iPhone 12 mini - Replacing the battery

Before starting your repair, we recommend that you use our checklist to test the basic functions of your iPhone 12 mini. This way you can check afterwards if your repair was successful.

1. To switch off your iPhone, press and hold the side and volume down button simultaneously for a few seconds.
2. Your phone will shut down completely within a few seconds after swiping the displayed slider from left to right.

• 2 × 6.7 mm Pentalobe

Use a screw storage to keep an overview during the repair and avoid losing anything. Use an old sewing box, for example; with our high-quality magnetic pad, you have the additional advantage that nothing slips.

1. Loosen the two Pentalobe screws with a Pentalobe screwdriver.
2. Then put them on your magnetic pad.

The display edge is heavily glued. It is therefore essential to first heat it up sufficiently. Use a hot air device, such as a heat gun or an ordinary hair dryer.

1. Heat the edge of the display by running the hot air device evenly over it.

To create a narrow gap between the display's edge and the case, you need a flat, stable tool. We recommend the iFlex for this, since it has particularly sharp edges that can be easily inserted.

1. Attach a suction cup to the lower display edge and pull it upwards. At the same time, insert the iFlex between the edge of the display and the case.
2. Insert a flat pick into a spot that has already been loosened so that the glue does not bond again.

To avoid damaging the edge of the case with the sharp edges of the iFlex when detaching the display, you should switch to a plastic tool as soon as possible. We recommend the hard plastic pick for this.

1. Run the hard plastic pick all the way around the display edge. At the same time, push it upwards to loosen the display's hooked lugs from the casing's frame.

Never unfold the screen more than 180° while the sensitive screen cables are still connected. Otherwise, they could tear.

1. Once the display is completely detached, you first have to remove all plastic picks.
2. Then carefully open it towards the volume buttons. Lean it against a stable object to avoid overstretching the flex cables.

• 1 × 1.0 mm Y-Type
• 5 × 1.2 mm Y-Type

1. Remove the six Y-type screws from the two cover plates using a Y-type screwdriver.
2. Then place them on the magnetic pad.

1. Remove the two cover plates from your device with a pair of tweezers.
2. Then put them with the appropriate screws on your magnetic pad.

• Connector

Always detach the battery connector as soon as possible to avoid a potential short circuit.
When separating connectors, always start from the side where there are no small components on the logicboard. This way you avoid potential damage.

1. Use a plastic lever tool to carefully slide under the battery connector and separate it from the board. We use a plastic spudger for this.

• Connector

The iPhone 12 mini has two display connectors. One of them connects the earpiece to the logicboard.

1. Run the spudger underneath the two display connectors one after the other and carefully pry them off the logicboard.

1. Once the display is completely detached, you can remove it and put it aside.

• 4 × 1.6 mm Phillips

1. Loosen the four Phillips screws of the speaker modul with a Phillips screwdriver and take them out of your device.

1. Take the loosened speaker out of your device with the help of tweezers.
2. Put it next to the screws on the magnetic pad.

• 1 × 1.3 mm Phillips
• 1 × 2.0 mm Phillips

1. Remove the two Phillips screws from the cover plate. It protects and fixes the connector of the Taptic Engine.
2. Then put them out of the device.

1. Take the Taptic Engine's cover plate out of your device with the help of tweezers.
2. Place it with the appropriate screws on your magnetic pad.

• Connector

The connector of the Taptic Engine is attached to the cable set of the Lightning connector.

1. Run the spudger under the connector of the Taptic Engine and carefully lever it off the logicboard.

• 1 × 1.6 mm Y-Type
• 1 × 3.0 mm Standoff

1. Now loosen the two screws that hold the Taptic Engine in the case.
2. Then take them out.

1. Take the detached Taptic Engine out of your iPhone.
2. Place it on the magnetic pad with the corresponding screws.

The battery of the iPhone 12 mini is attached to the case unit with 4 adhesive strips. These can be pulled out by their tabs, which are each attached to the top of the battery.The tabs of the adhesive battery strips lie very flat on the battery. Therefore, look closely to avoid confusing them with another protective film of the battery.

1. Use tweezers to carefully detach the black tabs of the adhesive strips from the edge of the battery.
2. Then pull them out from under the battery as flat as possible so that they do not tear.

If one of the adhesive strips is torn, you have to pry the battery out very carefully, as it can easily be bent. If you use a tool like the battery spudger, you should only apply it to the short sides of the battery to avoid damaging the flex cable and the NFC antenna underneath.

1. Remove the battery from your device and put it aside.
2. You should carefully remove the remains of the adhesive strips on the case's bottom with tweezers.

After you have removed the protective films from your replacement battery, you can insert it at this point.

1. Align the battery in the case at its connector.
2. Then press it firmly into the case.

1. Carefully place the Taptic Engine back in its original position using tweezers.

• 1 × 1.6 mm Y-Type
• 1 × 3.0 mm Standoff

Be careful not to mix up the screws, Using a screw that is too long can potentially damage the case unit.

1. Screw the Taptic Engine with one Y-type and one standoff screw each.

• Connector

Never attach connectors by force. Damage to a connector can lead to the failure of an entire component.

1. Attach your connector by gently pressing it onto its slot on the Lightning connector cable set. You should hear and feel it click into place.

1. Reposition the cover plate of the Taptic Engine over its connector.

• 1 × 1.3 mm Phillips
• 1 × 2.0 mm Phillips

To prevent the cover plate from moving when screwing, you can secure it with tweezers.

1. Attach the cover plate of the Taptic Engine with the two Phillips screws.

1. Put the speaker back into the case unit.

• 4 × 1.6 mm Phillips

1. Screw the speaker with the four Phillips-screws.

Attaching a new adhesive frame is optional. If it is still in good condition, you do not need to install a new one. However, if it has defects or no longer sticks properly, we recommend that you install a new adhesive frame.

1. We show you how to apply a new adhesive frame in detail in our YouTube video.

1. Put the display back on the casing unit. For this, lean it against a stable object.

• Connector

1. Attach the display connectors by carefully pressing them onto the board one after the other. They should click into place audibly and perceptibly.

• Connector

Always connect the battery connector as late as possible to avoid a potential short circuit.

1. Attach the battery connector by carefully pressing it onto the logicboard. You should hear and feel it click into place.

Flip the display over to test your iPhone 12 mini after the repair. However, do not press it firmly into the case unit yet. This way, you can quickly open it again if necessary.

1. Connect a charging cable to check the functionality of the replacement battery. If your iPhone is charging, everything is fine.
2. Afterwards, you can check the functionality of other components. Again, you can use our checklist as a guide.

1. Flip the display back open after the test run.
2. Place the two cover plates over the battery and display connectors. Use the screw holes as a reference.

• 1 × 1.0 mm Y-Type
• 5 × 1.2 mm Y-Type

1. Then screw the two plates back onto the logicboard using the Y-type screws.

To ensure that the display bonds properly with the case unit again after insertion, you should heat the edge of the display with hot air. Afterwards, you can weigh down your iPhone with a few books for about half an hour or clamp it down.

1. Carefully flip the display over and press it firmly into the case unit.

• 2 × 6.7 mm Pentalobe

At the end of the repair, fix the display in the case unit by fastening the Pentalobe screws.