iPad Air 13-inch (M3) Display
Before You Begin
Warning
Read Battery Safety and follow workspace and battery handling guidelines before you begin.
Read Broken Glass Safety before you begin.
Caution
Turn off the device. The iPad must be turned off before beginning this repair. Failure to do so will result in damage to the display and other parts.
Tools
13-inch heated display pocket
13-inch repair tray
Access cards (3)
Adhesive activation roller
Adhesive cutter
ESD-safe tweezers
Ethanol wipes or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipes
Heated display removal fixture
Heat-resistant gloves
iPad Air 13-inch display adhesive alignment tray
JCIS bit for crosshead screws
Nitrile or lint-free gloves (optional)
Nylon probe (black stick)
Painters tape
Torque driver (black, 0.35 kgf cm)
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's 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.
Note: This procedure may show images of other models, but the procedure is the same. Ensure that you use the correct tools for the model you’re repairing.
Removal
Note: If you’ve already completed the removal steps, skip to reassembly.
Warning
Wearing heat-resistant gloves to perform this procedure is recommended.
Use the heated display removal fixture to heat the display adhesive. Refer to the Heated Display Removal Fixture Operating Manual for instructions. Then continue to step 2.
- Caution
Don't turn the silver knob at the top of the heated display removal fixture.
Before inserting the heated display pocket into the heated display removal fixture, locate the front camera on the iPad. Then place blue painters tape over the camera lens and the other areas shown. To avoid damage, use a shallow angle when cutting near the taped areas.
When a gap appears between the display and the enclosure as shown, insert the edge of the adhesive cutter into the gap.
- Caution: To avoid damaging display flex cables and other parts, don’t cut to a depth greater than 3.5 mm past the edge of the display. The outer edge of the raised circle on the cutter marks this maximum depth.
Slowly run the adhesive cutter back and forth along the right side of the display. Stop when you feel resistance.
- Caution: Don't lift the display with the adhesive cutter.
Slowly run the adhesive cutter along the top of the display between the suction cup and the front camera. Stop when you feel resistance.
Turn the knob a quarter turn clockwise. Then cut along the right side of the display. Stop when you feel resistance.
Run the adhesive cutter back and forth along the top of the display between the suction cup and front camera. Stop when you feel resistance.
Slowly run the adhesive cutter back and forth along the right side of the display until the adhesive is cut.
Run the adhesive cutter around the bottom right corner of the display.
Insert an access card under the upper left corner of the display to prevent the display from resealing.
Important: Don't insert the access card past the black border of the display.
Flip up the handle to lift the suction cup. Then gently slide the flat end of the black stick under the edge of the suction cup to release it from the display.
- Caution: Don’t turn the knob at the top of the heated display removal fixture. Turning the knob may damage the flex cables.
Ensure that the suction cup is released. Then turn the black knob at the top of the heated display removal fixture counterclockwise to move the suction cup away from the display.
Flip up the clamps on the left and bottom edges of the heated display pocket to release the iPad. Push the button under the left side of the pocket to remove the iPad. Rotate the iPad 180 degrees. Then flip down the clamps to secure the iPad.
Turn the black knob on the top of the heated display fixture clockwise to lower the suction cup onto the display. Then flip down the handle on the suction cup to secure the suction cup to the display.
Important: To adhere the suction cup to the display, you may need to lift up one end of the long strip of painters tape.
Slowly turn the black knob on the fixture counterclockwise two and a half rotations. Wait 30 seconds. Then turn the black knob another two full rotations.
- Caution: Don't turn the silver knob.
When a gap appears, insert the edge of the adhesive cutter between the display and the enclosure. Then slowly run the cutter between the display and the enclosure as shown until the display partially lifts from the enclosure.
- Caution: To avoid damaging display flex cables and other parts, don’t cut to a depth greater than 3.5 mm past the edge of the display. The edge of the circular depression on the cutter marks this maximum depth.
Slowly run the adhesive cutter along the right side as shown.
- Caution
Don't lift the display with the cutter.
When cutting the area that you marked with blue painters tape, hold the cutter at a shallow angle.
Slowly run the adhesive cutter around the bottom corner as shown until the adhesive is cut. Then insert an access card at the corner to prevent the display from resealing.
Slowly run the adhesive cutter back and forth along the top until the adhesive is cut.
Insert access cards under the top left, bottom left, and bottom right corners of the display in that order, as shown.
Flip up the handle over the suction cup on the heated display removal fixture. Then gently slide the flat end of the black stick under the edge of the suction cup to release it from the display.
- Caution: Don’t turn the knob to release the suction cup. Turning the knob may damage the flex cables.
Ensure that the suction cup is released. Then turn the black knob at the top of the heated display removal fixture counterclockwise to move the suction cup away from the display.
Press the eject button (1) on the side of the heated display removal fixture to release the heated display pocket. Then slide the pocket out of the fixture (2).
Flip up the clamps up on the left and bottom edges of the heated display pocket to release the iPad. Then push the button under the left side of the pocket to remove the iPad.
Place the iPad into the repair tray with the USB-C connector facing the cutout on the right side. Then pull the tab on the left side of the repair tray as shown to secure the iPad.
Remove the painters tape and access cards. Orient the repair tray with the front camera towards you. Lifting the display slightly, rotate it counterclockwise enough to access the microphone connector cowling screw as shown.
Use a torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove the crosshead screw from the microphone connector cowling. Set aside the screw.
Slightly lift the microphone connector cowling to remove it. Save the cowling for reassembly.
Lift the end of the microphone flex cable off the connector.
Insert the repair tray suction cups into the slots in the repair tray as shown.
Gently tilt up the display and adhere it to the suction cups by pressing on the sides of the display.
- Caution
Don’t damage the flex cables as you tilt up the display.
Don’t press the back of the display to secure it to the suction cups. Pressing the back may affect functionality.
- Warning: If the battery is dented, punctured, or otherwise damaged, stop the repair. You can find a service option at support.apple.com/repair.
Use a torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove the four crosshead screws from the display connectors cowling. Set aside the screws.
Remove the display connectors cowling and save it for reassembly.
Lift the ends of the four flex cables off the connectors (1–4).
Hold the display by the edges. Pull the tabs on the suction cups to release them from the display. Remove the suction cups from the repair tray. Then set the display facedown on a clean, flat surface.
Reassembly
Important
Ensure that all adhesive is removed from the display and enclosure before applying new adhesive.
Place the enclosure in the repair tray. Use ESD-safe tweezers or the black stick to pick up the display adhesive. Pull the adhesive at no more than a 45-degree angle to remove it. Repeat this process until all the adhesive is removed from the perimeter of the enclosure. Then thoroughly clean the perimeter of the enclosure with ethanol wipes or IPA wipes.
- Caution: Avoid touching the ambient light sensors and front camera.
If you’re installing a replacement display, peel the protective film from the underside (1) and top (2) of it and position the display facedown in the display adhesive alignment tray. Then skip to step 4. If you're reinstalling the existing display, continue to step 3.
Position the display facedown in the display adhesive alignment tray as shown. Use ESD-safe tweezers or the black stick to pick up the display adhesive from the edges of the display. Then pull the adhesive at no more than a 45-degree angle to remove it. Repeat this process until all the adhesive is removed.
- Caution
Clean only the perimeter of the display with ethanol wipes or IPA wipes. Don’t touch any other part of the display glass with ethanol wipes or IPA wipes. Ethanol and isopropyl alcohol may damage the display and affect image quality.
To avoid damaging the painted bezel, don't scrape the adhesive from the display.
Align the replacement display adhesive over the guide pins on the alignment tray. Grasp the tab on the bottom release liner. Then slowly pull the bottom release liner out from under the adhesive, using the guide pins to position the adhesive on the display.
Note: The replacement display adhesive has a top release liner, middle release liners, and a bottom release liner.
Important: Don't remove the top release liner yet.
- Caution: After completing step 4, verify that the adhesive is positioned correctly on the display. If it isn't, repeat step 3 to remove the adhesive. Then repeat step 4 to install a new display adhesive. If the adhesive isn't aligned correctly, the display won't seal properly and functionality may be affected.
Use the black stick to adhere the display adhesive to the display. Then move the flat end of the black stick around the edges of the display at least three times to ensure that the adhesive is adhered evenly.
- Caution: Don't touch the front camera assembly while adhering the display adhesive.
Remove the top release liner.
Important: Don't remove the middle release liners located on the edges of the display.
Inspect the display adhesive to ensure that it's in the correct position and not damaged or wrinkled. If the adhesive is damaged, repeat step 3 to remove the adhesive. Then repeat steps 4 through 7 to install a new adhesive.
Remove the small liner from the display adhesive.
Remove the smaller blue liner from the microphone grounding tape.
Align the grounding tape over the copper pad on the microphone as shown.
Adhere the grounding tape to the microphone.
Remove the clear liner from the grounding tape.
Remove the blue liner from the grounding tape.
Wi-Fi + Cellular models only: Follow these steps to install display grounding tape on the display.
Remove the first middle release liner.
Remove the second middle release liner.
Peel the blue liners from the grounding tape.
Align the display grounding tape as shown.
Press the display grounding tape into the edge of the display and over onto the horizontal surface.
Remove the clear liner from the display grounding tape.
Press the display grounding tape into the display adhesive.
Remove the blue liner from the display grounding tape.
Insert the suction cups into the repair tray.
Secure the display to the suction cups.
- Caution: Don't press the back of the display to secure the display to the suction cup. Pressing the back of the display may affect functionality.
Press the ends of the four flex cables to the connectors (1–4).
Position the display connectors cowling over the ends of the flex cables.
Wi-Fi models only: Use the black torque driver and JCIS bit to install one new crosshead screw (452-05343) into the upper left corner of the cowling and three new crosshead screws (452-06580) into the remaining cowling screw holes.
Wi-Fi + Cellular models only: Use the black torque driver and JCIS bit to install four new crosshead screws (452-06580) into the cowling as shown.
Wi-Fi models only: Peel four middle release liners from the display as shown.
Wi-Fi + Cellular models only: Peel two middle release liners clockwise, starting at the bottom left of the display as shown.
Holding the display without touching the adhesive, pull the tabs on the suction cups to release the display. Then remove the suction cups from the repair tray.
Rotate the display slightly to access the microphone flex cable.
- Caution: Avoid touching the front camera and nearby parts.
Press the end of the microphone flex cable to the connector. Then position the microphone connector cowling over the end of the flex cable.
Use the black torque driver and JCIS bit to install one new crosshead screw (452-05343) into the microphone connector cowling.
Peel the last middle release liner clockwise, starting at the left of the display.
Lower the display onto the enclosure.
- Warning
If the battery is dented, punctured, or otherwise damaged, stop the repair. You can find a service option at support.apple.com/repair.
Inspect the enclosure for loose or extra screws and small parts, which can cause safety issues.
Ensure that the display flex cable isn't trapped between the display and the enclosure. Press all four corners of the display. Then press along the edges of the display until it's flush with the enclosure.
Important: Feel the edges of the display for variations or gaps. If the display isn’t flush, repeat all removal steps and check the flex cables for damage. Then repeat reassembly steps 1 through 29.
Use the adhesive activation roller to adhere the display to the enclosure:
Hold the roller with both hands and position it on the edge of the display with part of the roller overhanging the enclosure as shown.
Press down the roller until the lines on the silver pins are aligned in the middle of the white band.
- Caution: Don't exceed the pressure needed to reach the white band.
While keeping constant pressure, roll along the edge of the display 10 times back and forth. Then rotate the repair tray and repeat this step for the remaining three edges.
Enter Diagnostics Mode:
Ensure that the iPad is turned off.
Press and hold both volume buttons.
While you're holding down the buttons, plug the device into a 20W or higher power adapter or directly into a computer that's turned on and connected to an electrical outlet.
Note: Hubs, displays, or other indirect connections are not supported.
Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears.
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.”