iPhone 16 Back Glass
Before You Begin
Warning
Read Battery Safety and follow workspace and battery handling guidelines before you begin.
Read Broken Glass Safety before you begin.
Improper replacement, improper handling of parts, or failure to follow the provided instructions may cause malfunctions. Additionally, wireless charging may appear slow or the iPhone may not charge properly. These events could result in injury, or damage to the device, parts, or other property.
Tools
Torque driver (blue, 0.65 kgf cm) (923-0448)
Torque driver (green, 0.45 kgf cm) (923-00105)
Security bit (923-0247)
Micro stix bit (923-01290)
Nylon probe (black stick) (922-5065)
ESD-safe tweezers
Adhesive removal tool (923-09176)
Adhesive cutter (923-01092)
Ethanol wipes or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipes
6.1-inch repair tray (923-10712)
Camera cap (923-10716)
Display press (661-08916)
Cut-resistant gloves. Gloves may vary by region.
Heat-resistant gloves. Gloves may vary by region.
Safety glasses with side shields
Refer to a full list of tools required for all repairs.
Important
Read Heated Display Removal Fixture if you’re setting up the fixture for the first time.
If you replace this part, it is recommended to run Repair Assistant in order to finish the repair. Repair Assistant will be available on the device after you’ve completed all reassembly steps.
Removal
Use a torque driver and the security bit to remove the two security screws, one from each side of the USB-C connector. Set aside the screws.
Use the heated display removal fixture to heat the back glass adhesive.
Refer to the Heated Display Removal Fixture Operating Manual for instructions.
Remove the iPhone from the heated display removal fixture and place the iPhone in the repair tray with back glass faceup and the USB-C connector facing the cutout.
Using the adhesive cutter, finish cutting along the sides and top of the iPhone until the back glass is free. Then, open the iPhone by tilting the back glass onto the repair tray suction cups.
Insert the edge of the adhesive cutter between the back glass and the enclosure. Hold the adhesive cutter at a 45-degree angle. Cut along the sides until you reach the antenna bands.
Slide the back glass toward the bottom of the iPhone until you see a slight gap. Insert the adhesive cutter at a 45-degree angle into the top of the iPhone and cut along the top until the back glass is free. Avoid damaging the speaker grille.
Caution: To avoid damaging the flex cables, don’t tilt up the bottom of the back glass more than 5 degrees.
Insert the repair tray suction cups into the slots in the repair tray.
Note: The icon on the bottom of the tray indicates the direction to lift the back glass and the correct side to place the suction cups.
Covering the camera is recommended to prevent contamination.
Note: Wearing nitrile or lint-free gloves is recommended when covering the camera.
- Caution: Don’t damage the flex cable as you tilt up the back glass.
- Warning
If the battery is dented, punctured, or otherwise damaged, stop the repair. You can find a service option at support.apple.com/repair.
If the back glass is broken, inspect the enclosure. If there are shards of glass in the enclosure, put on the safety glasses with side shields and cut-resistant gloves. Use ESD-safe tweezers to remove the shards. Then use ethanol or IPA wipes to remove any remaining shards from the adhesive on the perimeter of the enclosure. Vacuum any shards of glass from the workspace.
Use a torque driver and the Micro stix bit to remove the two trilobe screws from the back glass cowling. Remove the cowling and save it for reassembly. Set aside the screws.
Lift the end of the battery flex cable off the connector (1). Then lift the end of the the back glass flex cable off the connector (2).
- Caution
You must disconnect the battery flex cable first to ensure that the iPhone stays turned off.
The battery flex cable has strong adhesive under it. Don’t tear the flex cable while removing it.
Hold the back glass by the edges. Pull the tabs on the suction cups to release them from the back glass. Then set the back glass facedown on a clean, flat surface.
Reassembly
Remove the suction cups from the repair tray.
Use the adhesive removal tool or the black stick to lift the adhesive from the enclosure. Use the ESD-safe tweezers to pull the adhesive. Repeat this process until all the adhesive is removed from the perimeter of the enclosure.
- Caution: Don’t touch the camera assembly, TrueDepth camera grounding springs, or nearby parts.
Use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes to clean all residual adhesive from the edges of the back glass and the enclosure.
- Caution: Don’t use the adhesive removal tool on the back glass.
Place the enclosure in the repair tray with the USB-C connector facing the cutout.
- Warning: Inspect the enclosure for loose or extra screws and small parts, which can damage the battery and cause safety issues.
- Caution: Ensure that you’ve removed all adhesive residue from the back glass and the enclosure before you apply the replacement back glass adhesive.
Important: If you’re installing a replacement back glass, peel the protective liner from the top and underside of it.
Align the replacement back glass adhesive over the enclosure.
The replacement back glass adhesive has a top release liner, a middle release liner, and a bottom release liner. Grasp the tab on the bottom release liner. Then slowly pull the bottom release liner out from under the adhesive while pressing the adhesive onto the enclosure.
Important: Don’t remove the top release liner yet.
Inspect the back glass adhesive. If the adhesive is positioned correctly on the shelf of the enclosure, continue to step 8. If not, remove the adhesive, clean the shelf of the enclosure if necessary, and repeat steps 5 and 6.
Use a black stick to adhere the back glass adhesive to the enclosure. Move the flat end of the black stick around the edge of the enclosure at least three times to ensure that the adhesive is adhered evenly.
Remove the top release liner.
Important: Don’t remove the remaining release liners located on the edge of the enclosure.
Insert the suction cups into the repair tray.
Align the right edge of the back glass with the right edge of the enclosure. Gently press along the edges of the back glass to secure it to the suction cups.
- Caution: Don’t press the back of the back glass to secure it to the suction cups. Pressing the back may affect functionality.
Press the end of the back glass flex cable (1) to the connector. Press the end of the battery flex cable to the connector (2).
Gently push the cowling away from the battery toward the enclosure while pressing with a black stick in the middle of the cowling to engage the hooks.
Position the back glass cowling over the screw holes. Use the green torque driver and Micro stix bit to partially install one new trilobe screw (923-11192) (1) into the cowling.
Use the green torque driver and Micro stix bit to partially install another new trilobe screw (923-11192) (2) into the lower right cowling. Ensure that the hooks are secure. Torque both screws to full torque values or until you observe two clicks.
Peel the first strip of the middle release liner (1) clockwise, starting at the bottom left of the enclosure. Peel the second strip (2) counterclockwise, starting at the bottom left of the enclosure. Peel the third strip (3) counterclockwise, starting at the bottom right of the enclosure.
- Caution: The third strip of the middle release liner runs under one flex cable. Don’t damage the flex cable while removing the release liner.
Inspect the back glass adhesive to make sure it’s in the correct position and not damaged or wrinkled. If the adhesive is damaged, remove it and apply a replacement adhesive.
- Warning
Inspect the enclosure for loose or extra screws and small parts, which can damage the battery and cause safety issues.
If the battery is dented, punctured, or otherwise damaged, stop the repair. You can find a service option at support.apple.com/repair.
Pull the tabs on the suction cups to release them from the back glass. Tilt down the back glass to rest on the enclosure.
Lay the back glass flat on the enclosure.
Remove the suction cups from the repair tray.
- Caution: Don’t touch the camera lenses.
Turn the iPhone over in the repair tray so the display is faceup. Press the display on the four areas shown simultaneously.
Caution: Ensure that the flex cables aren’t trapped between the back glass and the enclosure. Feel the edges of the back glass for variations or gaps. If the back glass isn’t flush, repeat removal steps 4 through 6, and check the flex cables for damage. Then repeat reassembly steps 1 through 19 and continue to step 21.
Position the repair tray with the iPhone faceup in the display press. Pull down the lever until the display press locks.
Wait until the timer on the display press shows 0. The display press will also beep. Pull down the lever (1) and pull out the release knob (2). Then lift the lever (3).
Remove the repair tray from the display press.
Use the blue torque driver and security bit to install two new security screws, one on each side of the USB-C connector.
Note: It is important to use the correct screws.
923-11208 (black)
923-11209 (white, pink, ultramarine, teal)
- Caution: If the screws aren’t flush, remove and set aside the screws. Then install a new set of security screws. If the new screws still aren’t flush, repeat all removal and reassembly steps.
Important
Depending on the part replaced, Repair Assistant may be available on the device to finish the repair. Learn how to initiate Repair Assistant.
Note: If you have not run Repair Assistant, the device’s parts and service history may show a part status of “finish repair,” and Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair may show a part status of “unknown.”