iPod Nano 5th Generation Camera Replacement

Step 1

Insert an iPod opening tool between the outer case and top bezel near the screen.
Lifting up on the iPod opening tool, gently pry the top panel off of the device.
The bezel is attached with adhesive, and may require some force to remove.

Step 2

Use an iPod opening tool to pry the hold switch button off of the hold switch plate.

Step 3

Remove the two 3.2 mm screws.
These screws are angled toward the outer case and are also very small. Use a sharp screwdriver and be careful not to strip the screws.

Step 4

Insert an iPod opening tool between the outer case and the metal hold switch plate near the top of the screen .
While slightly lifting up on the iPod opening tool, pull the hold switch plate out of the iPod.
The hold switch plate is still attached to iPod by a very thin, very fragile ribbon cable. Be careful not to break it.

My ribbon broke.

I see that on the pictures further down, you removed the covering plate, which I would suggest to do, as it'll put less weight on the ribbon.

Luckily, we can find spare ones. In fact it doesn't sell alone, it's with the earphones jack.

Michel Raj -

could you elaborate more as to how did you remedy the broken ribbon?

michael deaner - 23/10/17

is the broken ribbon fixable?

michael deaner - 23/10/17

is the broken ribbon fixable?

michael deaner - 23/10/17

I am new to this my ribbon broke when I was taking out the battery doesn't the new battery ribbon connect to the one connected to the end switch, by that I mean can I connect the new battery ribbon to the end switch ribbon?,where it broke?

michael deaner - 24/10/17

Step 5

The glass panel is held in place by adhesive on all four sides. In the following steps, work carefully to avoid cracking the glass.
Insert an iPod opening tool between the display and the glass panel at the top of the device.
Rotate the iPod opening tool towards the rear of the device, slightly lifting the top of the glass out of the outer case.
The glass panel does not raise very far. Do not attempt to completely remove the panel yet, or you are likely to break the display screen.

I would recommend using a heat gun.

raul mald -

At this point, I find it helps to separate the lock switch from the top metal casting. You then have just the switch dangling on the fragile ribbon cable. Much less likely to snag or break the ribbon. Just loosen (Don't remove completely) the two Phillips screws. The heavy clunky casting bit can be removed.

Pete Green -

You can remove this lens with virtually zero risk to the LCD underneath:

Get a couple guitar picks or spudgers ready, and another old spudger. Using a hot glue gun, glue the old spudger into the very middle of the lens. Let the glue cool completely.

Using a heat gun pointing up from the bottom, heat the 3 edges of the shell around the top and sides of the lens. Avoid getting heat on the lens or hot glue as it will soften.

Using the spudger as a handle, pull up on the lens to get the top edge started and get your guitar picks/spudgers under the sides at the top of the lens.

Complete removal as above.

Using a spudger/guitar pick, start to peel an edge of the hot glue loose to remove old spudger from lens; then clean any residue with alcohol.

Paul K - 20/09/17

“couple of” guitar picks

kenneth keen - 06/03/18

After destroying one iPod, I learned from my mistakes. Heating it with a hair dryer to loosen the adhesive helped a lot. You need to get the tool between the glass and the lcd display; be very careful not to put pressure on the display!

Cheryl Berk - 10/11/19

Step 6

While lifting the screen up with one iPod opening tool, insert a second iPod opening tool in between the outer case and the top left edge of the glass panel.
Remove the first iPod opening tool from between the glass and LCD in the top of the device.

The iPod I repared had a cracked screen. Caution here because it doesn't pop out that easily. I had to apply some force on the plastic opening tool while using another tool to take out the shards (who are glued to the side).

matthiasvercaemst - 25/03/15

Mujhe sirf LCD chahiye bhai

Azam - 25/10/19

Bhai, ye admi angrezi hai. Os ko Urdu samaj nahi ata hai.

ian h - 02/05/20

90% guaranteed you will destroy the LCD in this step. You just dont know how much for to use and if you stress the LCD too much, even with a plastic tool it will be damaged.That’s why ifixit sells those too. My advice is to first completely follow this guide, and if successful, and only then , start ordering parts.

Omar van Hees - 03/05/21

Since the display is probably 99 percent broken, I decided to use a different method. I heat the ipod on my 3-printer heating bed to around 70 degrees Celsius, then I take a suction cup and pull on the display glass. When the glue is warm enough, the glass rises and you can carefully detach the glass with an opening pick. the display remains completely intact greeting Andre

Andre Marten -

Step 7

Prying up slightly on the iPod opening tool, insert a second iPod opening tool in between the front glass and the outer case, on the right side of the screen.
Slide the second iPod opening tool along the right edge of the panel to remove the adhesive.

Step 8

With one iPod opening tool still between the glass and outer case, insert a second iPod opening tool in between the front glass and outer case, on the left side.
Slide the second iPod opening tool toward the bottom of the device to remove the adhesive.

Step 9

Lifting the glass from the side nearest the top of the iPod, remove the glass panel from the Nano.

It might be a good idea to remove all the adhesive from the screen before trying to slide the internals out. I had a nightmare trying to get mine out, ended up cutting my thumb and finger from holding onto the edges of the screen too tight trying to wiggle it out. And then to top it off, I broke the hold switch ribbon cable too. I don’t know how much the screen glue vs the battery glue was responsible for making it difficult to remove. Also when sliding it out, be careful the lip on the lower edge of the button hole doesn’t snag on the thin steel frame around the screen.

edorp - 19/10/19

Is it really needed to remove the glas? Can‘t you just slide out the logic board when glas remains?

Michael Westermeier -

Step 10

Use a heat gun to soften the adhesive underneath the plastic bezel at the bottom of the iPod.
Use a low heat setting and do not hold the heat gun in place for too long to avoid melting the plastic bezel.
Use a plastic opening tool to pry the bezel from the case of the iPod and remove it.

On the Nano I worked on I had to do steps 12-14 before step 10 because the metal plate on the bottom is one of the two things holding the click wheel in place.

ethan -

You MUST remove the bottom plate BEFORE forcing of the wheel or you WILL tare it apart as there is a lug on the bottom plate that holds the wheel in place ( wish I had known this before I damaged mine)

also do not lose the very small spring that is under the wheel (I DID )

Keith -

+1. There is a tiny piece of plastic containing a little spring just under the wheel. Remove thoses parts before extracting the main board or you will probably loose them.

jonathanct -

Step 11

Unscrew three screws from the bottom of the iPod:
Two 4.4 mm angled Phillips screws
One 5.4 mm Phillips screw.
These screws may not come out on their own, so be sure not to lose them when removing the retainer.
Use a plastic opening tool to pry the metal retainer out from the bottom of the iPod and remove it.

A flathead screwdriver or even a tooth pick will do better in this step.

無敵可愛小松鼠 - 02/08/17

Step 12

Insert a metal spudger into the slot at the bottom of the iPod just above the dock connector.
Use the metal spudger to pry up the bottom edge of the click wheel.

Step 13

Place a guitar pick between the click wheel and the case of the Nano and remove the metal spudger.
Pry up the edges of the click wheel with the guitar pick until the click wheel comes free from the case.
Do not try to completely remove the click wheel yet, as it is still held in place by a ribbon cable.

Use extreme care when inserting the metal plunger to lift up the click wheel. I ended up damaging one of the sensor pads and then needed to order a new click wheel circuit. Not very expensive to replace but I had not intended to replace this item and so my finished repair was delayed.

Kevin Long - 30/11/16

also, like someone mentioned below, be careful of the small plastic piece and tiny spring that will fall out after you remove the click wheel.

edorp - 19/10/19

Step 14

Lift the click wheel out of the way with one hand and use a plastic opening tool to pry the click wheel ribbon cable connector off its socket on the logic board.
Remove the click wheel.

In the second photo where you can see under the click wheel, just above the square black piece with the apple on it is a black rectangle with a hole in the center. There will be a spring in the hole. Remove the spring and the black piece it is in and set aside or they will fall out and get lost.

Cheryl Berk - 10/11/19

Step 15

Use a heat gun to soften the adhesive underneath the camera/microphone cover.
Pry the camera/microphone cover off the case with a metal spudger and remove it.
It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to avoid damaging the iPod case near the camera. While this will not affect the iPod's functionality, it will hurt its cosmetic appearance.
You can try this alternative method for removing the cover:
Use a hot glue gun to apply a bead of glue across the cover.
Move the nozzle in the glue for 20 seconds to heat the lens adhesive holding the lens in place.
Press a spudger into the hot glue and hold it in place until the glue cools and hardens.
Pull on the spudger with firm steady force, while using a fingernail to pry on the cover edge.

Use a heatgun/hairdryer for a very long time and use a cutter knife and pry continuously only from the right bottom corner (near the camera lens). If you don't get it open use the heatgun once more.

Peter Johansson - 12/12/15

Alternatively use a fabric bag filled with chick peas, put it in a microwave for 4 mn at power 600w and leave it to rest on the iPod 10 / 15 mn. It does the same job. I also use a fresh stanley knife blade (mind your fingers) the blade is very slim and is therefore easier to wedge between the casing and the cover.

victoriahenri - 24/01/17

You can remove this lens with zero damage to case or lens:

Using a hot glue gun, apply a bead of glue across the entire lens but not on the body of the iPod. Move the nozzle back and forth in the glue for about 20 seconds; this keeps the glue hot and heats up the Apple adhesive on the other side.

Quickly jam an old spudger into the hot glue and hold it until the glue starts to harden; this will happen quickly. Gripping the spudger and digging into the glue over the spudger with the fingernail of your forefinger, pull straight up evenly but firmly. The lens will release pretty easily if you time it right; otherwise it will pop if it has gotten cold.

I’ve done a dozen of these this way successfully.

Paul K - 20/09/17

Thanks Paul! I will add this into the step.

Arthur Shi - 21/02/20

This works great, as long as you time it right. I found putting the tip of the glue gun flat against the lens is useful, and a few seconds after the glue stops sticking to your finger is a good time to do it.

Aydan - 07/05/21

just use a needle and pull it from the little hole

Daniel Mauricio Franco Martin - 23/12/17

have to be careful because after removing the click wheel, when you turn it upside down, the are pieces that fall down. I lost one that fall in my carpet

Daniel Mauricio Franco Martin - 23/12/17

I was able to remove it using a pin in the small hole. Once it is out there may be pieces that want to fall off; a round ring and the white retainer piece.

Cheryl Berk - 10/11/19

Same here. With some pliers I bent the pointy tip of a push-pin to make a 120 degree angle and used that to lift up the plate using the microphone hole after I heated up the plate. Like a mini crowbar. It came off in 30 seconds including the white indent attached to it.

Omar van Hees - 03/05/21

Step 16

From the top of the iPod, insert a metal spudger between the outer case and the battery to remove the adhesive that holds the battery in place.
Be extremely careful not to poke or puncture the battery itself, as this may cause the battery to combust.

In case anyone else didn't realize this, you need to push your spudger fairly deep into the iPod to completely seperate the glue from the battery. I just stuck mine in maybe half an inch, then spent 30 minutes struggling to move the logic board. After removing all of the glue, it slid out with relative ease.

dharris1 - 12/10/14

I didn’t have a spudger so I used a metal nail file with a rounded end. Heated the back of the iPod with a hair dryer for about a minute first to soften the adhesive and it all worked fairly smoothly. Be gentle with the lcd display.

Cheryl Berk - 10/11/19

Keep in mind the only glue holding the logic board to the metal case is a small rectangle of adhesive. In the picture, the author is just scraping away at the glue. You don’t need to insert your spudger any lower than half an inch as there isn’t any other adhesive holding the logic board to the metal case . Once the glue has been scraped away, then the board should slide out easily. If it doesn’t slide out, then the adhesive is still there.

Alex Devlin - 29/05/20

Step 17

There is a small white retainer between the camera and microphone that keeps the inner components from sliding around.
Insert a push pin into the hole at the corner of the retainer and lift it out of the case.

I tried this but with the Nano I worked on the retainer cannot be pushed down, instead there is a small diagonal hole in the retainer that you can fit a pin or needle into and lift out the retainer.

ethan -

Yeah step 18 is BS, You need to pull the retainer up with a pin, not depress it. I destroyed my first nano as i pushed so hard trying to depress it that it deformed and I had to give up. Bad bad tip that needs correcting at step 18.

Dave -

It can be pulled out with tweezers.

raul mald -

I think this step should be step 16. Otherwise you risk to drop the retainer.

Tolstoievski -

Step 18

Once the retainer has been pushed past its hole in the outer case, the spudger used to depress it is no longer necessary.
Using gentle but steady force, push on the top of the LCD to slide the logic board assembly out of the bottom of the iPod.
Do not push on the battery, as this may puncture it and cause it to combust.
Constantly mind the hold switch plate, making sure it doesn't snag on an edge and tear the ribbon cable.

I submitted an edit for this step. The first bullet (about the spudger not being needed once the retainer is past the hole in the case) is now irrelevant because step 17 now has us removing the retainer completely.

Gordon -

Step 19

Continue to push the logic board assembly through the outer case of the iPod with a spudger.
Tolerances inside the Nano are extremely tight. Be very patient and go slowly when removing the logic board assembly, and make sure no components or ribbon cables get caught on the case.
To make sure that the hold switch plate does not catch on the housing of the iPod and tear the cable, feed the switch straight down the center of the device, where the opening is the widest.

Step 20

Once the top of the LCD has cleared the bottom edge of the outer case, remove the logic board assembly from the body of the iPod.
Again, be sure to mind the hold switch plate, that it doesn't catch on the bottom of the click wheel hole.