Introduction
Use this guide to replace your home button ribbon cable. This guide is for replacing the functional home button switch, not the plastic home button cover seen from the outside of the Touch.
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With the heat gun set on "low", begin heating the lower portion of the Touch near the home button.
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Insert the edge of an iPod opening tool between the front glass panel and the plastic bezel near the home button.
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Pry the bottom edge of the front panel upward, being careful not to bend the glass excessively.
There should be (in general) better notes about the reassembly process. Getting the thing glued back in is WAY harder than just "reverse this step." Getting it to sit flush with any kind of adhesion is pretty difficult. No real advice other than make sure the edges of the metal thing at the top of the back of the digitizer are in the right slots and use judiciously placed pieces of 3M 300LSE adhesive.
I actually just figured it out. I had the ribbon cable for the digitizer running under the LCD and that wasn't allowing the LCD to sit down far enough. By re-folding the digitizer cable so it was triple-folded (when you do it you'll see what I mean) and only under the glass where there is no LCD, you'll get the glass to sit right.
I'm havin' problems with mine... hum, the front panel broke and i don't know where can i buy a new one. Can you help me?! Detail, the Touch screen still working... the external screen is broken, but the internal is ok...
EBay mate sells plenty
Greg W -
Glue is under the black part of the glass, not under the clear part of the glass.
The Glue is mostly around the top and bottom about 1/2 inch in or so, around both left and right edges the strip of glue is very thin about 1/8 inch or so.
I had success with heat and sliding the tool or pick up and down the side where there is less glue until it started separating being careful that I was between front glass panel and the black plastic bezel.
Take a look at the post What parts to move from the broken screen?
That will give you some advice as to what to move over from the broken screen, metal bracket, home button and small sponge spacer on the tip of the digitizer connector. Also how important it is to use new adhesive. If after assembling the screen bulges on one side (top or bottom) take the time to dissasemble and check that everything is in place (flat) and like jonathan writes, the digitizer cable is folded.
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When there is enough room to grab the bottom edge of the front panel, lift it away from the body of the Touch to peel up the adhesive along its left and right edges.
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Carefully pull the top of the front panel assembly away from the adhesive holding it to the Touch, minding the short digitizer cable connecting the two components.
The LCD cable which attaches to the logic board, is, indeed, very short. When reassembling the iPod, you may only be able to leave a small crack between the glass and the body to allow for enough space to reattach this cable. A plastic opening tool works well, but be warned: it takes quite a bit of patience.
Indeed the LCD cable which attaches to the logic board is short and I spent a good 30 minutes trying to get it to seat. When I finally did I realized I broke the right side and that is why my display is not working now. When they say difficult, they mean difficult - I have experience with electronics and I recommend you first practice on an older unit if you can.
Before i do this repair, does my screen have to be all together. Because my iPod got cracked a while ago, so do i have to buy a new screen so i can put the jack in? Also what goes first in the process when doing both of those things ?
Reconnecting the data cable is actually pretty easy. Just hold your screen at a 90 degree angle and put it on your underlying surface (and not on the back part of your ipod). Then just use the opening tool to reconnect the cable. The cable is long enough. If you connected it properly try pushing the home button on the back part (not the actual button). If done properly, your screen should light up. (if not try again to connect the cable) Then just fold the screen onto the back part without lifting it. The cable disconnects very easily.
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Remove the following eight Phillips #00 screws:
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One 3.5 mm Phillips screw
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Two 3.0 mm Phillips screws
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One 2.3 mm Phillips screw
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One 2.4 mm Phillips screw
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Three 2.0 mm Phillips screws
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The antenna cable will almost always stick to the digitzer and often the glass is broken there. You can use a knife to pick out broken glass around the edges elsewhere but use ONLY PLASTIC tool to separate the antenna cable from the old digitzer. This cable is very thin and a metal tool can easily cut the cable which you cannot then repair but must buy a replacement.
If you are removing broken glass be sure to recover the steel plate glued to the top of glass as well as the home button at the bottom of the assembly.
This steel plate or bracket has been discussed many times here. My best experience is to NOT move it to a new screen. Without the bracket and using enough adhesive in fact brings the new screen closer to the chassis and a snugger fit. Read more here: What parts to move from the broken screen?
asle -
Notice, in the image the switch for the home button has a tiny sub-1mm dot in the center of it. When I reassembled the home button did not work. That tiny cylinder of material had been knocked off the switch. A rounded probe could still activate the switch, but the flat metal plate on the home button could not. Fortunately, I was working on a white cloth, and a careful search turned up the tiny cylinder. I was able to reattach it and repair the home button.
I would like to add that the tiny cylinder is 0.65mm in diameter and 0.20mm high. I was able to successfully reattach it using a thick cyanoacrylate. You must be careful not to foul the switch's membrane with too much glue. I would suggest using fine point tweezers and a metal probe to apply the tiny dot of glue. You need a steady hand for this.
ciradrak -
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Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to pry the thin steel cover up from the rear-facing camera.
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Remove the steel cover from the iPod.
Be sure to get the tool down deep when removing the rear camera. If not, you can accidentally snag the mid-section of the camera and it will come apart -- and you'll end up buying a replacement.
I have snagged that part of the camera several times. Easy to fix with super-glue along the edges of the cover. Works great. Sometimes no matter how carefully you pry up it falls apart.
asle -
This metal plate fits under plastic near RHS edge, and other side drops between the camera and a circuit board - to refit, you may need to loosen a nearby screw to allow you to move the circuit board a little to let this metal plate clip onto the side of the camera.
I had to press down hard with a plastic tool to get this metal plate to clip on.
Don't forget to re-tighten it later (I forgot).
A strip metallic cover, glued to display isn't mentioned in this guide.
Note that most new front panels are going without this part and you would need to remount it.
what exactly is the copper tape for that sits over the backplate that covers the rear camera? it gives me trouble every time.
The copper is important for heat dispensing. It has nothing to do with grounding or signal. In worst case if it is torn the Touch could get hotter but should work. If it is torn I usually just lift up one part and move it so it is in contact with the other copper part.
asle -
I just replaced the screen and rear cam on my 4th gen. The camera does not work??? Any ideas????????
Maybe the rear camera connection got loose when you lifted up the logic board in top to replace the digitizer. I would open it again and check the connection to the rear camera. Hope you fix it!
asle -
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Insert the edge of an iPod opening tool under the steel mid plate near the bottom left corner of the Touch.
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Pry upward to separate the plate from the adhesive securing it to the plastic inner case.
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If the plate is still attached to the logic board re-warm the area to loosen the adhesive, then separate the plate from the logic board using the opening tool
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There is a very thin ribbon cable here that connects the volume and power buttons to the logic board. Try to work around this area like shown so not to rip the cable. Be sure to hold down this cable when lifting the plate. It could stick to the plate due to residual glue. It is extremely fragile.
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There is also adhesive under the area shown in red.
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I couldn't get a spudger in-between this space, so I went to the side where the three screws were on the left hand side and worked my way towards the bottom to separate the glue...
The power and volume wire on the logic board were covered with adhesive. Be careful! While trying to remove the steel mid plane I found that the adhesive will rip the ribbon!
Here is where you take it easy. Two things can be broken here.
-Use time to carefully separate the bottom left part of the midplane. It sticks to the speaker which you tear the speaker leads if you are to hasty to lift it up. And remember the mid plane must not be bended up here since it needs to be 100% aligned so the new digitizer does not bulge here when in place.
- The second picture. The black visible adhesive sticks to the volume cable. Use time to carefully separate the mid plane here so the cable is not ripped when you lift up the midplane. Pry a plastic tool like the picture or/and a spudger slowly in until you see/feel the midplane loosening. A broken volume cable is no fun.
That small ribbon cable ripped, be sure to really watch this - look at the second picture in this step and try to make sure you understand where it is on the board under it.
This was difficult during both disassembly and reassembly. I used a thin guitar pick to separate the ribbon cable by the volume buttons from the steel midplane. Reassembly was tough because I didn't have the ipod dock connector seated correctly, AND more importantly, the speaker has a part that needs to be inserted into a black part on TOP of the dock connector-- it looks almost like a tiny air duct that has a foam gasket around it.
I was able to replace the home button ribbon cable without having to fully remove the steel mid plane. It lifted up enough from the iPod's body that I was able to slip the ribbon in around the support it sticks to and hold it in place until the adhesive set.
Much simpler, and didn't cause any problems -- the mid plane didn't deform, and snapped right back into place.
Thanks for the guide.
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Slightly tilt the steel mid plane to dislodge it from the rear case.
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Lift the steel mid plane up off the rear case and peel off the piece of copper tape stuck to the rear-facing camera.
I was able to stop at step 8 for the battery replacement.
Once you remove the metal shield, desolder the 3 leads. Then use your heat gun to warm the battery. Use plastic pry tool between copper backing and battery and separate them (two adhesive strips on the sides of the battery). Once done with this, you can snake the battery ribbon cable from between the logic board and aluminum casing. Not as easily, but still very doable, snake the new battery ribbon back through the same slot; solder 3 points and reassemble. Much easier than removing the entire board. Good luck!
Oh also, not mentioned in this guide - there is a plastic/silicon substance covering the 3 leads. Prior to desoldering remove this as much as possible with metal or plastic spudger (if metal, be sure not to bridge the connections).
I stopped dismantling here as well and was able to replace the battery and everything works on the ipod. tricky parts for me were the copper adhesive on the rear camera and getting the data display cable reconnected
I used plenty of heat first heating the ipod in an industrial oven to about 150 F and then as needed heating a heat gun.
dhawke -
what do you do if you break the copper connector to the camera?
The copper tape is mainly for heat dispersion. Without the copper tape it should work anyway but I would just lift up and move one part of the tape so that it is in contact with the other part when you put it together.
asle -
justinallison1, From what I understand, it is ok if that copper tape rips. In fact, I have seen people remove it completely. If it rips, just try and have the 2 pieces touching. (This is what I have researched and done myself with no negative results.
after removed the steel mid plate, does anybody measure the battery voltage? I measured the battery voltage is only 0.3V. is it normal? I de-soldered the battery three points and measured the battery voltage 3.8V. So It looks like battery is OK. The logic board has problem. So I connected external power source 3.7V and maximum current 50mA to the battery B+ and B-. I found the power source dropped to only 1.65V and 50mA. Could I say logic board has problem?
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Peel the home button ribbon cable off the front side of the steel mid plane using a plastic opening tool.
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In the same manner, peel the home button ribbon cable from the back side of the steel mid plane.
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Remove the home button ribbon cable from the steel mid plane assembly.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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One Comment
I replaced my flex cable.. But still it wont work.. Can somebody plls help me
do I have to use a heat gun
Fabiola Winfield - Reply
yes it is crucial
ben folks -
but u can use a hair dryer on warm
ben folks -
Hi, thanks to this tutorial achieves replace my iPod battery to 100%, it was difficult, so thanks iFixit!
The only problem I had was with the iFixit screwdriver disappointed me greatly, as it can not remove the screws with the screwdriver.
A tip for those who first make repairs before starting the disarmament carefully read through the tutorial to not make a mistake that could damage your iPod and do not forget to place pieces in a safe place so they are not lost.
Greetings from Guatemala
Alfonso.
Alfonso Espinoza - Reply
well then u suck
ben folks -
Be careful with the heat gun!! Don`t use it too much. You can melt something inside, specially when you`re closing the iPod.
Luiz R - Reply
No man you can use a blow dryer!
Colton B - Reply
Would a heat bead bag be safer option to weaken the adhesive?
Angus McLauchlan - Reply
I had success with as low as 80°C using a hair dryer to melt the adhesive, I kept track of it with a meat thermometer. The battery says it's rated only up to 60°C...
micahvanderhill - Reply
I got through all the parts to take the wifi antenna out!! But, I'm having a hard time putting the stuff back!!
~Palm head~ But thank you ifixit for the great and awesome directions, I understand clearly!! Thank you very much
Kaiden - Reply