Phone · Apple · iPhone 12
Apple iPhone 12 Taptic Engine Repair
Taptic Engine Repair guide for the Apple iPhone 12
Before you begin
Tools
- P2 Pentalobe screwdriver
- Y000 Tri-point screwdriver
- Phillips #000 screwdriver
- Heat gun or hair dryer
- Suction cup tool
- Plastic prying picks
- Spudger tool
- Tweezers
Parts / materials
- Replacement iPhone 12 Taptic Engine
- Display adhesive seal
- Isopropanol alcohol wipes
Safety
- Disconnect the battery before touching internal components to prevent electrical shorts.
- Wear safety glasses when working near glass display edges.
- Do not puncture or bend the lithium-ion battery during repair.
Overview
Step-by-step
- 1
Power off the iPhone
1 minPress and hold the side button along with either volume button, then slide to power off.
- 2
Remove the Pentalobe screws
2 minUse a P2 Pentalobe screwdriver to remove the two 6.8 mm screws on the bottom edge of the iPhone.
- 3
Heat the bottom edge
2 minApply a warm heat gun or hair dryer to the bottom edge of the phone for 2 minutes to soften the display adhesive.
- 4
Attach the suction cup
1 minPlace a suction cup on the lower half of the front glass panel, just above the home indicator area.
- 5
Separate the display bottom edge
3 minPull up firmly on the suction cup to create a small gap, then insert a plastic opening pick into the bottom seam.
- 6
Slice the perimeter adhesive
4 minSlide the pick around the bottom-left and right edges to cut through the display adhesive. Do not insert the pick deeper than 3 mm.
- 7
Open the display panel
2 minSwing the display open from the right side, like a book cover, resting it against a stable support object.
- 8
Unscrew the lower connector bracket
2 minRemove the two Y000 screws holding the battery and display connector bracket in place.
- 9
Remove the connector bracket
1 minUse tweezers to lift and remove the metal bracket covering the battery and display connectors.
- 10
Disconnect the battery
1 minUse the flat end of a plastic spudger to pry the battery connector straight up from its socket.
- 11
Disconnect the display cables
2 minPry up the OLED display cable and touch digitizer cable connectors using your spudger.
- 12
Separate the display assembly
1 minLift the display assembly completely away from the main enclosure and set it aside safely.
- 13
Unscrew the speaker assembly
3 minRemove the four screws (combination of Phillips and Tri-point) securing the lower loudspeaker module.
- 14
Remove the loudspeaker
2 minGently lift the speaker module up and out from the bottom of the enclosure.
- 15
Unscrew the Taptic Engine
3 minRemove the three screws securing the Taptic Engine to the rear case.
- 16
Disconnect the Taptic Engine connector
1 minPry up the press connector for the Taptic Engine ribbon cable using the point of a spudger.
- 17
Remove the Taptic Engine
1 minLift the Taptic Engine out of the iPhone chassis using precision tweezers.
After your Apple iPhone 12 taptic engine repair
Power the iPhone 12 back on and test the taptic engine repair function before you put every screw away. Check touch/display response, charging, cameras, buttons, and wireless as relevant to this repair. If something fails after closing the device, reopen carefully and reseat the connectors for this Apple iPhone 12 job before assuming the part is defective. Keep leftover adhesive and screws labeled in case you need a second pass.
Keep learning
Explore more Apple iPhone 12 repair context in the encyclopedia, or open related DIY guides.
