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slapple

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 25, 2008
466
21
I have an iPhone 5S that I dropped. The right half of the screen is unresponsive to touch, so I want to replace the screen. I have never replaced a screen before, and I'm looking at used iPhone 5S's on ebay. Is the top glass part of the screen too? Or can I keep my glass but only replace what's under the glass? I'm asking because I see some used iPhones where people say their screen has scratches. My screen is cosmetically fine.
 

slapple

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 25, 2008
466
21
Because I think I want an original Apple screen. I heard some not so good things about third party screens.
 

BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,892
8,748
Arizona/Illinois
Because I think I want an original Apple screen. I heard some not so good things about third party screens.
Sounds like your lcd is damaged.. There are third party companies that purchase cracked screens then remove the shattered glass from the lcd and re-laminate a new glass to the Apple lcd. It takes specialized equipment but at least you get an Apple lcd back. Remember to keep your original home button because it's paired to your specific motherboard. If you don't reuse it, Touch ID won't work anymore. It's easy to replace the screen on the 5S and there's many tutorials on youtube that show you step by step
 
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slapple

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 25, 2008
466
21
I don't use Touch ID, so does it matter if I keep the original one or not?
 

brucemr

macrumors regular
Sep 25, 2019
173
169
I don't use Touch ID, so does it matter if I keep the original one or not?

Top glass (aka digitizer) is laminated (glued) to LCD display, and they are typically sold as an assembly. Difficult (essentially impossible), to separate top glass from LCD without breaking the top glass, and LCD.

If use a donor phone to get this assembly, will save a little time to just use the home button already in it (touch ID will no longer work). If buy this assembly, would either need to swap your existing home button to it, or buy new home button (screen assemblies sold normally do not include a home button).

PS, once you get screen assembly completely removed, battery will be right there in front of you, so if need new battery too, this is time to do it.
 
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FlippyGonnaSnap

macrumors regular
Oct 23, 2019
191
117
Tons of refurbished official displays on the market for good prices. I recommend you watch a few HughJeffries videos, he does stuff like this all the time and has a load of 5s videos and you can get a good idea of the process. It’s so easy I could do it blind folded after drinking a gallon of absinthe.

I recommend you keep your home button even if you just buy a donor device, it’s very easy to swap it out and won’t take much more time either.

Whilst you are at it you could replace the battery as well, two birds one stone.
 
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