iPod Nano 4th Generation Display Replacement

Be sure to use the smaller iPod opening tool and press it in FIRMLY in order to get enough leverage to get under the bezel and pry it off. Adhesive is very strong, so don't be afraid to use a little bit of force.

Be sure to use a good phillips #00 screwdriver here, or you run the risk of stripping the very small screws.

The screws were covered with the adhesive. They were very difficult to remove.

I RUINED the hold switch! I accidentally broke the cord. 0_o The directions were kind of unclear.

Quote from bodieg:

The screws were covered with the adhesive. They were very difficult to remove.

I RUINED the hold switch! I accidentally broke the cord. 0_o The directions were kind of unclear.

Step 12 is misleading as it does not show to remove the screen from the metal frame.

Sorry guys, but the explanations are really bad. Go onto youtube and watch it. This site misses heaps of steps. I just broke my iPod :(

Like others have noted, screws are covered in adhesive and difficult to remove. Take extreme care to not strip the heads. I'd suggest using a very small flathead to scrape some of the adhesive off before attempting to remove the screws.

a 1mm slotted screwdriver will work in a pinch, but be carefull and make sure you get the angle just right

The tools list doesn't say you need an iPod opener to, nor does the parts list day you'll need a new click wheel, though this is called ”...click wheel REPLACEMENT​”. I don't get the feeling these are very trustworthy instructions, ESPECIALLY after having read other comments. I'd say BEWARE, and look at a variety of resources to get a much more comprehensive picture.

Actually, the screws are not aligned with the edges of the iPod, which means that you must not try to unscrew them vertically. If you do there is a good chance that you damage the head of the screws. Thus look carefully with a torch to see at what angle you have to unscrew them.

Actually, the screws are not aligned with the edges of the iPod. That means that if you try to unscrew them vertically, there is a good chance that you damage the head of the screws. Thus, look carefully with a torch to see exactly at what angle you need to unscrew them safelly.

Everything was good up to this point. I could barely see the screws and ended up stripping them. Just gave up at this point and threw the

Ipod on the ground and stomped on it.

I agree with several other contributors here, that a properly sized flat screwdriver *that is not worn* held at the correct angle is a better option than a phillips because the screw head is filled in with adhesive tape. BEWARE: The screws on the top and bottom outer edges are not parallel to the case. They are offset by 25 or 30 degrees, with the tips of the screws pointing out towards the outer edge of the case with respect to where the heads are. Use something to get magnification so you can really see how your screwdriver fits, and whether it’s engaged. An undamaged and properly sized standard screwdriver held in the appropriate orientation will readily remove the top and bottom side screws without stripping and with very little force. Feel for engagement — press the screwdriver in just enough to get past the adhesive. Not much torque or pressure is required — just a good fit. You must have the right tools to do this job successfully, and look under high magnification. Align your screwdriver!

I found I had to gently pry the retainer open with a craft knife (xacto knife?) as the plastic opener tool was too blunt or soft to get any purchase...

My nano had a "swollen" battery which wedged the LCD between battery and front glass. As a result, this step didn't work, I couldn't pull out the TFT and botched case, TFT and TFT frame until it came out. Telltale sign was a display that looked like there is a water between glass and LCD. The other nanos I've opened didnt have this problem and came out effortlessly, so if yours is stuck, don't feel bad, there's not much you can do!

I have several problems in taking it out. I don't know if it is dued to the glue that the iPod has inside. Could you help me. Thanks

instructions say 5" (inches) it really means 5mm

Quote from pedalsandpicks:

instructions say 5" (inches) it really means 5mm

If you're gonna repair the way you read it will get you nowhere: the text reads .(as point)5 inch. Which is about 12mm.

The glass panel can be very difficult to get moving requiring a lot of downward force. I have found good old fashioned spit to be very useful here.Just lick both thumbs and rub on fingers until just sticky enough.

This willl move the glass.

I found the adhesive (or fit) quite strong. Pushing on the bottom part of the glass created a small gap at the top, which I could fit a craft knife (xacto blade) into. This made it easier to carefully lever the glass out for me.

I slipped and broke the LCD. So !#^&@@ off. What an absolute bastard of a job!

You could do all these steps and really mess up your nano. Instead of disassembling the iPod, carefully remove the remnants of the old glass which I assumed you have cracked. With the new glass in hand CAREFULLY sand one edge of the glass evenly. I used my fine grinder on my dremel tool. After assuring a snug fit I removed the adhesive and installed the glass. Looks great and functional and I didn't ruin my iPod in the process. And when I said sand one edge I mean one of the edges that has a "lip" on it. The other lip you can slide right in and push gently down for a nice fit. Do not remove the adhesive until you are sure of a good fit. This is a quick fix for those who are too queezy to take apart their device.

Be extremely careful while doing anything around the screen. The slightest bit of pressure in the wrong direction and you will be replacing the screen along with the battery. I speak from experience.

Continue to carefully hold the socket down while doing the next step. If the cable come off at the wrong angle it can pull the connector away from the board at the base of the screen.

Some of the ribbon is inside the white housing with the lock on, it needs to slide out of the housing. I didn't notice this because everything is so small - be sure not to slide your pry tool right through it.

The display can actually be pulled out slightly further than it initially seems. When you gently pull it up, you'll experience some resistance, which I initially thought indicated it was as far as it could go. But an extra bit of (still very gentle) force can pull it up a few more millimetres, which means the opening tool can fit.

Also, it seemed to me to actually be helpful to lever the cable out of its port before removing the ribbon from the adhesive on the plate, since this allowed better access to the adhesive with the opening tool.

As commenter Brian Campbell wrote on the previous step, it is important to hold down the white cable socket while carefully working the cable loose from the adhesive. Even a small amount of upward force on the display data cable while it is still inside the socket could be enough to tear the socket off the board. Try not to pry up - use a thin, new (undamaged) opening tool to get under the ribbon cable and keep it parallel and as close to the metal plate as possible. It needs to be worked *under* the data cable, not to pry, as the cable just slides straight out the bottom of the white socket.

By "caught" do you mean glued to the case? Mine was, and I cant tell how I could possibly have removed the screen without it breaking. Luckily my Ipod was already broken, but now its even more broke because of this guide.