Introduction
Use this guide to replace a broken or cracked screen in your iPhone 15.
Note: Since you can't disconnect the battery during this repair, be especially careful not to use metal prying tools or touch exposed contacts in your iPhone.
Note: Due to Apple's parts pairing restrictions, on iOS 17.6 and earlier, True Tone and auto brightness are disabled after a screen replacement, even when using an original Apple screen. On iOS 18 and newer, you can calibrate your new screen using Apple's Repair Assistant to restore functionality on genuine parts.
What you need
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Unplug any cables from your phone.
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Hold the power and either volume buttons and slide to power off your phone.
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If your screen or back glass is badly cracked, lay overlapping strips of packing tape over the glass to protect yourself and make disassembly easier.
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Measure 3 mm from the tip and mark the opening pick with a permanent marker.
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Use a P2 pentalobe driver to remove the two 7.7 mm-long screws on either side of the charging port.
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Use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat the bottom edge of the screen until it's hot to the touch.
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Apply a suction handle to the bottom edge of the screen.
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Pull up on the handle with a strong, steady force to create a gap between the screen and the frame.
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Insert the tip of an opening pick into the gap.
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There are two delicate cables connecting the screen to the phone, one just above the mute switch, and the other about halfway between the volume down button and the bottom of the phone.
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There are multiple spring contacts around the perimeter of the phone. Be extra careful not to insert your pick deeper than suggested in these locations to avoid bending the contacts.
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Slide your pick back and forth along the bottom edge to separate the adhesive.
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Leave your pick inserted in the bottom right corner to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.
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Slide your pick around the bottom right corner of the screen and toward the power button until you feel a hard stop at a clip securing the screen.
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Rotate your pick so the flat edge is under the screen.
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Hold the pick with one hand and twist it to increase the gap between the screen and the frame and release the right clip.
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Insert a second opening pick to the right of the first one.
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Slide the first pick back to the bottom right corner of the screen.
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Slide the second pick to the top right corner of the screen to separate the adhesive.
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Leave these picks inserted to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
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Insert a third opening pick in the top right corner, just above the previous pick.
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Slide your pick around the top right corner and along the top edge until you feel it stop against the top left screen clip.
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Rotate your pick so its flat edge is under the screen.
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Twist your pick to release the top left screen clip.
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Slide your pick to the top left corner.
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Slide your pick around the top left corner of the screen and along the left edge to release the clips and separate the adhesive securing it.
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Use a tri-point Y000 driver to remove the 0.9 mm-long screw securing the front sensor connector cover.
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Tool used on this step:Tweezers$4.99
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Use tweezers to lift the cover to a 90-degree angle.
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Unhook the cover from its slot in the logic board.
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Remove the cover.
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Use the tip of an opening pick to pry up and disconnect the front sensor press connector.
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Use your tri-point Y000 driver to remove the 0.9 mm‑long screw securing the screen connector cover.
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Use tweezers to lift the cover and unlatch it from its hook on the logic board.
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Remove the cover.
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Use the tip of an opening pick to pry up and disconnect the screen press connector.
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Congratulations on completing disassembly! The remaining steps will show you how to reassemble your device.
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Use a spudger to push the screen adhesive up until you can grab it with a pair of tweezers.
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Use a pair of tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the adhesive around the entire perimeter of the iPhone.
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Wrap a microfiber or lint-free cloth around the pointed end of a spudger and apply a few drops of high-concentration (greater than 90%) isopropyl alcohol to the cloth.
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Wipe in one direction along the perimeter of the frame to clean the adhesive residue.
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Wait a few minutes before proceeding to make sure any excess alcohol has evaporated.
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The ambient light sensor is located behind the screen, directly beneath the cut‑out for the Face ID sensors.
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Check if the replacement screen comes with one installed. If it does, skip to this step.
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Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the 1.3 mm‑long screw securing the ambient light sensor bracket.
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Use a hair dryer, heat gun, or heated iOpener to soften the adhesive under the ambient light sensor and ambient light sensor cable.
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Gently slide an opening pick under the ambient light sensor cable, starting near the sensor and moving towards to the opposite corner until it's free from the screen.
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Use a pair of tweezers to lift the ambient light sensor off of the screen.
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Tool used on this step:Tesa 61395 Tape$2.99
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Use tweezers to reposition any adhesive that may have covered the ambient light sensor during removal. The adhesive should form a border around the raised white rectangle.
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If the adhesive was damaged or stayed with the old screen, replace it with a 1 mm wide strip of thin, double-sided tape along its bottom border.
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Align the ambient light sensor with its recess in the back of the screen.
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Use a spudger or your finger to press the ambient light sensor into its recess.
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Use a hair dryer, heat gun, or heated iOpener to soften the adhesive under the ambient light sensor and ambient light sensor cable. It only needs to be warm—not hot.
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Tool used on this step:Tesa 61395 Tape$2.99
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Use your finger to press down the ambient light sensor cable.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to hook the ambient light sensor bracket over the back of the sensor and set it into place.
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Lay the adhesive next to the phone and use features like cutouts for spring contacts and the front‑facing camera to make sure the adhesive is oriented correctly.
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Use the pull tab to begin peeling the back liner off of the adhesive starting from the bottom, but do not remove the liner all the way.
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While holding the back liner out of the way, carefully align the exposed edge of the adhesive to the bottom edge of the iPhone's frame.
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Make sure the liner is aligned properly by checking that all spring contacts and the front-facing camera are in their cutouts. If they aren't, remove the adhesive and start over with a new sheet.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to press the adhesive firmly into place all around the iPhone.
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Insert the point of a spudger under the top liner's hole at the bottom of the frame.
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Pry up to separate the liner from the frame—enough to grip it with your fingers.
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Prop the screen up along the left edge of the iPhone frame, using a box or similar sturdy object to support the screen.
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Use the flat end of a spudger or your finger to connect the screen and front sensor press connectors.
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Use a tri-point Y000 driver to install the two 0.9 mm‑long screws securing the front sensor connector and screen connector covers.
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Use a spudger, or your fingers, to separate the pull tabs at the bottom right corner of the frame.
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Lay the screen straight down onto the frame and press until the clips engage.
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Press around the perimeter of the screen to engage all clips.
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To help the adhesive bond, apply heat to the edges of the screen using an iOpener, hair dryer, or heat gun until it's hot to the touch.
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If you have screen vise clamps, use them to strengthen the bond of your new adhesive. If not, keep reading for more ways to secure the screen.
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If you have the box your iPhone came in, take the lid and place it on a flat surface.
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Place your iPhone screen-side-up in the lid of your box with the camera bump in its recess.
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Find something close to the size of your iPhone, but taller than the sides of the box. Stack it on top of the iPhone, followed by a few heavy objects.
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Leave the objects in place for at least thirty minutes. The lighter the objects, the longer they should be left. Ideally, leave them stacked overnight.
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Use a P2 pentalobe driver to install the two 7.7 mm‑long screws on either side of the charging port.
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After your repair, depending on the replacement part, you may be able to calibrate it using Apple's Repair Assistant, available as of iOS 18. Update your device, navigate to Settings → General →About → Parts & Service History, tap Restart & Finish Repair, and follow the onscreen prompts.
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.
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10 Guide Comments
Is it safe to remove the screen of Iphone 15 or even 14 without disconnecting the battery? Thank you.
Hi Laurentiu,
In the case of the iPhone 15 series and the iPhone 14 vanilla models, their design is intentional so that you may replace the screen without disconnecting the battery. To mitigate any ESD-related risks, don't use any metal prying tools, use ESD-safe tools, and discharge and shut down your device before opening it up. Read more about ESD here.
Good luck!
Ok, I got you, thank you very much. So it doesn't matter if we change the screen and battery is still unplugged, even if we use lcd or led screen, if we use the right tools.
This may not be true for all devices, but Apple devices are quite robust. You should have no problem swapping a screen out on an iPhone 15. Just make sure that the press connectors are fully connected, since the insulating foam around the sockets may prevent them from laying flush!
Why is iPhone 15 Screen Replacement not sold in Canada?
