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Can the cover glass be replaced on an iPhone 5? Mine is cracked, but everything else works just fine. I found one for 12.99 online. How do you replace it?

THIS guide seems to indicate the display and front glass are an assembly. That’s not to say you could not pull it down further, just that the guide doesn’t show how. This PART appears to be what you need. UPDATE: I’ve found this glass only. Perhaps you could make a guide for iFixit if you decide to attempt replacing the glass only.

To be able to defuse the lcd from the glass you will need an lcd separator machine that has a hot plate you put the screen on. Lcd separator machine reviews and tutorials can be found at www.lcdseparatormachines.com.

saw this video on a chinese website http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDc1MjY3Nj… only a few steps, but requires considerable skill 1: remove everything else 2: remove the upper and lower part of the shattered glass 3: glue a piece of glass onto the shattered glass 4: fix the glass on the heater, heat up 5: use a very thin steel wire to cut the front glass off. It seems that they cut between the front glass and the touch sensor. if the touch sensor is shattered, the screen is totaled. 6: use some solvent to wash the remaining glue off, clean the screen 7: apply new glue. slowly put the new glass onto the glue, watch for any bubbles or dust. let gravity do the work 8: not shown in the video, but according what i’ve read about those LOCA glue requires curing under UV light

As a non industry guy, but skilled with my hands, I was able to separate the glass from the digitizer successfully using basic tools. And somewhat followed the Chinese video above. I took the screen all down, and due to the severe shattering of my phone I had to remove the bits of glass piece by piece. I did this using a hot plate, temp gun to make sure I didn’t overheat it, duck brand adheasive remover I got locally and a guitar string along with a very tiny flat head and the plastic scraper. Because the screen was so shattered it took me the better part of two hours to get all the glass off. Soaked the whole thing in the adheasive remover and then warmed it up on the hot plate, trying to keep around 160 degrees. Different chunks required different tools, but the majority I got off with the scraper. Then I repeatedly soaked the LCD in the remover stuff and gently wiped it down. I still scratched it pretty bad thanks to the tiny glass shards, but it looks good at night. Got the LCD totally clean, glued the new glass to the frame only because I didn’t have the proper glue and reassembled the whole works. The result is some tiny scratches and the center of the screen is a bit dark. Either because I did t glue it to the glass or because I might have over heated the screen accidentally. For ten bucks I’m happy with it. I can read things on it and the touch is better then ever! If you’re tight on money, but loaded on time and skill I highly recommend it.

I just tried it on my own and I suggest to not do it. It won’t work like that. Just order the complete iPhone 5 display assembly and you’ll be fine.

Not only the problem is to remove the (cracked) glass, which is achievable rather simple with the help of some sort of unglueing treatments (like the GooGone and etc.), but to rebond the new glass lens with the LCD-digitizer assembly (yes, the LCD and digitizer in iPhone 5 are glued together and this assembly is then glued with the display glass lens). There is a special (industrial) optically clear adhesive used, which also eliminates the air bubbles after treatment. Unfortunately, this glue is unavailable across the USA and Europe. Likely it is only available in China and maybe some other countries, where the manufacturers plants reside. UPDATE! The afore mentioned glue is called LOCA (Liquid Optically Clear Adhesive), it’s made by Loctite and is currently widely available from ebay or aliexpress.

My experience has shown, that it is best to get the complete assembly. I can’t tell you how many digitizer/lcd’s I have destroyed trying to get them apart to save a couple of bucks.. Every now and then, I get one to work, but in the long run, the time, effort just isn’t worth the results.. Like on the ipod/iphone gen 4’s, just get the whole assembly and be done with it.. Yes, this is a hobby/diy site, but I think the guys with the experience shouldn’t raise the hopes of those who are trying things on their own for the first time. I have/had been led down the merry road more than once by instructions that say, “separate the lcd and digitizer assemblies with heat” sure, sounds like a 10 second job, turns out to take an hour.. as someone else said, as a business, it ain’t worth it.. And personally , for the amount of hassle, doing this sort of repair (glass only) just isn’t worth the time and effort.. There comes a point of diminishing returns.. this is one example of that.

It’s all one piece just like iPhone 4(S). If you tear glass and digitizer off the LCD you will ruin it all together. It will bleed to death. Update I was told you could on the 4(s) but you cannot. Even if you could remove the glass. who has that much time. If you work on these like I do. You can’t tell a customer. Well it will be 3 days to fix because I have to take 2 days to remove the glass from digitizer and LCD screen. If you want to be successful you can’t tell them that. You charge your rate over the parts!

Yes the glass can be separated from the LCD on the Apple repair - iPhone 5 screen replacement. I am going to prepare a video this week or next because it is much cheaper this method. It does take a lot longer to diffuse the glass from the LCD but it can be done. This is a DIY site so I’m assuming I will convince some of you to try it. I own XpressFix iPhone Repair so there will be a video posted in the blog within 2 weeks.

Update: we were successful at but the quality was sometimes lacking. Regardless, this was not a one time sucess story as mentioned above. We were able to successfully remove the digitizer from the LCD EVERY time but sometimes the lcd bore slight scratches i the process. To save 200 I believe it is still worth it…JUST sayin'

The wire is called molybdenum that is used cut between the glass and digitizer. It is VERY difficult use that wire because of the glass is already hot. Also it is silicon that lies between glass and digitizer and I have the replacement silicon but it’s almost impossible to put that back on the replacement glass clean. It has to done at zero dust industrial level, not recommenced for DIY at all. Just wait for the whole front assembly price to come down.

you can replace it yourself but if are not good with tools, I will suggest you send it to someone that knows how, after old you don’t want to mess your phone over a simple glass repair.

I am not sure it will ruin it, I see a Digitizer for sell on eBay and the guy says he separated it from the front glass using a heat gun. How can you get someone at ifixit.com to post either a solution for the problem or to give i us a 100% sure answer saying it can’t be done. I wish i could ask someone directly. How about this then, I see they sell Just the front glass on eBay for like $12.00 can I buy a new Digitizer and put the two together myself? If anyone can contact ifixit , telkl them to jump on this thread and post up some 411 facts about replacing the front glass only if it is possible to do., """""" What up with that""" Pimping ain’t easy, and neither is replacing the front glass only on a iphone 5""

I Just tried it today to replace the glass only. The glass has been successfully scratched piece by piece using a plastic pry. But I failed to remove the adhesive which used to bond front glass and display panel. THE RESULT IS: glass has been replaced for my iphone 5, But there is glue residual under glass which render display quality rather bad

Iwas looking for the thread but couldn’t remember the name. It’s best to replace the whole assembly. Just the glass is such a pain. Def not worth the hassle.

Just fix my first glass on iphone 5. Result is acceptable for the customer. Used silicone glue at the corners. Not the perfect result,but 1/3 less than the original. Good luck changing

iPhone 5 front Glass Replacement Only http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbZwypAIN… Look there i Hope this will help you

What solvent can I use to remove LOCA residue from the LCD? If anyone has an answer can you give me an exact brand name of that product please? Its really hard to remove it without scratching LCD Update Yes i was able to separate the glass from the digitizer and it works like new. Peter i understand your position on that subject.You are a LCD dealer you dont want to hear about succesfull attempts of fixing something you make money on. Just watch the video from the link above.Its doable. Whats not to believe?

I replace two or three broken glasses of iPhone 5 daily. I know it is ugly and tough to do it, but is manageable. Removing glass is not hard, it is removing glue! I know I don’t have to do this when the part price comes down as low as iPhone 4, 4S. Until then I will just have to remove the glass due to popular demand.

iPhone 5 replacement My girlfriend shattered her iphone screen and I looked into replacing it. It is an iphone 5, and I read all the reviews about how the lcd, digitizer and glass being one composite. I bought a iPhone 5 glass screen from amazon, and replaced it, and it works fine. You have to know what you are getting into, but I slowly removed the glass from the LCD screen, then cleaned it with Goo Gone to get the original adhesive off, and put the new glass cover on, and it works OK. It would probably be better with the UV glue or optical adhesive you can get on the internet, as you have to push the glass screen a bit to make sure it makes contact with the LCD, but it works none the less. As a $10, 2 hour solution to a $200 problem, I recommend it for the DIY challenged people.

Replace a glass screen: http://www.lcd-screen-digitizer.com/ipho…

iPhone 5 GLASS ONLY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re5Df4Sv…

it is possible to fix just the cracked screen, however it is not perfect, you always end up with scratches left after the glass was shattered, but it is better than cracked glass for sure. i fixed like 5 of them. you can also send your phone to us, check out my ebay page. http://www.ebay.com/itm/121104653700?ssP…

We separate the glass using a proprietary machine, loca, and some special tlc. http://www.xpressfix.com

The uv glue is being sold on ebay now http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie…

A few of you mentioned only glueing the corners of te glass. Does that affect the touch sensibility? Because that is the only tging I’m worried about.

Yes you can but it is not an easy process. I will take almost 2 hours for the process. The glass removal is the hardest part. There are videos on www.how2fixvideo.com for post phones

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7P2kGdf0… Molybdenum wire 0.14mm in Ebay UK (271228988018)

you need change new lcd&digitizer .iPhone 5 cracked glass may be accepted by external over shock.

id like to hear peoples recommendations on the best adhesive to use to attach the new glass to the lcd? thanks

adhesive glue for iPhone outer glass lens/lcd repair/digitizer touch screen repair is very good . I’d like to introduce you extra lcd&touch screen separator.Is that useful for you to remove the glass.

where did you find screens for 12.99 ????

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Yess i want to change glass