Tablet · Apple · iPad Air 4
Apple iPad Air 4 Screen Replacement
Screen Replacement guide for the Apple iPad Air 4
Before you begin
Tools
- Heat gun or hair dryer
- Suction cup
- Plastic prying tools / guitar picks
- Precision screwdriver set
- Plastic spudger
- Tweezers
Parts / materials
- Replacement iPad Air 4 screen assembly
- Double-sided adhesive strips
- Isopropyl alcohol (99%)
- Microfiber cloth
Safety
- Wear protective safety glasses to guard against flying glass shards.
- Do not heat the iPad above 80°C (176°F) to protect the battery and internal hardware.
- Disconnect the battery before disconnecting display cables to prevent short-circuiting the logic board.
Overview
Step-by-step
- 1
Power off the iPad
1 minPress and hold the top button and volume button, then slide the screen slider to power down the iPad completely.
- 2
Heat the bottom edge of the glass
3 minApply heat to the bottom perimeter of the display using a heat gun for approximately two minutes to soften the adhesive.
- 3
Attach a suction cup
1 minPlace a suction cup on the heated bottom edge of the screen and press down firmly to secure a tight seal.
- 4
Insert a guitar pick
2 minPull up on the suction cup to create a small gap, then slide a plastic opening pick under the edge of the glass.
- 5
Slice through bottom edge adhesive
3 minSlide the guitar pick back and forth along the bottom edge of the frame to cut through the glue.
- 6
Heat the left edge
2 minWarm the left side of the iPad display with the heat gun to soften the frame adhesive.
- 7
Slice through left edge adhesive
3 minGuide your opening pick carefully along the left edge, keeping the pick shallow to avoid damaging internal components.
- 8
Heat the top edge
2 minApply uniform heat across the top display perimeter for one to two minutes.
- 9
Slice through top edge adhesive
3 minMove the pick along the top edge, taking extra care around the front-facing camera assembly.
- 10
Heat the right edge
2 minWarm the right edge of the iPad screen using the heat gun to release the final adhesive section.
- 11
Slice through right edge adhesive
3 minSlide the pick along the right edge to sever the remaining adhesive, taking care not to insert the pick too deep near the display cables.
- 12
Open the screen like a book
2 minGently lift the display panel from the left side and swing it open toward the right edge.
- 13
Unscrew the shield bracket
3 minUse a precision screwdriver to remove the screws securing the metal logic board shield cover.
- 14
Remove the shield plate
1 minUse tweezers to carefully lift the metal shield plate out of the iPad body.
- 15
Disconnect the battery flex
2 minUse a plastic spudger to pry the battery connector straight up from its logic board socket.
- 16
Disconnect the display cables
2 minPry the display and touch digitizer flex connectors straight up from their sockets on the board.
- 17
Remove the old display panel
1 minLift the original screen assembly away from the iPad frame and set it aside.
- 18
Clean the aluminum frame
5 minScrape away remaining old adhesive from the aluminum frame using a spudger and isopropyl alcohol.
- 19
Apply new adhesive strips
5 minLay down pre-cut double-sided adhesive strips along the entire inner perimeter of the iPad frame.
- 20
Connect the new screen cables
3 minAlign and press down the replacement display flex connectors onto the logic board sockets until they click.
- 21
Reattach the metal shield
3 minPosition the logic board shield back over the connections and secure it using the original screws.
- 22
Seal the new display
3 minPeel off the protective adhesive backings, align the screen precisely over the frame, and press firmly around all edges.
After your Apple iPad Air 4 screen replacement
Power the iPad Air 4 back on and test the screen replacement 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 iPad Air 4 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 iPad Air 4 repair context in the encyclopedia, or open related DIY guides.
