How to Install a Digitizer and Replace both cameras in your iPod Touch 4G

 PICTURES AND THE REST OF THE INSTRUCTIONS TO COME!


Please use your head when attempting this repair. Go slowly so you only have to do this once and need not replace any extra parts that you shouldn't have to. Obviously, this is done at your own risk and I accept no responsibility for any damages you incur. I have done this more than once and the method below worked nicely for me.

1. Don't underestimate the importance of this step. Get a blow dryer or heat gun and heat the iPod up (being careful not to melt it) You shouldn't heat it up any hotter than you can stand to hold the iPod in your hands.

2. With a plastic pry tool, guitar pick, or a smooth metal tool specifically made to work with plastic, start from the sides and gently break the adhesive running around the perimeter. It may make it easier to use a suction cup to pull up on the center of the screen slightly to get your tool under there. Do not push the tool too far into the iPod! Only go in a few milimeters and run around the perimeter.

3. Before pulling the screen off, make sure that all of the adhesive is detached from the bottom and slowly lift up the BOTTOM NOT THE TOP of the screen half an inch at most. You can look inside and see that at the top of the screen, the little copper colored WiFi antenna gets stick to the back of the digitizer and needs to be separated first. If you pull too far you can rip it right off.

4. When you manage to get the Wifi antenna off long with the rest of the adhesive, slowly pull up from the bottom and use your tool to break up any remaining adhesive from the top. Before pulling it off all the way, disconnect (WITH A PLASTIC TOOL ONLY) the LCD screen connector. You will see a black connector and a copper one coming from the screen assembly. The black one goes to the digitizer (don't try to do anything with it just yet) and the copper one goes to the LCD screen itself.

5. Now you are ready to separate the screen from the back of the iPod and let it rest next to the aluminum case. Before continuing, keep in mind that, unlike previous generation of iPod Touches, this particular one uses much more adhesive and just like repainting your car, it is all in the prep work. So, try to remove as much of the adhesive as possible.

iPod Touch 4g Digitizer and Camera Replacement

Under Construction! I will give detailed instructions on how to replace the digitizer and both of the cameras in your iPod Touch 4G.

Many times during the digitizer replacement process, the front facing camera is damaged leaving you with a nicely sealed iPod that works beautifully but has a dead camera causing you to risk breaking the new screen and tear all the way back down to replace it. To avoid this, test your cameras AS WELL as the screen/digitizer before sealing the iPod up! I cannot stress this enough. It is very easy to knock the hidden connector off of the  front camera or even tear/bend the ribbon!

You will see some threads stating 'iPod Touch front camera not working after digitizer replacement.'

This is really a shame because of all of the tedious work that must be done to replace the screen must be done all over again. So, follow the instructions to come very carefully and test everything out before sealing it back up. (This includes connecting to WiFi as it is very easy to tear off the antenna when pulling the screen up!)