iPhone 15 Back Glass Removal

Step 1

Prepare your phone for disassembly

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• Allow your phone's battery to drain below 25%, as a charged lithium-ion battery is a potential safety hazard.
• Unplug any cables from your phone.
• Hold the power and either volume buttons and slide to power off your phone.

Step 2

Tape over any cracks

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP Suction Handle Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• If your screen or back glass is badly cracked, lay overlapping strips of packing tape over the glass to protect yourself and make disassembly easier.
• Make sure there's a smooth area near the bottom edge that's big enough for a suction cup to stick to.

Step 3

Remove the pentalobe screws

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP P2 Pentalobe Screwdriver iPhone Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• Use a P2 pentalobe driver to remove the two 7.7 mm-long screws on either side of the charging port.

Step 4

Heat the bottom edge

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• Use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat the bottom edge of the back glass until it's hot to the touch.
• Be careful not to heat the phone hotter than this—the battery is susceptible to heat damage.

Step 5

Insert an opening pick

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP Suction Handle Referenced by the iFixit guide

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• Apply a suction handle to the bottom edge of the back glass.
• Pull up on the handle with a strong, steady force to create a gap between the back glass and the frame.
• Insert the tip of an opening pick into the gap.

Step 6

Back glass information

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• As you slice the adhesive securing the back glass in the next steps, be careful of the following areas:
• There's a delicate cable connecting the back glass to the phone, right next to the volume down button. Don't insert your pick here to avoid slicing the cable.
• There are multiple spring contacts around the perimeter of the phone. Be extra careful not to insert your pick deeper than suggested in each step to avoid bending these contacts.

Step 7

Separate the bottom edge adhesive

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• Don't insert your opening pick deeper than 5 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 8

Heat the right edge

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• Heat the right edge of the back glass until it's hot to the touch.

Step 9

Separate the bottom right corner adhesive

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• Don't insert your pick deeper than 7 mm along the right edge.
• Rotate your pick around the bottom right corner and slide it to the volume down button or until you feel a hard stop at a large clip securing the back glass.
• Don't slice past the volume buttons to avoid damaging the wireless charging cable.
• Leave this pick inserted to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 10

Heat the left edge

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• Heat the left edge of the back glass until it's hot to the touch.

Step 11

Separate the left edge adhesive

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• Along the left edge, don't insert your pick deeper than 5 mm.
• Insert a second opening pick at the bottom edge.
• Rotate the second pick around the bottom left corner.
• Slide this pick up to the top left corner to separate the adhesive.
• Leave this pick inserted to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 12

Heat the top edge

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• Heat the top edge of the back glass until it's hot to the touch.

Step 13

Separate the top edge adhesive

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• Don't insert your pick deeper than 3 mm along the top edge.
• Rotate your second opening pick around the top left corner and slide it to the top right corner to separate the adhesive.
• You might hear and feel clicks as the top two clips release.
• Leave this pick in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 14

Heat the top right corner

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• Heat the top right corner of the back glass until it's hot to the touch.

Step 15

Separate the top right corner adhesive

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• Don't insert your pick deeper than 4 mm along the right edge.
• Rotate the second opening pick around the top right corner and slide it to the volume up button to separate the adhesive.

Step 16

Swing open the back glass

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TOOL USED ON THIS STEP iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Referenced by the iFixit guide

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• Gently swing open the back glass to the right of the phone.
• If the back glass feels stuck, go back around the perimeter to check for missed sections of adhesive or stuck clips.
• Rest the back glass against a raised surface so it doesn't strain the cable.