iPad Pro 12.9" Home Button Replacement

Written By: Evan Noronha

Comments: 26

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the home button in a 12.9" iPad Pro.

The original home button is uniquely paired to the logic board at the factory. If you replace the home button, Touch ID will not function.

The home button attaches to the screen with an adhesive gasket. You’ll need some liquid adhesive to glue the home button to the display.

Parts of this guide were shot with a Wi-Fi model and as such, the internals may look slightly different from the LTE model. The procedure is the same for both models except where noted.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Completely power down your iPad before you begin.
If your screen is cracked, lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPad's screen until the whole face is covered.
This will keep glass shards contained and provide structural integrity when prying and lifting the screen.
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.

Step 2

Removing the screen involves using an opening pick or halberd spudger to separate the adhesive securing the screen to the frame.
As you slice through the adhesive, note the following:
The top has a large patch of thick adhesive. You'll need to slice 1/2" deep in order to cut the adhesive.
Don't slice deeper than 2 mm along the long edges of the iPad, or you risk damaging the display panel.
The lower edge also has thick patches of adhesive, but there are delicate flex cables in each corner. Don't slice deeper than 1/4" around the lower corners.
To help mark the iPad's orientation, you can apply a piece of tape to the top edge of the iPad screen.

I have an A1652 iPad pro 12.9” that was originally my wife’s. The battery doesn’t hold a charge very long in use so I read through this guide and ordered the kit and battery. This iPad has a gold colored case that appears to wrap over the edges of the screen. As a result I could not find any place to slice through the adhesive. Model number brought up on the “about” screen is ML3P2LL/A and serial is DLXR3M7LGMW5. Is this possibly a transition model? Any ideas?

wavose -

Hello! Based on the model number, it looks like you have the 1st generation cellular version of the iPad Pro 12.9". This guide should work for you. The tolerances on the iPad are very tight—you're looking for the seam between the black bezel and the gold case. You'll need a lot of heat in order to loosen the bezel.

Arthur Shi -

Step 3

Heat an iOpener and lay it over the left edge of the iPad to soften the adhesive holding the screen in place.
Alternatively, you can use a heat gun, hair dryer, or heat pad. Be careful not to overheat the iPad—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.
Wait two minutes for the adhesive to soften before proceeding to the next step. The edge should be slightly too hot to the touch.

Oven works fine: preheat to ~225 then turn off, protect back with towel and warm for 10-15 minutes. Basically the same as a car interior in summer, this skips about a dozen steps. Used mini plastic pry tools and a few picks/cards, no need for suction or iopener: yet another reason microwaves should be relegated to diners to destroy perfectly good food. Two issues from my surgery: damaged small section of screen border by carding too far inside the device while effortlessly slicing through adhesive, and one of the smart connector pins was revived from bent pin purgatory. Apple’s planned obsolescence genius truly shines through the multipin snap connectors. I detached the screen cable before disabling battery, YMMV; remainder of procedure was done to spec with disabled battery on reinstall. Screw monster only ate about 2, even after breaking an elbow sweat with 70% iso the residual adhesive should outlast the ios nerf that will bring this ipad to the grave. Much easier than first impression with oven.

Andrew Johnson -

Step 4

The next three steps demonstrate the Anti-Clamp, a tool we designed to make the opening procedure easier. If you aren't using the Anti-Clamp, skip down three steps for an alternate method.
For complete instructions on how to use the Anti-Clamp, check out this guide.
Pull the blue handle backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.
Place an object under your iPad so it rests level between the suction cups.
Position the suction cups near the middle of the left edge—one on the top, and one on the bottom.
Hold the bottom of the Anti-Clamp steady and firmly press down on the top cup to apply suction.
If you find that the surface of your iPad is too slippery for the Anti-Clamp to hold onto, use tape to create a grippier surface.

Step 5

Pull the blue handle forward to lock the arms.
Turn the handle clockwise 360 degrees or until the cups start to stretch.
Make sure the suction cups remain aligned with each other. If they begin to slip out of alignment, loosen the suction cups slightly and realign the arms.

Step 6

Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.
If your screen isn't getting hot enough, you can use a hair dryer to heat along the left edge of the iPad.
For complete instructions on how to use a hair dryer, check out this guide.
Insert an opening pick under the screen when the Anti-Clamp creates a large enough gap.
If the Anti-Clamp doesn't create a sufficient gap, apply more heat to the area and rotate the handle clockwise half a turn.
Don't crank more than a half a turn at a time, and wait one minute between turns. Let the Anti-Clamp and time do the work for you.
Skip the next two steps.

Step 7

Attach a suction cup to the left edge of the iPad's screen, above the Smart Connector port.

Step 8

While holding down the corners of the iPad, repeatedly pull up on the screen, then ease it back down to weaken the adhesive. This will eventually create a small gap in the seam.
If the edge cools down during the pulling process, reheat the edge with an iOpener before proceeding.
Once you've created a small gap, insert the tip of an opening pick into the gap.
Don't insert the pick more than 2 mm, or you risk permanently damaging the display panel.

Step 9

Lay a hot iOpener along the bottom left corner of the iPad, spanning from the opening pick to the home button.
After letting the adhesive soften, insert an opening pick or halberd spudger into the gap next to the Smart Connector.
Be careful not to insert the halberd spudger more than 2 mm.
Use an opening pick or halberd spudger to slice the adhesive along the bottom left side of the iPad. If the slicing becomes difficult, reheat the edge and try again.

Well, this is the scariest part so hold my beer. I tried something similar to the “iOpener” which is a gel filled heat/cold pack I could microwave. That was good to start warming, but I was too impatient to get the first pick under, so I got out my heat gun. Mine is a 1200 watt model and I used it on low, the tip about 3 fingers away from the glass, sweeping it over 8” sections about 10 times taking about 3 seconds per pass. It worked ok and I now have 10 picks pried under all edges. Took about 35 minutes to this point. Only difficulty here is bracing the iPad while sliding the picks under the glass - need to be careful to not knock out the picks you already have inserted.

One note I might offer is that it’s not entirely clear from your pics which is the top/bottom/left/right side because it’s hard to see the button on the screen in your pics. Another is to mark your 2mm pick depth with whiteout or something similar.

jpmist -

Step 10

Insert a pick in the bottom left corner of the iPad to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 11

Lay a hot iOpener along the upper left corner of the iPad, spanning from the opening pick to the front-facing camera. Wait a minute to let the adhesive soften.
Use an opening pick to slice the adhesive along the upper left side of the iPad. If the slicing becomes difficult, reheat the edge and try again.
Be careful not to insert the opening pick more than 2 mm as you slice along the left edge.

Step 12

Insert a pick in the upper left corner of the iPad to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 13

Reheat your iOpener and lay it over the top edge of the device. Wait a couple minutes for the adhesive to soften.
Use an opening pick to slice through the top edge of the iPad, stopping before you reach the front-facing camera.
The adhesive is thicker along the top. You'll need to slice 1/2" deep—about the thickness of the top bezel.
If the slicing becomes hard, reheat the edge and try again.

Step 14

Insert an opening pick just before the front-facing camera to keep the adhesive from resealing.

Step 15

Reheat your iOpener and lay it over the top edge of the device. Wait a couple minutes for the adhesive to soften.
Insert an opening pick or a halberd spudger blade just past the front-facing camera.
Use the opening pick to slice through the adhesive in the upper right corner.
You'll need to slice 1/2" deep—about the thickness of the top bezel.
If the slicing becomes hard, reheat the edge and try again.

Step 16

Insert an opening pick in the upper right corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 17

Soften the adhesive by heating the right edge of the iPad using an iOpener.
Use an opening pick or halberd spudger to slice along the right edge of the iPad, till you reach the lower right corner.
Don't insert the pick more than 2 mm along the right edge.
Leave an opening pick in the middle of the right edge to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 18

Leave an opening pick in the lower right corner of the iPad to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 19

Use an iOpener to heat the lower edge of the iPad.
Insert an opening pick or a halberd spudger blade 1/4" into the lower right corner of the iPad.
Slide the opening pick along the lower edge of the iPad, stopping short about 1/2" before reaching the home button.
Each lower corner has a thick patch of adhesive, but there is also a delicate flex cable. Don't slice deeper than 1/4" around the corner to prevent damaging the flex cable.

Step 20

Slide the tip of an opening pick or a halberd spudger to cut the adhesive below the home button.

Step 21

After you slice below the home button, reinsert the tip of an opening pick or a halberd spudger blade 1/4" into the lower edge.
Slice along the lower edge until you reach the opening pick.

Step 22

At this point, you've sliced through most of the screen adhesive. Use an opening pick to carefully slice any remaining adhesive along the edges until the screen is freed. If some parts are stubborn, heat the area with an iOpener to loosen the adhesive.

Step 23

The display cables in this iPad are very short. Read the next two steps before you proceed.
Do not tilt the screen about the lower edge. The display cables don't have enough slack to allow for this.
Lift up the upper edge of the screen and slide the entire screen towards the front-facing camera to access the iPad's internal components.
The display cables will tear if you raise the screen more than 80 degrees.
Use masking tape to tape the lower edge of the screen to the frame to prevent the screen from slipping.

At this step I could lift the Top edge about 4 inches to peek under it and see the cable in the center. I tugged the top edge away from the bottom some to reduce strain on the cable.

jpmist -

For me, disaster struck at this step. I was being careful but somehow lifted the wrong end and snapped the ribbon cable.

😟😟😟 Be careful It would have been helpful to label the screen's top and bottom edges with a marker and tape at the beginning of the repair process. For that matter, label right and left edges as well. Then change all dialog to reference top, bottom, left, or right. I think it would make it easier to follow the instructions

David Hobson -

Step 24

This step shows one way to support the screen using masking tape. You can also turn the iPad sideways. Make sure not to strain the display cables with whatever method you choose.
Attach a long strip of masking tape to the top edge of the screen. Fold the tape over the edge and make sure that the tape is attached securely.
Attach the other end of the strip to the bottom edge of the iPad frame to hold the screen at an angle. Make sure the tape attaches securely to the frame.

I must have crappy masking tape as the screen wanted to slip and close, so some wooden coffee stirrers helped to prop it up.

jpmist -

Just make sure you use plenty of tape on the backside of the screen and on the underside of the iPad and the tape won't slip.

trevorsklar -

Step 25

It's important to disconnect the battery before you proceed further. Detaching or connecting the display cables with the battery plugged in can cause a short that will destroy touchscreen functionality.
Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the nine screws securing the logic board EMI shield:
Eight 1.2 mm screws
One 2.4 mm screw

Step 26

Lift the logic board EMI shield from the edge nearest the top of the iPad.
Peel up and remove the EMI shield from the logic board.
This takes a bit of force due to the many tiny clips securing the shield, and the shield may deform slightly. That's okay—try to keep the deformation to a minimum, and it will lay flat when you reinstall it and screw it down.
Remove the logic board EMI shield.

So many teeth! Jiggling the shield side to side helped release it.

jpmist -

In the iPad 4G version, this is where the cellular radio sits. You might see some different chips underneath the EM shield, and a little adhesive gasket. When I pulled my EM shield off I tried not to disturb that adhesive, and put it back when I was done.

trevorsklar -

Step 27

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the 1.8 mm screw securing the battery connector.

Step 28

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 springs on the logic board that press down against the battery contact pads. You'll need to slide something thin and flexible between the contact points to disconnect the battery.

Step 29

Make a battery blocker using a playing card and slide it underneath the logic board connector to disconnect the battery.
You can also use an iFixit battery blocker. Be very careful and don't push the battery blocker underneath the connector with excessive force.
Leave the blocker there to prevent the battery connector leads from making contact until you have completed your repairs.

Step 30

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the three screws securing the display cable bracket:
Two 2.4 mm screws
One 1.2 mm screw
Remove the display cable bracket.

Step 31

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the display and digitizer cables from their logic board sockets.
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.
These cables are very delicate, and the connectors can damage easily if they're misaligned. When you reattach the cables to the logic board, try to have as much slack on the cables and gently press the connectors onto their sockets.

Would it help to draw a sharpie line between the two parts of the connector, so these can be alingned when refitting?

Mal Hatcher -

Step 32

Remove the screen.
Be sure to remove all remaining adhesive from the iPad's enclosure.
If your screen didn't come with pre-applied adhesives, use our screen adhesive application guide to install fresh pre-cut adhesive strips when reassembling your iPad.

Phew! One hour 45, took my time, maybe cut that in half if I did it again and pray I don’t have to. Working sideways, the little screws were usually caught by the battery on the bottom edge. Need a shorter Phillips than in the iFixit kit. And looks like I don’t need the pre-cut adhesives I bought as they were on the replacement screen - hopefully I can get a refund.

Good time for a coffee break before cleaning off the old adhesive. Quite a relief to get the screen off & thanks much to you guys for getting me this far.

jpmist -

Es wäre sehr schön, wenn hier noch jemand beschreiben könnte, wie man "unfallfrei" die Klebereste vom Display rundherum entfernt. Ich habe das in meinem Falle ganz vorsichtig mit Isopropanol (hochrein) getan. Die Klebereste gingen damit gut ab - trotzdem ist das eine sehr aufwendige Arbeit, bis man alles sauber hat. Zudem kann man noch so vorsichtig sein, durch die angebrachte Displayunit auf der Rückseite der Displayscheibe und die dadurch entstehende Kapillarwirkung zieht sich immer Isopropanol zwischen Display und Displayunit, was danach zu hellen Flecken führt. Ich hoffe, die verschwinden wieder, wenn das Iso abgetrocknet / ausgetrocknet ist.

Vielleicht hat jemand eine gute Idee, wie man diese Klebereste entfernt, ohne dass das Beschriebene passiert.

Markus Schnackenberg -

Markus,

I just wouldn't use any isopropyl alcohol to remove the residue. We're going to immediately apply more adhesive right after we remove the old adhesive, so if there's a little bit of sticky residue remaining, that's not a problem for us. I would just scrape as best as I could with a spudger, make sure there's no adhesive on the internals, and call it a day.

trevorsklar -

Step 33

Use tweezers to remove the tape covering the ZIF connector above the home button.

Step 34

Use the point of a spudger to lift the flap on the ZIF connector that secures the cable.

Step 35

Use tweezers to slide the cable out of the ZIF connector.

Step 36

The home button's ribbon cable is very fragile. If it gets damaged, Touch ID will no longer function.
Use an iOpener, heat gun, or hair dryer to soften the adhesive under the cable before you pry it up.
Alternatively, apply a few drops of isopropyl alcohol to the cable and wait for a minute to let the adhesive soften.

I used a heat gun on low air, set to 150°C, and very very gentle pressure with the tweezers, and it came out very easily and neatly.

trevorsklar -

Step 37

Starting from the ZIF connector, use an opening pick to separate the home button cable from the adhesive holding it in place. Stop when you reach the home button.

Step 38

The home button bracket is held in place with strong adhesive.
Apply a few drops of isopropyl alcohol to the base of the home button bracket.
Alternatively, you can use a heated iOpener to loosen the adhesive.

Step 39

Insert the edge of an opening tool under the home button bracket lip.
Pry up with steady force to loosen the bracket.
The adhesive holding this bracket can be stubborn. Apply more isopropyl alcohol or heat if it doesn't budge.

Step 40

Remove the home button bracket.
Be careful when you remove the home button bracket. There may be a small plastic washer wedged between the bracket and the button. If there is, be sure to retain this washer for reinstallation.
During reassembly, after installing the home button, you'll need to glue this bracket into place to secure it.
Scrape off as much of the old adhesive residue as you can, then clean it with acetone or high concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol.
Secure the bracket with E6000 glue, superglue, or high-strength double-sided tape. Make sure the bracket is aligned correctly before allowing your adhesive to cure, or the home button will not click when pressed.

Would be really nice if the adhesive strip kit for the screen included the adhesive bits needed to secure the existing home button to the new screen (or a new home button to an existing screen).

Marc Nelson - 28/08/19

One more thing about the bracket: you really need a strong adhesive when you put it back, so that pushing the button doesn’t dislodge it. If it doesn’t hold the button firmly, you can push the button out of its socket during normal use. Getting the bracket in and aligning it without accidentally sticking it in the wrong place or (much worse) sticking it to the fragile ribbon cable takes some very careful work.

This is an excellent guide, but I’d like to see maybe the first two steps of reassembly, showing how to do this correctly.

John Lasseter - 22/05/21

When replacing the bracket, a very slight difference in the replacement part caused the bracket to make the home button click all the time. The little white washer between the home button and the back of the glass was about 0.3 mm thicker than the original, and i had already superglued those parts together.

Fortunately, the playing card included in the kit is about 0.3 mm thick. I cut 2 small rectangles and superglued them to the feet of the bracket, so it would stand away from the home button. Then superglued the bracket on, and now it clicks perfectly. Hopefully I don't have any issues with the playing card delaminating as the home button wears, because I definitely don't know if i could get this ipad apart again (the first time was easier because the screen was already shattered).

trevorsklar -

Step 41

Gently push the home button from the front of the display inward using the tip of a finger.

The gasket tears easily, so go slower than I did. I should have heated the button up so to help the gasket release.

jpmist -

Step 42

Remove the home button.
The home button attaches to the screen with an adhesive gasket. When you transfer the home button to a new display, use some liquid adhesive to glue the button perimeter to the screen.

Conclusion

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? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Author

Evan Noronha

Member since: 06/02/15

224844 Reputation

7 comments

Do you need to reapply any adhesive to seal this back up after it is complete?

Dan Guy - 23/02/18

Yes. If you take the iPad apart most of the adhesive on the screen won’t be usable again. You can use either the specific kit for your ipad Pro that iFixIt sells, or get a roll of “red” tape (probably between 2-5mm size) and cut out pieces for all four side of the screen. You will probably also need tape or glue (such hot glue or something like B-7000) for the home button, and the metal bracket that holds the home button, since the old adhesive tends to not work a 2nd time.

Jennifer M - 14/02/19

Some LCD Assemblies come with Adhesive pre-applied, simply peel and seal. :)

Otherwise, plan on running some double-sided 3M tape before commencing new LCD Assembly Installation.

TIP: B7000 Adhesive in the bottom left and right corners will help keep it in place moving forward.

Kevin McCartney - 18/05/18

Replaced LCD and reattached home button, everything works, but the home button is lose and trying to fall inside, like it's missing something that is suppose to be between the home button and the cover that sets over it under the glass. The cover is stuck to the glass, but there's enough of a gap that the home button wants to fall inside?

Chip Teters - 15/06/18

I have the same issue, haven’t solved it yet but here is what I’ve found so far:

The home button appears to have several pieces not just one, including: 1. black gasket, 2. white or space-grey ring (paper or plastic?) around the metal part, 3. The actual glass circle button with fingerprint feature, and 4. electronics layer behind it.

When I took the button off, and re-adhered the button, the glue or tape between No. 2 and 3. above started to separate. Not sure how to put these back together since so small.

Jennifer M - 14/02/19

The guide plus a few videos made this a painless experience. my only problems are the home button no longer recognizes finger prints and iPad no longer auto shuts off when lid is closed. Not a great result for the price.

mvzagarola - 18/12/19

Successfully completed this one but I must have damaged the home button cable during removal, I was very careful but it does say the cable is very sensitive, as it will not enable touch ID. Oh well, my iPad Pro works again, yay!

Brian Crea - 12/05/20