Skip to main content

iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement

What you need

  1. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement, Case: step 1, image 1 of 1
    • Before opening your iPod, ensure that the hold switch is in the locked position. The slider should be all the way to the right if your iPod is facing you.

  2. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 1
    • Opening the iPod can be challenging. Do not get discouraged if it takes you a few tries before the iPod is opened.

    • Free the first retainer clip on the bottom of the iPod using the iPod opening tool. The tool's edge should point towards the metal back case to prevent scratching the plastic front.

  3. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 1
    • Use this photo of the OPENED iPod for the reference, in order to locate the areas where the retaining clips are - 4 per side, one on top and two at the bottom. It should save you a lot of frustration and help avoid scratching the plastic cover.

  4. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 3 iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 4, image 2 of 3 iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 4, image 3 of 3
    • There are four retaining clips on each side of the iPod. An iPod opening tool will be used to separate the plastic front from the metal back of the iPod.

    • Insert the iPod opening tool into the left side of the iPod, with the edge of the tool pointing towards the metal back.

    • A small guitar pick can be extremely helpful in opening the iPod. Simply insert it and slide the pick around the case to free the clips to streamline the process.

    • Gently enlarge the existing crevice by wiggling the iPod opening tool and moving it to the left.

    • Continue doing so until the entire side of the iPod is loose.

    • You can then insert an iPod opening tool to the right of the Hold button. Be very careful while inserting the tool, as the display is very fragile.

  5. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 2 iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 5, image 2 of 2
    • Gently glide the iPod opening tool on the top of the display, making sure to free the retaining clips.

    • The other sides of the iPod should now easily come loose. If they do not, use iPod opening tools on the right side of the iPod in the same way as on the left side of the iPod.

    • Separate the front of the iPod from the back about an inch (or a couple of centimeters).

    • The iPod casing is now open, but don't completely separate the two halves just yet. Two ribbon cables are still connecting the back panel to the rest of the iPod.

  6. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 2 iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 6, image 2 of 2
    • Use angled tweezers or an iPod opening tool to slide up the brown connector latch, holding the orange battery ribbon cable in place. Make sure you pull from both sides of the latch. You only need to lift the brown connector latch up about 1-2mm to free the cable. Do not lift more or remove the latch, or you might pull the white connector with it!

    • Don't lift up too far or you could pull the battery connector out of the logic board.

    • Make sure to slide the brown connector directly upwards. The connector is frail and will break if it is accidentally shifted to the side. The connector has hooks at the bottom to hold the cable in place. As soon as you break one of the arms you will have problems putting the battery cable back on. If it breaks put the cable in the slot and then push the brown holder in place to keep the cable from slipping out.

    • Remove the cable from the connector.

  7. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1
    • You should now have one orange ribbon cable still attaching the front case to the back.

    • At this point you are able to remove and replace the blue rubber bumpers, or continue with separating the case.

    • Separating the case is not necessary to complete battery replacement but may facilitate ease of replacement. It does require removing an extra cable at some risk of damage during removal.

  8. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 1
    • Lift up the hard drive to expose the headphone jack ribbon connector (indicated by the yellow box).

    • If the hard drive bumpers come loose, make sure to put them back with the notch as shown in the picture.

  9. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 2 iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 9, image 2 of 2
    • With the iPod opening tool, gently lift the brown tab of the headphone ribbon cable connector. The tab will rotate up 90 degrees, releasing the ribbon cable.

    • Using your fingers, pull out the headphone jack ribbon cable.

  10. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 1
    • The front and back of the iPod should now be completely separated.

  11. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement, Hard Drive: step 11, image 1 of 2 iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement, Hard Drive: step 11, image 2 of 2
    • Use a small iPod opening tool to release the black hinge holding the hard drive ribbon cable. The tab will rotate up 90 degrees towards the logic board, releasing the ribbon cable.

    • Use your forefinger to hold the ribbon cable in place; disconnect the drive from the ribbon cable.

    • Make sure the hard drive rubber side bumpers are attached to the drive being installed. Use the hard drive rubber side bumper installation guide to accomplish this task.

    • If necessary, the blue foam padding on the hard drive might also need to be transferred to the replacement drive.

  12. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement, Front Panel: step 12, image 1 of 2 iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement, Front Panel: step 12, image 2 of 2
    • Remove the three black Phillips screws securing the front panel to the metal framework.

    • Rotate the iPod laterally 180 degrees and remove the three black Phillips screws securing the front panel to the metal framework on the other side.

  13. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 13, image 1 of 2 iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 13, image 2 of 2
    • You may meet some resistance near the center of the iPod as there is a mild adhesive used to help hold the two pieces together.

    • Carefully work around the edge of the iPod to separate the front panel from the metal framework.

    • Lift the framework (including the attached display, logic board, and click wheel) away from the front panel.

    • Make sure that the click wheel button is in place before reinstalling the framework in the front panel.

  14. iPod 5th Generation (Video) Front Panel Replacement: step 14, image 1 of 1
    • The front panel should now be free from the rest of the iPod.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

135 other people completed this guide.

2 Comments

Lots of helpful information. The thing to remember if you plan on doing this kind of work is take your time, and don’t get in a hurry. That’s when mistakes happen. I plan on upgrading an Apple Ipod Classic 30GB by replacing the hard drive with a micro sd card, and increasing the battery power.

Paul McWilliams - Reply

Excellent guide! This is seriously some high quality work! Thank you for being so thorough when putting it together! Fortunately, the iPod Classic (iPod Video) is far easier to repair than the Nano as I worked on both recently.

Now, I totally agree with Paul about taking your time, even if you are experienced at repairs. That said, I also strongly suggest testing the device BEFORE closing it back up as it’s far too easy to accidentally miss a step! I also took the opportunity to clean and tweak anything along the way. For example, I put some 3M 9448A double-sided tape along the hard drive rails to hold them in place, repaired any foam that was falling off the hard drive, and cleaned the rubber bumpers (and subsequently replaced the tape on them too.) It was also a great opportunity to use a bit of DeoxIT on the dock connector and on the metal parts in the headphone jack.

Maintenance is 100% the key to device longevity!

As these are so modular, do plan on doing any upgrades while the iPod is still open.

Jay Rose - Reply

Add Comment

View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 16

Past 7 Days: 77

Past 30 Days: 345

All Time: 74,252