Introduction
Follow this guide to remove and replace a worn-out battery in your iPad Air 7 13".
If you suspect your battery is swollen—take appropriate precautions.
You'll need additional screen adhesive to complete this repair.
This guide uses images from a Wi-Fi + cellular iPad Air 7 (A3269). If you're fixing a Wi-Fi only iPad, it may look slightly different, but the steps are the same.
What you need
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Apply strips of packing tape to the cracked glass until the whole screen is covered—this will help keep the glass contained and allow the suction cup to stick to the screen.
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Only cover the glass itself—don't stick any tape to the frame.
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Tool used on this step:Clampy - Anti-Clamp$24.95
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The next three steps demonstrate the Anti-Clamp, a tool we designed to make the opening procedure easier. If you aren't using the Anti-Clamp, skip down three steps for an alternate method.
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Pull the blue handle backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
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Position the suction cups on the right edge near the volume buttons—one on the top and one on the bottom. Make sure the arms don't block the volume buttons.
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Place an object under your iPad so it rests level between the suction cups.
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Hold the bottom of the Anti-Clamp steady and firmly press down on the top cup to apply suction.
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Use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat the screen area between the suction cups until it's slightly too hot to touch.
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Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.
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Insert an opening pick no deeper than 3 mm when the Anti-Clamp creates a large enough gap.
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If the Anti-Clamp doesn't create a sufficient gap, apply more heat to the area and rotate the handle clockwise half a turn.
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Remove the Anti-Clamp and skip the next two steps.
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Use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat the top-right corner of the screen until it's slightly too hot to touch.
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Apply a suction handle to the right edge of the screen above the volume buttons.
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Heat the entire top edge of the iPad until it's slightly too hot to touch.
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Four screen cables run along the left edge. Don't insert your pick deeper than 2 mm near the cables to avoid damaging them.
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The adhesive widens between the cables. You may need to slice slightly deeper in these areas to separate the adhesive.
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The second image shows where the screen cables sit relative to the iPad's bottom edge. Measure and mark these areas with tape, and work carefully around them in the next step.
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Heat the left edge of the iPad until it's slightly too hot to touch.
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Insert another opening pick under the top-left corner of the screen.
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Slide the pick along the left edge to separate the adhesive.
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Leave the pick inserted in the corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
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Heat the bottom edge until it's slightly too hot to touch.
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Insert an opening pick under the bottom-left corner of the screen.
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Slide the pick along the bottom edge to separate the adhesive, making sure not to insert it deeper than 6 mm.
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Leave the pick inserted in the corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
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The adhesive contours around the front sensor components and the magnets.
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There's a front microphone cable close to the front camera. Don't insert your pick deeper than 2 mm around this area to avoid damaging the cable.
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Heat the right edge (the edge with the front camera) until it's slightly too hot to touch.
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Insert an opening pick under the bottom-right corner of the screen.
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Slide the pick along the right edge to separate the adhesive, making sure not to insert it deeper than 2 mm near the front microphone.
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Carefully pivot the top-left corner of the screen down to reveal the front microphone connector cover on the right edge (near the front camera).
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If the screen feels stuck, heat the stuck areas and use an opening pick to carefully separate the residual adhesive.
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Grab the top-left and bottom-right corners of the screen.
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Use a JIS 00 screwdriver to remove the 1.2 mm‑long screw securing the front microphone cover.
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Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the front microphone connector.
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Slowly lift the right edge of the screen and flip it over itself, while moving the left edge over to keep the cables from straining.
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Lay the flipped screen on the iPad, being careful not to strain the connected cables.
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Use a JIS 00 screwdriver to remove the four 1.2 mm‑long screws securing the screen connector cover.
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Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect one of the screen press connectors.
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Use a JIS 00 screwdriver to remove the 1.8 mm‑long screw securing the battery connector.
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Five strips secure the battery cells to the frame. Each has a black pull tab along the left edge of the battery.
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A narrow strip secures the battery board at the bottom of the battery.
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Firmly grab a stretch-release adhesive pull tab with your fingers.
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Slowly pull the strip straight away from the battery, keeping a low angle to the frame.
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If you have blunt tweezers, grab the strip and wrap it around the tips as you pull the adhesive out.
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Give the strips plenty of time to stretch. If a strip breaks off, try to retrieve it and continue pulling.
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Repeat the procedure to remove all six strips.
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If you've successfully removed all six stretch-release adhesive strips, skip down four steps.
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If any strips broke off, follow the next steps to remove the adhesive remnants.
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Elevate the left edge of the iPad by setting it on a stable object.
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Apply several drops of high concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol to the left edge of the battery, near the broken adhesive strips.
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Apply several drops of isopropyl alcohol to the center seam of the battery, near the broken adhesive strips.
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Wait one minute for the alcohol to soften the adhesive.
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Tool used on this step:Plastic Cards$2.99
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Slide a plastic card under the battery to separate the adhesive remnants.
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Slide an opening pick under the battery board to separate the adhesive remnants.
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Grab and pull the battery away from the logic board until the battery connector slides out from under the logic board.
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If the battery connector feels stuck, apply a few drops of isopropyl alcohol under the connector and try again.
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Remove the battery.
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Tool used on this step:Tesa 61395 Tape$8.95
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If your new battery doesn't come with adhesive, use double-sided adhesive such as Tesa tape to adhere it to the frame.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
For optimal performance, after completing this guide, calibrate your newly installed battery.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.