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iPad 3G Battery Replacement

Introduction

Use this guide to replace your iPad's battery.

If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.

What you need

  1. iPad 3G Battery Replacement, Display Assembly: step 1, image 1 of 3 iPad 3G Battery Replacement, Display Assembly: step 1, image 2 of 3 iPad 3G Battery Replacement, Display Assembly: step 1, image 3 of 3

    • If your display glass is cracked, keep further breakage contained and prevent bodily harm during your repair by taping the glass.

    • Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPad's display until the whole face is covered.

    • This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the display.

    • Do your best to follow the rest of the guide as described. However, once the glass is broken, it will likely continue to crack as you work, and you may need to use a metal prying tool to scoop the glass out.

    • Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes, and be careful not to damage the LCD screen.

    Edit

  2. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 2, image 2 of 2

    • The iPad shown in the photos may look slightly different from your iPad, but the procedure is the same.

    • Insert a metal spudger between the right edge of the display assembly and the rear panel assembly.

    • Rotate the spudger away from you to release the tabs along the top edge of the display.

    Edit

  3. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 3, image 2 of 2

    • Insert a second metal spudger between the top edge of the display assembly and the rear panel assembly to keep the tabs from snapping back into place.

    • Pry the display assembly away from the rear panel.

    Edit

  4. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 4, image 2 of 2

    • Continue prying the display assembly away from the rear panel along the bottom and left edges of the iPad.

    • Use extreme caution as you approach the top edge of the iPad. The digitizer ribbon cable is located near the edge of the rear panel and can easily be damaged.

    Edit

  5. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the display assembly away from the rear panel assembly by its bottom edge.

    • Do not excessively lift the display assembly off the rest of the iPad, as a fragile antenna cable with very little slack still connects the two components.

    Edit

  6. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 1

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the antenna connector closest to the bottom of the iPad up off its socket on the communications board.

    Edit

  7. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1

    • In the following steps, you will disconnect the three cables attaching the display assembly to the logic board. The cables are for the following components:

    • Digitizer

    • Ambient Light Sensor

    • Display Data Cable

    Edit

  8. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 3 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 8, image 2 of 3 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 8, image 3 of 3

    • Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to flip up the retaining flaps holding the digitizer ribbon cables in their sockets on the logic board.

    • Be sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    • Pull the digitizer ribbon cables straight out of their sockets.

    Edit

  9. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 1

    • Use an iPod opening tool to remove the ambient light sensor connector from its socket by gently prying upward.

    Edit

  10. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 10, image 2 of 2

    • Disconnect the display data cable from the main board by flipping up the metal retainer by its black plastic pull tab.

    • Pull the cable connector away from its socket.

    • Pull the connector parallel to the face of the logic board.

    Edit

  11. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 11, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the display assembly from the rear panel assembly.

    Edit

  12. iPad 3G Battery Replacement, Communications Board: step 12, image 1 of 1

    • Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to carefully pry the remaining antenna connector up off the communications board.

    Edit

  14. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 13, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 13, image 2 of 2

    • De-route the control button cable along the top edge of the communications board.

    • Pull the communications cable upward to lift its connector up and out of the socket on the logic board.

    Edit

  15. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 14, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the single T5 Torx screw securing the communications board to the rear case.

    Edit

  16. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 15, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 15, image 2 of 2

    • If necessary, lift the right edge of the communications board upward to release it from the adhesive pad attached to the rear case.

    • Pull the communications board away from its socket on the logic board.

    Edit

  17. iPad 3G Battery Replacement, Logic Board: step 16, image 1 of 1

    • Carefully peel back the rubber EMI shield covering the GPS antenna socket.

    • Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to flip up the GPS ribbon cable retaining flap attached to the GPS cable's socket on the logic board.

    • Be sure you pry up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    Edit

  18. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 17, image 1 of 1

    • Pull the GPS antenna ribbon cable out of its socket.

    Edit

  19. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 18, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 18, image 2 of 2

    • Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to pry up the retaining flap on the headphone jack/microphone socket.

    • Be sure you pry up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    • Pull the headphone jack/microphone ribbon cable out of its socket.

    • Pull the cable toward the left side of the iPad.

    Edit

  20. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 19, image 1 of 1
    Tool used on this step:
    Tweezers
    $4.99
    Buy

    • Use an iPod opening tool to pry the SIM board connector up off its socket on the logic board.

    • This connector might be covered with black tape. Use tweezers to remove the tape before prying.

    Edit

  21. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 20, image 1 of 1

    • Fold the SIM cable toward the bottom of the iPad to access the speaker connector.

    • Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to pry the speaker connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

    • Pry up from beneath the wires.

    Edit

  22. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 21, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the following screws securing the logic board to the rear panel assembly.

    • Two 4.56 mm T5 Torx screws.

    • Two 3.76 mm T5 Torx screws.

    Edit

  23. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 22, image 1 of 1

    • Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to carefully pry the dock cable connector straight up off the logic board.

    Edit

  24. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 23, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the logic board out of the rear panel assembly.

    Edit

  25. iPad 3G Battery Replacement, Battery: step 24, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement, Battery: step 24, image 2 of 2

    • Use the edge of an iPod opening tool to release the SIM board from the adhesive securing it to the rear case.

    • Remove the SIM board from your iPad.

    Edit

  26. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 25, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the two 2.84 mm T5 Torx screws securing the speaker assembly to the rear panel assembly.

    • Remove the single T5 Torx screw securing the middle of the dock cable to the rear panel assembly.

    Edit

  27. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 26, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the two 2.84 mm T5 Torx screws securing the dock connector cable to the rear case.

    Edit

  28. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 27, image 1 of 1

    • Using an iPod opening tool, carefully remove the plastic cover shielding the WiFi/Bluetooth board and dock connector cable.

    Edit

  29. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 28, image 1 of 1

    • Carefully pry the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas up from their respective sockets on the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth board.

    Edit

  30. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 29, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the dock connector cable out of the rear panel assembly.

    Edit

  31. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 30, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 30, image 2 of 2

    • De-route the speaker cable from the left side of the battery case.

    • De-route the Wi-Fi antenna through its channel in the speaker assembly.

    Edit

  32. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 31, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 31, image 2 of 2

    • Lift the speaker assembly and push it forward until the ports clear the bottom side of the lower case.

    • Remove the speaker assembly from the rear panel assembly.

    Edit

  33. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 32, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 32, image 2 of 2

    • The battery is held to the rear panel by an excessive amount of adhesive. Proceed with patience and caution.

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry the battery up from the the lower case.

    • Gently continue to enlarge the gap by wiggling the spudger and running it along the right side of the battery.

    • Continue to pry until the right side of the battery is free from the rear panel.

    Edit

  34. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 33, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 33, image 2 of 2

    • Insert the flat end of a spudger under the top edge of the battery and continue to separate the adhesive.

    • Continue doing so until the top of the battery is free from the rear panel.

    Edit

  35. iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 34, image 1 of 2 iPad 3G Battery Replacement: step 34, image 2 of 2

    • When there is enough clearance, use your hands to peel the battery off any adhesive still securing it to the rear panel.

    • Remove the battery from the rear panel.

    Edit
Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

94 other people completed this guide.

13 Comments

Everything done, battery charges but screen not responsive to touch when trying to input password. It switches on/off fine and I'm able to swipe the lock button but can't input password. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Rene Alexis Penaloza Munoz - Reply

Battery replacement of my son's 2011 iPad 1. Once more invaluable help from ifixit as with an earlier G5 Dual 2.5 and also an iMac 27.

After the battery replacement some non responsive areas on the touch screen. Review revealed I had not relocked the digizer cable and once I did this with yet more replacement clips applied then a return to perfect function. Thanks for the invaluable help. Steve Henderson, Perth, Australia.

Steve Henderson - Reply

Great tutorial.

One thing i am not sure how to do is the battery pack itself, Where will i find the adhesive ? Thank you.

Cedric H.

tipex - Reply

You don’t need adhesive with a new battery pack. It will hold in place with the existing adhesive and once the iPad is reassembled, it won’t fall apart.

Peter Hillman -

I replaced the battery in my old iPad 1 Cellular model. What a PITA. You’ll break most of the clips, but it still holds together pretty well. There is a high risk of breaking the cellular antenna wires because the photo in this guide opening the display is for the Wi-Fi version, leaving out the location of the cellular board and the short length of the antenna wires. So one of the cellular wires broke the moment I raised the display, unaware that the wires were short. The wire pulled right out of the copper connector. No big deal. I replaced the battery just for fun to see if I could resurrect this old iPad that would no longer turn on. So I did it and it is back together and everything works except cell service, but I would never use cell service with it anyway. Wi-Fi works because the antenna is the Apple logo. Nice to boot up iOS 5.1.1, but it is worthless these days.

Peter Hillman -

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