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iPhone 13 Pro Max Screen Replacement

If your iPhone 13 Pro Max screen is cracked,...

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max Moderate 1 - 2 hours Guide 146566
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This attributed iFixit guide is displayed through Fixonic's recorded commercial API permission. iFixit remains the independent source and author of the procedure.

Guide overview

Before you begin

If your iPhone 13 Pro Max screen is cracked, not responding to touch, or not showing a picture when your phone is powered on, use this guide to restore your iPhone to working order with a new screen, a.k.a. display assembly. Note: On iOS 17.6 and earlier, True Tone and auto brightness functionality is disabled after a screen replacement, even when using an original Apple screen. Face ID is also disabled, unless the iPhone is running iOS 15.2 or newer. On iOS 18 and newer, you can calibrate your new screen using Apple's Repair Assistant to restore True Tone functionality on genuine screens purchased from Apple.

Step 1

Remove the pentalobe screws

  • Caution: Before you begin, discharge your iPhone battery below 25%. A charged lithium-ion battery can catch fire and/or explode if accidentally punctured.
  • Power off your iPhone before beginning disassembly.
  • Remove the two 6.8 mm-long pentalobe P2 screws at the bottom edge of the iPhone.
  • Opening the iPhone's display will compromise its waterproof seals. Have replacement seals ready before you proceed past this step, or take care to avoid liquid exposure if you reassemble your iPhone without replacing the seals.
Step 2

Mark your opening picks

  • If inserted too far, an opening pick can damage your device. Follow this step to mark your pick and prevent damage.
  • Measure 3 mm from the tip and mark the opening pick with a permanent marker.
  • You can also mark the other corners of the pick with different measurements.
  • Alternatively, tape a coin to a pick 3 mm from the tip.
Step 3

Tape over any cracks

  • If your iPhone has a cracked screen, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping over the glass.
  • Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone's screen until the whole face is covered.
  • This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the screen.
  • Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from any glass shaken free during the repair.
  • If you can't get the suction cup to stick in the next few steps, fold a strong piece of tape (such as duct tape) into a handle and lift the screen with that instead.
  • If all else fails, you can superglue the suction cup to the screen.
Step 4

Screen information

  • To avoid damaging your screen in the next step, note the following:
  • There's a plastic bezel on the underside of the screen. Your opening pick will go underneath this bezel.
  • There's a seam between the plastic bezel and the display panel. Don't insert your pick here or you'll damage the screen.
  • Sometimes the display panel separates from the bezel before you even get a chance to insert a pick. This may be unavoidable depending on the condition of the adhesive. In this case, you’ll most likely need to replace your entire screen.
Step 5

Anti-Clamp instructions

  • The next three steps demonstrate the Anti-Clamp, a tool we designed to make the opening procedure easier. If you aren't using the Anti-Clamp, skip down three steps for an alternate method.
  • For complete instructions on how to use the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
  • Pull the blue handle backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
  • Slide the arms over the left edge of your iPhone.
  • Position the suction cups near the bottom edge of the iPhone—one on the front, and one on the back.
  • Squeeze the cups together to apply suction to the desired area.
  • If you find that the surface of your iPhone is too slippery for the Anti-Clamp to hold onto, you can use the included tape pad to create a grippier surface.
Step 6

Repair step

  • Push the blue handle away from the hinge to engage opening mode.
  • Turn the handle clockwise until you see the cups start to stretch.
  • Make sure the suction cups remain aligned to each other. If they begin to slip out of alignment, loosen the suction cups slightly and realign the arms.
Step 7

Repair step

  • Support your iPhone on a sturdy object before continuing.
  • Use a hair dryer to heat along the bottom edge of the iPhone. The screen should feel slightly too hot to touch.
  • For complete instructions on how to use a hair dryer, check out this guide.
  • Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.
  • Insert an opening pick under the screen when the Anti-Clamp creates a large enough gap.
  • If the Anti-Clamp doesn't create a sufficient gap, apply more heat to the area and rotate the handle a quarter turn.
  • Don't crank more than a quarter turn at a time, and wait one minute between turns. Let the Anti-Clamp and time do the work for you.
  • Skip the next three steps.
Step 8

Heat the bottom edge

  • Use a hair dryer or a heat gun to heat the bottom edge of the iPhone until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.
  • Never leave your hair dryer in one spot for an extended period of time.
Step 9

Insert an opening pick

  • Apply a suction handle to the bottom edge of the phone, while avoiding the very edge of the glass.
  • Pull up on the suction cup with firm, constant pressure to create a slight gap between the front panel and rear case.
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap.
  • The watertight adhesive holding the display in place is very strong; creating this initial gap takes a significant amount of force. If you're having a hard time opening a gap, apply more heat, and gently rock the screen up and down to weaken the adhesive until you create enough of a gap to insert your tool.
Step 10

Separate the bottom edge adhesive

  • Don't insert your opening pick deeper than 3 mm along the bottom edge.
  • Slide your pick back and forth along the bottom edge to separate the adhesive.
  • Leave your pick inserted in the bottom right corner to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.
Step 11

Heat the right edge

  • Use a hair dryer to heat the right edge of the iPhone (the edge with the power button) until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.
Step 12

Separate the right adhesive

  • Slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPhone to separate its adhesive.
  • Continue sliding up the right edge of the iPhone until you reach the top right corner.
  • Don't insert your pick more than 3 mm, as you may damage internal components.
  • Leave the pick in the top right corner before continuing.
Step 13

Heat the top edge

  • Use a hair dryer to heat the top edge of the iPhone until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.
Step 14

Separate the top adhesive

  • Slide the opening pick around the top right corner of the iPhone to separate the top adhesive.
  • Don't insert your pick more than 3 mm, as you may damage the top sensors.
  • Leave the pick in the top left corner before continuing.
Step 15

Screen information

  • There are delicate cables along the left edge of your iPhone. Don't insert your pick here, as you may damage the cables.
Step 16

Heat the left edge

  • Use a hair dryer to heat the left edge of the iPhone until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.
Step 17

Separate the left adhesive

  • There are delicate cables along the left edge of your iPhone. Don't insert your pick deeper than 2 mm here, as you may damage the cables.
  • Rotate your pick around the top left corner of the screen.
  • Slide your pick to the bottom left corner of the screen to separate the adhesive.
  • If you're having trouble separating the adhesive, reheat the left edge.
Step 18

Open the iPhone

  • Remove your suction handle from the screen.
  • Open your iPhone by swinging the display up from the right side, like the front cover of a book.
  • Don't try to fully separate the display yet, as several fragile ribbon cables still connect it to the iPhone's logic board.
  • Lean the display against something to keep it propped up while you're working on the phone.
  • During reassembly, lay the display in position, align the clips along the top edge, and carefully press the top edge into place before snapping the rest of the display down. If it doesn't click easily into place, check the condition of the clips around the perimeter of the display and make sure they aren't bent.
Step 19

Remove the battery connector cover

  • Use a Y000 screwdriver to remove the three 1.3 mm screws securing the battery connector cover.
  • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your iPhone.
  • During reassembly, this is a good point to power on your iPhone and test all functions before you seal the display in place. Be sure to power your iPhone back down completely before you continue working.
Step 20

Repair step

  • Remove the battery connector cover.
Step 21

Disconnect the battery

  • Use the pointed end of a spudger or a clean fingernail to pry the battery connector up from its socket on the logic board.
  • Try not to damage the black silicone seal surrounding this and other board connections. These seals provide extra protection against water and dust intrusion.
  • Bend the connector slightly away from the logic board to prevent it from accidentally making contact with the socket and providing power to the phone during your repair.
Step 22

Disconnect the display cable

  • Use the pointed end a spudger or a clean fingernail to pry the display connector up from its socket on the logic board.
  • To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.
Step 23

Unscrew the front sensor connector cover

  • Use a Y000 screwdriver to remove two 1.1 mm screws from the front sensor connector cover.
  • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the remaining two screws from the front sensor connector cover:
  • One 1.5 mm screw
  • One 1.8 mm screw
Step 24

Repair step

  • Remove the front sensor connector cover.
Step 25

Repair step

  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to disconnect the front sensor assembly cable connector.
Step 26

Repair step

  • Remove the display assembly.
  • During reassembly, pause here if you wish to replace the waterproof adhesive around the edges of the display.
Step 27

Unfasten the front sensor bracket

  • The remaining steps demonstrate how to transfer the front sensor assembly to a new screen. If your replacement screen comes with the assembly pre-installed, skip these steps.
  • Use a Y000 screwdriver to remove the three 1.4 mm-long screws securing the from sensor assembly bracket.
Step 28

Remove the front sensor bracket

  • Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the front sensor assembly bracket.
Step 29

Heat the front sensor assembly

  • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the top edge of the screen for two minutes.
  • A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display is susceptible to heat damage.
Step 30

Disconnect the ambient light sensor

  • Insert an opening pick between the ambient light sensor and its recess in the screen.
  • Pry up with the pick to separate the ambient light sensor from the screen.
Step 31

Disconnect the proximity sensor

  • Insert an opening pick between the proximity sensor and its recess in the screen.
  • Pry up with the pick to separate the proximity sensor from the screen.
Step 32

Reposition the proximity sensor

  • Use tweezers, or your fingers, to move the proximity sensor cable away from the screen.
Step 33

Disconnect the microphone

  • Insert an opening pick under the microphone cable, close to the microphone (the metal rectangle).
  • Slide the opening pick around the perimeter of the microphone to separate its adhesive.
Step 34

Remove the front sensor assembly

  • At this point, the adhesive may have cooled down. If so, apply a heated iOpener to the assembly for one minute before continuing.
  • Insert an opening pick under the left side of the front sensor assembly.
  • Slide the pick under the assembly to separate it from the frame.
Step 35

Repair step

  • Remove the front sensor assembly.
  • When transferring the assembly to a new screen, follow these instructions:
  • Connect the sensors to their slots in the frame to help align the main section of the assembly.
  • Use Tesa tape to re-adhere any sections of the assembly that are no longer sticky.