Introduction
The iPhone 7 Plus home “button” is actually a solid-state sensor, which also includes Touch ID (fingerprint recognition) capability.
Most replacement home buttons won’t work, so check carefully before starting your repair. Your iPhone’s original home button is uniquely paired to the logic board at the factory—and without Apple’s proprietary calibration process, even a genuine replacement home button from another iPhone won’t work. To fix a broken home button, you should install a specially-made, universal-style home button. Note that these replacements only work as a button; Touch ID will not function.
If you are only replacing a broken screen, you can use this guide to carefully remove and transfer your working original home button to a new screen, preserving all functions, including Touch ID.
During this procedure, to avoid accidentally straining or tearing the display cables, it's best to completely detach the display assembly before beginning repairs on the home/Touch ID sensor. But if you are comfortable doing so, you may skip the display assembly section of this guide and go straight to the home/Touch ID sensor section.
What you need
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Power off your iPhone before beginning disassembly.
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Remove the two 3.4 mm pentalobe screws at the bottom edge of the iPhone.
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Use a hairdryer or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the lower edge of the iPhone for about a minute in order to soften up the adhesive underneath.
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Pull up on the suction cup with firm, constant pressure to create a slight gap between the front panel and rear case.
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Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap.
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While pulling up on the suction cup, twist the spudger to widen the opening between the screen and rear case.
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Insert the flat end of the spudger between the front panel and the rear case at the lower left edge of the iPhone.
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Slide the spudger up the left edge of the phone starting at the lower edge and moving towards the volume control buttons and silent switch, breaking up the adhesive holding the display in place.
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Remove the spudger from the left side of the phone and insert the flat end into the bottom right corner.
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Slide the spudger up the right edge of the phone to the top corner, breaking up the adhesive holding the display in place.
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Slide an opening pick underneath the display along the top edge of the phone to loosen the last of the adhesive.
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Pull the display assembly slightly away from the top edge of the phone to disengage the clips holding it to the rear case.
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Open the iPhone by swinging the display up from the left side, like the back cover of a book.
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Remove the following four tri-point Y000 screws securing the lower display cable bracket to the logic board:
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Three 1.2 mm screws
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One 2.6 mm screw
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Use the point of a spudger to lift the battery connector out of its socket on the logic board.
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Use the flat end of a spudger or a fingernail to disconnect the two lower display connectors by prying them straight up from their sockets on the logic board.
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Remove the three tri-point Y000 screws securing the bracket over the front panel sensor assembly connector:
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One 1.3 mm screw
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Two 1.0 mm screws
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Remove the bracket.
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Remove the four Y000 screws securing the bracket over the home/Touch ID sensor:
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One 1.1 mm screw
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Three 1.3 mm screws
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Pry under the left edge of the home button cable connector to disconnect it from its socket.
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Carefully pry up the underlying connector and move it out of the way of the home/Touch ID cable.
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If the connector doesn't pry up easily, use a hair dryer or iOpener to heat and soften the adhesive securing the connector, and then try again.
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Flip the display assembly over. Use a hairdryer or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the lower edge of the display for about 90 seconds in order to soften up the adhesive underneath.
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Use an opening pick to gently separate the adhesive holding the home/Touch ID sensor cable to the back side of the display panel.
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Remove the home/Touch ID sensor assembly by lifting it through the front side of the display.
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