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Ultimate Repair Hub · DIY Guide

iPhone 12 Battery Replacement

On the iPhone 12 the battery comes out through the front, after the screen and the parts at the bottom of the phone. It’s held by 4 stretch-release adhesive strips.

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Difficulty
●●●●○Difficult
Time
60–90 min
Steps
15
Opens from
Front (screen)

DIY guide — for informational purposes only. This is not a substitute for professional diagnosis, and repairs are performed at your own risk. Ultimate Wireless Solutions is an independent repair provider and is not affiliated with Apple Inc.

Tools

  • Pentalobe screwdriver P2
  • Tri-point screwdriver Y000
  • Phillips screwdriver #000
  • Heat pad, iOpener or heat gun on low
  • Suction cup and thin plastic opening picks
  • Blunt tweezers (for the adhesive strips)
  • Nylon spudger and ESD-safe tweezers
  • Isopropyl alcohol (90%+) and lint-free wipes
  • Clamps or a screen press
  • Safety glasses, and a metal can of sand for the old battery

Parts

  • iPhone 12 replacement battery (adhesive included)
  • Pre-cut display adhesive
Before you start: run the battery down below 25%. Less charge means much less stored energy if the cell is damaged. If the battery is swollen, dented or punctured at any point, stop and bring the phone to a shop.

Open the screen

  1. Power off and remove the bottom screws

    Back up and power the phone off. Remove the two P2 pentalobe screws on either side of the Lightning port. Tape over cracked glass first so it doesn’t flake and the suction cup can grip.

    Power off and remove the bottom screws1 photo · Tap image to enlarge

  2. Soften the adhesive

    Warm the edges of the screen evenly for 2–3 minutes. The glass should feel hot but still comfortable to hold.

    Soften the adhesive1 photo · Tap image to enlarge

  3. Cut the adhesive around the sides and top

    Lift near the bottom edge with a suction cup just enough for a hairline gap, slide a pick in and cut up both long sides. Keep the pick shallow so you don’t catch the cables or Face ID parts.

    Slide the display a millimeter or two toward the bottom of the phone to release the top clips, then cut across the top. Don’t lift the bottom edge more than about 5°.

    Cut the adhesive around the sides and top3 photos · Tap image to enlarge

  4. Open the display like a book

    The display stays attached by short cables along one long edge, and that edge acts as the hinge. Lift the free edge, open it to about 90° and support it so the cables aren’t holding its weight.

    Open the display like a book1 photo · Tap image to enlarge

  5. Disconnect the battery, then the display

    Remove the 2 tri-point screws from the lower cover and lift it off. Remove 3 tri-point screws from the upper cover, then hold the cover while you remove the last one, and lift it off.

    Unplug the battery cable first, then the display cable, the touch (Multi-Touch) cable and the earpiece cable.

    Disconnect the battery, then the display4 photos · Tap image to enlarge

  6. Set the display aside

    Lift the display away and lay it face down on a clean, soft surface.

    Set the display aside1 photo · Tap image to enlarge

Remove the battery

  1. Remove the speaker

    Remove the 4 Phillips screws from the bottom speaker, tilt it up with a spudger and lift it out.

    Remove the speaker1 photo · Tap image to enlarge

  2. Remove one Taptic Engine screw

    Remove the screw from the upper-right corner of the Taptic Engine.

  3. Pull the bottom adhesive strips

    Hold the phone down. Peel the first bottom tab completely off the battery before twisting, wrap it around blunt tweezers until white adhesive shows, then keep the tweezers low and parallel to the battery and pull toward the bottom of the phone, twisting as you go. Repeat with the other bottom strip.

    Pull the bottom adhesive strips2 photos · Tap image to enlarge

  4. Pull the two top strips

    Turn the phone around. Peel the top tabs gently, wrap each one around the tweezers and pull slowly at a low angle along the channel between the battery and the camera, toward the top of the phone. Don’t pull straight up, and keep clear of the Face ID camera.

    Pull the two top strips1 photo · Tap image to enlarge

  5. If a strip snaps

    Grab a visible broken end and keep twisting. Otherwise slide the flat end of a spudger only under a spot where a strip already came out and lift gently. Never pry where adhesive is still attached; if every strip broke, stop and bring it to a shop.

    If a strip snaps1 photo · Tap image to enlarge

  6. Lift the battery out

    Lift the battery out and put it straight into a metal can of sand.

    Lift the battery out1 photo · Tap image to enlarge

Install and close

  1. Seat the new battery

    Clean the bay with alcohol, check for loose screws, apply the new battery’s adhesive and press it down firmly across the whole cell.

  2. Rebuild and close

    Reinstall the parts you removed in reverse order. Reconnect the display cables, then the battery cable last, refit the covers, lay fresh display adhesive, close and clamp the screen, and reinstall the bottom screws.

  3. Test and finish

    Charge for a few minutes before powering on. An aftermarket battery shows as an unknown part under Settings › General › About › Parts & Service History; that’s expected.

Want it done in 30 minutes?

Bring your iPhone 12 to our Tustin store. We handle the disposal and the screen seal for you.

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Facts checked against Apple’s iPhone 12 repair manual. These guides are for informational purposes and repairs are done at your own risk. Ultimate Wireless Solutions is an independent repair shop and is not affiliated with Apple Inc.

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