Replacing display on the iPhone 14 Plus

To prepare for iPhone 14 Plus disassembly, power it down and ensure the battery is under 25% to reduce fire hazards.

1. Turn off the iPhone. 
2. Remove the two 6.75 mm pentalobe screws at the bottom with a Pentalobe PL1(0.8mm) screwdriver

Remember, opening the device will compromise its water resistance. Have a replacement seal ready, as your iPhone won’t be waterproof without it.

Begin by wearing protective ESD gloves to prevent any static damage to the iPhone's internal components.

1. Apply heat to the edges of the iPhone's display using a hair dryer or heat gun. Aim to evenly distribute the heat for approximately 3 minutes until the temperature reaches about 80°C (176°F). The display should be hot to touch.
2. The purpose of heating is to loosen the adhesive that secures the display to the phone's frame, making it easier to open.

Be mindful of the flex cables along the left edge of the iPhone. When using a pick or card to open the phone, avoid the area marked for these cables to prevent any potential harm to the device's functionality.

There are two common methods to open the iPhone's display. The first method involves using a suction cup, and the second, a specialized securing tool which is considered to be a safer option.

 In this guide we will use the suction cup method:

To ensure a safe opening of the iPhone, position suction cups near the bottom edge—one on the front and another on the back—and press down gently to secure them.
If you're using just one suction cup, place it on the bottom edge of the phone's front, avoiding the glass edge to prevent damage.
Hold your phone firmly and pull on the suction cup to create a small gap between the display and the phone's frame.
Once the gap is created and has around 3mm, insert a plastic pick or a thin card into the gap.

The display is secured with strong adhesive, so applying significant force is necessary to start prying it open. If it's challenging, reapply heat to the bottom edge and carefully move the display up and down to soften the adhesive. Continue until there's enough space to slide in the card.

Heat the right side of the iPhone, where the power button is, using a hair dryer or heat gun. Aim for about 90 seconds or until the screen is too hot to touch.

Insert the pick or card at the bottom right corner and carefully slide it up to the top right corner, loosening the adhesive along the way.

Be cautious not to push the pick or card in more than 3 mm to avoid damaging the iPhone's internal parts. If necessary,you can mark the 3mm on your pick beforehand.

Once at the top, leave the pick or card in place before continuing.

Warm the top edge of the iPhone with a hair dryer or heat gun for around 90 seconds.

The screen should become very hot.

Use the pick or card to carefully loosen the adhesive at the top right corner.

Make sure the tool remains in the left top corner before you continue with the next steps.

Heat the left edge of the iPhone for about 90 seconds using a hair dryer or heat gun. The screen should be heated until it's too hot to touch.

Insert the pick or card at the bottom left corner. Gently slide it along the edge to release the display clips. Watch out for the flex cables on this side to avoid damage!

If the adhesive is difficult to separate, reapply heat to the left edge to loosen it.

Once the adhesive is loosened and the screen is separated from the frame, carefully remove the suction cup/s.

Open the iPhone 14 Plus by flipping the display to the left, similar to opening a book.

It's important to support the display during this process to prevent ripping the flat flex cable that links the display to the motherboard.

At this stage, avoid detaching the display completely as it's still connected to the iPhone's motherboard by several fragile flat flex cables.

Warning: If the battery is damaged stop the repair!

When reassembling, place the display in its original position and line up the clips along the top edge first. Gently press the top edge into place, and then proceed to secure the rest of the display. If the display doesn't fit easily, check the clips around the perimeter for any bends or damage before attempting again. This ensures the display is attached securely and correctly.

To remove the connector cover on the iPhone, use a Y000 screwdriver to remove the the 0.8 mm-long screw. Then, carefully use tweezers to lift and detach the cover. Grab it near the screw hole.

Utilize the sharp end of the spudger to detach the display cable by lifting the connector directly upward from its socket.

Use a Y000 screwdriver to unscrew the 1 mm-long screw that fastens the front sensor connector bracket.

Hold the end of the connector bracket with the screw hole using tweezers.

Gently lift the bracket to release the latch on the opposite side and take out the front sensor connector bracket.

Ensure the bracket snaps back into place during reassembly.

With the pointed tip of the spudger, gently pry the front sensor cable's connector upwards to detach it from its socket.

1. Carefully lift the display away from the phones body.
2. Place the removed display on a clean, flat surface to avoid contamination or damage.

Warning: Be cautious not to touch the TrueDepth camera, grounding springs, or nearby components to prevent damage or static discharge. Handling these parts can affect the functionality of your iPhone.

Use a Y000 screwdriver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the front sensor bracket. Then, carefully take off the front sensor cover bracket using tweezers or your fingernails, ensuring not to damage any nearby components.

Apply heat to the top edge of the iPhone screen using a heat gun, hair dryer, or hot plate. Exercise caution to avoid overheating, as the display is sensitive to heat damage. Ensure the heat is distributed evenly and monitor the temperature closely during the process.

1. Carefully insert a pick or card between the ambient light sensor and its slot on the screen.
2. Gently elevate the tool to separate the sensor from the screen without causing any damage.

Position an opening pick between the proximity sensor and its slot on the screen.
Carefully apply a slight upward pressure with the pick to lift and detach the proximity sensor from the screen.

Carefully use tweezers or your fingertips to reposition the proximity sensor cable, ensuring it's moved away from the iPhones screen to prevent any damage during the repair process.

1. Slide an opening pick under the microphone cable, close to the microphone (the metal rectangle).
2. Carefully work the pick around the microphone's edges to ease the adhesive and lift the microphone from its housing.

If the adhesive on the iPhone 14 Plus has cooled down, reheat the assembly using a heat gun or hair dryer for approximately one minute. This will soften the adhesive again.

Then, place a pick under the left side of the front sensor assembly and gently slide it underneath to separate the assembly from the frame.

Be cautious to avoid damaging any components during this step.

Reattach the sensors to their specific slots in the iPhones frame to help align the main part of the assembly.

If any components have lost their stickiness, secure them back into place using double-sided tape.

This ensures a firm hold and proper alignment during reassembly.

Remove the existing adhesive from the iPhones edges by using the spudger tool. Applying a small amount of isopropyl alcohol can assist in loosening the adhesive.

Fit new adhesive along the iPhone's perimeter. Reattach the battery by reversing the initial steps.

The fresh adhesive maintains the iPhone's water and dust resistance.

Peel off the protective film before setting the new screen in place.

Be aware that opening your iPhone compromises its water-resistant seal. Prepare a replacement seal beforehand. Without it, your iPhone will lose water resistance, increasing the risk of dust and moisture entering.

Install the new LCD display and attach the speaker assembly and front sensor assembly to it.

Inspect the phone's interior for any leftover screws or small components and remove them.

To reassemble your iPhone, reverse the steps starting from step 16. Once reassembled, carry out a forced restart to potentially avoid certain problems.