In the following steps, you will be using a microwave to heat the iOpener, an insulated bag that will transfer heat to the adhesive strips around the iPad's screen.

We recommend that you clean your microwave before proceeding, as any nasty gunk stuck to the bottom of the microwave may end up stuck to the iOpener.

Place the iOpener in the microwave and microwave it for one minute on the highest power setting.

• Be careful not to overheat the iOpener during the repair procedure. We recommend waiting at least two minutes before reheating the iOpener.
• If you have not heated your iOpener for some time, or this is the first time you are using the iOpener, we suggest microwaving the bag wrapped in a damp paper towel. This will prevent the contents of the bag from burning in the event of over-microwaving.

Remove the iOpener from the microwave, holding it by one of the corners.

Be careful when handling the bag, as it will be quite hot.

As you may find yourself working with broken glass during this procedure, we recommend wearing safety glasses for protection from flying shards.

If you're removing a cracked screen, covering the glass in clear packing tape will hold it together while you work and minimize the mess.

Lay the iOpener flat on the right edge of the iPad, smoothing it out so that there is good contact between the surface of the iPad and the iOpener.

Let the bag sit on the iPad for approximately 90 seconds before attempting to open the front panel.

Make sure you place the tool in the proper spot. It is difficult to see the separation between the glass and the bezel.

There is a small gap in the iPad's adhesive ring in the upper right corner of the iPad, approximately 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top of the iPad. You are going to exploit this weakness.

Insert the tip of a plastic opening tool into the gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just insert the very tip of the opening tool, just enough to widen the crack.

It may require some force to get the wedged tip of the opening tool between the glass and plastic. Work patiently and carefully, wiggling the plastic opening tool back and forth as necessary.

Keeping the tip of the plastic opening tool wedged between the front glass and plastic bezel, slide a plastic guitar pick in the gap, right next to the plastic opening tool.

Remove the plastic opening tool from the iPad, and push the guitar pick further underneath the front glass to a depth of ~0.5 inches.

While you work on releasing the adhesive on the right side of the iPad, reheat the iOpener, and replace it on the bottom edge of the iPad.

While the bottom edge is being heated by the iOpener, begin releasing the adhesive from the right edge of the iPad.

Slide the guitar pick down along the edge of the iPad, releasing the adhesive as you go.

The adhesive is very strong, and some serious force may be required. Work carefully.

If you can see the tip of the guitar pick underneath the front glass, pull the guitar pick out just a little bit. While using the guitar pick this deep won't damage anything, it may get adhesive residue all over the LCD.

It may be necessary to move the heated iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad as you release the adhesive. This depends on how long the iPad has been able to cool while you were working on it.

If the guitar pick gets stuck in the adhesive, "roll" the guitar pick along the side of the iPad, continuing to release the adhesive.

Before removing the first guitar pick from the bottom corner of the iPad, insert a second guitar pick under the right edge of the front glass to keep the adhesive from re-adhering.

Re-heat the iOpener, and move it to the top edge of the iPad.

The next few steps require extreme caution.

The Wi-Fi antenna is attached to the bottom right edge of the rear case of the iPad via screws and a cable. Because of the orientation of the Wi-Fi antenna, it is imperative to proceed with caution otherwise irreversible damage to the Wi-Fi antenna may result.

You will have to release the adhesive securing the antenna to the front panel without damaging the delicate parts attaching the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Follow the next steps carefully.

Slide the guitar pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad, releasing the adhesive there.

Do not slide the guitar pick further than the bottom right corner. You may damage the Wi-Fi antenna by doing so.

This step requires you to move the guitar pick along the bottom right edge of the front panel. The Wi-Fi antenna is very close to the corner and is easily severed if the adhesive is released improperly.

Do not completely remove the guitar pick from under the front glass, but pull it out just a litttle bit so that ~1/8" of the tip is still under the front glass.

Slide the tip of the guitar pick along the bottom edge of the iPad, releasing the adhesive underneath the Wi-Fi antenna.

Once you have moved past the Wi-FI antenna (approximately 3" from the right edge, or right next to the home button) re-insert the guitar pick to its full depth.

Slide the guitar pick to the right, releasing the adhesive securing the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass.

• The antenna it attached to the bottom of the iPad via screws and a cable. This step detaches the antenna from the front panel, ensuring that when you remove the panel, the antenna will not be damaged.

Continue releasing the adhesive along the bottom of the iPad, pulling the guitar pick out far enough to go around the home button, and re-inserting it once the guitar pick is past the home button.

If the adhesive has cooled too much along the bottom edge, re-microwave the iOpener and reheat the adhesive where you are working.

Do not heat the iOpener more than a minute at a time, and always allow at least two minutes before reheating it.

Continue releasing the adhesive all the way along the bottom edge of the iPad.

Leave the guitar pick wedged underneath the front glass near the home button.

Insert another guitar pick adjacent to the placeholder guitar pick underneath the right edge of the iPad.

Slide the guitar pick towards the top of the iPad, releasing the adhesive as you go.

Reheat the iOpener in the microwave and set it on the left edge of the iPad to start warming the adhesive in that section.

Slide the guitar pick along the top edge of the iPad, pulling it out slightly to go around the front-facing camera bracket.

The adhesive along this section is very thick, and a fair amount of force may be required. Work carefully and slowly, making sure to not slip and damage yourself or your iPad.

If the adhesive has cooled too much, replace the iOpener along the top edge and continue working. If the iOpener has cooled too much, reheat it.

If the guitar pick is getting stuck in the adhesive, "roll" the guitar pick as shown in step 9.

Continue releasing the adhesive along the top edge of the iPad, and slide the guitar pick around the top left corner.

If the adhesive is warm enough, remove the iOpener from the iPad for convenience. However, if the adhesive is still quite sticky, re-heat the iOpener and lay it on the left edge while you work.

Slide the guitar pick along the left edge of the iPad, releasing the adhesive as you go.

The digitizer cable is located approximately 2" from the bottom of the iPad. Stop sliding the guitar pick when you get ~2.25" from the bottom of the iPad.

Using the guitar pick that is still underneath the bottom edge of the iPad, release the adhesive along the bottom left corner.

The bottom of the digitizer cable is only ~1" from the bottom of the iPad. Work carefully and slowly, making sure to not sever this cable.

Using one of the guitar picks, pry up the bottom right corner of the iPad and grab it with your fingers.

Some of the adhesive along the perimeter of the iPad may have stuck back down again. If this is the case, slide a guitar pick underneath the edge of the iPad where the front glass is still stuck and "cut" the adhesive.

Holding the iPad by the top and bottom right corners, rotate the front glass away from the iPad.

Be careful of any adhesive that may still be attached, and use a guitar pick to cut any adhesive that may still be holding the front panel down.

Remove the four 2.0 mm Phillips #0 screws securing the LCD to the rear case.

The front panel ribbon cables are connected beneath the LCD. To access them, you'll need to temporarily flip the LCD over and out of the way.

• Be very careful when moving the LCD, and do not attempt to remove it from the iPad—its display data cable will remain connected while it is rotated over.

Lift the LCD from its long edge closest to the volume buttons and gently flip it out of the rear case—like turning the page in a book.

Set the LCD face down on the front panel.

Use the edge of a plastic opening tool to carefully flip up the retaining flaps on the two digitizer ribbon cable ZIF sockets.

Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flaps, not the sockets themselves.

The retaining flaps are highlighted in red in the second picture.

Use the edge of a plastic opening tool to peel the digitizer cable off the shields on the logic board.

Carefully pull the digitizer cable off the adhesive securing it to the side of the rear case.

Pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its two sockets on the logic board.

In order to remove the front panel assembly, the ribbon cable needs to slide out between the case and the LCD. You'll need to move the LCD to make some room.

• Be very careful when moving the LCD, and do not attempt to remove it from the iPad—its cable will remain connected while it is rotated over.

Lift the LCD from its long edge farthest from the digitizer cable and gently flip it toward the rear case—like closing a book.

While holding the LCD up, gently slide the front panel away from the iPad. Be careful not to snag the digitizer cable on the rear case or LCD.

• Set the LCD back into the body for safekeeping.

Remove the two 2.1 mm Phillips #00 screws securing the home button control board to the home button assembly.

Use the tip of a spudger to gently push the home button control board off its mounts on the front panel.

Lift and remove the home button control board away from the front panel assembly.