Introduction
Use this guide to remove and replace the dual rear cameras in the iPhone 7 Plus. The rear camera assembly consists of two individual modules: one wide-angle camera and one telephoto camera.
Note: This guide instructs you to completely detach the display cables and remove the display assembly in order to better access the rear cameras—however, it's possible to remove and replace the rear cameras with the display cables still connected. Advanced readers may skip disconnecting the display in order to save time, as long as the display is properly supported and the display cables are not damaged.
What you need
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Power off your iPhone before beginning disassembly.
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Remove the two 3.4 mm pentalobe screws at the bottom edge of the iPhone.
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Measure 3 mm from the tip and mark the opening pick with a permanent marker.
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Tool used on this step:Clampy - Anti-Clamp$24.95
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Pull the blue handle backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
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Slide the arms over either the left or right edge of your iPhone.
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Position the suction cups near the bottom edge of the iPhone just above the home button—one on the front, and one on the back.
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Squeeze the cups together to apply suction to the desired area.
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Heat an iOpener and thread it through the arms of the Anti-Clamp.
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Fold the iOpener so it lays on the bottom edge of the iPhone.
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Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.
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Insert an opening pick into the gap.
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Skip the next three steps.
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Heating the lower edge of the iPhone will help soften the adhesive securing the display, making it easier to open.
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Use a hairdryer or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the lower edge of the phone for about 90 seconds in order to soften up the adhesive underneath.
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Apply a suction cup to the lower half of the front panel, just above the home button.
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Remove the following four tri-point Y000 screws securing the lower display cable bracket to the logic board:
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Three 1.2 mm screws
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One 2.6 mm screw
Is it really safe to lay the device fully open like a book? The cable leading to the LCD gets stretched across the sharp edge of the aluminum edge of the back cover.
Generally I'd say no, it's not safe. In reality I've seen a bit of variance in the cable length, and sometimes it'll be fine—but mostly I'd be prepared to prop the display up or hold it in place at a slight angle so it doesn't put too much stress on the cables. On prior iPhones it was easy to rubberband the display to a box or a can of soda, and something like that would probably work well here too. Use your own judgment.
You could stick the suction cup back on, near the right side of the phone, with the blue hook oriented in such a way that it becomes a stand for the screen. That way it won’t open much more than 90 degrees, and leaves both your hands free.
Mark -
The tri wing screws are so hard to remove. What's the trick?
I cannot remove one of the corner screws in this step and i have used the tweezers and the y000 tri tip and i am afraid that it is stripping it. is there a work around for this step?
@katmonday1 No workaround unfortunately. Make sure the driver tip is in good condition and fits the screw correctly. Seat it in the screw, hold the driver perfectly vertical, press down hard (and maintain it), and turn. It’ll come out. If it’s really stripped you’ll have to get more aggressive—try one or more of the techniques in this guide or get some help. Good luck!
A tip to remember which screw is which as the differences are pretty tiny: I used different colored sharpie fine-points and made a mark on the top of the screws before removing. I thought about having strips of tape that I stuck similar sizes to, but the coloring seemed to work more easily. I only did this for step 11 and it saved me down the road when trying to differentiate the 1.2 and the 1.3mm screws!
STOP! Before you remove Any screws, be sure to create several bins to hold the various sizes in… or mark them like Trey suggested. I failed to pay attention because I thought they were all the same… they are not. It is very hard to figure out the sizes if you remove them all and store them in a single location.
i had a piece of paper with the steps numbered that involved screws. I had double sided tape on the paper and the number of screws and thier position marked. This was so helpful in removing and then finding and installing the tiniest screws on earth. And i have TINY hands. I can’t imagine someone with large paws being able to accomplish any of this.
there is one screw thats 1.2 mm but its bigger than the others and will fit in no hole of the entire phone. i got it out bot now i have no idea where it has to go i tried every hole. can somebody help me?
what do i do if one of the screws dont want to come off
I was having a hard time removing one of the screws before I discovered the tip of the screw driver that comes with my replacement battery had already deformed. However after I switched to a better screw driver the screw came off easily. Make sure the tip is in good condition, and avoid those cheap drivers if possible.
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Remove the lower display cable bracket.
I am confused, please help. LOL the bracket, the very first one being removed. I see it has three screws the same size and one a different size? I've been trying to fix my daughter's phone and ordered a 0.6 mm Tri Wing screwdriver for iPhone 7 plus /Apple watch. It seems to fit the screws and it seems to be turning them although I can't see that well but they're not coming out. However when I used it on a smaller bracket with two screws they came right out so I'm thinking I don't have the right screwdriver I am at my Wit's End!! I have been working on this phone or attempting to for a while now. I cannot find a list anywhere of the exact size screwdrivers needed to Take apart an iPhone 7 plus. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
If your tri-wing screwdriver worked for other tri-point screws in the phone, then it should work for the screws you are struggling with! If it feels like the screws are spinning but not coming out, try to use tweezers to pull them out. I often struggle with tri-point screws, and need to apply some downward pressure to remove them. This can be risky though, as you do not want to strip the screw or damage components underneath the bracket. If you continue to struggle, you can give this driver and this bit a try.
Also be aware that the battery connector might stick to the bottom of the steel bracket. This part had me a bit puzzled at first. lol
Just gently pry the connector off the steel bracket to release it and be sure the connector isn’t allowed to accidentally reconnect to the board.
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Use the point of a spudger to lift the battery connector out of its socket on the logic board.
on reassembly, make sure that the connector cable is back in place, along side the battery, and not up, or on top in any way.
I slipped a small piece of paper under the flap.
After this step it is worth jumping to step 36 and disconnecting the lighting connector assembly (indicated with the orange rectangle) and connecting the new cable to test it out. After attaching the new lightning connector assembly, reattach the battery, and try plugging it in to see if the new assembly works correctly. If it does, then power down the phone, disconnect the battery, and disconnect the new lightning connector assembly. Then continue. If it doesn’t work, this check will save you a couple of hours of work.
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Use the flat end of a spudger or a fingernail to disconnect the two lower display connectors by prying them straight up from their sockets on the logic board.
What can happen if the battery is not disconnected before the two lower display connectors?
Hello, by my expierence and what i have learned iphone repair videos you can ‘blow up’ capacitors which one in logic board, screen is sensetive with voltages and etc….
When I removed the lower display cable bracket in step 12, the top connector stuck to the bracket and became disconnected.
My replacement screen wouldn't sit in the display connector properly, (wouldn't clip in both sides at same time) so I made sure it sat on one and it was lined up and got a thin piece of dense sponge and placed that over the connector, then proceeded to install the connector shield and screen works perfectly fine without a hitch. Very good tutorial just earnt me £25 lol
have the same issue, sometimes it doesn’t sit on the left side, other time not on the other, the difference is iphone not starting at all or looping with apple logo reboot…
ibisiki -
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Remove the three tri-point Y000 screws securing the bracket over the front panel sensor assembly connector:
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One 1.3 mm screw
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Two 1.0 mm screws
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Remove the bracket.
Posted a comment above on the first step. The screwdriver that I ordered Works taking out these two screens shown in the picture. However it does not work on the first bracket that needs to be removed. It seems that all screw sizes are somewhat different but I'm not finding a list showing different screwdriver sizes needed. Does this make sense? Could anybody please give me some advice on this thank you much.
What happens if you break “tear in half” the black tape stuff?
Unfortunately if you tear the black cable you will need to replace it !!!
Chris West the screwdriver that probably came with the kit was pentalobe to get the first two screws out to open the case. you need a .6mm Y tip driver for internal. its deceptively Phillips looking but is not it only has three blades in a Y, not 4 in a +
I called the y tip a triangle tip until I read these comments. Thanks for the correction
Hello is it if I put wrong screw can damage the board?
Care should be taken while removing the last 1.0mm screw, on the far right in the picture. This screw is screwed into another screw (or standoff) beneath the bracket. This standoff may come unscrewed and upon removing the bracket you may find the screw and standoff are still attached to the bracket. Do not lose this part if you decide to separate them , the standoff is not a normal phillips, and may require a special driver to reinstall. I used the phillips to start it back in, and relied on the screw to tighten it upon reassembly.
I know this is late bit a trick I use to put the standoffs in (had to do 2 cause someone lost the screws I was replacing) is to take the screw that goes in it srew them together loosely to give it a fake phillips head then gently screw both into the spot the standoff goes in. you can then take the phillips out (may need to put a spudger between the screw and standoff to keep the standoff down then use a tiny flathead to gently tighten the standoff down. its a few steps but makes life easier if you need to replace it quickly.
I was able to remove the first 1.0 mm three tri-point Y000 screw from the bracket but I cannot for the life of me get the other 1.0 mm screw undone or the one 1.3 mm screw undone. Any tips?
I tried pressing down a bit harder and I even put the first screw back in to see if it helped me loosen the other two but it did not work.
My screwdriver was doing the job up until this point, and I’m worried I’ll strip the screw if I keep trying.
Would appreciate any advice!
Dear IFixit: First, I want You to know I love your repair guides. I consider You to be the absolute best repair manuals available. But, hopefully as your friend I am going to point out once the bracked is removed a 2.0 mm Standoff screw should appear. It’s 1 of 2 screws holding the Antena Flex Cable in place. Rob
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Disconnect the front panel sensor assembly connector from its socket on the logic board.
Make sure that the orientation of the cable when you attach is correct! See the picture for the correct orientation. If it gets installed 180 degrees out(i.e., the ribbon goes up instead of down, then the earphone, front camera, and Home button will be inoperative. Ask me how I know!?! Worked great when installed correctly!
Thanks Kevin. I would be stuck if I hadn't read your comment!?! Great input.
That's save my life!thanks god!
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Remove the display assembly.
When removing the old adhesive from the edges, duct tape can be useful. Simply use small strips of duct tape and your spudger to press the tape’s adhesive side carefully into the edges of the phone’s display and slowly peel the duct tape away from the display. The duct tape should pick up the remaining adhesive and carry it away from the edges. use the tip of the spudger to gently scrape away any remaining dirt or film from the crease around the edge and repeat the action with a new strip of tape to pick up any dirt, adhesive or grime from the surface. This should save considerable time.
Thank you for including a link to the iPhone Display Adhesive Replacement guide, this was very helpful!
is it really necessary to remove the display? the screen connectors are delicate and I fear re-assembly errors. I changed the battery and did not remove any screen connectors. no problems.
Due to the fact that THIS is the repair guide for replacing the DISPLAY it IS necessary to remove the display connectors. There is another guide for changing the battery -- you might want to follow that one.
Hannes -
I did not remove the display and ended up ripping one of the lower display cable ribbons when I turned the phone to remove one of the connectors. Be careful. I had to get a new display and move the Touch ID button.
I think that moving the replacement of the seal lower in the chain of events would be more beneficial. I'm replacing the battery, and stretching the adhesive tabs that held the battery in at a low angle kept sticking themselves to the newly-installed adhesive seal.
In the end, I wound up having to just remove the section of the seal along the bottom of the case :-/
If I'd been looking at the bigger picture, I'd have wanted to put the seal on right before reattaching the screen cables.
This guide does not show you the removal process for the top camera assembly. My screen looks like the one pictured but my replacement doesn't have the top connector or any of the front facing camera components and since the ribbon for the connectors looks like its coming out from underneath the display I can't see how to swap it over to the new display.
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Tool used on this step:Standoff Screwdriver for iPhones$5.49
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Remove the two screws securing the rear-facing camera bracket:
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One 1.6 mm Phillips screw
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One 2.2 mm standoff screw
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Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.
To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or search our Answers forum for help.
Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.
To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or search our Answers forum for help.
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61 other people completed this guide.
12 Comments
Has anybody done the replacement of the cameras glass? I need to do it on mine because it cracked but I want to know if I have to add any type of adhesive and if so which kind/brand?
Its super easy to do.. I have a guide complete but it has no pictures :(
You can follow this guide.. its kind of the same procedure, all you have to do is take out the old and put the new one in. if it does not stick properly, like it being loose, you can then apply a little bit of super glue or any adhesive.. the phone will not be waterproof/ water resistant tho.
i would not recommend superglue (cyanoacrylate). i’ve seen it fogging up nearby surfaces while hardening. could be bad on the lens.
Hello. Does anyone know how to replace the rear camera’s flashlight. My iphone 7 plus rear camera and flashlight need to be replaced. Not only the camera itself. I didn’t find the flashlight sparepart itself in this website :(
Hi. Are there any replacement for rear camera and flashlight component for iphone 7 plus. Because my rear camera and flashlight is not working. And I didn’t find any component in Ifixit. Please help.
I don't know if you already try it but you should try to replace rear camera first. Is not common that flex to go bad unless is broken or liquid damaged.
Can't find the part tho'.
Hello, i found a soluziotion for my cam that doesn’t works after phone fell down. Basically it’s a reflow monitored with a termocouple in a oven..
Hey, my Iphone 7’s rear camera is broken and I need to replace it. I now see that there is a dual camera option… but is my one camera phone equipped for a simple upgrade to such… or should I just stick with the single camera. Thanks, Robert
Hi Robert,
This guide is actually for the iPhone 7 Plus. You’ll want to follow this guide, which is for the iPhone 7.
Will done 👍🏻👍🏻
The recommendation of discharging the battery is completely unnecessary. Even a 25% charged battery can explode. Completely ridiculous suggestion.
pargoff - Reply
The risk of thermal runaway on these batteries decreases with the battery's SOC (state of charge). Below 50% charge the risk is fairly low, and at 25% charge the risk of a thermal event is near zero. If I recall correctly, the same suggestion appears in Apple's official (non-public) service manuals for the iPhone.
Jeff Suovanen -
@jeffsu Yes, that is correct. Apple does require all certified staff to discharge the battery below 25%. This is an industry standard for all LiION batteries. If you don’t want to do this, just make sure to not puncture the battery and disconnect it first thing.
iHelpU.Tech - Reply
Hang on a second here, doesn’t the Ifixit part I ordered come with the seals? The display assembly? It doesn’t. Now I have to wait another week?!
Vanessa Pinter - Reply
How do you turn off if the screen isn’t responding to touch?
adam - Reply
The replacement battery came with the seal—but how do you put it on???
lkollar - Reply
Instructions for replacing the seal are here: iPhone Display Adhesive Replacement
bester - Reply
I just found the instructions on how to install the seals AFTER I was completed and had to figure it out. Maybe, just maybe you should link this somewhere on the guild instead of buried in a comment. Just a thought.
Charles Meitin - Reply
Step 1 is: Read through all the steps and comments or the method prior to starting on this Step 1. There's a lot of much needed information and experience that you can learn from which will reduce the chance of struggling, wasting time or even breaking your device.
My favourites are:
Use a hot water bottle.
Label all screws you remove with their size and location on a piece of paper with double sided sticky tape.
Test the lightning assembly at step 13
There is a Standoff driver bit in the box, don't use a screwdriver.
etc...
Neil Eriksen - Reply
A tip for looking out for all those little screws. I used an ice block tray, for all the little screws etc. I numbered each with the step number, as in the instructions, but not all steps have bits to look out for. Where two different size screws are used I had a tray for each size and marked step a and step b. For this I coloured each tray sticker with the colour of the screw as shown in the instructions. All this worked a treat with no confusion or using the wrong part.
Herb
Herb Adler - Reply
The screw size for those with a screw set is P2.
Gareth Flandro - Reply