iPhone 11

iPhone 11 Screen Replacement

Replace the iPhone 11 display with an aftermarket screen. Open the chassis, isolate power, free the old display, clean residual adhesive, transfer the ear speaker and front sensor flex, optionally program True Tone, then reconnect, test, and reseal.

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1. 01

   Power down and remove bottom screws

   0:00

   Shut the phone down if touch still works. Back out the two pentalobe screws at the bottom edge of the chassis and keep them aside.

2. 02

   Separate the display from the chassis

   0:17

   Slide a single-sided razor blade a couple of millimetres between the plastic screen edge and the metal chassis at the bottom, then pry back to open a gap. Insert a plastic pick and run it along the bottom and left edges to cut the adhesive. Leave the top edge alone. Lift the screen up and wiggle it free, then prop it open with a heavy object such as a mug.

   Do not force the top edge. Lift and wiggle instead.

3. 03

   Disconnect the battery

   0:55

   Remove the three screws on the battery connector shield and lift the shield off with tweezers. Use a plastic spudger to disconnect the battery flex so the board is powered down.

   Isolate battery power before any other connectors come off.

4. 04

   Unplug front sensor and display cables

   1:17

   Remove the five tri-wing screws on the upper shield and take the shield off. With a plastic spudger, disconnect the front sensor and ear speaker connector, then the two display connectors for touch and LCD. The old screen is now free of the chassis.

5. 05

   Clean old adhesive from the chassis

   1:50

   Pull as much residual glue as you can with fine tweezers. Brush the chassis edges with isopropyl alcohol using a repair brush or a clean toothbrush. The mating surface must be clean so the new dust and moisture seal seats properly.

   Poor cleaning will keep the new seal from bonding.

6. 06

   Apply the new display seal

   2:27

   Most replacement screens include a new seal. Align it on the chassis edges and press it down with a plastic spudger. Peel the first protective film layer when the seal is seated.

7. 07

   Remove ear speaker and front sensors from the old screen

   3:05

   On the broken screen, remove the single tri-wing screw at the top left of the ear speaker and the three cross-head screws at its corners. Unfold the ear speaker from the flex with tweezers. Lift the small metal bracket, then warm the proximity sensor, microphone, and ambient light sensor area with a hair dryer or heat gun. Carefully lift those sensors with tweezers so the flex stays intact.

   Do not tear this flex. Damage here kills Face ID.

8. 08

   Install ear speaker assembly on the new display

   3:52

   Peel any films from the back of the new display. Lay the flex in the same orientation it came off. Seat the proximity sensor, then the ambient light sensor, and confirm the microphone is secure. Refit the small metal bracket, fold the ear speaker over the screw holes, and drive the three cross-head screws plus the single top-left tri-wing screw.

9. 09

   Optional True Tone data transfer

   4:40

   If you have a True Tone programmer, read the data from the chip on the old screen, then write it to the new screen. Skip this if you lack the tool. The display still works without it.

10. 10

    Connect new display and test before final assembly

    5:18

    Offer up the flex cables one at a time and press until each clicks home. Reconnect the battery. Leave the shields off and power on to confirm image and touch. Check that the power-off slider does not drop when you drag it. Power down again when the test passes.

    Only power on if every connector is fully seated.

11. 11

    Refit connector shields

    5:57

    Align the upper shield and drive the five tri-wing screws. These screws are the same size, so mixing their order is fine if they all came from this board. For the battery shield, lift the screen cables, start the bottom two screws, then peel the cables back enough to start the top screw. If the small bracket has slipped out of its housing, pull it back under the catch so it cannot lift.

    A bracket left above the catch stops the screen sitting flush and can damage the new display.

12. 12

    Close the display and secure pentalobe screws

    6:51

    Peel the remaining film from the dust and moisture seal. Hook the top of the screen into the chassis first so it clips flush, press the upper corners, then work around and squeeze the bottom until the display sits even. If a corner binds, nudge it gently with the razor blade. Drive the two bottom pentalobe screws and power on for a final check.