iPhone 12 mini Battery Replacement

Power off your iPhone before beginning disassembly.

Remove the two 6.7 mm-long pentalobe screws at the bottom edge of the iPhone.

Measure 3 mm from the tip and mark the opening pick with a permanent marker.

Lay overlapping strips of clear packing tape over the iPhone's screen until the whole face is covered.

If you can't get the suction cup to stick in the next few steps, fold a strong piece of tape (such as duct tape) into a handle and lift the screen with that instead.

Pull the blue handle backwards to unlock the Anti-Clamp's arms.

Slide the arms over either the left or right edge of your iPhone.

Position the suction cups near the bottom edge of the iPhone—one on the front, and one on the back.

Squeeze the cups together to apply suction to the desired area.

Pull the blue handle forwards to lock the arms.

Turn the handle clockwise 360 degrees or until the cups start to stretch.

Make sure the suction cups remain aligned with each other. If they begin to slip out of alignment, loosen the suction cups slightly and realign the arms.

Support your iPhone on something sturdy such as a hardcover book so it rests hands-free and parallel to the ground; this makes it easier to work with in the following steps.

Use a hair dryer to heat along the bottom edge of the iPhone. The screen should feel slightly too hot to touch.

Wait one minute to give the adhesive a chance to release and present an opening gap.

Insert an opening pick under the screen's plastic bezel when the Anti-Clamp creates a large enough gap.

Skip the next three steps.

Use a hair dryer or a heat gun to heat the bottom edge of the iPhone for 90 seconds or until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.

If you're using a single suction handle, apply it to the bottom edge of the phone, as close to the edge as possible.

If your display is badly cracked, covering it with a layer of clear packing tape may allow the suction cup to adhere. Alternatively, very strong tape may be used instead of the suction cup. If all else fails, you can superglue the suction cup to the broken screen.

Pull up on the suction cup with firm, constant pressure to create a slight gap between the screen and the frame.

Insert an opening pick into the gap under the screen's plastic bezel.

Use a hair dryer to heat the right edge of the iPhone (the edge with the power button) for 90 seconds or until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.

Slide the opening pick around the bottom right corner and along the right edge of the iPhone, slicing through the adhesive holding the display in place.

Use a hair dryer to heat the top edge of the iPhone for 90 seconds or until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.

Insert your pick underneath the top-right corner of the display panel.

Slide the pick around the top right corner. Because of the clips you might encounter some resistance.

Slide the pick along the top edge and cut any remaining adhesive securing the display.

Use a hair dryer to heat the left edge of the iPhone for 90 seconds or until the screen is slightly too hot to touch.

Insert a second opening pick in the bottom left corner of the iPhone.

Twist both picks simultaneously until the left edge clips release.

Rotate your iPhone so the right edge faces you.

Open the iPhone by swinging the display up from the right side, like the front cover of a book.

Lean the display against something to keep it propped up while you're working on the phone.

Remove the 1.25 mm-long Y000 screw securing the battery & display connector cover bracket.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the battery & display connector bracket.

Use a spudger or a clean fingernail to pry the battery connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Bend the connector slightly away from the logic board to prevent it from accidentally making contact with the socket and providing power to the phone during your repair.

Use a spudger or a clean fingernail to pry the OLED panel cable connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Remove the five 1 mm-long Y000 screws securing the front sensor assembly cover bracket.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the front sensor assembly bracket.

Use a spudger or a clean fingernail to disconnect the front sensor assembly cable connector.

Remove the display assembly.

Remove the four 1.5 mm-long Phillips #000 screws securing the speaker.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the speaker.

Peel down the first battery adhesive pull-tab to un-stick it from the bottom edge of the battery.

Grab the pull tab with your fingers and slowly pull it away from the battery, toward the bottom of the iPhone.

Pull hard enough to maintain tension on the strip, but don't force it. Give it plenty of time to stretch and un-stick from under the battery.

Don't press down on the battery. Hold the iPhone firmly by its sides.

Keep the strip flat and unwrinkled. Try to pull evenly on the whole strip, rather than pulling mainly in the middle or on one side.

Pull at a low angle so the strip doesn't snag on the edge of the battery.

If the adhesive strip breaks off, try to retrieve it using your fingers or blunt tweezers, and continue pulling—but do not pry under the battery.

Grab the wide pull tab with your fingers and slowly pull it away from the battery, toward the bottom of the iPhone.

Grab the pull tab with your fingers and slowly pull it away from the battery, toward the bottom of the iPhone.

Repeat the previous procedure on the two remaining pull tabs.

Wait about one minute for the alcohol solution to weaken the adhesive.

Use the flat end of a spudger to gently lift the battery.

Remove the battery.

If there's any alcohol solution remaining in the phone, carefully wipe it off or allow it to air dry before installing your new battery.