Phone · Apple · iPhone 12
Apple iPhone 12 Water Damage Repair
Water Damage Repair guide for the Apple iPhone 12
Before you begin
Tools
- P2 Pentalobe screwdriver
- Y000 Tri-point screwdriver
- Suction cup tool
- Opening picks
- Spudger tool
- Tweezers
- Heat gun or hair dryer
- Soft brush
Parts / materials
- 99% Isopropyl alcohol
- Display adhesive seal
- Lint-free wipes
- Compressed air
Safety
- Disconnect the battery immediately to prevent electrical shorting.
- Work in a well-ventilated area when using high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
- Wear protective safety glasses to guard against liquid splashes.
Overview
Step-by-step
- 1
Power off the iPhone
1 minTurn off the device immediately to prevent further electrical shorting. Do not plug in a charger.
- 2
Remove pentalobe screws
2 minUnscrew the two 6.8 mm P2 Pentalobe screws located at the bottom edge near the Lightning port.
- 3
Heat the display edge
2 minApply heat to the bottom edge of the iPhone using a heat gun or hair dryer for 90 seconds to soften the screen adhesive.
- 4
Attach suction cup
1 minPress a suction cup onto the lower half of the front display screen, just above the home area.
- 5
Slice display adhesive
4 minPull up gently on the suction cup to create a gap, then insert an opening pick to cut the adhesive along the edges.
- 6
Open the iPhone
1 minSwing the display open from the right side like a book. Rest it against a sturdy object to avoid straining the flex cables.
- 7
Unscrew lower connector bracket
3 minRemove the four Y000 tri-point screws holding the lower logic board metal shield in place.
- 8
Disconnect the battery
1 minUse the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector directly up off the logic board socket.
- 9
Disconnect display cables
2 minPry up the OLED display and digitizer cable connectors from their logic board sockets.
- 10
Unscrew upper sensor bracket
2 minRemove the three Y000 screws securing the upper sensor assembly cover.
- 11
Disconnect front sensor assembly
1 minDisconnect the earpiece speaker and front sensor assembly cable to completely separate the screen from the housing.
- 12
Eject SIM tray
1 minInsert a SIM eject tool into the tray hole on the side of the frame and pop out the SIM tray.
- 13
Unbolt logic board screws
4 minRemove all standoff and tri-point screws holding the logic board inside the rear housing.
- 14
Remove logic board
2 minCarefully lift the logic board up from the chassis, ensuring no remaining flex cables snag on components.
- 15
Bathe logic board in isopropyl alcohol
5 minSubmerge the motherboard completely in a tray filled with 99% isopropyl alcohol for 5 minutes.
- 16
Scrub corrosion off board
5 minGently scrub away white corrosion deposit marks and mineral build-up using a soft brush.
- 17
Dry with compressed air
5 minBlow away excess alcohol with short bursts of compressed air, then let the logic board dry completely for 30 minutes.
- 18
Clean chassis and connectors
4 minUse alcohol-dampened swabs to wipe down all liquid corrosion inside the housing frame and ribbon connectors.
- 19
Reassemble device
10 minReinstall the clean logic board, reconnect all flex cables, attach brackets, apply fresh adhesive, and close the display.
After your Apple iPhone 12 water damage repair
Power the iPhone 12 back on and test the water damage 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.
