How to repair your iPhone back glass?

By: Liliana Andersson - February 08, 202269 Views


IPhone has been the most popular smartphone since it first hit the market. The cherry on the cake proved to be the back glass Apple provided in the latest iPhones to support wireless charging. But this elegance has made iPhone incredibly fragile.

If someone continues to use broken glass, there are chances that mere texting someone turn into a bloody disaster for them. If you’re a mobile technician, you’ve probably received many iPhones with broken back glasses to repair. The most crucial part here is not installing the new rear glass but removing the broken one.

In this guide, you’ll see a step-by-step guide to repair broken back glass. But before getting started, check out these alternatives for replacing the back glass.

Alternatives to removing the back glass

  • Use a laser machine – The back glass of the iPhone is fixed with super-strength glue. You can burn that glue with a laser machine without damaging other components of the phone. However, the laser machine will cost you a whopping amount for, say, $ 2000.
  • Use heat and pry tool – Extreme heat will burn down the glue, and then you can remove the glass easily. For this, you’ll have to keep the housing stock in one place. For this, use a metal holder and clamp because the housing will be too hot to touch. This way, you can distribute the heat evenly on the back glass without damaging other components. The metal holder and clamp will cost you around $100, which is far more affordable than a laser machine.

Now let’s see how to repair broken back glass?

The steps mentioned below are for iPhone XS Max, but you can follow them for every iPhone model.

  1. Disassemble the device

The first step in repairing the glass is disassembling the device. It’s a crucial step because if any plastic component is left, it will melt down because of extreme heat, and then you would have to replace them. This will add up to the repair cost.

  • Use the clamp and metal holder to secure the phone

You can adjust the metal phone holders according to the phone size. Make sure you secure the phone carefully to prevent the phone from any damage. Now clamp the holder to the table to prevent it from moving around.

  • Start heating the back glass

Before you begin to remove the back glass, find the right place to do so. You might have to crack the glass further to find a way. When you find the right spot, start heating the glass to remove it. If you spread the heat evenly on the back glass, you’ll be able to remove it in less than 2 minutes. But make sure you don’t overheat the bottom of the device, or you may damage the microphone located there.

  • Clean the housing

After you’ve removed the back glass, clean the housing and remove any small glass pieces or glue left. For this, you can use rubbing alcohol spray or a razor blade.

  • Apply adhesive

After you’ve cleaned the phone properly, lay the adhesive. You can either put pre-cut adhesive or back cover adhesive. Make sure you spread the glue evenly so the back glass can stick properly.

  • Install the new cover

You need the exact iPhone back glass to install it properly. It’s best to choose a back glass with a big hole so you won’t have to remove the frame. This will make your process fast and less complex.

Now check the rear cover and see if it properly fits as there should be no gap. Now apply glue and install the new back cover. After you’ve installed the glass, keep something heavy on the housing for 10 to 15 minutes.

Test your phone

After the repairing process is complete, test if your device is working properly. Make sure you check the wireless charging and see if it’s working properly.

Tips for the back glass replacement project

  • Before removing the broken glass, apply double-sided adhesive tape on the screen and secure the phone using a metal holder.
  • While you heat the back glass, the temperature should be spread evenly, or it might melt down the components.
  • Before putting on the adhesive, remove the glue and small pieces of glasses.
  • After the process, keep a heavy object on the housing for around 15 mins.

The Bottom Line

Repairing the iPhone back glass is not a complex process, especially if you follow the steps properly. Following the six steps carefully, you can easily do the iPhone glass replacement and at very nominal costs. This will also allow you to secure more profit.

Liliana Andersson

Liliana Andersson is the founder and CEO of RecycleTroop, a one stop supply chain solution for mobile repair businesses in Gothenburg, Sweden. Our services include the recycling of broken broken screens, spare parts, sale of used phones and accessories. Recycletroop is proud to serve clients globally. Liliana enjoys providing her customers with a much-needed service for cell phone related problems. Apart from that, she enjoys traveling, surfing and spending time with family.