How to Efficiently Change an iPad Battery

With the advanced wonders that Apple products offer comes the realization that they make it almost impossible to alter or repair anything on your own. Since an iPad’s battery life is less than that of the lifespan of an average housefly, the ability to replace the battery from the comfort of your own home is a huge savings in both money and time.

Your one-year warranty from Apple includes replacement coverage for a defective battery. You can extend your coverage to two years from the date of your iPad purchase with the AppleCare Protection Plan. During the plan’s coverage period, Apple will replace the battery if it drops below 50% of its original capacity. If it is out of warranty, Apple offers a battery replacement for $99, plus $6.95 for shipping. This replacement can take several weeks from the time you send it in to the time you get it back.
For around $20, you can purchase a replacement battery online and do the job yourself. A caveat: doing so will void your Apple warranty and any damage that you do probably cannot be fixed. If
you still wish to undertake the task, you will need two metal spudgers, a plastic opening tool (a guitar pick can work in a pinch) and a T5 Torx screwdriver. Some replacement battery kits include many of these tools.
To begin, you must open the display assembly. To do this, insert the metal spudger between the top edge and rear panel assemblies. Rotate the spudger away from you to release each of the tabs along the top edge of the display. Then, insert the second metal spudger between the top edge and rear panel assemblies to prevent the tabs from snapping back into place. Use the first spudger to continue releasing the tabs along the right edge of the iPad and lift the display away from the rear assembly by its bottom edge. The display will remain attached to the rear panel so DO NOT attempt to remove the display at this time.
Next, you will need to disconnect the cables attaching the display assembly to the logic board, which contains the digitizer, ambient light sensor and display data cable. Use the edge of the plastic opening tool to flip up the flaps holding the digitizer ribbon cables in their sockets; make sure you flip up the flaps, not the sockets themselves. Pull the digitizer ribbon cables straight out of the sockets. Prying upward, use the plastic opening tool to remove the ambient light sensor connecter from its socket. Then, flip up the black plastic tab of the metal retainer to disconnect the display data cable from the main board. Remove the entire display assembly from the rear panel assembly.

Next, you will need to remove the logic board itself by using the edge of the plastic opening tool to pry the side button and speaker connectors up off the board from underneath the wires. Flip up the ZIF ribbon cable retaining flap on the socket near the headphone jack; make sure you are prying up the flap, not the socket itself. Pull the headphone jack ribbon cable toward the left side of the iPad to disconnect it from its socket. Then, remove the two 4.56 mm T5 Torx screws and two 3.76 mm T5 Torx screws that secure the logic board to the rear panel assembly. Use the edge of the plastic opening tool to pry the dock cable connector straight up off the logic board. Finally, lift the logic board out of the rear panel assembly.
To replace the iPad battery, remove the two 2.84 mm T5 Torx screws that secure the speaker assembly to the rear panel, the T5 Torx screw that secures the middle of the dock cable to the rear panel assembly and the two 2.84 mm T5Torx screws that secure the dock connector to the rear case. Using the plastic opening tool, remove the plastic cover shielding the WiFi/Bluetooth board and dock connector cable. Pry the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas from their sockets on the board and lift the dock connector cable out of the rear panel assembly. De-route the speaker cable from the left side of the battery case and the Wi-Fi antenna through its channel in the speaker assembly. Lift the speaker assembly and push it forward until the ports clear the bottom side of the lower case and remove it from the rear panel assembly.
The battery is attached to the rear panel by a significant amount of adhesive material, so use patience in removing it. Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry the battery from the lower case. Continue to pry the right side of the battery by wiggling the spudger until the battery side is free from the rear panel. Continue this process along the top of the battery until there is enough clearance to peel the battery off of the adhesive. Remove the battery completely and then reassemble the iPad following these steps in reverse.
Disassembling your iPad is complicated and comes with a risk, both of internal and cosmetic damage. Proceed with extreme caution and, if you don’t feel confident in the process, pack it up and send it to Apple.