The standby button isn’t working.

In this guide, we show you how to replace your iPhone 4’s standby/sensor cable. You need this repair if the standby button isn’t working or has no pressure point. Even if your screen no longer goes dark when you’re talking on the phone, or your microphone doesn’t work for videos or FaceTime, replacing this cable will fix the problem.

Required tools

  • For storing screws

    For storing screws

    We recommend storing your screws so you don’t mix up the various screws and small parts.

    €10.00 at the iDoc store
  • Menda ESD Spudger

    Menda ESD Spudger

    You need a flat plastic prying tool to disconnect the various plugs and connectors.

    €7.00 at the iDoc store
  • Steel Laboratory Spatula

    Steel Laboratory Spatula

    You need a flat and sturdy prying tool to disconnect glued parts.

    €4.00 at the iDoc store
  • Pentalobe PL1 screwdriver

    Pentalobe PL1 screwdriver

    You need the right screwdriver for removing pentalobe PL1 screws.

    €12.00 at the iDoc store
  • Phillips PH00 screwdriver

    Phillips PH00 screwdriver

    You need the right screwdriver for removing PH00 screws.

    €12.00 at the iDoc store

Required replacement part

  • iPhone 4 Standby/sensor cable

    iPhone 4 Standby/sensor cable

    on Amazon
Show all replacement parts for the iPhone 4 

Passendes Werkzeug

Mit unserem Werkzeug gelingt dir die Reparatur.

for €55.00

Getting started with the repair of your iPhone 4

If you get stuck or have questions, you can post a comment. We’d be happy to help.

39 steps
  1. Removing the enclosure screws

    iPhone 4 - Removing the enclosure screws 01
    1. Depending on when your iPhone was manufactured, you’ll need either a Phillips screwdriver or a pentalobe screwdriver to open your phone.
    2. Depending on when your iPhone was manufactured, you’ll need either a Phillips screwdriver or a pentalobe screwdriver to open your phone. They are located to the right and left of the dock connector. Put the screws in the same compartment of your organizer tray.
      2 x 3.6 mm pentalobe/Phillips screws
  2. Removing the back cover

    iPhone 4 - Removing the back cover 01
    iPhone 4 - Removing the back cover 02
    1. Use your thumbs or the palm of your hand to push the back cover of your iPhone about 4 mm away from the bottom of the phone where the dock connector is (see figure 1).
    2. Then you can lift the back cover at the end that’s sticking out past the phone (see figure 2).
  3. Disconnecting the battery connector

    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the battery connector 01
    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the battery connector 02
    1. If your iPhone’s still on, turn it off now by holding down the standby button for about five seconds and following the prompt on the display.
    2. Remove the screw on the battery connector using a Phillips screwdriver (see figure 1). Put the screw in a separate compartment of your organizer tray.
      1 x 2.6 mm Phillips screw
      The battery contact point on the logic board could come off. If the contact point breaks off but the soldering points are still intact, you can solder the contact point back on.
    3. Now carefully lift off the battery connector by inserting the pointed ESD spudger slightly below the silver cover plate (see figure 2). If you don’t have a spudger, you can also try using your fingernail.
    4. For the rest of the repair, you can also use the metal laboratory spatula instead of the spudger. This may make some steps easier for you. However, we explicitly recommend using the ESD spudger produced specifically for precision electronics.
  4. Removing the battery

    iPhone 4 - Removing the battery 01
    iPhone 4 - Removing the battery 02
    iPhone 4 - Removing the battery 03
    1. The antenna cover is under the battery connector. NRemove the cover and put it in the same compartment of your organizer tray as the Phillips screw you removed before. (See figure 1).
    2. Now remove the battery. It’s sometimes glued firmly in place. Insert the flat end of the spudger into the space (about 1 cm to the left of the volume down button) between the battery and the outer frame, and slowly lift the battery (see figure 2). If the battery’s really stuck on, use other leverage points to the right and left of the original spot to pry it off. If you still can’t detach the battery, you can use a heat gun to warm it slightly from the outside and soften the glue.
    3. Now you can also disconnect the antenna connector by carefully pulling it off the plug head using the spudger (see figure 3).
  5. Plastic tab

    iPhone 4 - Plastic tab 01
    iPhone 4 - Plastic tab 02
    1. Fold the plastic tab with the warning over and press it firmly onto the lower adhesive strip. This way, it won’t get in the way during your repair.
    2. Of course, you can also remove the plastic tab.
  6. Disconnecting the dock connector cable

    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the dock connector cable 01
    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the dock connector cable 02
    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the dock connector cable 03
    1. Remove the two Phillips screws from the dock connection cable and remove the black (silver for newer models) cover (see figure 1).
      1 x 1.6 mm Phillips screw
      1 x 1.2 mm Phillips screw
    2. Put the screws and cover in the same compartment of your organizer tray. It’s easy to tell them apart.
    3. Now you can carefully detach the connector by using the flat end of the spudger to lift the connector again. Alternatively, you can also use your fingernail again (see figure 2).
    4. Pull the flat cable that’s lightly glued in place off of the logic board and bend it carefully over the frame (see figure 3).
  7. Removing the Wi-Fi cover

    iPhone 4 - Removing the Wi-Fi cover 01
    iPhone 4 - Removing the Wi-Fi cover 02
    iPhone 4 - Removing the Wi-Fi cover 03
    1. Remove the five Phillips screws. (See figure 1).
      1 x 2.3 mm Phillips screw
      2 x 1.6 mm Phillips screws
      1 x 4.8 mm Phillips Wi-Fi screw
      1 x 1.3 mm Phillips screw
    2. Use the flat end of the spudger to detach the cover. (See figure 2).
    3. Lift the cover out of the phone. Note that the cover is hooked on in two places. (See figure 3).
  8. Disconnecting the connectors

    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the connectors 01
    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the connectors 02
    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the connectors 03
    1. Now you can disconnect the following five connectors. Be very careful (see figure 1).
      Touchscreen
      LCD
      Front camera
      Headphone output/volume controller
      Standby/proximity sensor
      Camera (removed in the following step)
      Be particularly careful with the headphone output connection. There’s a little resistor there that you need in order for the front camera to work.Don’t break it off (see figure 3).
    2. Place the pointed tip of the spudger very slightly below the contact and lift it up (see figure 2). Make sure you don’t break off the resistors that are soldered onto the logic board.
  9. Removing the rear camera

    iPhone 4 - Removing the rear camera 01
    1. Lift the camera connector to remove it like you removed the other connectors and take out the camera.
  10. Removing the water indicator

    iPhone 4 - Removing the water indicator 01
    1. Remove the white water indicator sticker. It helps to use the tweezers or laboratory spatula. If you’re having trouble removing the sticker, some hot air can help.
    2. There’s a Phillips screw below that.
    3. It’s best if you stick the sticker on the plastic tab so you don’t lose it.
  11. Removing the SIM card tray

    iPhone 4 - Removing the SIM card tray 01
    1. You can use the SIM Tool or a paperclip to remove the SIM card tray. Press the SIM Tool into the small hole in the SIM card tray to remove it.
  12. Removing the logic board

    iPhone 4 - Removing the logic board 01
    iPhone 4 - Removing the logic board 02
    iPhone 4 - Removing the logic board 03
    iPhone 4 - Removing the logic board 04
    1. Now unscrew all three screws that hold the logic board in place.
    2. You’ll need both the Phillips screwdriver and a flathead screwdriver or the laboratory spatula (see figure 1). Put the screws in the same compartment of your organizer tray. You can easily tell them apart by looking at them.
      1 x 4.8 mm Phillips/flathead screw
      1 x 2.4 mm Phillips screw
      1 x 2.0 mm Phillips screw
    3. Now you can carefully lift the logic board below the battery connection using the spudger (see figure 2) and remove it by hand (see figure 3).
    4. There’s a little black rubber protector on the right side of the logic board (see figure 4). It comes off easily. Put it with the screws from this step so it doesn’t get lost.
  13. Removing the speaker

    iPhone 4 - Removing the speaker 01
    iPhone 4 - Removing the speaker 02
    1. Unscrew the remaining Phillips screw on the speaker (see figure 1) and use the spudger to remove it (see figure 2). Put the screw in a separate compartment of your organizer tray.
    2. 1 x 2.4 mm Phillips screw
  14. Removing the vibration motor

    iPhone 4 - Removing the vibration motor 01
    1. Now remove the vibration motor. Unscrew the two Phillips screws and remove the vibration motor. Put the screws in the same compartment of your organizer tray.
      1 x 6.0 mm Phillips screw
      1 x 1.3 mm Phillips screw
  15. Loosening the screws on the sides

    iPhone 4 - Loosening the screws on the sides 01
    iPhone 4 - Loosening the screws on the sides 02
    iPhone 4 - Loosening the screws on the sides 03
    1. Now carefully loosen the six identical Phillips screws (three on each side) by two or three turns.
      6 x 1.5 mm Phillips screws
    2. You don’t need to remove the screws completely. This way, it’ll be easier to put your phone back together later.
  16. Removing the four corner screws

    iPhone 4 - Removing the four corner screws 01
    iPhone 4 - Removing the four corner screws 02
    iPhone 4 - Removing the four corner screws 03
    iPhone 4 - Removing the four corner screws 04
    1. The identical Phillips screws in the four corners of your iPhone are still holding the display in place. Remove the screws completely and store them in the same compartment of your organizer tray.
      4 x 1.6 mm Phillips screws
  17. Disconnecting the display

    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the display 01
    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the display 02
    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the display 03
    iPhone 4 - Disconnecting the display 04
    1. It may help to warm up the front of the display at the top and bottom using a heat gun or hair dryer to soften the glue (see figure 1).
    2. Insert the flat end of the spudger about 2 to 3 mm between the display assembly and the silver frame, and slowly lift the screen. If you use a different pointed or flat tool, make sure you don’t scratch the front panel from the inside. This is especially important when you’re replacing the Home button’s flexible flat cable because you’ll be using the same screen.
    3. Start between the headphone output and the standby button (see figure 2). As soon as there’s a little gap, try to pull off the display with your fingers. The strength of the glue can vary greatly.
    4. Using the spudger, work your way around the entire frame once (see figure 3). If the display is still really stuck on, use some more hot air.
    5. Keep warming it up until you can easily lift the display assembly (see figure 4) and it’s no longer stuck on (please note: The display’s connection cables are on the side with the standby button).
  18. Taking off the display

    iPhone 4 - Taking off the display 01
    1. Pay special attention to the touch and LCD cable when you remove the display.
    2. Carefully guide this cable through the midframe.
  19. Removing the earpiece

    iPhone 4 - Removing the earpiece 01
    1. Insert the laboratory spatula under the adhesive film on the earpiece’s foam ring. Make sure you don’t put the spatula right under the cable set.
    2. Loosen the earpiece until you can remove it.
  20. The right tools for your repair

    With the right tools, you will succeed in any repair. In our store you will find a large selection of professional quality tools.
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  21. Removing the screws

    iPhone 4 - Removing the screws 01

    1. Unscrew the two Phillips screws that press the standby support frame against the standby button and put them in the same compartment of your organizer tray.
      1 x 1.4 mm Phillips screw
      1 x 1.0 mm Phillips screw
  22. Removing the cable

    iPhone 4 - Removing the cable 01
    iPhone 4 - Removing the cable 02
    iPhone 4 - Removing the cable 03
    iPhone 4 - Removing the cable 04
    1. First detach the headphone output so you can get to the ambient microphone more easily (see figure 1).
    2. Use the laboratory spatula to detach the ambient microphone from the frame. It’s glued on (see figure 2).
    3. Now detach the rest of the cable set using the spatula (see figure 3).
    4. Use tweezers or your fingers to remove the cable set (see figure 4).
  23. Preparing the cable set

    iPhone 4 - Preparing the cable set 01
    iPhone 4 - Preparing the cable set 02
    1. You need to transfer the following parts:
      • Standby support frame
      • Protective cover for sensor
      • Transparent sensor plates (only in the black iPhone 4)
      • Soft sticker on the connector

      If your screen no longer goes dark when you’re talking on the phone after this repair, you can get help here.

  24. Installing the cable set

    iPhone 4 - Installing the cable set 01
    iPhone 4 - Installing the cable set 02
    iPhone 4 - Installing the cable set 03
    iPhone 4 - Installing the cable set 04
    1. Carefully put in the cable set so the two sensors are in the recesses (see figure 1).
    2. Install the ambient microphone in its original position and insert the headphone output (see figure 2).
    3. The rocker frame for the standby button has to face downward (see figure 3).Now put the standby support frame back in so you can screw it in place. The end with the copper plate has to be behind the metal rocker switch (see figure 4).
  25. Fastening the screws

    iPhone 4 - Fastening the screws 01
    1. Now fasten the two Phillips screws again.
      1 x 1.4 mm Phillips screw
      1 x 1.0 mm Phillips screw
  26. Attaching the display

    iPhone 4 - Attaching the display 01
    iPhone 4 - Attaching the display 02
    iPhone 4 - Attaching the display 03
    iPhone 4 - Attaching the display 04

    When you put on the display, make sure you pull the LCD and touchscreen cables all the way through the slot in the midframe. You have to pull both cables through the slot up to the same length (see figures 1 and 2).

    1. See if you can press the Home button as usual once the assembly is evenly on the frame. Make sure that the display is properly fitted to the frame (see figure 3).
    2. Make sure the washers for the six identical Phillips screws are fitted properly (see figure 4). (The display’s clips should be between the washer and the frame.)
  27. Putting in the corner screws

    iPhone 4 - Putting in the corner screws 01
    iPhone 4 - Putting in the corner screws 02
    iPhone 4 - Putting in the corner screws 03
    iPhone 4 - Putting in the corner screws 04
    1. Screw in all four equally sized Phillips screws again.
      4 x 1.6 mm Phillips screws
  28. Tightening the screws on the sides

    iPhone 4 - Tightening the screws on the sides 01
    iPhone 4 - Tightening the screws on the sides 02
    iPhone 4 - Tightening the screws on the sides 03
    1. Now you have to tighten the six identical Phillips screws (three on each side).
      6 x 1.5 mm Phillips screws
  29. Installing the vibration motor

    iPhone 4 - Installing the vibration motor 01
    iPhone 4 - Installing the vibration motor 02
    1. Now put the vibration motor in its place and screw it in (see figure 1).
      1 x 6.0 mm Phillips screw
      1 x 1.3 mm Phillips screw
    2. Make sure the adhesive film on the headphone output doesn’t touch the vibration motor’s head because, otherwise, it won’t be able to rotate freely (see figure 2).
  30. Installing the speaker

    iPhone 4 - Installing the speaker 01
    iPhone 4 - Installing the speaker 02
    1. At first, only tighten the Phillips screw on the speaker a little bit (see figure 1).
      1 x 2.4 mm Phillips screw
    2. The speaker’s clips have to be against the speaker behind the higher level of the middle cover (see figure 2). This is easiest if you only slightly screw in the speaker at first so it can still move around a little.
    3. Once the clips are fitted properly, you can tighten the screw.
  31. Installing the logic board

    iPhone 4 - Installing the logic board 01
    iPhone 4 - Installing the logic board 02
    iPhone 4 - Installing the logic board 03
    iPhone 4 - Installing the logic board 04
    1. Put the rubber protector back on the sharp edge of the logic board. The thicker part should be facing down (see figure 1).
    2. Put the logic board back in carefully as shown in the picture. The logic board will click gently into place when it’s in the right position (see figure 2). This may take several attempts. Use figure 3 to check whether your logic board is in the right place.
      Make sure the antenna cable attached to the speaker isn’t under the logic board.
    3. Now screw in all three Phillips screws that hold the logic board in place (see figure 4).
      1 x 4.8 mm Phillips/flathead screw
      1 x 2.4 mm Phillips screw
      1 x 2.0 mm Phillips screw
  32. Attaching the water indicator

    iPhone 4 - Attaching the water indicator 01
    1. Stick the white water indicator sticker back on the Phillips screw.
  33. Connecting the connections

    iPhone 4 - Connecting the connections 01

    1. First connect the camera and then connect the other connectors to the corresponding connections. Use your finger to carefully press them in. Only use as much pressure as you need for the contacts to gently click into place.
    2. If the LCD/touchscreen cable is too short, you forgot to pull it tightly through the slot in the midframe.
  34. Installing the Wi-Fi cover

    iPhone 4 - Installing the Wi-Fi cover 01
    iPhone 4 - Installing the Wi-Fi cover 02
    1. Put the cover on the logic board and make sure it’s hooked on properly.
    2. Then fasten it with the five Phillips screws (see figure 1).
      1 x 2.3 mm Phillips screw
      2 x 1.6 mm Phillips screws
      1 x 4.8 mm Phillips Wi-Fi screw
      1 x 1.3 mm Phillips screw
    3. If you have problems with the Wi-Fi signal later, the Wi-Fi screw may be screwed in wrong. Also check whether the Wi-Fi contact point is fitted properly on the cover (see figure 2).
  35. Attaching the dock connector cable

    iPhone 4 - Attaching the dock connector cable 01
    1. Connect the dock connection cable again and put the black/silver cover on it.
    2. Fasten the two Phillips screws again.
      1 x 1.2 mm Phillips screw
      1 x 1.6 mm Phillips screw
  36. Aligning the plastic tab

    iPhone 4 - Aligning the plastic tab 01
    1. Detach the plastic tab with the warning or stick it back in if you took it out.
  37. Installing the battery

    iPhone 4 - Installing the battery 01
    iPhone 4 - Installing the battery 02
    iPhone 4 - Installing the battery 03
    1. First you have to attach the antenna connector again (see figure 1).
    2. Now put the battery back in the iPhone.
    3. Then install the antenna cover (see figure 2).
    4. Now click the battery connector back into place and screw it in (see figure 3).
      1 x 2.6 mm Phillips screw
  38. Attaching the back cover

    iPhone 4 - Attaching the back cover 01
    1. Put the back cover back on and carefully push it the last few millimeters toward the dock connector.
  39. Fastening the enclosure screws

    iPhone 4 - Fastening the enclosure screws 01
    1. Now screw in the two screws at the bottom of the enclosure.
      2 x 3.6 mm pentalobe/Phillips screws
    2. Then all you have to do is push in the SIM card tray.
  40. Setting the time

    iPhone 4 - Setting the time 01

    When the battery is removed from the device, the iPhone loses the time and sets itself to 1:00 a.m. on 1/1/1970. You could have trouble connecting to the cellular network if the time isn’t set.

    After a repair, complete the following steps:

    1. Synchronize your iPhone with iTunes or connect to a WLAN network and wait until the time is set.
    2. Remove the SIM tray with the SIM card and reinsert it.
    3. Activate airplane mode on the device and then deactivate airplane mode.
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Profi-Insights & Tipps für deine erfolgreiche Handy-Reparatur

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