Category Archives: iPhone 7 Repair

iPhone 7 Repair

Apple’s Independent Repair Program and iFixYouri Collaboration: Empowering Repairs

In the ever-evolving world of technology, our reliance on devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops has become indispensable. With this increasing dependence, the need for reliable repair services has grown exponentially. Apple, a tech giant known for its innovation, has taken a significant step towards empowering repair services through its Independent Repair Program (IRP).

This blog post delves into the Apple IRP and highlights iFixYouri’s role as a key participant in this groundbreaking initiative. Visit our website to learn more about our certifications.

Understanding the Apple Independent Repair Program (IRP)

The Apple Independent Repair Program was launched to provide independent repair businesses access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and resources. This program aims to ensure that consumers have more options when seeking repairs for their Apple devices. Apple expands its network of reliable service centers by collaborating with independent repair providers.

Apple iPhone 15
Photo by Mockup Free on Unsplash

Key Features of the Apple IRP:

  1. Access to Genuine Apple Parts: Independent repair businesses enrolled in the IRP gain access to authentic Apple parts. This ensures that repairs are conducted using high-quality components, maintaining the integrity of Apple devices.
  2. Comprehensive Training: Apple provides participating repair providers with comprehensive training on the latest repair techniques and procedures. This ensures that technicians are well-equipped to handle a wide range of issues across various Apple products.
  3. Certification and Authorization: Repair businesses that join the IRP are certified by Apple, signifying their commitment to maintaining high standards of service. This certification instills confidence in consumers, assuring them that their devices are in capable hands.

iFixYouri: A Trusted Partner in Apple Repairs

iFixYouri, a leading independent repair business, has embraced the Apple IRP to elevate its repair services. With a commitment to excellence, iFixYouri has become a trusted partner for Apple device owners seeking professional repairs outside the official Apple stores.

  1. Expert Technicians: iFixYouri boasts a team of expert technicians who have undergone rigorous training through the Apple IRP. This ensures that they possess the knowledge and skills required to diagnose and fix a wide array of Apple device issues.
  2. Genuine Apple Parts: Through the IRP, iFixYouri has access to genuine Apple parts, guaranteeing that each repair maintains the original specifications and quality of the device.
  3. Certification and Reliability: By participating in the Apple IRP, iFixYouri has earned Apple’s certification, reinforcing its commitment to delivering reliable and high-quality repair services. This certification sets iFixYouri apart as a reputable choice for Apple device repairs.

The Apple Independent Repair Program represents a significant leap towards creating a more accessible and diverse repair ecosystem for Apple device users.

iFixYouri’s active participation in this program highlights its dedication to providing top-notch repair services while upholding Apple’s standards. As technology advances, collaborations like these ensure that consumers have reliable options for maintaining and repairing their cherished Apple devices.

iPhone 7 Home Button Repair – The Full Story

In this post, the iPhone 7 is mentioned, but the information applies to the iPhone 7 Plus as well.

In previous versions of the iPhone, home button replacement was a simpler repair. The screen gets removed, a flex cable is disconnected, depending on the model, a shield is removed, and then the home button can be unscrewed and popped out. A replacement home button can then be installed and your phone is back to work. There were some earlier versions of iOS that locked phones with home button repairs done by a third party repair companies, displaying Error 53, but backlash forced Apple to eliminate this behavior in later updates. So let’s learn more about the iPhone 7 home button.

How is the iPhone 7 Home Button Different?

iPhone 7 Home Button Repair - the iPhone 3gs home button
iPhone 3gs Home Button

The home button has long been a part of the iPhone, since the first generation. It offered a quick escape option to get back to the home screen from wherever you may have navigated. Traditionally it was an actual physical button that had a click reaction when depressed. This physical motion was translated into an electronic signal which then traveled to the motherboard, letting it know it was time to leave the current app. In the hands of a professional, replacing these buttons was as simple as if they were buttons on your shirt. In the hands of a professional, replacing these buttons was as simple as sewing buttons on your shirt.

iPhone 7 Home Button Repair - the iPhone 7 home button
iPhone 7 Home Button

The iPhone 7 home button works in tandem with the logic board (Apple’s name for motherboards) and a software lock. So there’s not only hardware design involved with this component; it can be paired only with one specific logic board, as defined by unique coding. Additionally, the iPhone 7 home button is not truly a mechanical button at all. It is an indented fingerprint sensor which provides physical feedback via the Taptic Engine, Apple’s component for providing tactile sensations in the form of vibrations.

Starting with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the LG G6, and now the iPhone X, phone manufacturers will most likely continue to omit a physical home button to fit more screen within the dimensions of the phone.

What Happens When You Replace an iPhone 7 Home Button?

If you replace the iPhone 7 home button with an after-market replacement part or even a different OEM replacement, you will see a message after booting up, “The home button may need service.” After displaying this message, a temporary fix on-screen home button appears.  You can navigate using this on-screen button, but after you’ve grown accustomed to using the actual button, it feels like a compromise. This Accessibility setting can be activated on any iPhone at any time by turning on AssistiveTouch.

iPhone 7 Home Button Repair - on-screen assistance

Why Does Apple Make Home Button Repair Difficult?

There are two possible schools of thought about why Apple would make the home button unique to each phone. Since the button is software controlled, the software lock closes a security hole. Think of the software lock as another unique physical passcode. If your phone is stolen or lost, nobody would be able to pop a new home button in and bypass your Touch ID.

The other possibility is that Apple is tightening the scope of its proprietary components and tools to grab a larger share of the repair market. Apple makes all the money on iPhone 7 home button repairs, at the expense of third-party repair companies.

What Are Other Options for iPhone 7 Home Button Replacement?

If your iPhone 7 home button no longer works, it must be taken to an official Apple store. The repair technicians at this store will use the Calibration Machine, which is shrouded in secrecy. Without AppleCare+ or a warranty, the repair will cost $319 for an iPhone 7 and $349 for an iPhone 7 Plus.

 

If you are in need of help with your iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, visit iFixYouri for an iphone repair. If you need iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus Parts for DIY repair, click here.

iPhone 7 Screen Repair: How To Do It Yourself

iPhone 7 screen repair can be accomplished smoothly if you take your time and have the correct tools and equipment.

Tools Needed:

Recommended: Magnetic Mat [BUY NOW],
Screw Capsules [BUY NOW]

Parts Needed:

General Repair Guidelines:

  • Always use good lighting. Smart device components, for instance, are small. You’ll need plenty of light to see
    what you are doing.
  • Maintain a clean,
    organized workspace
    . This prevents losing or confusing any components.
  • Group your screws so you can keep track of where they came from. Most screws cannot be interchanged.
  • Apply enough heat to loosen adhesive. However, take care not to overdo it and damage the device.
  • At any point, if the adhesive becomes hard to separate, apply more heat.
  • After separating adhesive, keep the housing and screen in close proximity until flex cable is disconnected.

Introduction

iPhone 7 screen repair is moderate in difficulty. Several flex cables can be torn easily. Above all, use caution. For
instance, loosening the adhesive that keeps the screen sealed to the body requires properly heating them with a
dehydrator or heat gun. Let’s get to it!

iPhone 7 Screen Repair Step by Step

Before beginning, heat up the device’s interior adhesive strips with a dehydrator, heat gun, or heat mat. Heat guns are
the quickest. However, use caution. It can be easy to overdo it and damage the device.

Open the iPhone 7

  1. Unscrew the two pentalobe screws on the bottom edge of the phone on either side of the lightning port.
  2. Use the metal spudger to slowly and carefully separate the screen of the iPhone from the body. Start on the bottom
    edge of the device and proceed slowly.
  3. Continue using the metal spudger or use playing cards or guitar picks to gently separate the adhesive up the sides
    and top. Don’t push too deeply towards the center of the device.
  4. The left side of the screen will open off the body; like a book opened from the back cover. The flex cable
    connecting the screen to the battery will still be attached so open it carefully.

Disconnect the Cables

  1. A silver EMI shield on the mid-right side of the phone needs to be removed. It is held in place by four tri-point
    screws.
  2. After removing the shield, use a spudger to disconnect the battery from the logic board.
  3. Use the spudger to disconnect the display connector flex cable.
  4. Remove the two Philips head screws on the shield over the front panel sensor assembly connector. It is the silver
    shield near the top of the phone with the flex cable coming out of the bottom.
  5. With your spudger, disconnect the black front panel sensor assembly connector cable from the logic board. It is
    the one that connects the screen to the body.
  6. You can now remove the LCD assembly of the iPhone 7 from the body.

Remove the Front Camera and Earpiece

  1. Next, we will remove the three Phillips head screws that hold the silver earpiece bracket on the top of the LCD
    assembly.
  2. Pull the front camera up and out of the way with your spudger or tweezers. Remove the two Phillips head screws
    attached to the earpiece speaker. You can now also remove the earpiece speaker.
  3. Use your spudger to remove the ambient light sensor and proximity sensor. This is a thin cable that is easy to
    tear so use caution.

Remove the Touch ID/Home Button

NOTE: The touch ID must be removed carefully. Failing to remove it safely or breaking it will require visiting
an Apple store.
The touch ID must be removed carefully. Failing to remove it safely or breaking it will
require visiting an
Apple store.

  1. Remove the four pentalobe screws holding the touch ID/home button bracket.
  2. Work your way around the side brackets on the both sides of the assembly, unscrewing all 6 tri-point screws.
  3. Peel the large LCD shield away, starting from the top.
  4. Use your spudger to disconnect the home button cable connector.
  5. Disconnect the underlying connection with caution.
  6. Pry the adhesive holding the touch ID/home button to the back of the digitizer.
  7. The home button is now unattached and can be removed but pushing it forward through the front of the screen.

For Help, Repairs, or Parts

For iPhone 7 Replacement Parts, or if iPhone 7 screen repair
is too much to attempt on your own and you need a repair professional skilled at iPhone
7 Repair
,
contact iFixYouri at 888-494-4349 or www.ifixyouri.com.

What to Do if You Drop Your iPhone 7 in Water?

Water damage is not a death sentence to an iPhone. Chances are we’ve all experienced it. We drop our precious phone in some sort of liquid. We jump in the pool with our phones in our pockets. We drop it in the toilet. We spill a beer on it. Inevitably something happens.

Being that water damage repair is one of our specialties, we are asked this question a lot, dozens upon dozens of times per day. While the new iPhone 7 is not completely waterproof, it is fairly water resistant. With the help of some adhesive sealing the screen, some rubber gaskets around certain components, and some tweaks in the design, the chances of needing an iphone 7 water damage repair are lower than previous versions. This does not mean that you should try to push the phone to its breaking point and it certainly does not mean it’s immune to water damage. Something as simple as having your phone in the bathroom while you take a hot shower can cause problems.

First Steps After Dropping an iPhone 7 in Water

The process is quite straight forward and taking quick action can help decrease your chances of failure, and increase your chances of having a good, working device. This will work on other devices as well, but since we’re talking iPhone 7’s here, we’ll use this as our main example.

STEP 1) Turn Off the Device

First and foremost, turn off the device, and if it’s a model phone where you can easily remove the battery, do so. It is highly likely that your phone will work after you pull it from the water. The number one killer of water damaged phones isn’t actually the water, it’s the current that travels through the logic board after it gets wet. When you cross electricity with water, a short will occur.

iPhone 7 Power Button

STEP 2) Open All Covers and Ports

For an iPhone 7, pop out the SIM card tray by inserting the end of a paper clip in the small hole on the right side of your phone, take off any case, do not plug it in. You want to make sure if water has gotten in, that there is a way for the water to get out. You don’t want the liquid to be trapped inside if at all possible.

iPhone 7 SIM Card Removal

STEP 3) Dry Out Your Phone

We don’t advise to shake the phone, as this can cause water to get deeper into the board. Instead, we recommend using some sort of desiccant. You want something that will draw the water out. A shop vac is an okay application. Silica gel is ideal. A dehumidifier works wonders. A container of Damprid from Home Depot can also do the trick and will only run you about $10.

Steer clear of using anything that generates an excessive amount of heat, as this can only further damage the device. Do not place your phone in an oven or toaster. This is all around a bad idea.

A combo of Damprid, somewhere with good air circulation, and opening your device as much as possible will be your best chance of survival.

What do you do after your iPhone has been soaked?

After you complete the simple steps above, you need to wait. Do not try to power your phone on in any time less than 36 hours. It’s super important that your phone is completely dry before any attempt is made. If after 36 hours you see any liquid, do not try to power it on, you’ll just have to wait a bit longer. Let that Damprid soak up any liquid.

When you are confident any liquid that the device may have come in contact with is dry, then and only then try to power it up. If you get no power initially, it may need a good charge. Try giving it a short charge. If you don’t notice anything light up on the screen, chances are your battery may be shot, and possibly other components.

At this point, you may need to bring your phone to a repair shop or use a mail-in service for deeper diagnostics and help. iFixYouri has a no-fix, no-fee policy. We offer free round trip shipping on all services, including all of our iPhone 7 Repair Services.

Regardless of the state of the device, we recommend a good cleaning by a professional repair service after your device has been wet. Water can leave residual minerals and build-up on the components, which should be removed to ensure longevity and good functionality.

What should you do with a device that can’t be repaired?

In the event that iFixYouri cannot fix your device, there are options. The device can be sent back to you. It can be recycled (if it carries no value), or if it’s a relatively newer model (iPhone 5 or higher), you can sell your iphone and use the money you earned to purchase a new device.

We know how frustrating water damage can be. We see it every day. By taking the correct steps immediately after it happens, you can dramatically increase your odds of having a good, working phone again.

If you have any questions or need professional help for iPhone 7 Repairs, feel free to reach out to us at iFixYouri.com, or call us at 888-494-4349.