Replacing a Damaged iPhone Screen
Some time last year I managed to smash the screen of my iPhone. The LCD and digitiser (that's the bit that does the multitouch stuff) were both working fine, I just had to put up with pieces of broken glass coming off into my fingers and/or ear.
As of now, after the second round of repairs, I once again have a working iPhone and have a few of pieces of advice I wish I'd had before I started trying to fix it.
How it works
The screen is made up of two main parts: the LCD which does the displaying, and the glass & digitiser which does the multitouch. The glass section is glued to a plastic frame which also houses the home button.
These two parts are screwed together and then attached to the meat of the iPhone by the SIM card tray at the top and two screws either side of the 30-pin connector at the bottom.
What to buy
My first attempt at fixing this involved buying a replacement glass screen & digitiser for around £12. It was a massive disaster. Since this part doesn't come with a new plastic frame you have to scrape the pieces of broken old screen off the frame you have, melt away the glue, and then stick your new screen into place. It took me an entire evening to get it done and I ended up with a home button that got stuck a lot and a damaged LCD.
Fast forward a couple of months and I finally get around to ordering a new part; this time the whole LCD and glass screen assembly for around £47. Doing this replacement took about 5 minutes and left me with a pristine display and home button.
Getting the screen out
The absolute best way to get the screen out is to use a suction cup. Prying it out with a screwdriver or similar will damage the rubber seal around the screen which can make it sit slightly proud from the case. You should be able to pick something up at a pound store on a shower fixture or child's toy.
Swapping the screen
There are only three cables attaching the display to the case so it's a pretty quick swap out. A lot of videos show them using a little plastic tool to detach these cables, but I did it fine with a small screwdriver.
There's a little tab near these cables which got bent backwards the first time I put the screen in, blocking the SIM tray from going back in. If that happens just pull the screen out with your suction cup and try again.
Was it worth it?
In short, yes. Getting Apple to replace the screen will set you back around £140 unless you have a good sob story. Third party repair shops seem to cost around £70-£80. Aside from the financial side, I found it pretty satisfying to fix my own stuff rather than relying on manufacturer support. That's the hacker way, right?