iPhone 5s Home Button Assembly

My Problem

My daughter cracked the display on yet another iphone:( I didn't really mind because I like to repair rather than replace and this wasn't my first repair.

This phone repair required a new display, the previous repair required a display and battery. This daughter is one of my teens that is very hard on her electronics. I have another teen that's NEVER broken anything. Even has a working shuffle.....

My Fix

Each time I repair something and need to order a new part, I also treat myself to a new tool or gadget to add to my ifixit toolkit. This time I splurged on the iclack. I was so excited to use it!! I put the included adhesive strip on the display of the phone, attached the iclack and proceeded to remove the display from the phone case, forgetting to remove the 2 pentalobe screws at the bottom of the phone first.

Results?? The display did come apart from the case but snapped the home button cable in the process :( So I went back online and ordred a home button replacement assembly to finish the repair. My teen was NOT PLEASED since she had to go without a phone for 3 days. Horror :)

In the meantime I discovered that the english repair guide I was using had some instructions written in chinese. I emailed support and let them know, and by the time the home button arrived and I was ready to reassemble the phone, the ifixit crew had fixed the instructions so I could follow them in English.

My Advice

I really appreciate the ifixit guides. I spend the time before I order parts for the repair to read through the guide AND the comments. Then before I start the repair I make a note of the comments and steps that I want to focus on and reread when I'm in that repair step.

Second, I have learned that it's VERY important to pay attention to the parts you are fixing or replacing. Compare the old part to the new part incase you need to transfer something from the old part to the new part before installing. i.e. The guide didn't mention an extremely small gasket-like piece that I needed to remove from the old part and attach to the new part.

Third, it's been said before and I'll repeat it here, bend the cables on the parts before installing. Use the old part and copy the bends from the old to the new part.

Looking forward to the next time,,, Thanks ifixit :)

My Problem

On opening my iPhone 5S for battery replacement, I managed to tear the Home button cable. ☹️ Of course, this led to need for replacing the Home button.

My Fix

As the phone was already open, removing & replacing the home button was relatively quick. However, now TouchID no longer works.

My Advice

I now know that in making TouchID secure, the screen, motherboard, and Home button are all uniquely identifiable, and tied together. Replacing any of them results in no more TouchID. Apparently the only way to maintain TouchID functionality is to have Apple perform any such replacement of the screen, motherboard, or Home button. Perhaps I can take the phone to an Apple store for help reintegrating things, but I'm not too hopeful there.

My Problem

Home button not working 100% of the time

My Fix

After I put everything back together after I replaced the home button, my iPhone 5s won't turn on anymore. I checked everything again and again but the phone is dead. Bummer.

My Advice

Be extremely careful, you might damage some tinny little part in the phone that will kill it completely!

My Problem

I posted a previous story about how I replaced my wife's 5s battery, but I believed I broke the home button ribbon cable in the process of getting the front display popped off with the suction cup.

My Fix

The repair when great. Granted, my wife was a little disappointed about losing the Touch ID capability, but at least the home button works now. I had enabled the touch assist home button as a work around while waiting for the new home button to arrive.

My Advice

Like I said in my previous post, be careful popping open that front display on the 5s. The home button cable is sandwiched in there. There is a little slack in the cable, but take care not to open the bottom of the display more than 1.5"-2".

The Smartphone Repair Kit came in handy. I used to take the parts out and line them up in front of me left to right in the order I took them out. I had to be careful not to sneeze or cough on my desk for fear of scattering the parts everywhere. There is less worry now that I have the repair kit. The sections in the kit tray help a lot. Instead of lining them left to right, I put them in the tray sections left to right, top to bottom. The bit driver that comes with the kit is easier to hold than the small drivers that come optional with a replacement part.

My Problem

I had a bicycle accident and I got my iphone 5S crystal scrren and lcd broken

My Fix

Just fine. I had a little problem during the front button reassembly refering to the metal support and a small squared linner but finally i got it the right way.

My Advice

the step-by-step guide was of great help and the video guide too. I would add a little more detail in the video guide maybe adding, for some steps, a detailed photo, slide or diagram as support.