Follow this guide to remove or replace the liquid crystal display (LCD) in an iPad 7 for both Wi-Fi only and cellular models. Unlike newer iPads and most phones, the glass digitizer and LCD on the iPad 7 are not fused together.
Be very careful when you isolate the battery using a battery blocker. The battery contacts are easily damaged, resulting in irreversible damage. If you choose to complete the guide without isolating the battery, avoid using metal tools except when completely necessary (like when removing screws) to prevent shorting the battery and damaging sensitive circuit components.
Some photos in this guide are from a different model and may contain slight visual discrepancies, but they won't affect the guide procedure.
Throughout the repair procedure, as the iOpener cools, reheat it in the microwave for an additional thirty seconds at a time.
Be careful not to overheat the iOpener during the repair. Overheating may cause the iOpener to burst.
Never touch the iOpener if it appears swollen.
If the iOpener is still too hot in the middle to touch, continue using it while waiting for it to cool down some more before reheating. A properly heated iOpener should stay warm for up to 10 minutes.
If you don't have a microwave, follow this step to heat your iOpener in boiling water.
Fill a pot or pan with enough water to fully submerge an iOpener.
Heat the water to a boil. Turn off the heat.
Place an iOpener into the hot water for 2-3 minutes. Make sure the iOpener is fully submerged in the water.
Use tongs to extract the heated iOpener from the hot water.
Thoroughly dry the iOpener with a towel.
The iOpener will be very hot, so be careful to hold it only by the end tabs.
Your iOpener is ready for use! If you need to reheat the iOpener, heat the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and place the iOpener in the water for 2-3 minutes.
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.
While the iPad looks uniform from the outside, there are delicate components under the front glass. To avoid damage, only heat and pry in the areas described in each step.
As you follow the directions, take special care to avoid prying in the following areas:
Carefully place a suction cup halfway up the heated side.
Be sure the cup is completely flat on the screen to get a tight seal.
While holding the iPad down with one hand, pull up on the suction cup to slightly separate the front panel glass from from the rear case.
If your iPad's screen is badly cracked, covering it with a smooth layer of clear packing tape may help the suction cup adhere. Alternatively, use a strong piece of tape (such as duct tape) and fold it into a handle.
Take the first pick you inserted and slide it up toward the top corner of the iPad.
If you can see the tip of the opening pick through the front glass, don't panic—just pull the pick out just a little bit. Most likely, everything will be fine, but try to avoid this as it may deposit adhesive on the front of the LCD that is difficult to clean off.
Slide the opening pick along the top edge of the iPad, stopping just before you reach the camera.
The third image shows where the front-facing camera and housing are in the iPad.
Avoid sliding the opening pick over the front facing camera, as you may smear adhesive onto the lens or damage the camera. The following steps will detail how to best avoid disturbing the front facing camera.
Insert a new opening pick and slide it to the middle of the right edge of the iPad, releasing the adhesive as you go.
The display cables are located approximately halfway from the bottom of the iPad. Stop sliding the pick when you get ~4.5" from the bottom of the iPad.
Leave the pick from the last step in place to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.
With a new pick, slice gently over the left-hand antenna, stopping before the home button.
Only slide the pick from the outer edge toward the center of the iPad. Do not move the pick back toward the outer edge, as moving in this direction may damage the antenna.
If you need to slide the pick over the lower section more than once, remove it and re-insert at the outer edge, and slide inwards.
With the adhesive loosened, you can now insert the pick near the right-hand corner. Slide the pick to the left, and stop just short of the Home button.
Just like with the left antenna, only slide from the outer edge toward the center. Reversing this direction may damage the antenna.
Be very careful with this step. Take your time and ensure the adhesive is hot and soft, and that you've been through all of the adhesive with an opening pick. Don't be afraid to stop and reheat.
On the side of the iPad opposite the volume controls, you should have a pick lodged into each corner. Twist the picks to lift the glass slightly, separating the last of the adhesive along the display cable edge.
If you encounter a significant amount of resistance, leave the picks in place, reheat, and reapply the iOpener to the problem areas.
Once all of the adhesive has been separated, open the front glass like a page in a book and rest it on your workspace.
During reassembly, clean the remains of the adhesive from the case (and the front glass if you are re-using it) with isopropyl alcohol, and replace the adhesive using our display adhesive application guide and pre-cut adhesive strips.
It's easy to pinch a flex cable between the front glass and the iPad's frame during reassembly. Be mindful of the flex cables and make sure they gently fold and tuck under the frame. If the folds in a flex cable are pressed completely flat, it may be damaged beyond repair.
These photos show what the battery connector looks like underneath the logic board. Use these photos as a reference while you safely disconnect the battery.
Notice that the battery connector has cantilever springs on the logic board that press against the battery contact pads. Since both the logic board and battery are glued down, you'll need to slide something thin and flexible between the contact points to disconnect the battery.
Be careful when you isolate the battery using a battery blocker. The battery contacts are easily bent or broken, resulting in irreversible damage.
Ensure that the iFixit logo on the battery blocker is facing up.
Slide the battery blocker underneath the logic board's battery connector at a 35 degree angle.
Don't push the battery blocker underneath the connector with excessive force. If you're having trouble fitting the battery blocker underneath the logic board, you can try using a playing card to disconnect the battery instead.
The battery blocker or playing card ideally should slide under the logic board without encountering any blockages. After insertion, it should rest at about a 15 degree angle.
Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the LCD cable by lifting straight up on the press connector.
To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.