Introduction
Bring life back to your iPhone 5 with a new battery. If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.
This guide instructs you to detach the front panel assembly; this is intended to prevent damage to the display cables. If you feel comfortable supporting the display carefully while peeling the battery out of the body, skip the display removal (steps 13-16) and go to the battery removal steps.
For optimal performance, after completing this guide, calibrate your newly installed battery: Charge it to 100% and keep charging it for at least two more hours. Then use your iPhone until it shuts off due to low battery. Finally, charge it uninterrupted to 100%.
You can also use this guide to replace the battery connector bracket.
What you need
Video Overview
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Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone's display until the whole face is covered.
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Power off your iPhone before beginning disassembly.
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Remove the two 3.6 mm Pentalobe screws next to the Lightning connector.
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Regardless of the tool you use, you need to be sure you pull up the entire display.
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If the glass begins to separate from the plastic, as shown in the first image, slide a plastic opening tool between the plastic frame and the metal phone body to pry the metal clips out of the case.
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Tool used on this step:Anti-Clamp$24.95
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Pull the blue handle backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
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Slide the arms over either the left or right edge of your iPhone.
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Position the suction cups near the bottom edge of the iPhone just above the home button—one on the front, and one on the back.
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Squeeze the cups together to apply suction to the desired area.
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Pull the blue handle forwards to lock the arms.
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Turn the handle clockwise 360 degrees or until the cups start to stretch.
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Insert an opening pick under the screen when the Anti-Clamp creates a large enough gap.
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Skip the next two steps.
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While holding the iPhone down with one hand, pull up on the suction cup to slightly separate the front panel assembly from the rear case.
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With a plastic opening tool, begin to gently pry the rear case down, away from the screen, while you pull up with the suction cup.
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Continue to pry up around the sides of the front panel assembly, detaching the clips along the left and right side.
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Once the clips have been released on the bottom and sides of the front panel assembly, pull the bottom of the assembly away from the rear case.
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Open the display to about a 90º angle, and lean it against something to keep it propped up while you're working on the phone.
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Add a rubber band to keep the display securely in place while you work. This prevents undue strain on the display cables.
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Remove the following two screws securing the metal battery connector bracket to the logic board:
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One 1.8 mm Phillips screw
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One 1.6 mm Phillips screw
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Remove the metal battery connector bracket from the iPhone.
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Use a plastic opening tool to gently pry the battery connector up from its socket on the logic board.
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Remove the following screws securing the front panel assembly cable bracket to the logic board:
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Two 1.2 mm Phillips screws
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One 1.6 mm Phillips screw
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Lift the display cable bracket toward the battery to unhook it, and remove it from the iPhone.
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Use a plastic opening tool or a fingernail to disconnect the three front panel assembly cables:
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Front-facing camera and sensor cable
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LCD cable
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Digitizer cable
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Remove the front panel assembly from the rear case.
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Use the exposed clear plastic pull tab to peel the battery off the adhesive securing it to the iPhone.
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If you have trouble peeling the battery up, use an iOpener or hair dryer to heat the rear case of the iPhone and soften the adhesive.
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The plastic tab is fragile and may break. If your tab breaks before the battery is freed, refer to the following steps.
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If the tab breaks off and the battery remains stuck to the rear case, prepare an iOpener or use a hair dryer to heat the rear case directly behind the battery.
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If the battery doesn't pry easily out of the case, reheat and reapply the iOpener and try again.
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Do not pry at the top portion of the battery, you risk severing the volume control cables.
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