iPhone 16 Pro Max Teardown & Repair Guide: Complete Disassembly and Reassembly
Hello everyone, welcome to HowFixit. In this video guide, we will completely disassemble the iPhone 16 Pro Max to replace any faulty parts. You will learn how to replace the Mid-Frame Housing, back glass, display, camera, battery, logic board, face ID, speaker, power or volume button, and charging port. All assembly steps are included, so you can successfully complete the repair. Before starting, let’s go over the tools required for this repair: Screwdrivers: Pentalobe 0.8 mm, Tri-Wing 0.8 mm. Tweezers Plastic pry tools Suction Cup Screen disassembly tool – this tool is essential for easing the separation of the screen from the device Waterproof Adhesive Tape Battery Adhesive Strips I’ve provided links to all tools and replacement parts in the description below.
For the best results, I advise using a magnetic mat to organize screws and small parts throughout the disassembly process, especially for repairing a device like an iPhone 16 Pro Max. This will make the reassembly much easier and you don't have to worry about the screws getting lost; they will all securely adhere to the magnetic mat. Now, let's get started. Start by pressing and holding the volume up and power buttons to turn off your iPhone. Remove the two screws located near the charging port. Use a hair dryer to warm the back glass for about a minute, until it's warm to the touch.
If you have a heat gun, set it to 90°C — this temperature is safe for the glass and will soften the adhesive. Place a suction cup near the bottom edge of the back glass, then gently lift. Insert a blade edge into the small gap between the chassis and the glass to carefully separate the adhesive and create a gap for inserting a plastic tool.
Heat each edge of the back glass as you work around it, and don’t insert your tool deeper than 3 millimeters to avoid damaging internal components. Remember, a well-warmed surface is the key to successful backglass removal. Ensure the surface stays warm as you work around the edges; this helps make adhesive removal easier. At the top of the back glass, two metal hinges hold it to the chassis. When opening this area,
use a pry tool to gently slide the back glass down, releasing it from these hinges. Carefully lift the back glass, being mindful of the cable attached to the logic board. Remove the screws securing the battery and back glass connector covers.
Using a plastic spudger disconnect the battery and back glass cables. Unscrew and remove the Taptic Engine cover. Disconnect the Taptic Engine cable and carefully peel it away. Remove the Taptic Engine. Remove the screws securing the bottom speaker. Remove the bottom speaker. The battery is held by three stretch-release adhesive strips. To remove the battery, you need to carefully pull these adhesive strips.
Use tweezers to peel down the black pull-tab at the end of the adhesive strip. Remember, very carefully use sharp tools near the battery to avoid puncturing it. Using blunt-nosed tweezers to grab the pull-tab and slowly pull it away from the battery. Be patient - pull slowly to allow the adhesive to stretch and release. If an adhesive strip breaks and can’t be retrieved, apply a small amount of isopropyl alcohol beneath the battery. Let it sit for a minute to soften the adhesive, then remove the battery.
Remove the battery. Detach cables from the logic board. Remove the screws securing the Lidar sensor and remove it. Remove the screws holding the camera module. Remove the camera module. Remove the Face ID module.
Remove the screws securing the ear speaker and remove it. Remove the screws securing the Charging Port. The charging port is secured with adhesive. Warm it up with a hair dryer before removing it safely. Remove the Charging Port.
Remove the four screws and warm the area with a hair dryer. Detach the bottom microphone cable. If your iPhone’s bottom microphone is malfunctioning, replacing this cable should solve the issue. Remove the screws securing the front microphone cable. Using tweezers, separate the front microphone from the chassis, then remove the last screw.
Warm the cable to ensure a safe removal. Remove the cable. If the front microphone on your iPhone isn't working, replacing the cable can fix this issue. The next step is removing the logic board, but the display cables are still connected to the back of the board. Disconnecting the display cables first before fully removing the logic board is safer.
Use a hair dryer to gently heat the bottom edge of the iPhone for around one minute until the screen is warm to the touch. If you’re using a heat gun, set it to 80°C – this will soften the adhesive without risking screen damage. Place the suction cup near the bottom edge of the screen and gently pull it up. Insert the blade edge into the thin gap between the screen and the frame. Apply slow, steady pressure to separate the screen. If the screen is still difficult to lift, apply more heat and try again until you make a sufficient gap to insert a plastic spudger. Remember, a well-warmed screen is the key to successful display removal. Heat each edge of the screen as you work around
it, and don’t insert your tool deeper than 3 millimeters to avoid damaging internal components. Two metal hinges secure the display at the top. When opening this area, use a pry tool to gently slide the display down to release it from these hinges. Carefully lift the screen, mindful of the cables connecting it to the logic board. Remove the screws securing the brackets over the front sensor and display connectors. Using a plastic spudger disconnect the front sensor and display cables from the logic board.
Take out the SIM card tray and unscrew the logic board. Disconnect the remaining cables and remove the board. If your iPhone 16 Pro Max has a faulty logic board or if you need to replace it due to activation lock issues, installing a new logic board can resolve the problem. However, remember that the new logic board must be calibrated with Repair Assistant to function correctly with the battery, display, Face ID, camera, and enclosure. To complete this calibration successfully, you’ll need the email address and Apple ID password previously used with the iPhone to unlock and pair these components. I’ll demonstrate this process in more detail during the reassembly and testing stages.
Remove screws securing the Power Button and Control Button flex cable to the chassis. Remove the buttons flex cable from the chassis. The mechanical Control Button is integrated on the same flex cable as the Power Button. If either the Control or Power Button does not work, replacing this flex cable should fix the issue. However, it’s important to note that the Control Button consists of both a sensor and a mechanical component. The sensor is welded to the chassis,
making it nearly impossible to remove or replace without replacing the Mid-Frame Housing. Additionally, the touch-sensitive part of the Control Button is linked to your Apple ID. Therefore, when replacing the Mid-Frame Housing assembly with the Control Button, calibration with the Repair Assistant is required. I’ll cover this calibration process in detail during the reassembly and testing stages. Remove screws holding the Volume and Action Buttons flex cable.
Remove the buttons flex cable from the chassis. Replacing this cable will restore function to these buttons if they’re not working. At this stage, we’ve fully disassembled the iPhone 16 Pro Max. If your Mid-Frame Housing is bent or damaged, now is the time to replace
it. You’re also equipped to repair any faulty components. You’ll find links to all the replacement parts for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, in the video description below. Before starting the reassembly, I recommend taking a short break—this will help you stay focused and careful throughout the repair process. Reassembly During the reassembly process, watch the screws. Remember, using the wrong screw during iPhone
assembly can lead to several issues, including: 1. Misalignment Issues: Using a screw that’s too short or too long can prevent parts from aligning properly, potentially causing flex in the components, loose connections, or gaps in the frame, which affects the phone's durability and appearance. 2. Stripped Threads: If a screw doesn’t fit correctly, it may strip the internal threads, making it difficult to secure components properly or remove the screw in the future without specialized tools. 3. Increased Risk of Electrical Short: Incorrect screws in areas around the battery or connectors may create an electrical short, damaging the battery or causing potential safety hazards, like overheating. To avoid these issues, it's essential to
track screws during disassembly and ensure they’re reinserted in the correct locations. Paying attention to connectors and ensuring they’re clean and dust-free during reassembly is essential for several reasons: 1. Reliable Connections: Dust or debris on connectors can interfere with the secure attachment of components. When connectors aren’t properly seated, it can lead to issues like unresponsive displays, malfunctioning cameras, weak or no signal, and even failure to power on. Clean connectors help ensure a stable connection, allowing components to communicate efficiently. 2. Reduced Risk of Short Circuits:
Dust and debris can create small conductive paths between connector pins, potentially causing electrical shorts. These shorts can damage sensitive parts of the logic board, permanently harming the device and requiring costly repairs. Use only an anti-static brush to clean the connectors. Using an anti-static brush is vital because static electricity can damage sensitive iPhone components. An anti-static
brush safely removes dust without generating a static charge, unlike regular brushes or cloths, which might create static that can fry circuits or damage chips. Double-checking the connections of cables to connectors when assembling an iPhone is crucial for several reasons: 1. Improperly connected cables can lead to various malfunctions, such as unresponsive buttons, cameras, speakers, microphones, or sensors. If a cable is only partially connected, the component may function intermittently, causing unpredictable behavior. 2. Misaligned or loose connections can create
high resistance, leading to overheating or damage to both the connectors and the attached components. If certain pins are misaligned, it could cause a short circuit, potentially damaging the logic board. 3. Reducing the Need for Reassembly: Realizing that something is disconnected after reassembly means opening up and disassembling the iPhone again. Double-checking connections ensures you won’t need to go back in to fix an overlooked issue. Taking the extra time to double-check each connection ensures a thorough, reliable repair, minimizing the need for rework.
Using the wrong screw, dust in the connectors, or a loose cable connection are the most common issues that can cause an iPhone to malfunction after reassembly. By carefully following each step and addressing these potential problems, you’ll ensure a reassembly and complete the repair successfully. Now it’s time to install the battery. Attach new adhesive strips to the back of the battery. These strips will hold the battery securely in place while
still allowing for easy removal if you need to replace it again in the future. Carefully place the new battery into the housing, ensuring that the battery cable connector aligns perfectly with the socket on the logic board. Once in place, press down slightly to secure the battery with the adhesive strips. Once everything is reassembled, power on your iPhone and test all functions. Calibrate the Parts with Repair Assistant After repair, calibrate your replacement parts to ensure full functionality using Repair Assistant. Go to Settings, then select General, and then the About section.
You will see a new section Parts & Service History, go to it. Tap Restart & Finish Repair to begin using Repair Assistant. Ensure your device is connected to Wi-Fi and has over 20% battery to complete the calibration. After rebooting, you'll see the Repair Assistant, select Continue.
On the next screen choose a Wi-Fi network. Then begins the configuring phase, which may take several minutes. Once calibration is complete, select Restart iPhone to complete the repair process and continue using your iPhone. If you're unable to finish the repair with a Repair Assistant, here are some tips that can solve this problem: 1. Make sure that your device is connected to the
internet using a stable Wi-Fi connection. 2. Make sure that your device has more than 20 percent battery. 3. Restart your device and try to follow the steps again to finish the repair. 4. Make sure the replacement part is installed correctly. Re-connect the replaced module
and try to follow the steps again. 5. Replacement part from a third-party supplier. Not every third-party parts manufacturer can guarantee the successful completion of Repair Assistant. Although you can see the message that this part is not functioning as expected, you can continue using your iPhone. But your replacement module will have an Unknown status in the Parts & Service History section. 6. Replacement part protected by Activation Lock. If you reuse a replacement module from an iPhone that's protected by Activation Lock
(which means this module is still linked to the previous owner's Apple Account), you need to authenticate with the Apple Account used with the previous device to finish the repair. When using Repair Assistant to finish the repair, you'll be asked to enter the email address or phone number and password that was used to set up the previous owner's iPhone paired with this module to unlock it. If you don't finish the Repair Assistant, you can continue using your iPhone, but the part might not perform as well as a calibrated part and your replacement module will have an Unknown status in the Parts & Service History section. Verify all modules, such as Face ID, camera, buttons, charging port, microphones, sensors, and speakers, are working properly. Now that we've verified everything is working, let's proceed to restore water resistance.
First, remove the old adhesive tape from the iPhone’s frame. Once the iPhone is opened, the adhesive tape loses its sealing properties and can no longer protect your device from water and dust. To restore water resistance, you’ll need to apply new waterproof sealing tape around the frame. However, if you don’t have the new adhesive tape on hand,
it’s best to leave the old tape in place until you’re ready to replace it. Use isopropyl alcohol (91% or higher) on a cotton swab to clean any remaining adhesive. This is important for better adhesion of waterproof sealing tape. Ensure you’re applying the tape on the correct side and that it aligns precisely with the edges of the iPhone frame. Carefully position the new adhesive sealing tape around the frame. Make sure the tape aligns with the edges. Use a plastic spudger to press down the adhesive tape around the perimeter of the frame. Once the tape is in place, grab the small
pull-tab and peel off the front liner to expose the adhesive. Use a rubber blower to remove any dust from camera lenses for a clean, professional finish. Reconnect the back glass cable, then the battery, and secure it with screws. Press down around the edges to seal the back glass. We are done with the back glass, let's move on to restoring the sealing adhesive tape on the display. Remove the old adhesive tape from the
iPhone frame and clean any remaining adhesive with isopropyl alcohol. Use isopropyl alcohol (91% or higher) on a cotton swab to clean any remaining adhesive. Carefully align the adhesive sealing tape with the iPhone frame and press it into place with a spudger. Reconnect the display and sensor connectors, and secure the brackets with screws.
Press down around the screen edges to ensure a snug fit. Finally, fasten the two screws near the charging port to complete the assembly. If you found this guide helpful, give us a thumbs up and subscribe for more tech tips and guides. Visit our website for more tech insights and Do-It-Yourself guides. Remember,
every tech challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow, and we’re here to guide you. The repair is complete. Thank you for watching HowFixit, and we’ll see you next time!
2024-11-14 02:52
