iPhone 5s battery repair guide

The battery life is low. Your iPhone keeps crashing or won’t charge.

In this guide, we show you how to replace your iPhone 5s’ defective battery on your own. This repair can help if your iPhone crashes during heavy use because the voltage temporarily drops, you can no longer charge it or turn it on, or the battery life is very low.

Required tools

Tool for prying out batteries

Tool for prying out batteries

You have to use a very stable tool to pry out the battery. At the same time, it has to be flat enough to insert below the battery.
from €10.99 on Amazon
For storing screws

For storing screws

We recommend storing your screws so you don’t mix up the various screws and small parts.
from €10.99 on Amazon
Tweezers

Tweezers

We recommend using tweezers to remove screws and various small parts from your device.
on Amazon
Pick Set

Pick Set

You need a flat but stable tool such as a pick to pry out parts that are glued in place.
from €14.99 on Amazon
Plastic prying tool

Plastic prying tool

You need a flat plastic prying tool to disconnect the various plugs and connectors.
from €14.99 on Amazon
Steel Laboratory Spatula

Steel Laboratory Spatula

You need a flat and sturdy prying tool to disconnect glued parts.
on Amazon
Pentalobe PL1 screwdriver

Pentalobe PL1 screwdriver

You need the right screwdriver for removing pentalobe PL1 screws.
on Amazon
Phillips PH00 screwdriver

Phillips PH00 screwdriver

You need the right screwdriver for removing PH00 screws.
from €10.84 on Amazon

Required replacement part

iPhone 5s Battery

iPhone 5s Battery

from €13.97 on Amazon

Show all replacement parts for the iPhone 5s

Steps

19 Steps

Removing the enclosure screws

Step 1

Lifting the display

Step 2

Disconnecting the Home button cable

Step 3

Disconnecting the connectors

Step 4

Disconnecting the battery connector

Step 5

Disconnecting the antenna connector and Lightning connector

Step 6

Removing the screws

Step 7

Removing the speaker

Step 8

Removing the Lightning connector

Step 9

Removing the battery

Step 10

Installing the battery

Step 11

Inserting the Lightning connector

Step 12

Installing the speaker

Step 13

Connecting the battery

Step 14

Connecting the display

Step 15

Installing the Home button cable

Step 16

Attaching the display

Step 17

Fastening the enclosure screws

Step 18

Setting the time

Step 19

Getting started with the repair of your iPhone 5s

If you get stuck or have questions, you can post a comment. We’d be happy to help.

19 steps

Removing the enclosure screws
You need a pentalobe screwdriver to open the iPhone 5s.

Remove the two pentalobe screws at the bottom of the enclosure. They are located to the right and left of the Lightning connector. Put the screws in the same compartment of your organizer tray.
2 x 4.0 mm pentalobe screws
Lifting the display
Put your iPhone 5s on a soft, clean surface to avoid scratching the back.

To lift the front panel, you need a suction cup and the hard plastic pick. If the screen is severely cracked, cover all of it with packing tape.

Place the suction cup over the Home button (if possible) or next to it (see figure 1).While lifting the screen with the suction cup, insert the hard plastic pick between the aluminum frame and the display frame and press down the aluminum frame. Also use the hard plastic pick to raise the screen (see figure 2). This usually takes several attempts.
Do not lift the display more than two centimeters to avoid tearing the Home button cable below it.
As soon as you can lift the screen a few millimeters (see figure 3), you have to carefully work your way around the outside until it’s loosened on both sides (see figure 4).
Disconnecting the Home button cable
If the display is disconnected, only lift it a little bit. The Home button cable connects the display to the Lightning connector. This cable can tear if you lift the display too much.

Remove the silver cover over the Home button connector by placing the pointed tip of the spudger slightly below the cover and lifting it out (see figure 1).

Now you have to disconnect the contact from the connector.Carefully pull it off using the laboratory spatula or spudger.

Once the cable is disconnected, you can lift the display at the Home button. Note that the LCD/touchscreen cables are still connected to the logic board (see next step).
Disconnecting the connectors
First remove the four Phillips screws from the silver cover (see figure 1). Put the screws in the same compartment of your organizer tray. Then lift the cover to remove it.
1 x 1.7 mm Phillips screws (not magnetic)
2 x 1.2 mm Phillips screws
1 x 1.7 mm Phillips screw

Disconnect the following three connectors (see figure 2). Be very careful. Place the pointed tip of the spudger very slightly below the contact and lift it up.
Touchscreen
LCD
Front camera/sensor/earpiece/ambient microphone
Disconnecting the battery connector
Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the Phillips screws on the battery connector (see figure 1). Then lift the cover using the spudger (see figure 2). Put all the parts in the same compartment of the organizer tray.
2 x 1.6 mm Phillips screws

Now carefully lift the battery connector by inserting the pointed tip of a spudger slightly below the connector (see figure 3). If you don’t have a spudger, you can also try using your fingernail.
Disconnecting the antenna connector and Lightning connector
Carefully pull off the antenna connector using the laboratory spatula or spudger.

Disconnect the connector of the Lightning connector’s ribbon cable by placing the flat end of the spudger very slightly below the contact and lifting it up. Then carefully fold the cable over.
Removing the screws
Now remove the following seven Phillips screws. Put the screws in different compartments of your organizer tray so you can easily identify them later.
1 x 3.0 mm Phillips screw (smooth head)
2 x 3.5 mm Phillips screws
2 x 1.3 mm Phillips screws
2 x 2.9 mm Phillips screws
Removing the speaker
Now lift the speaker as shown in figure 1.

A little bit of the speaker is under the logic board. Turn the speaker to one side to remove it (see figure 2).

Take it out by hand.
Removing the Lightning connector
Use the spatula or spudger to loosen the headphone jack (see figure 1), the microphone (see figure 2) and the Lightning connector (see figure 3).

Insert the laboratory spatula below the ribbon cable and carefully detach it from the base. The cable is only glued in place at the point where the speaker was (see figure 4).

Now carefully remove the ribbon cable using your fingers (see figure 5).

Removing the battery
Carefully lift up the black end of the sticker and then use a pair of scissors to cut it through the middle (see figures 1 to 3).

Now you have to pull half of the adhesive strip to one side very slowly. Hold the adhesive strips as flat as possible at the level of the iPhone (see figure 4). Repeat this process for the other half and then remove the battery (see figure 5).
Installing the battery
Attach the new adhesive strips. Press the adhesive strips firmly onto the back cover before you pull off the film (see figures 1 and 2).

Now put the battery back in the iPhone (see figure 3).

Fold over the black tear-off strip in the middle.
Inserting the Lightning connector
Now put in the Lightning connector (see figure 1).

Push the nipple of the microphone’s rubber seal into the little black groove and make sure that the Lightning connector and audio jack are fitted properly against the frame (see figure 2). Now connect the ribbon cable again.
Installing the speaker
Turn the speaker to one side to put it back where it was originally. Make sure it’s inserted properly (figure 1).

Now you can fasten the Philipps screws again (figure 2).
1 x 3.0 mm Phillips screw (smooth head)
2 x 3.5 mm Phillips screws
2 x 1.3 mm Phillips screws
2 x 2.9 mm Phillips screws

Connect the antenna cable (figure 3) and the ribbon cable again.
Connecting the battery
Now reattach the battery connector (see figure 1).

Then put on the cover and screw it in place (see figure 2).
2 x 1.6 mm Phillips screws
Connecting the display
Reattach the connectors (see figure 1). The touchscreen connector sometimes comes undone when you connect the LCD connector.
Touchscreen
LCD
Front camera/sensor/earpiece/ambient microphone

Start your iPhone as soon as the connectors are securely attached. Check the function of the LCD, touchscreen, proximity sensor, front camera and earpiece.
If the connectors aren’t connected properly, stripes will appear on the display or parts of the touchscreen won’t work.

Now attach the cover and screw it in place (see figure 2).
1 x 1.7 mm Phillips screw (not magnetic)
2 x 1.2 mm Phillips screws
1 x 1.7 mm Phillips screw (magnetic)
Make sure you don’t screw the big 1.7 mm screw into a different thread because that could damage conductive paths on the logic board and cause a bluescreen.
Installing the Home button cable
This step is pretty tough. Use tweezers or the spudger to position the cable set’s connector and then use the spudger to carefully press the connector onto the connection (see figure 1).

If the connector is fitted correctly, put the silver cover over the connector. It’s easiest to position the cover using tweezers (see figure 2). Using the spudger, carefully press the cover on until it gently clicks into place (see figure 3).
Attaching the display
Then carefully fold down the screen. Make sure that the edge on the upper part of the screen where the cables are clicks into place properly. Now carefully push the screen on toward the Home button until it is properly installed in the frame.
Fastening the enclosure screws
Now screw in the two pentalobe screws at the bottom of the enclosure.
2 x 4.0 mm pentalobe screws
Setting the time
When the battery is removed from the device, the iPhone loses the time and sets itself to 1:00 a.m. on 1/1/1970.You could have trouble connecting to the cellular network if the time isn’t set.
After a repair, complete the following steps:

Synchronize your iPhone with iTunes or connect to a WLAN network and wait until the time is set.

Remove the SIM tray with the SIM card and reinsert it.

Activate airplane mode on the device and then deactivate airplane mode.