Reemplazo del sensor Force Touch de Apple Watch

Escrito Por: Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Comentarios: 181

Reemplazo del sensor Force Touch de Apple Watch

Dificultad

Difícil

Pasos

Tiempo Requerido

1 - 2 horas

Introducción

Desafortunadamente, abrir tu reloj Apple puede dañar el sensor de Force Touch, que también sirve como sello de junta. El sensor está compuesto por dos capas, pegadas entre sí. Estas capas pueden separarse al abrir el reloj, comprometiendo su sellado después de volver a montarlo. Si esto sucede, deberás reparar o reemplazar el sensor antes de volver a montar el reloj.

Herramientas

Partes

Paso 1

Antes de iniciar la reparación, quita el reloj del cargador y apágalo
Si tu pantalla táctil está rota y no se apaga, usa este método alternativo para apagar tu reloj.

Paso 2

Prepara un iOpener (o agarra un secador para el pelo o una pistola de calor) y calienta la caratula del reloj hasta que esté ligeramente caliente para tocar.
Deja el iOpener en la caratula por lo menos un minuto para calentar completamente la pantalla y ablandar el adhesivo que la asegura a la caja.
Quizás tendrás que recalentar el iOpener o moverlo alrededor de la pantalla mientras las secciones se enfríen, para calentar la pantalla lo suficiente y despegarla.

Save yourself some time—use a hair dryer. After multiple efforts with the iOpener, I could not get the screen to pop enough to pry it up. That’s when I grabbed a hair dryer and had it off within minutes.

Patrick -

I heated it up with hair dryer for less then 2min and stick the blade in that was supplied with infix kit and popped right off.

MIke C -

Does heating the screen not run the risk of damaging it like you can with a phone?

Wade -

Paso 3

Debido al espacio entre la pantalla y la caja del reloj que es tan delgada, utiliza una cuchilla para separarlos. Lee los siguientes avisos cuidadosamente antes de proceder.
Protege tus dedos mantelos alejados de la cuchilla. Si dudas, protege tu mano libre con un guante pesado, como un guante de jardín o de cuero, que te proteja de cortes.
Ten cuidado no aplicar mucha presión, ya que esto puede causar que se deslice la cuchilla y te puede cortar o dañar el reloj.
utiliza protección ocular. La cuchilla o el vidrio pueden quebrarse, proyectas pedazos al aire.

In my instance, the problem started with the face/screen popping off because the battery swelled. So I didn’t need to heat the face and pry it off. I did heat it a bit in order to warm the residue adhesive on the edge of the face and the case frame and found it easier to scrap it off gently with the craft blade that came with the $39.21 battery replacement kit. If this is your issue, you can skip the prying up steps.

jeb605 - 11/12/20

Same situation as jeb605 - my watch battery swelled and popped the screen off. Fortunately the force touch sensor did not debond from the watch. Thinking about just cleaning the back side of the screen and applying new adhesive. I used an alternate kit that did not come with the force touch sensor.

Tom Karches - 03/06/21

Paso 4

El uso de una hoja curva minimiza la posibilidad de rayar la carcasa o romper el vidrio. Haga palanca únicamente con la sección curva de la hoja y no con la punta o la sección plana.
Colocar la sección curvada de la cuchilla en el espacio entre el vidrio y la caja en la esquina inferior de la caratula, y presiona firmemente hacia abajo en el espacio.
Ten mucho cuidado de mantener el control completo sobre la cuchilla—una vez el espacio se abre y si estas presionando la cuchilla muy fuerte se puede deslizar y cortar la batería.
Esto debe de abrir el espacio y causar que el vidrio se levante un poco de la caja.
Cuando el vidrio se haya levantado, gira suavemente la cuchilla hacia abajo, abriendo más el espacio empujando el vidrio hacia arriba.

It is not possible to separate the screen from the casing? I have heated this thing numerous times and the opening is way too small to get any type of blade, knife or other tool in between. Any suggestions???

Paul - 27/06/16

Using a curved blade like the guide recommends, angle the blade straight down between the glass and the edge of the frame, mid-way along the bottom edge of the case. The metal of the case will flex *just a little bit*, allowing you to slowly rotate the blade so the cutting edge is now pointing towards the center of the watch instead of down towards your work surface. You may need to rock the blade back and forth, sort of massaging the curve into the seam between the glass and the metal before it works. And like they mention above, lots of heat. I used the heatpack they sell, put it in my toaster oven on 200. I started at 130, and went up in 20 degree increments until it worked.

Pete - 04/07/16

I've tried everything, heating it up until it's too hot to touch, pressing the knife in the gap straight down, at an angle, nothing seems to work. I've tried using all my arm strength and it still doesn't even enter the gap. Is the iFixit Jimmy not thin enough for the job?

Kenneth - 20/08/17

It’s not. The Jimmy’s a great pry tool, but not a cutting blade and not sharp enough for this particular job. You want a curved razor like the guide suggests.

Jeff Suovanen - 03/09/19

Just to emphasise after quite a struggle - the blade absolutely matters!! I tried about 5 and almost gave up before the last one lifted the glass quite easily. Obviously, you want a thin blade! No, thinner than that!

Mark Moore - 11/10/19

Plenty of heat helps this part. Also PLEASE PLEASE wear a glove. Nearly lost a finger thinking I was careful enough…

jake - 20/05/20

Apple Watch Ceramic Series 3… Unable to crack open even with curved razor. The tolerances are extremely tight. Does anyone have any tips? Being ceramic, there is no flex at all.

kurt - 21/01/21

I got hung up on this step for over an hour. The key for me was to keep the watch straps on! I initially took them off thinking it would be easier to work with the watch, but I guess just the little pressure I placed on the glass while trying to hold the watch and use the blade was enough to keep it in place. At first I thought I didn’t use enough heat and ended up reheating the iOpener a few times and applying it to the watch over the course of an hour. I put the top strap on, put it back flat on the table and held the watch secure with just the strap. I gave it another go with the blade and the screen instantly popped off. Also, be careful with the force you use on the blade… it seems with adequate heat, you don’t need to use that much (I ended up cutting through the Force Touch sensor and punctured the battery).

phchang - 02/03/21

I would never use a knife like this to remove the screen. It’s way to wide to get in between the glass and body, without potentially breaking the glass. I use the Ultra Thin iFlex Opening Tool, sold by IFIXIT. Seriously. You won’t wanna use a fat blade like that after you take the iFlex for a test drive.

Donald Fournier - 10/05/21

I used the rounded blade provided by iFixIt themselves as part of the Series 1 battery replacement kit and even that was wide enough that it scratched my case while trying to pry the screen up. Also I had to heat the iOpener like 3 or 4 times consecutively at 30s each and leave it on the screen for 5+ minutes before the screen would even budge. Heating for 30 sec and leaving on the screen for 1 minute was not even close to enough.

Happily After Ever -

The display came off nicely after heating the iOpener a couple of times and wiggling the blade a bit. Now i have replaced the battery and the force touch sensor an thought I was ready for a dry run. So I did not peel off the final layer of film so that I can still remove the display. What I see is not good, the display is full of stipes and pixles in many colors. So, did I break the display (e.g. by heat) or does it have to be completely glued to the sensor in order to work?

Jörg -

I got the answer. Unfortunately, I broke the display. A magifying glass revealed that I have scratched the cable where I inserted the blade. Replacing the display and I fixed it!

Jörg -

Paso 5

Una vez que hayas abierto el espacio lo suficiente, inserte la punta de una púa de apertura debajo del vidrio.
Desliza la púa a lo largo del borde inferior para separar el adhesivo que sujeta la pantalla a la caja
cuidado de no insertar demasiado la púa de apertura. Solo es necesario aproximadamente 1/8 "(aproximadamente 3 mm), un poco más profundo y puede dañar los cables.

Paso 6

Rueda la púa hacia el lado del reloj, por el lado del botón, cuidadosamente empujando hacia adentro para separar el adhesivo y agrandar el espacio.
recuerda de no empujar la púa demasiado hacia adentro—es mas fácil de evitar esto rodando o girando la púa en vez de arrastrar hacia alrededor.

Paso 7

Desliza la púa alrededor de la esquina derecha superior, y deslizela alrededor del borde superior de la pantalla.

Paso 8

Continua deslizando la púa alrededor del perímetro de la pantalla, rodando el lado izquierdo para cortar lo ultimo del adhesivo.
Deja la púa en su lugar para prevenir que la pantalla se vuelva a pegar a la caja.

Paso 9

Mientras detienes la primer púa en su lugar, utiliza una segunda púa para revisar que todo el adhesivo este separado alrededor del perímetro completo de la pantalla.

Paso 10

Hay dos cables conectando la pantalla al interior del reloj, cerca de la esquina superior izquierda. Ten cuidado cuando hagas palanca o puedes dañar estos cables.
Ligeramente haz palanca en el lado derecho de la pantalla, para liberarla de cualquier adhesivo restante.
Haz palanca en la izquierda para liberar lo también—pero no intentes de remover la pantalla ya que esta detenida en su lugar por dos cables.

My iwatch screen came lose. There are two strips loose I don’t know how or where they connect to. The watch still powers on and screen is not cracked. Can you advise how to get it back on again?

dawnnstojkovic -

Paso 11

Puedes ver la capa superior de tu sensor Force Touch entre el adhesivo de la pantalla, significa que las dos capas del sensor están separadas y tendrás que reemplazarlo o repararlo.
Los kit de reparación de pantalla y batería de iFixit vienen con un sensor de Force Touch de repuesto, así que si te pasa algo como esto, no te preocupes.
La capa superior del sensor puede estar pegada al lado reverso de la pantalla—si es así, empújalo hacia abajo y sepáralo.

Hi, thanks for the guide, nice work. I miss a picture of the natural opening of the screen, as the mentioned “Force Touch sensor slides” gets connected from the screen to the main body of the watch by a pair of very thin wires. None of these wires are seen in any of the pictures among this guide, which may lead novices to not pay enough attention to them, broke them accidentally, or not knowing what are them for. Picture on step 13 is absolutely impossible without removing the slides / thin wires of the force touch sensor in advance.

Cheers

Javier Enrique Díaz - 20/02/20

"If you can see the top layer of your Force Touch sensor" - How are we supposed to know whether we can see this or not? If one of your images shows us this then can you please point this out. Also, an image of what it should look like, without the problem would be good.

Just discovered this article you have posted about replacing the Force Touch Sensor. After looking at the article I can now see your first image, above, is showing the separated Force Touch Sensor. Perhaps you should link to it in this article, so people can get a better idea of what it is and what it looks like:

Reemplazo del sensor Force Touch de Apple Watch

djones - 03/11/22

Same issue as djones I think. My watch was forced apart by an expanding battery and it came apart in such a way that the force touch sensor was still intact, connected to the watch back and still glued to the face. If I had an image showing the two connectors to the force touch sensor along the same side as the cables, I would have better understood and released the force touch sensor from the face before pulling the sensor away from it's connection in the base. Would have saved $20+ on buying a replacement sensor. Thank you for the documented process.

Jeff Overbey -

Paso 12

Levanta la pantalla hacia arriba y mueve la pantalla hacia la izquierda, prestando atención a los cables de datos de pantalla y digitalizador.

I have 2 other small cables which are missing in your photos. Can you also explain what to do with them? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_6ngMn9...

Pavel Guzenko - 19/06/20

Looks like you forced touch sensor is still attached to the screen and not the body. I’ve got the same issues. I’m going to try to use the plastic tool and heat to gently remove it from the screen and return it down to the body. You can see it in their fix of it… Reemplazo del sensor Force Touch de Apple Watch . Hope this helps.

Andrew Marjamaa - 02/08/20

Be VERY careful when moving the display and attached 2 cables. While they are reasonably protected it is easy to over stress these cables, resulting in tearing of the mini ribbon cable attached at the base. Move the screen the absolute minimum required to get to the battery.

Joe Smith -

Paso 13

Coloca el reloj en una superficie elevada, por lo menos 1/2" o 1 cm de altura—una caja pequeña o el borde de un libro funcionara perfectamente. Esto permitirá que la pantalla se cuelgue hacia abajo verticalmente y dará mejor acceso a la batería.
Ten cuidado de no golpear la pantalla o esforzar los cables mientras trabajas.

Your iFixit shipping box is a great size for this

Joe Smith - 22/03/20

I would taped the watch to the elevated surface and rotated the surface around as I needed to

Andy Campbell - 10/09/20

I could not get the face to swing out of the way as shown for fear of tearing the tab connectors. I let it “hang” as much as it would and had to work with it partly in the way through the entire process

jeb605 - 11/12/20

Paso 14

Usa una tijera para cortar una de tus púas de apertura para que tengan el ancho de la batería. Trata de no dejar esquinas afiladas.
Inserta la púa modificada entre el lado derecho de la batería y la carcasa.
Usa una presión constante para lentamente levantar la batería, separándola del adhesivo que la asegura a la placa del sistema.
Ten cuidado de no deformar o pinchar la batería.
En los modelos más grandes (42 mm) es posible levantar accidentalmente la placa del sistema por debajo de la batería. Inserta la púa solo lo suficiente para llegar debajo de la batería, no la placa del sistema.
Si es necesario, aplica una pequeña alta concentración de alcohol isopropílico (90% o mejor) alrededor y debajo de la batería para ayudar a aflojar el adhesivo.
No intentes de remover la batería ya que aun esta conectada.

I tried removing the battery with the prying tool as instructed, but I think it may have slightly damaged the outer black plastic wrapping of the battery. Does this mean the battery is now damaged and needs to be replaced? Or is that just a cover around the battery and it doesn’t matter? I just don’t want any battery chemicals leaking out. Asking before I stick the screen back on the watch, I’ve done all the rest and it seems fine otherwise.

Danae - 16/06/18

Hi Danae, the black plastic is technically just protective, but I would highly recommend replacing the battery. It’s possible there is additional unseen damage, and that plastic helps protect against swelling and normal wear of the battery inside the device.

Sam Goldheart - 18/06/18

I had to use the pry tool instead of the pick as the pick was not moving it. Was careful not to damage the battery but found it much easier to get movement and know exactly where I was prying with the pry tool.

Joey Totherow - 12/02/20

Great tutorial but I’ve run into a problem changing the battery on my 42mm Original Series watch .

Getting the battery off with the pick has proven impossible and I’m about to try using the isopropyl alcohol.

• Can you provide any tips on how best to apply it, how long to give it to take effect, how often to apply etc. ?

• Given how narrow the gap is, also how to ensure nothing gets damaged by the alcohol?

• Is there any inherent risk in using the pry tool as Joey ended up doing?

Thanks for any advice

Allan Davidson -

Hey so I’m about to do a repair on one and noticed that it’s drains of battery making it pretty much safe to work with but do I really need to remove the battery? Like can’t I just remove the screen right there and now?

Christopher Renteria -

Paso 15

Gira la batería en sentido contrario a las manecillas del reloj para exponer el conector.

Paso 16

Agarra la batería hacia arriba y fuera del camino para exponer el conector del cable de la batería.
Utiliza una herramienta plástica de apertura contra el inferior de la caja para separar el conector del cable de la batería del cable de la batería del reloj.
Saca la batería fuera del reloj.
Si la batería está visiblemente abollada o deformada, debería ser reemplazada. Para mejores resultados, reemplaza con una nueva batería cuando sea removida.

Why should you remove the battery if you only need to replace the screen?...?

Douglas Richey - 17/07/17

Douglas - this iFixit is for Apple Watch Battery Replacement - looks like you need to remove the screen to replace the battery...

jimvaughn6 - 16/08/17

You will find that it is a good precautionary measure to disconnect the battery anytime you are repairing or replacing a screen as a short can occur when reconnecting the screen rendering it useless even if you have the unit turned off.

Bryan Solo - 15/12/17

Great repair guide! You iFixit guys are awesome. Took me about 2 hours but then I am very careful and I replaced the touch sensor at the same time since I had it open anyway. Make sure you have at least 2, and better 3 adhesive gaskets. You need 2 and, well, it’s easy to mess one up while trying to place it.

rbolling - 28/12/17

Will removing the battery reset my icloud info? I have a guy who says he can do this, but i dont want him to run off with my watch after he replaces the battery…

dreadmusicreview - 19/07/18

I did not disconnect the battery first. After replacing the screen, it didn’t work. I have to assume I created a short. The watch will still turn on and haptics are evident, but the display doesn’t work. Are there any further repairs to save my watch at this point?

Scotty Beauchamp - 26/06/19

Yeah, sounds like you shorted part of the board. If it’s a Series 0 you’re working with, just go get a new one. Not worth fixing.

Thomas Gehman - 19/07/19

How do I insert the new battery???

WebPoppy8 - 28/06/19

After replacing the battery I tried to turn it on and was presented with the red snake, I let it go for about an hour. When I checked it the red snake was gone, when I tried to turn it on it showed the Apple logo for about 4 seconds then went away. Is this normal, and if not what should I do?

Donald Goodman - 28/07/19

I'm having a similar issue, did you manage to resolve it?

Craig Lyon - 18/03/20

Did you calibrate the battery? You need to fill it up completely and let it continue to charge for a few hours first.

Grant Glass - 09/05/20

Is it possible to place a battery in and charge/start the watch without the screen plugged in? I want to check integrity of the battery. I was thinking to put it on charge in a closed clear plastic container without the new screen on to see if the battery is good. I ‘really’ do not want to wait another 20 days for a battery replacement and the battery has no visual punctures, front looks good and the back where the adhesive is (or were, rather) is deflated and slightly ‘knobby’. I do not know if it is damage or just how it generally looks like or maybe it looks like so because of the old adhesive. It is not inflated or abnormally expanded. Anyone who knows about this? I used a hair dryer directly on the watch opened to loosen up the adhesive, is that a no-no?

Philip Bromander - 10/09/19

The battery swelled up and popped off the screen, so went directly to Step 12. Luckily the adhesive below the Force Touch sensor was intact. Was able to complete the fix using the Adhesive Strip after replacing the battery. Works again! Thanks!

Alex Danci - 18/09/19

Hi Alex, I’m having the same problem with my series one with the screen has popped off due to the battery swelling. Did you have any issues starting from step 12?

Glenn -

The apple logo keeps flashing on my series 1 watch, tried force restart with crown and side button but it still just keeps on flashing the apple logo, does anyone have any advise? Is the issue with the battery? Do I need to get a new battery? I change the screen as the screen was broken and used the existing battery.

shafeeqrahaman - 29/03/20

yes the issue was with battery, swapped with a new battery and booted up fine.

shafeeqrahaman - 01/04/20

Having the same issue.good to hear it’s the battery and not me.

Grant Glass - 09/05/20

my watch was completely unloaded and stays in power saver mode when I charge. When I load in power saver mode the red light turns green for a few moments then switch back to red and no longer charge. When I remove the battery and put it back on the charger the charge starts again for a while and then stops. Do I need to change the battery? (apple watch serie 4 nike)

IXO bf - 01/10/20

Where should I dispose of my old I watch battery?

oconnor84 - 23/11/20

I replaced the screen and battery on mine. Now, it will not charge. Everything works fine, except charging. Any ideas why this may be?

Donald Fournier - 05/02/21

My series one has two other cables/strings in the bottom left corner. Why do none of the pictures address this?

thatgreatdeal - 18/05/21

My watch hasn’t recalibrated with the new battery. Even a couple of weeks later I still get premature low battery - it can take hours for the final 10% to run out after the first 90% only took 9 hours. I left it off the charger for multiple days after installation and yet I could still quickly wake it up by pressing the crown to see the time reported with red numbers, so I don’t think it fully ran out.

Is there a way to force calibration? A Google search didn’t yield anything useful in the first several pages of results.

Chris B - 25/05/21

Hy Chris,

Same problem as you. Have you found a solution ?

luc poli - 17/04/22

If you’re lucky (?) the swollen battery will pop the screen right off for you. Anyone know where to get a replacement battery for a Series 0 watch?

rmann - 30/05/21

Watching various videos and instructions from others, I found that there’s no need to remove the screen if your goal is to only swap out the battery.

It’s meant to make it easier to clean off the old glue and install some double-sided adhesive tape but it was far more simpler to loop the tape around the screen with a pair of tweezers than to try to wrangle with the metal bracket securing the display and digitiser cable connectors.

T-7000 glue can presumably be used in lieu of double-sided adhesive tape but it’s definitely more messier.

Anyway, I was initially quite annoyed about my battery expanding and popping the screen off but very quickly got over it when I realised it was a simple $20 DIY fix. Guess I got lucky this time..

osienna -

I’m just replacing the battery. The screen and eveything is fine. While i’ve done just that and the new battery seems secure and eveything, i don’t know which is the adhesive strip that i’d use to re-secure the watch face back onto the watch itself. I don’t need a sensor because the watch face is fine, i just need the adhesive strip and i’m not seeing anything labelled as such in the kit. Ive got 2 tesa stickers (?) and one 3M sensor thing with a little compotent thingy attached to it. Which is the double sided adhesive that goes around the base of the watch to secure the face to the watch?? I was lucky in that my old swollen battery pushed the face off so replacing the battery was fairly easy. Now i just need to secure the face to the body. Any advice?

Anthony Rezendes -

Have followed the guide as best I could but when everything is reconnected the watch will not power up. Have disconnected and reconnected several times but still the same. Fear that is only going to do damage. Watch was working before removing swollen battery which had caused screen to detach.

johnriding -

How do you put in the battery and close the Watch

Liam Cassidy -

DOESN'T WORK FOR ME : Have followed the guide in every point but i have now the red snake.

Just after repairing i put the watch on the charger, let it some hours to charge.

when I took it, the watch was hot. It started up and was working. I let it discharge then put it back on the charger. After a few hours, it was not charged and showed the green snake. When I took it out, it showed the red snake.

Has anyone had this problem and found a solution?

luc poli - 17/04/22

Replaced my Series 1 battery/force sensor. The swelled original battery popped the watch open, so no prying necessary. However, the watch wouldn't work normally afterward, only displaying the "put me on my charger!" image of the charge cord with the disc on the end.

iFixIt was great about sending a replacement... battery, tools, force touch sensor, the whole kit, no charge. Replacement #2 required prying it open, but the force touch sensor stayed put, so I didn't have to replace that the second time. Watch is charging and behaving normally as I calibrate the battery. Can unlock etc.

Be very gentle/careful with the tiny force touch sensor screw. A great comment above says if you lose it, you can put in bit of a pick to press the sensor snug where the screw would hold it. I strongly recommend using a cheap hands-free, head-mounted magnifier w/light for this job. A loop of tape to stick the watch to a surface to hold it still while fiddling with the tiny cable connections was a HUGE help. Take your time!

Geneius -

Paso 17

Dobla la pantalla hacia la derecha, para exponer los cables debajo de ella.

Paso 18

Los conectores del cable de la pantalla y del digitalizador están asegurados debajo de un pequeño soporte metálico adherido al altavoz.
Utilice una herramienta de apertura de plástico para voltear el soporte hacia la pantalla y hacia arriba desde el altavoz.
Si simplemente haces palanca hacia la banda del reloj es posible romper los cables.

I managed to replace the force touch sensor without removing the screen

Andy Campbell - 10/09/20

Thanks, Andy. After reading your comment, and as I only needed to replace the battery since nothing was wrong with the screen, I too was able to remove the sensor without detaching the screen.

jeb605 - 11/12/20

Paso 19

Mantenga el soporte por el lado izquierdo usando sus dedos o pinzas de punta fina.
Al mismo tiempo, inserte un destornillador de cabeza plana pequeño (1 mm) debajo de la lengüeta pequeña a la derecha.
Finalmente, coloque un dedo detrás de la pestaña, y pellizque fuertemente el soporte entre su dedo y el destornillador para desenganchar el soporte superior.
Esto liberará dos lengüetas que sujetan el soporte superior a la inferior y deben liberar el soporte superior.
Quitar el soporte superior puede ser desafiante y puede que tome más de un intento. Sea paciente, y tenga cuidado de no tirar del soporte o rasgar los cables unidos.

Also agree: a little too much pressure and the ribbon cable tears at the point it enters the bracket. Take it SLOW and make sure you have really good light and vision. Orient yourself.

Dave Varon - 30/09/17

And this is where things went south for me too. Ended up disconnecting from the rest of the watch and the Taptic Engine. I read through this and watched this portion of Ifixit’s YouTube video no less than 15 times, so confusing they way it’s worded and the pictures didn’t help. Now I’m out of luck and out of $190.

Timothy Hipps - 05/01/18

Pas de problèmes me particulier à cette étape. Le fait de pousser très légèrement sur la petite languette qui dépasse a suffit, il n’y a vraiment pas besoin de forcer.

Raphaël WOLFF - 01/01/19

If you lift out carefull the whole lit / coverbox of the screen connector between your thumb and your pointing finger.

Then you can peel the cover easy up with your other pointing finger Nail.

You can feel the smal clip with your nail and lift easy up.

It works fine by me without any metal of plastic tool.

Evert - 01/08/19

And if you do tear your cable? Do you have a video for replacing this?

aalao - 27/10/19

I also tore the cable, I assume that once that happens I’m screwed? I have a battery and force touch sensor if anyone needs one for free let me know!

Connor Bourque - 22/11/19

Evert is correct - this can be done with a fingernail and does not need to be hard. Seems much safer.

sambrightman - 21/12/19

Evert is correct, using fingernail works.

Thomas Rossano - 14/01/20

It is possible to replace the force touch sensor without removing the screen

Andy Campbell - 10/09/20

There isn’t really a latch that goes with this. Just use the screwdriver to create a bit of space and it comes right off. I assume where most people go wrong is by pinching the case together as they try to separate it. Also, to reduce your chance of breaking it, There is no need to bring it to the nearly 90 degree angle as depicted and 50-60 degree angle allows it to pop back a bit without damaging anything.

Jerrod Anderson - 26/01/21

WATCH OUT! It is possible to slip with the screwdriver and completely bungle the connector that the screen plugs into. This is impossible to recover from unless you have the time and microsoldering skills to replace the cable that the screen plugs into.

Adam Roach - 03/03/21

I skipped this part as I found it difficult to do and almost made me damaged the entire cover when I tried inserting the screw driver head to the holes beside side it and prying the side part too. So I stopped trying. Ended up looping the adhesive around the screen careful not to touch the adhesive’s sticky side. (I replaced the adhesive along with the swollen battery. ) It was a success.

Note: I should have zoomed in the photo and now it makes more sense.

Edward Cruz - 14/03/21

Paso 20

Agarre el soporte superior con las pinzas de punta fina y deslícelo hacia la parte superior del reloj para liberar la pestaña ranurada final, y remueva el soporte superior.

Paso 21

Con cuidado levante el conector para desconectar los cables de la pantalla de datos y del digitalizador.
Tenga cuidado de no tocar ninguno de los contactos expuestos directamente, ya que los aceites de los dedos pueden impedir la conectividad.
Retire la pantalla.

So how do you get the display off the screen or did I already mess it up cause I just did it

Jamie Groff - 17/05/17

Hello guys , appreciate the effort that u guys are doing , have one question though , I own a series 2 watch and I was thinking about changing my screen caz is cracked but I can't find that many lcd for 2 series , and now my question Would a 1 series lcd match my 2series watch? Keep on searching but no answers!!! Many thanks

cris cri - 29/09/17

Great repair guide! You iFixit guys are awesome. Took me about 2 hours but then I am very careful and I replaced the touch sensor and the battery at the same time since I had it open anyway. Make sure you have at least 2, and better 3 adhesive gaskets. You need 2 and, well, it’s easy to mess one up while trying to place it.

rbolling - 28/12/17

I followed the above instructions and successfully replaced the broken screen, however the new screen won’t pair to my iphone or fully boot up, only goes to a certain point (Pairing stage) and then starts over; any suggestions on what the problem could be?

Gregg Hardy - 26/01/19

The display bracket that holds the 2 display connections is the most difficult part of this procedure. (Once you get the display off). A bit clearer explanation would be helpful (or a diagram of where you are actually putting the 1mm flathead and then twisting.

jeff53 - 14/04/19

I agree with Jeff53, by far the retention clip bracket was the most nerve racking part on my first attempt. I found that inserting a sharp pointed exacto knife blade between the bracket and metal tops of the screen connectors along the edge that has the smaller clip (closest side to the battery connector) while it was still in a glued down position actually works easier than prying the entire connector up first as done in this guide and then trying to hold it with tweezer while inserting a flat tip screwdriver into that very tiny slit between the bracket and the top of the connectors. Once the excto blade is inserted, just a little twist of the blade pops the retention clip off easily.

Chad McCollister - 26/08/19

One other suggestion is to plan on replacing the force touch pressure sensor gasket any time you pry a screen off one of these watches. They are very inexpensive now ($5 range) and easily damaged when prying up the screen or when trying to remove glass shards embedded along the edge of the screen. Replacing the gasket also assures new, fresh adhesive to hold the new screen onto the watch body properly and keeping water resistance intact. If you skip the gasket replacement, plan on a high likelihood of the new screen coming loose and having to take it all back apart again just to replace that $5 adhesive gasket down the road.

Chad McCollister - 26/08/19

how do you put the screen back on

Kristen Meggs - 24/10/19

hi, after some advice. After replacing the battery and force touch pressure sensor i have no touch control of the screen. i’ve redone the procedure several times and everything looks perfect. but no touch. touch was working before the battery repplacement. i see no tears in the cables and i havent forced anything.

Kevin Rook - 03/08/20

Hi Kevin

I have the same issue. Did you manage to find a solution or reason?

Thanks

Begoña Montánchez - 12/04/21

It is possible to replace the force touch sensor without removing the screen

Andy Campbell - 10/09/20

Great guide! I followed each of the steps, took my time and I’m actually successful. I replaced the new adhesive and reversed the steps. Took a little over an hour but I read more than once and really, really took my time. It took patience and the right tools. Thank you!

Jan Truzinski -

Did I miss how to make sure the face is secured once again after repairs are made?

Angela Smitherman -

Those steps are part of the Force Touch Sensor replacement guide as is indicated on the last step of this guide.

Nekoniaow -

Paso 22

Utiliza un destornillador Y000 para quitar el tornillo de tres puntos que sujeta el cable conector del sensor Force Touch.
Este tornillo es muy pequeño y se desprende fácilmente. Mantén tu destornillador en el ángulo correcto y presiona para aplicar presión al tornillo mientras giras.

Là je me suis senti un peu seul, car malgré le kit Iopener, la trousse à outils IFixit et une boite de tournevis en plus, aucun embout qui ne rentre dans cette empreinte. M’en suis sorti avec un tournevis plat de moins de 1 mm, issu d’une trousse de réparation d’horlogerie classique. En dehors de ce détail, plus d’encombre jusqu’à la fin du tuto.

Raphaël WOLFF - 01/01/19

The description is misleading! Be careful with the driver. The link to the driver they suggesting isn’t the one you need. And it’s missing in any iFixit sets.

Pavel Guzenko - 25/06/20

The driver is Y000 and it is a part of iFIXIT Essential Electronics Toolkit ;)

flautash - 09/09/20

Paso 23

Utilice una herramienta de apertura de plástico para voltear el conector del cable del sensor Force Touch hacia abajo y desconectarlo.

Paso 24

Calienta tu iOpener en el microondas durante otros 30 segundos y aplícalo en la parte frontal de la caja del reloj para suavizar el adhesivo que sujeta el sensor Force Touch.

Paso 25

Usa una púa de apertura y pinzas para remover el sensor Force Touch de la caja.

I found it easier to use the craft blade that came with the kit.

jeb605 - 11/12/20

Paso 26

Usa pinzas para despegar cualquier adhesivo que quede en la caja inferior.
Limpia bien todos los rastros de adhesivo (y los cristales rotos, si los hay) de la caja antes de volver a sellar el reloj. Frote la caja con la punta de una herramienta de apertura o de un spudger envuelto en un paño sin pelusas o en un filtro de café, junto con un poco de alcohol isopropílico (con una concentración del 90% o superior).
No te apresures en este paso. Incluso una pequeña cantidad de residuos puede impedir que la pantalla se adhiera a la caja, haciendo que se suelte con el tiempo.

Don’t be in a hurry here. Be patient. Isopropyl alcohol works great to soften the adhesive. Remove every trace from both the body and screen. Wrapping the rag around the opening tool is a good idea. I also was able to use the rag under my thumbnail to scrub the adhesive off the edge of the screen.

edgerken -

Paso 27

Si estás reutilizando tu pantalla existente, este es un buen momento para quitar el viejo adhesivo de ahí también. (Si estás instalando una nueva pantalla, ignora este paso).
Utiliza una herramienta de apertura de plástico para raspar el adhesivo viejo alrededor del borde de la pantalla. Si es posible, quita los trozos más grandes con unas pinzas.
Limpia a fondo el área bajo el adhesivo con alcohol isopropílico.

Paso 28

Coloca tu nuevo sensor de Force Touch boca abajo (con las clavijas del conector mirando hacia ti)
Despega y desecha el primer revestimiento protector, exponiendo el adhesivo debajo.

This look nothing like the one shipped. It had a 3M adhesive backing that need to be removed from the center first

mdunfee3016 -

The brown 3M filler is a terrific improvement - it holds the sensor ring in the correct shape. Don’t remove until after the adhesive is adhered to the watch case.

aerjr -

I had no clue how to remove the covers of the delivered sensor. - Finally I removed everything and placed the sensor best I could, trying to touch the sides with the adhesive as less as possible. I had a hard time. Someone who knows how to do it correctly is invited to add a comment.

Roger Dekumbis -

Paso 29

Con el adhesivo expuesto hacia abajo, alinee cuidadosamente el sensor de Force Touch y colócalo en la caja del reloj.
Asegúrate de orientarlo correctamente, con el conector en la esquina inferior izquierda, mirando hacia arriba.

Paso 30

Presiona suave pero firmemente el sensor de Force Touch en su lugar alrededor del perímetro de la caja del reloj.

When firmly pressing the Force Touch sensor into place, be careful that your tool does not slip off of the protective liner in the vicinity of its cable.

Wayne Kankovsky -

Paso 31

Usa pinzas para doblar el conector del cable del sensor de Force Touch en su zócalo.
A continuación, utiliza una herramienta de apertura de plástico para presionar el conector del cable en el zócalo.

Paso 32

Vuelve a colocar el tornillo de tres puntos Y000 que sujeta el cable del conector del sensor de Force Touch.

Replace the sensor gasket but force touch is still not working

Judith williams - 22/09/17

Did you ever fix out what it was ?

Kenny G Sullivan - 14/03/18

Great repair guide! You iFixit guys are awesome. Took me about 2 hours but then I am very careful and I replaced the battery at the same time since I had it open anyway. Make sure you have at least 2, and better 3 adhesive gaskets. You need 2 and, well, it’s easy to mess one up while trying to place it.

rbolling - 28/12/17

Great repair guide. I have replaced both the screen and battery using your guides. But after so much success I attempted to replace the source touch sensor and now the touch screen no longer works. Any suggestions? All the cables are undamaged and seemingly work fine.

fixit - 31/01/19

do you need two adhesive strips, one for force sensor to case and another adhesive strip for screen? Or just one for force sensor?

Angelo Mastrella - 30/12/20

I laid the Force Touch sensor down first, then one of the gaskets that came with it and the screen went on top. It fits very well and hasn’t come loose yet.

Donald Fournier - 12/02/21

BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS STEP: You must put an adhesive strip on top of that gasket or the screen will just pop off when the repair is done. The adhesive on the force touch gasket is not enough by itself to hold everything together! Save yourself the agony of needing to re-do this repair. Reemplazo de adhesivo en Apple Watch

GeneralKire -

The screwdriver delivered with the fix pack is not suitable for doing this job as the angle is too steep with the delivered handle. Lucky me I had another ifixit screwdriver set with an intermediate piece; with this: no problem.

Roger Dekumbis -

Paso 33

Usa una herramienta de apertura de plástico para reconectar los datos de la pantalla y los conectores del cable del digitalizador.
Ten cuidado de no tocar ninguno de los pines expuestos directamente, ya que la grasa de sus dedos puede impedir la conectividad.

Pretty sure I did not touch the pins but… if I had, what should I use to get the oil of the pins?

Knoxbox - 17/11/19

Have a very good light source. The screen blocks a good amount of light, and light is what you to line these two connectors up. Had my wife hold a flashlight ( or torch for those in the UK) for me.

Michael Goebel - 08/08/20

Sorry to spam this comment in a few places, but I’m trying to catch people where they are. If you’re at this step and did not put an adhesive strip on top of your new force touch gasket, your watch will not hold together at the end. You must stop here and follow this guide next, then come back: Reemplazo de adhesivo en Apple Watch

GeneralKire -

Its actually best if you put the battery in before hand, mine was not a charged battery.

Gavin Sawyer -

Paso 34

Coloca la cubierta del soporte del conector de la pantalla en su lugar y deslízala a lo largo para asegurar la gran pestaña ranurada en un extremo.
Presiona la cubierta para que las dos lengüetas más pequeñas del otro extremo queden en su lugar.

I’m surprised at the small number of comments given how absolutely crazy this single step is. This is where I became convinced this product is not meant to be repaired by human beings. Both times I’ve done this, this it takes about an hour to get this bracket to make a clicking noise and be locked in place. I just did it for the second time and I can share what I think makes this a little easier. Bend that top bracket piece backward around the edge of something, like a table. You want to deform the part just a bit. This does two things: 1) ensures there’s a little more distance between the two sides, which are supposed to “grab” the edges of the lower part; 2) helps create a natural tension between the upper and lower part. Like I said, I’ve done this twice and I still have no idea what makes this part actually be together and I wonder how many people decide to just give up on the bracket and close the watch up as-is.

GeneralKire -

This step and the step before were absolutely the worst of the whole job. I didn’t have to deform the part but my bracket was too close to the edge of the watch for me to easily slide the large tab end of the bracket cover on like this after connecting the cables. The only way I could actually get the bracket cover on without immediately detaching the cable connectors was to: 1. pull the bracket up like you do in step 19, 2. hook the large tab end of the cover on, 3. push the bracket back down so the bracket cover stays in place and points up vertically, 4. fiddle for 10+ minutes to try and get the cables connected, 5. VERY CAREFULLY rotate the bracket cover 90 degrees, making sure it’s straight along the bracket sides 6. inevitably disconnect one or both of the cables or somehow flip off the cover and start the whole process over 10 times, then finally 7. once the cover actually comes down without disconnecting the cables, pinch down hard with tweezers on the end with two tabs until you hear the clicks.

Happily After Ever -

Paso 35

Alinea el conector de la batería con su pareja en el cable dentro del cuerpo del reloj.
Usa pinzas para presionar los dos conectores.

This is VERY DIFFICULT to do. Go easy. Be patient. If I can do it with these giant thumbs, you can.

Donald Fournier - 10/02/21

Agree with Donald. Take your time. I had to review the photos a couple of times to make sure I was lining it up right. Be patient & keep trying.

edgerken -

Paso 36

Si estás usando una batería de repuesto que viene con adhesivo preinstalado, quita la lengüeta protectora ahora, exponiendo el adhesivo.
Si es necesario, intenta volver a utilizar el adhesivo existente para asegurar la batería. Alternativamente, prueba con un pequeño trozo de cinta de doble cara como la Tesa 61395, o un poco de adhesivo líquido como el E6000.
Gira la batería hacia abajo en su ranura, y presiónala en su posición.
Presiona la batería contra el tablero del sistema para volver a colocarla en su lugar.
Ahora es el mejor momento para probar el encendido de su reloj y comprobar la si la función de Force Touch funciona. Si no se enciende, comprueba los tres conectores e inténtalo de nuevo.

Mine was not powering up at this point but I figured out I needed to charge the battery first. Was about to return the battery thinking it was defective.

Joey Totherow - 13/02/20

Der im Reparatur-Kit mitgelieferte Akku war bei mir so leer das die Uhr zunächst kein Lebenszeichen von sich gab. Ich dachte schon ich hätte was beschädigt und war fast dabei alles wieder aus einander zu nehmen. Ein Versuch am Ladegerät zeigte immerhin am Bildschirm an das der Akku leer sein (und ja - ich sehe auch das der Kommentator vor mir das gleiche geschrieben hatte - habe ich übersehen).

Micha - 12/11/20

Translation for others: The battery included in the repair kit was so empty that the watch initially gave no sign of life. I thought I had damaged something and was almost about to take everything apart again. An attempt on the charger showed on the screen that the battery was empty (and yes - I also see that the commentator had written the same thing in front of me - I overlooked it).

Amanda Bombardier - 18/04/21

It looks like my replaced force touch does not work. I checked the connections multiple times but when i tap the screen or push down on it, it doesn’t do anything. Every else works fine. Could I have a faulty force touch?

Carlos Tampan -

Hi Carlos, I know your comment was sometime ago, did you end up figuring out where things went wrong? I am experiencing the same issue.

David Mostokly -

Suggest testing the watch BEFORE removing the battery’s adhesive cover. You can do so by letting the battery simply sit on top of the system board and resting the screen in place. I put mine on the charger and waited for it to come alive with the charge state (full) and the time.

Eric Youngberg -

I have the same problem as Carlos, my force touch sensor seems faulty.

Niklas Karlsson -

After replacement of force touch sensor , before placing screen back does is it necesseary also to put adhesive stripor not? any idea?

Kayahan Ali Polat 11-08-2021

Kayahan -

As mentioned, I wish the instructions would flip these instructions to have the repairer test things before pressing down the battery on the adhesive. Like so:

Now is the best time to test powering on your watch and test the force touch function—if it doesn't turn on, double check all three connectors and try again.

Rotate the battery down into its slot, and press it into position.

Press the battery down against the system board to re-adhere it in place.

gmathis -

I accidentally damaged the force touch while replacing the battery. So i brought a brand new Force touch to replace it. Im stuck at this step. The watch able to turn on after 1hr charge but the touch screen is dead.

I already follow at the steps above. Now really had no idea what went wrong.

catman_76229 -

Hallo meine watch geht seitdem akku wechsel nur kurz an und der apfel ist blau mit strichen und dann geht sie wieder aus. Was kann ich tun?

Mike Hager -

My battery was about 40% charged, plenty to power up. The apple logo seemed to linger so I was concerned something wasn’t right but then everything seemed to work so I closed it up. Whew!

edgerken -

I made all the connections but watch display won’t light up. It did before the repair , only the battery had failed(swollen) causing screen to fall off. Cables don’t appear torn.

dmeade2347 -

Display is booting up but I see lines on the screen likely indicating that I messed up the display connector somehow.

Caleb -

I went through the above steps and replaced the Force Touch sensor and battery. My watch now powers on which is great, but the screen is not responsive to my touch. What could be the issue?

David Mostokly -

My screen turns on but the force touch sensor isn’t working. Any suggestions?

Gemma Curl -

Paso 37

Usa pinzar para despegar el revestimiento adhesivo.
Pela el revestimiento hasta la mitad, luego córtalo con tijeras para que puedas pelar el resto sin que se enganche en la pantalla.

Paso 38

Mueve la pantalla hacia la derecha, doblando los datos de la pantalla y los cables del digitalizador de forma ordenada.
Centrar la pantalla sobre la caja y presionarla firmemente sobre el adhesivo.

Paso 39

Para obtener los mejores resultados, quita la correa del reloj y envuelve un par de gomas alrededor de la caja del reloj Apple para ayudar a que el adhesivo se adhiera correctamente.

For this step, I reheated the screen with the iopener before applying force to set the adhesive.

breadandbits - 24/07/20

How long should I leave the rubber band ?

Baebe.bleu - 17/08/20

for ever - adhesive doesn’t hold it and the display falls off

neil.carter - 22/08/20

I removed all old adhesive and cleaned the watch and display very carefully with isopropanol but after one week the display came off. I switched the watch off, heated it with the iOpener and pressed the display with a strong clamp til it cooled down. It seems to hold now.

Hans-Hermann Gessler - 28/08/20

I used the iOpener as suggested by breadandbits for 15 minutes then wrapped the watch with 7 rubber bands tightly for 29 hours. After two hours the screen started to come loose again.

iFixit is going to send another gasket. I’m curious, can Hans-Hermann Gessler please update your comment as to what clamp you used and how long you allowed it set. iFixit won’t share the manufacturers curing time for the adhesive.

Thank you.

Michael Goebel - 02/09/20

This fix was one of the hardest I’ve done. I got through it, Though. Thanks for the great Guides!

Donald Fournier - 10/02/21

The Force Touch sensor comes with 2 gaskets. Should one of those be used? It seems like it’d be too thick.

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

My adhesive let loose after a day. I heated it with the iOpener and wrapped with rubber bands. left to cool. The next day, the adhesive let loose. I thought back to the package arriving and noticing 2 mystery gaskets. These gaskets are never mentioned in any guide. I stuck one gasket over the Force Touch sensor and put the screen back. I think this will work just fine now. The screen seems to sit *just a little bit* high, but not really noticeable. I mean, not even enough to make any real difference at all.

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

Just replaced a swollen battery- now the battery works but the touch doesn’t. I’ve triple check all the connections and all I can come up with is either I have a faulty force touch sensor or is it possible that it needs to be paired with the phone again? - step daughters watch and she’s not with us this week. TIA, cb

Christie Bath - 16/03/21

Conclusión

Lleva tus desechos electrónicos a centro de reciclaje certificado.

¿La reparación no salió como estaba previsto? Prueba con soluciones a problemas b, o busca en nuestro foro de respuestas para obtener ayuda.

Autor

Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Miembro Desde 17/10/09

494159 Reputación

41 comentarios

I can't stress enough how important it is to not flex the digitizer ribbon cable. A cracked ribbon cable will necessitate replacing the entire lcd.

Charles Fulnecky - 12/02/17

This is a Fact. It happened to me when the whole rig hit the floor lol

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

If there is a new induction frame - do not use double-sided adhesive tape.

Sergey Olenev - 11/09/17

How can I tell if there is a new induction frame?

Daniel Ferguson - 13/09/17

By Induction Frame, what do you mean, exactly?

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

I have a new force touch sensor replacement part (9515364), which appears to have teal backing on both sides. Do I also need a gasket? Or is the gasket included in this part? Thanks!

Jahi Gist - 23/05/18

I got 2 of those in my Force Touch sensor kit. My screen kept coming loose, so I used one of those gaskets on top of the Force Touch sensor and it works really well now.

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

can we switch ON the watch without this sensor ?

mahesh.msn94 - 14/08/18

Yes, I broke the force touch sensor cable while replacing the battery. While I waited for the new sensor to arrive in the mail I re-assembled my watch and used it as normal. The only difference is that I could not use any functions that required the touch sensor.

Joshua Johnson - 10/03/19

You should be able to, just Force Touch will not function.

Aydan - 01/11/20

Do i have to put the 3d sensor on the adhesive and on that the display? or in another order?

leon Schmidt - 07/10/18

I replaced the entire lcd following the instructions but I forgot to put back the clip that secures the two screen connectors!!! The screen seems to be working fine but now

I’m wondering whether I should open the watch again and put back that clip or if I can left it the way it is. Thanks

nicorea81 - 22/10/18

I wouldn’t think it’d be a huge problem, but if you hit the watch on something, the shock could dislodge one or both cables.

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

Is it possible to replace just the glass if I have a fully working digitiser with a broken glass?

Vicky Ryder - 11/03/19

They come as a unit, so No.

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

I’ve actually seen videos where the guy separates the digitizer from the display. Very tricky procedure and I don’t wanna do it.

Donald Fournier - 10/05/21

C’est grave si la force touch et coupée à un angle

ferdinand.bassoumba - 13/11/19

Can you replace a series 3 screen with a series 1?

scgibson4 - 28/01/20

No, the connectors on the screen are different.

Blake Repp - 28/01/20

So my watch screen decides it doesn’t like sitting nicely on the watch anymore and popped off. Looks as though the battery has swollen and pushed it off. If I buy a new battery and replace it, what do I need to stick the face back down? Nothing is damaged inside other than a swollen battery

Zack - 08/02/20

If you replace the battery you should also replace the force touch sensor because that is the part that holds it together.

FoxhoundNL - 19/06/20

I had a swollen battery out of warranty and repaired using this guide. But the screen pops back off by the end of the day. I cleaned it again, put another layer of adhesive (extra one came with the battery), heated and then clamped for 24 hrs. But still coming apart between the screen and sensor. Is it the adhesive? Or technique? Anyone have advice? I’m ready to forget the force touch sensor and superglue it.

Caitlyn Frankum - 10/03/20

What is the little orange piece on the battery cable connector for?

taryn.mckinnies - 28/06/20

Great instructions. Thanks. I fixed already several iPhone batteries and screens but my Watch touchscreen did not survive this operation.

Jonas - 19/07/20

Great, clear and precise instructions. For newbies like me steps 18-19 were quite difficult. Its easier if you are able to look at the small metal bracket under a magnifying glass to see clearly what you’re dealing with. Thank you Andrew Optimus Goldheart (and 6 other contributors).

udayan chatterji - 22/07/20

İf Apple Watch Force Touch Sensor also works to fix the screen to body then when that part below is used?

Apple Watch (42 mm) Adhesive Strip

İs it applied if given up to use the force touch function?

Emre Ulas - 12/10/20

i recently replaced the screen on my series 7000 and now my watch is unresponsive. I can still power on and hard reboot but nothing else is working. I had accidentally pulled on the black cable that was attached to the slotted tabs and now it has a very teeny tiny hairline tear on the cable right on the taptic engine. Would replacing the force touch sensor fix the unresponsiveness issue OR do you think its because of the tiny tear?

Lisa Bumbles - 14/10/20

Sorry, I’m afraid it’s the tear.

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

I have a question…after replacing the battery should I replace the force touch sensor because it seems okay for me. Thank you!

Ong Syie Tzen - 18/11/20

If it wasn’t damaged in the screen removal, it may work just fine. It may not. I’d get a new one anyway. I like to replace the battery, Force Touch sensor and screen all at the same time.

Donald Fournier - 11/02/21

TopTuto, well explained and described

cchavepeyer - 24/01/21

The only thing that I’m still not 100% clear on is whether or not I HAVE to replace the force touch sensor if the only damaged part is the screen? The sensor itself appears to be completely intact, to the point that you would never even notice that it’s there; I just thought it was part of the frame. Sadly the screen isn’t even damaged, it just popped off bc of the battery swelling, then in a careless moment the ribbon cable was torn. What could have been a $10 fix quickly escalated to an $80 fix.

briancole100 - 25/01/21

Habe heute bei meiner iWatch Series 1 den Akku und den Force Touch Sensor Klebedichtung getauscht. Dank der Anleitung super easy. Vielen Dank

herbert dietrich - 02/02/21

I’m pretty sure I tore the cables they told you not to tear in Step 19… the cables that are on the back of the watch face. Put it back together and everything works except the touch (will power on, buttons work). Is there a kit to fix this or time for a new watch?

Laura - 09/05/21

It sounds like a Force Touch Gasket issue to me. You’ll need to replace the FTG and be careful to avoid stretching the cables attached to the screen. F the display works ok it should be fine.

Donald Fournier - 09/05/21

Thanks for the detailed pics and instruction. First Fixit on an apple watch. Just the 2 hour time. Great fun. Did not have replace FTG. Will of course keep it on hand if needed.

David Lebofsky - 31/05/21

I’ve been through this twice now, sadly with the result that my Watch appears not to have survived. Leaving this here for posterity in the hopes it may help folks’ future repairs:

1) The adhesive on the Force Touch Gasket is not sufficient to hold the watch closed! If you are replacing your FTG and you follow this guide to the letter, you will be one of the dozens of people reporting that their screens pop off shortly after the repair. You must follow the adhesive replacement guide for this model too!

2) There are multiple possible permutations of how the adhesive strips should be used, and it’s especially confusing that the force touch gasket ships with two adhesive strips - the implication being that you should use both. No guide shows two being used. I’ve never gotten a solid answer on this. After trying it with no strips and then using both, I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re probably just supposed to use one, and the other is there as a backup. So it’s case > gasket > adhesive strip > screen.

GeneralKire -

I got the battery and force-touch sensor replacement kit. I put everything together and was about to put the screen back into place when I looked over and saw that I had two double-sided sticky gaskets with the Tesa name on them. They’re not mentioned in these instructions anywhere. So I took it all apart, placed the first gasket into the watch’s back channel, placed the force-touch sensor on top of that, and then placed the other gasket on top of those. Was this the correct way to do it? The watch is working but I think the glass screen is sitting a little higher than normal.

JDiddy -

After replacing the battery, the watch will not charge. The screen shows a charger cable with a green lightning bolt, but it never charges. Will not turn on. Thoughts?

Lee Wampler -

oh my god that was stressfull... went well tho, thank you ifixit!

-seth 16yd:)

Seth Brower -

I have successfully changed the battery but while calibrating the battery, after draining it completely, the battery wouldn’t charge past 60%. Has anyone else faced this issue? Is there a way to overcome this? Many thanks.

Shelly -