Before you start
A screen swap is the most common iPhone repair and also the one with the most ways to damage a working phone. This guide covers the general sequence for iPhone X through the iPhone 17 line; the LCD models (XR, 11, SE family) follow the same steps with a thicker display and no True Tone chip to move on older units. For the part itself, read our guide on choosing a screen grade; this page is about the work.
What you need on the bench: a heating platform or heat mat (around 70 to 80 °C), ultra-thin pry tools, suction cup, Pentalobe 0.8 mm, Tri-Point Y0.6 and Phillips PH000 drivers (Torx T5 for the iPhone 17 series), plastic spudger, isopropyl alcohol, screen adhesive for the model, and a programmer such as the JCID V1SE if the phone has an OLED panel and you want to keep True Tone. All of this is in Screwdrivers, Tweezers & Kits and Programmers & Testers.
Step 1: power down and disconnect the battery first
- Switch the phone off completely. Remove the two Pentalobe screws beside the charging port.
- Heat the lower edge and both long sides for two to three minutes. The adhesive on iPhone 12 and newer is tougher and water-resistant; do not rush this.
- Lift with a suction cup at the bottom edge, slide a pry tool into the gap and run it along the sides. On iPhone X to 11 Pro Max the screen opens from the left like a book; on later models the flex cables are on the right side, so open from the left and swing right. Keep the opening angle under 90 degrees.
- Remove the bracket over the battery and display connectors (Tri-Point or Phillips depending on model), then disconnect the battery first. Only then unplug the display and digitizer flexes and the earpiece and sensor flex.
Disconnecting the battery before the display is not optional. Hot-plugging a screen can short the backlight circuit on LCD models or the display IC on OLED models.
Step 2: move the earpiece and sensor assembly
On iPhone X to 14 the earpiece speaker, flood illuminator and ambient light sensor sit on a flex screwed to the back of the screen. This assembly is paired to the logic board for Face ID, so it must be moved to the new screen. Remove its screws, lift the earpiece gently, and peel the flex with the flood illuminator from the old screen without bending the thin foil over the sensor. From iPhone 13 the earpiece speaker itself sits in the frame, but the sensor flex still has to be transferred on most models; check the layout before you pull.
If the flood illuminator is torn, Face ID is lost. There is no aftermarket replacement; repair is possible only through a JCID Face ID repair flex and a programmer, and only if the original data can still be read.
Step 3: True Tone and display data
Every screen from iPhone 8 onward stores display calibration, including True Tone, in a chip on the screen flex. When you fit a new screen the phone cannot read the original values, so True Tone disappears from Control Centre. To keep it, read the old screen with a programmer before disconnecting, then write the data to the new screen. JCID V1SE, V1S Plus and V1S Pro all do this; see our programmers category.
Starting with iPhone 11, iOS also compares the screen’s serial with the one it expects. After a swap with any non-original screen, and often even with an original screen from another phone, Settings shows an Unknown Part or Important Display Message notice for a period and keeps a note under About. The screen works normally: touch, brightness, colours and Face ID are not affected. Tell the customer in advance; a shop that explains the message before the repair gets no complaint afterwards.
Step 4: fit the new screen
- Clean the old adhesive from the frame with a spudger and isopropyl. Leftover glue is the usual cause of a screen that sits proud at one corner.
- Transfer the earpiece assembly and any screw brackets to the new screen. Fit the new screen adhesive to the frame, not to the screen, so you can reposition.
- Connect the display flexes, then the battery last. Press each connector straight down until it clicks; a connector pushed in at an angle bends pins.
- Power on and test before sealing: touch across the whole surface, every brightness level, a white screen for dead pixels and backlight bleed, the earpiece, the proximity sensor on a call, Face ID and auto-brightness. A screen tester such as the JCID V15PM lets you do this before the panel is even installed.
- Close the phone, press the edges for 30 seconds, and refit the Pentalobe screws.
Model notes
| Model group | Opens from | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone X, XS, 11 Pro | Left side | Two display flexes plus sensor flex; small Tri-Point screws |
| iPhone XR, 11 | Left side | LCD backlight is sensitive to hot-plugging; disconnect battery first |
| iPhone 12, 13 series | Left side, flexes on right | Tight adhesive; from iPhone 13 the earpiece speaker is in the frame |
| iPhone 14, 15 series | Left side | Sensor flex glued to the screen; peel it with heat, do not tear it |
| iPhone 16, 17 series | Left side | Torx T5 screws on the 17 series; new flex routing near the Camera Control button |
Replacement screens for each model are listed under iPhone Parts, for example iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 13, with Original, Refurbished Original and Aftermarket grades side by side.
Safety
- Keep the pry tool shallow. Below the screen on the left are the battery and the flexes; a tool pushed deep can puncture the cell. A punctured lithium cell can vent and ignite within seconds.
- If the battery is swollen, do not heat the phone until it is removed.
- Heat only to the temperature needed to soften adhesive; a screen left on a plate at 100 °C for ten minutes can delaminate.
FAQ
How long does an iPhone screen replacement take?
About 20 to 30 minutes for an experienced technician on iPhone X to 14, longer on first attempts and on models with a tougher seal.
Can I keep True Tone with an aftermarket screen?
Yes, if you read the old screen’s data with a programmer and write it to the new one. The new screen must have a writable chip; most aftermarket screens sold today do.
Will the Unknown Part message go away?
The notification in Settings disappears after a few days; the note under About stays. It has no effect on function.
Why does the new screen have no touch?
Most often a connector not fully seated or a bent pin. Disconnect the battery, reseat the display flexes and try again. If touch still fails, test the screen on a tester to rule out the panel.
Do I need new adhesive?
Yes. The original seal cannot be reused. Use the model-specific adhesive from our Tapes & Adhesives section; it also restores some of the splash resistance.