iPhone 5s - Replacing the Lightning connector

1. You need a pentalobe screwdriver to open the iPhone 5s.
2. 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

1. Put your iPhone 5s on a soft, clean surface to avoid scratching the back.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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).

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.

1. 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).
2. Now you have to disconnect the contact from the connector.Carefully pull it off using the laboratory spatula or spudger.
3. 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).

1. 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
2. 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

1. 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
2. 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.

1. 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

1. Carefully lift off the antenna cable using the laboratory spatula.

1. Now lift the speaker as shown in figure 1.
2. A little bit of the speaker is under the logic board. Turn the speaker to one side to remove it (see figure 2).
3. Take it out by hand.

1. 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.

1. Temporarily connect the new Lightning connector.
2. Then temporarily connect the battery and the display.
3. Start your iPhone and check whether the headphone jack (including remote control of the headphones) and the microphone work. Check whether your PC recognizes your iPhone.

1. 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.
2. Use the spatula or spudger to loosen the headphone jack (see figure 2), the microphone (see figure 3) and the Lightning connector (see figure 4).
3. Now carefully remove the ribbon cable using your fingers (see figure 5).

1. You need to take the following parts from the old connector:
   
   • Metal frame for the audio port (see figure 1)
   • Metal frame for the Home button connector (see figure 2)
   • Microphone’s rubber seal
   • Soft sticker

1. Now put in the Lightning connector (see figure 1).
2. 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.

1. Turn the speaker to one side to put it back where it was originally. Make sure it’s inserted properly (figure 1).
2. 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
3. Connect the antenna cable (figure 3) and the ribbon cable again.

1. Now reattach the battery connector (see figure 1).
2. Then put on the cover and screw it in place (see figure 2).
   2 x 1.6 mm Phillips screws

1. 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
2. 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.
   
3. 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.

1. 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).
2. 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).

1. 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.

1. Now screw in the two pentalobe screws at the bottom of the enclosure.
   2 x 4.0 mm pentalobe screws

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:

1. Synchronize your iPhone with iTunes or connect to a WLAN network and wait until the time is set.
2. Remove the SIM tray with the SIM card and reinsert it.
3. Activate airplane mode on the device and then deactivate airplane mode.