Two kinds of iPad screen
Before ordering a part, find out which construction the iPad has, because the repair and the part are different:
- Separate digitizer and LCD. The touch glass (digitizer) is a separate layer glued to the frame, with an air gap above the LCD. A cracked glass with a working picture needs only a Digitizer (Touch Screen). This is the construction of the standard iPad from the 2018 model through the 9th generation (10.2-inch, 2021) and of the iPad mini up to the 3rd generation. The glass is cheap; the LCD is a separate part.
- Laminated display. Glass, touch and LCD or OLED are bonded into one assembly. A crack means the whole Screen Assembly, or a reglass through refurbishing. This covers every iPad Pro, iPad Air from the 3rd generation, iPad mini 4 and later, and the 10th generation iPad (10.9-inch, 2022) onward.
Parts are listed by model and year in iPad Parts, for example iPad Pro 11-inch 2018. Use the A-number on the back of the iPad to confirm the generation; several generations look identical from the front.
Identify the model
| Model | Year | Screen | Construction | Biometrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPad (9th gen) A2602 / A2603 / A2604 | 2021 | 10.2-inch | Separate digitizer | Home button Touch ID |
| iPad (10th gen) A2696 / A2757 | 2022 | 10.9-inch | Laminated | Top button Touch ID |
| iPad Air (4th gen) A2316 / A2324 | 2020 | 10.9-inch | Laminated | Top button Touch ID |
| iPad Air (5th gen) A2588 / A2589 | 2022 | 10.9-inch | Laminated | Top button Touch ID |
| iPad Pro 11-inch (1st to 4th gen) A1980 to A2761 | 2018 to 2022 | 11-inch | Laminated | Face ID |
| iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd to 6th gen) A1876 to A2437 | 2018 to 2022 | 12.9-inch (mini-LED from 5th gen) | Laminated | Face ID |
| iPad Pro 11 / 13-inch (M4) A2836 / A2925 | 2024 | Tandem OLED | Laminated | Face ID |
| iPad mini (6th gen) A2567 / A2568 | 2021 | 8.3-inch | Laminated | Top button Touch ID |
Replacing a digitizer (iPad 9th gen and similar)
- Heat the edges of the glass at 80 °C for several minutes; iPad adhesive is wide and strong. Tape over the cracks.
- Lift from a corner with a suction cup, slide a pry tool under the glass only, never under the LCD. Work around the edges with picks; the digitizer flex is at the bottom, so cut the adhesive there last, by hand.
- Remove the four LCD screws and lift the LCD out towards the Home button side; disconnect the battery (with a battery isolation pick or after removing the board shield) before the LCD and digitizer connectors.
- Transfer the Home button to the new digitizer. On Touch ID iPads the button is paired to the board; a new button gives a working Home button without Touch ID. Peel it with heat and keep its flex flat.
- Fit the new digitizer with new adhesive, connect, test touch with the LCD in place before pressing down. Then check for dust under the glass; the air gap makes every speck visible.
Replacing a laminated assembly (Pro, Air, mini 6, 10th gen)
- The whole assembly lifts out as one. Heat, suction cup and picks as above, but the panel is thinner and the OLED or LCD flex is attached to the glass; a pick pushed too deep cuts the flex.
- Opening direction matters: on Pro and Air the display flexes are along one long side; cut the adhesive on the other three sides first and hinge from the flex side.
- Disconnect the battery first, then the display connectors under their brackets.
- Pro models with Face ID keep the Face ID module on the frame, not the screen, so there is no sensor transfer. Air and mini keep Touch ID in the top button, also on the frame.
- The assembly includes the glass, so there is no Home button to move on these models.
Which grade to order
For separate digitizers the grade question is simple: aftermarket digitizers are a commodity and the LCD is untouched. For laminated assemblies the grades mirror iPhone: Original pulled and tested, Refurbished Original with new glass, and Aftermarket. On an iPad Pro with ProMotion or a mini-LED or OLED panel, an aftermarket LCD assembly is a visible step down in brightness and colour; quote Original or Refurbished Original. For an Air or the 10th gen, aftermarket assemblies are acceptable for most users.
Refurbishing iPad screens
Reglassing a laminated iPad is the same process as an iPhone with larger molds and a bigger laminating machine. Front glass with OCA for iPad Pro and Air sizes is available from the G+OCA Pro line; separate digitizer glass for the older models is not laminated and is replaced as a part. Refurbishing supplies are in Refurbishing Supplies.
Safety and common mistakes
- An iPad battery is five to ten times the capacity of a phone battery. A puncture is a much bigger fire. Never slide a pick deeper than 5 mm along the long sides where the battery sits.
- Disconnect the battery before the display. iPad LCD backlight circuits are known to fail when hot-plugged.
- Do not overtighten the LCD screws on digitizer models; the LCD cracks at the corners.
- Clean the frame of all old adhesive. An iPad digitizer that is not fully seated shows ghost touches at the edge.
iPad screens ship from China in rigid packaging; large assemblies may travel by cargo rather than courier. Shops get wholesale pricing on application.
FAQ
How do I know if the LCD is damaged too?
If the picture is intact under the cracked glass and touch responds in places, only the digitizer is needed. Lines, black blotches or no picture mean the LCD as well.
Will Touch ID work after a digitizer replacement?
Only if the original Home button is transferred undamaged. A new button works as a Home button but Touch ID is lost.
Can I replace just the glass on an iPad Pro?
Only by refurbishing, which needs lamination equipment. For a single repair, order the full assembly.
Why does the new digitizer have ghost touches?
Usually the flex is pinched under the frame, or the digitizer is not fully seated on one edge. Reopen and reseat before assuming the part is faulty.