful to lift and hold the speaker out of the way for access. Just be careful not to pull on the thin flex cable while you work.
Remove the speaker + front sensors
  • Remove the earpiece speaker and front sensor assembly.
  • During reassembly, check the position of the black plastic module containing these components:
  • Proximity sensor
  • Flood illuminator
  • The module must be positioned so that these components are not obstructed by any adhesive.
Unscrew the LCD shield plate
  • Use a Y000 driver to remove the 1.1 mm screws securing the LCD shield:
  • Three screws on the side nearest the display cables
  • Two more screws on the opposite side
  • Press your driver firmly into the screw while turning it. If needed, you can use your spudger to brace each screw from behind, in order to apply more pressure to the screws without bending the shield.
Step 35
  • Remove the remaining 1.1 mm Y000 screws from the top and bottom edges of the LCD shield:
  • Two screws near the camera cutouts
  • Two screws at the bottom corners
Add a little heat
  • Apply a little heat from an iOpener (or hair dryer / heat gun) to the back of the display, in order to soften the adhesive securing the display cables to the LCD shield.
Unstick the display cables
  • Insert an opening pick between the display cables and LCD shield.
  • Slide it toward the bottom edge of the display to begin separating the cables.
  • Stop when you reach the end of the first cable.
Separate the two cables
  • Re-insert your opening pick, this time between the two cables.
  • Slide the pick to the bottom edge of the display to separate the cables from each other.
Step 39
  • Grab each cable near its 90° bend, and peel them apart.
Step 40
  • Peel the entire digitizer cable away from the LCD shield, and fold it aside.
Lift the shield plate
  • Insert an opening pick under the top edge of the LCD shield, and twist to separate it from the display.
Step 42
  • Grab the LCD shield by its top edge and swing it upward a few degrees.
  • Using your spudger, press gently on the lower part of the display cable, pushing it through the cutout in the LCD shield.
Step 43
  • Raise the top edge of the LCD shield a bit higher, and feed the rest of the display cable through the cutout in the shield.
Separate the display cable
  • Raise the LCD shield up at a higher angle, until you can see the rest of the display cable stuck to the back.
  • Slide a spudger between the LCD shield and the display cable, and separate them completely.
Check the EMI fingers
  • As you lift the LCD shield, note the metal prongs on the bottom edge.
  • During reassembly, make sure these prongs (a.k.a. EMI fingers) are correctly inserted into the LCD frame as shown.
Remove the shield
  • Remove the LCD shield.
Step 47
  • Only the LCD and digitizer remains.
Conclusion

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

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? See our extensive iPhone troubleshooting library, or specifically our iPhone 11 won't turn on page. Try our basic troubleshooting tips or you can also ask our iPhone 11 Answers community for help.