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iPad Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting for iPad Screen Replacement

Don't let this stop you; you're on the goal line. Luckily, RepairPartsPlus has developed an easy to understand troubleshooting guide that you can use to find the source of your problem and how to resolve. Works for: iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad 6, iPad 5, iPad 4, iPad Mini 4, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 2 and more. This will let you finish the repair and enjoy your iPad again!

 


 

General Troubleshooting Steps

  • First do a soft reset of your device and check if this helps.
  • Make sure your device is charged.
      1. Confirm you have the right part for your device.
        Many parts are very similar, but parts are specific to a device and models. Use our handy guides Find my model# > to look up your model number and then review against the new part. Also you can compare the new part to your original part to see if they are the same.
      1. Go back over your work. For each step, reseat/reconnect all cables and connections you touched or might have disrupted to make sure they are securely connected. The cables are super-sensitive to being just a little out of place. If the problem is with the display, then check those cables carefully. Cables are fragile so be careful to not bend or pull.
      1. Inspect and clean the connectors gently and carefully attempt to reattach the cables.
        Dirt and dust is common during a repair and will disrupt the contacts and cause display issues. Clean the connectors on the logic board and the screen. For cleaning, we recommend using 95% or higher alcohol on a q-tip. You can also use a pressurized air to blow out or if not available a soft bristled brush (like a clean tooth brush).
      1. Review more troubleshooting below for specific issues and tips.
    1. Last, try reinstalling your old part and see if it works.
      If works, contact our customer service team if you purchased from RepairPartsPlus. If it doesn't work or if you have a new problem that you didn't have before the repair, unfortunately you may have accidental damage. This isn't covered by parts warranty, but there are still ways to fix using online resources like Reddit. Experts such as repair shops or online services can also help fix it.


     

    LCD display not working / won't turn on


  • If you have an all white or all black display, try these steps. This is usually a sign of the internal software not wanting to accept the new parts.


    Start by performing a soft reset on your device. A soft reset will clear your device of any temporary data that is blocking your new part from working.

    If that doesn't fix it, it may be the battery was not disconnected properly. Always always disconnect the battery before disconnecting any other cable. With ALL the original hardware/connectors attached, disconnect the battery from the board. Slide a guitar pick between the connection to ensure no power travels from battery to logic board during repair. After all the new connectors are in place, reconnect the battery as the last step before putting everything back together. This can work to get the iPad to accept the new parts.

     


  • Check to see if your screen’s back light is on. If there is no back light in addition to no display, your new LCD is not plugged in correctly. Reattempt the repair, and make certain your new part is fully installed.

  • If you see yellowish blotches on your display, this is a sign that too much pressure has been applied to the LCD at some time. Open your device again, and make certain there is no residual glass from your original broken screen. After clearing your screen, disable your phones “Sleep mode”, and leave your device on a charger for 24 hours. The heat from a constant charge can cause the crystals inside your device to move back into place.

  • If your screen is dim and you can only see the Apple sign when you turn it on, then your backlight fuse may be blown. This usually happens, if the battery is not disconnected before repair. This accidental device damage is not covered by part warranty. We recommend having a local repair shop or an online repair service fix it for you. There are many repair services that can do this for you by mail.
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    Touch Screen Not Working


  • If your iPad touch digitizer will not respond to touch at all, make certain the flex cable is not crimped (folded too much) or damaged. The flex cable is very fragile so do not bend or handle roughly. Crimping causes micro fractures in the thin metal inside a flex cable. Once this metal is cracked, power and other impulses cannot flow through the device.

  • Also check that all your cables are fully seated and plugged in /locked. Flex cables that need to slide into position and lock can easily come loose during reassembly. The connectors need to be pushed in all the way and the white lines need to be flush against the connector. This may require some force with a tool to get it in properly.

  • If only part of your touch screen is not working such as the top third, or left side, you likely have a cable that is miss aligned. Check all the connectors on the flex cable match up. If this plug is off center, you will see problems such as this called “blocking”.

  • Blocking (where part of screen touch doesn't work) can also happen if either your digitizer flex cable, or your motherboard FPC connector plug have missing or bent pins. These pins will need to be put back in place before your device will work again.

  • Note: If pins are missing on the digitizer connector plug on the motherboard, we recommend having a local repair shop or an online repair service fix it for you as it requires micro-soldering.

  • If you have dead spots on your screen, there is likely dirt or debris on the cable ends or logic board connectors. Check all the connectors and clean off any dirt. For cleaning, we recommend using 95% or higher alcohol on a q-tip. You can also use pressurized air to blow out dirt.

  • If your iPad is acting erratic,crazy or glitchy, jumping and selecting applications, called ghost touching:


    Try all of the following to correct:

     

      1. Hard resetting iPad: Confirm iPad is on first. Then hold the Power button and the Home button simultaneously until you see an apple logo appear. (ignore the slide to power off)

     

     

      1. Check all connections, especially the connector leading to the glass digitizer.

         

        Reseat the digitizer cable to make sure it is fully inserted and not pinched. Ensure that it is fully seated within the connector clamps, and the white line on the ribbon cable lines up with the edge of the logic board connector. Lock down all the tabs to secure the cable in place. If the cable shifts during reassembly, it will cause touch issues.

     

    Ensure that when you reapply the glass that you are NOT pinching that cable between the digitizer and the housing, if it is folded or kinked it will give this type of error. This is usually the issue if the touch works well BEFORE reassembling the touch digitizer with the LCD and closing up iPad. The cable to the new glass needs to be tucked in the same fashion it was removed. If this cable overlaps itself, you will see this this issue.

     

    1. If this doesn't resolve, then you may have a short-circuit caused when installing the touch screen to the LCD. This is common on iPad Air/iPad 5 and Mini. On inside of glass panel, review the conductive adhesive tape (usually gold) along the four sides. COVER ALL of the gold tape on all 4 sides with black electrical tape or Kapton tape.

     

  • These steps should fix the issue for you.
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    iPad Home Button Not Working

     

    If home button not working after repair or during use, try this to get it to work before you open device. Helps if home button is stuck, jammed, lagging or unresponsive or broken - How to fix a home button issue on an iPad >

     

    Transfering home button

    Transfering the home button from original to new screen is the most challenging part of a repair. Take your time on this.

     

    1. Make sure you have all the components correct in the home button assembly. Here are typical components and position: Glass, spacer, home button, soft gasket then holding bracket. You can transfer or purchase home button components from the original screen including the gasket or spacer and bracket. Use adhesive to secure bracket which holds home button. If transferring gasket, apply a little heat to loosen so you don't tear.

    2. Make sure you're also using the plastic spacer ring. It positions the button at the proper depth and helps prevent the edges of the button from catching under the glass. These are delicate so be careful or they can tear. A new gasket may also help to hold button better.

     

    3. Home button not holding. You may need to use combination of adhesive and glue. Clean the bracket and the glass where the home button bracket sits with isopropyl alcohol. Apply adhesive strips on the bracket to secure it. Some repair professionals use multi-purpose B7000 liquid glue (available here or a local store like Walmart) on the left and right hand side edges of the bracket. And let the glue set for 24 hours. Here is an expert video that gives some good tips for any iPad (note: primer is not commonly used) - Transfer Home Button

     

    4. If home button will not click or doesn't lay flat, remove the digitizer, and check for any debris such as broken glass chards near the home button. This is quite common.

     

    New home button


    1. If replacing the home button during a repair, and it doesn't work, make sure the home button is on straight. If the home button is crooked won't make contact with both pins. To correct, you may need to take off home button and straighten it.

     

    2. If working with a new home button and having trouble. You may want to go back and transfer the home button assembly from the old screen to the new one.

     

    Note: As an interim solution, you may be able to use AssistiveTouch - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202658

     

    iPad Mini Home Button Not Working

    If your home button will not click at all, remove the digitizer, and check for any debris near your home button. The iPad Mini home button does not have any bracket mount to hold button in. All of the home button pressure comes from the metal housing frame of your device. If the glass digitizer is not flush after repair, the home button will not receive the pressure needed to make the button work.

     

    If you can hear a click, but you get no response from the device, double check the digitizer flex cable for any signs of nicks or crimps (excessive folding). The home button flex cable on an iPad Mini is part of the digitizer flex cable of this device. If either cable has been damaged, you will need to replace the iPad Mini digitizer before home button will work.

     

    If the cables look intact, and you can feel the “click” feature, there may be damage on the motherboard of the iPad. You may need to get help from online forums or take to a professional.

     


     

    Adhesive Not Holding / Screen Won't Stay Down - Popping Up

    If the digitizer seems to be popping out of the body near the bottom after screen replacement, it may be the flex cable ribbon is pushing it up.

    This can happen if the glass digitizer flex ribbon is bent in the wrong direction when the digitizer is installed. It will cause a lifting pressure on the screen.It's really common when replacing iPad screens, and especially the iPad Mini. When properly installed, the digitizer should lay flat without needing to force the bottom to stay shut. The Digitizer Ribbon will effectively make a sort of sideways W shape. The digitizer should rest flat without having to be held in place. Review a video instructions to see how the ribbon should go.

    If the glass digitizer is not laying flat in the corner and is bowing up, then may mean the frame has been bent from a drop. If you press on the glass corner, it can crack. You will need to adjust the aluminim frame to make the glass digitizer fit. Find more on this by searching online.

    Find more tips on using and securing adhesive here >

     


     

    More Troubleshooting for specific issues

    How to Soft Reset the iPad


    1) Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button on the top right of the iPad until you see a red arrow slider appear
    2) Drag the slider to the right
    3) The iPad will turn off
    4) Once the iPad is completely off, press the Sleep/Wake button again to turn it back on.

    The Apple logo will appear for awhile and then the home screen will appear. If this does not solve the issue, you may want to follow the next steps to perform a hard reset.


     

    How to Hard Reset the iPad


    1) Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button simultaneously for 10 – 15 seconds.
    2) The red slider will appear. Keep the buttons pressed, then the Apple logo will appear.
    3) Release the buttons and the iPad will hard reset by shutting down and then restarting