Weekly Mod

How to find the best third party iPhone, iPad, and iPod repair company

By Allyson Kazmucha, Thursday, May 2, 2013 a 12:49 pm

Whether your AppleCare is expired or you opted not to extend it, out of warranty replacements through Apple can be expensive. If you aren't comfortable performing a DIY repair on your own, that may leave you looking for a repair company that's either local to you or accepts mail-ins that can perform the repair for you.

In the past few years, many repair companies have cropped up all over the world that specialize in iPhone, iPad, and iPod repair. Unfortunately, not all of them use quality parts and/or know exactly what they're doing. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a third party iPhone, iPad, and iPod repair company.

How to DIY repair headphone jack or mute switch issues in an iPhone 4S

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013 a 11:42 am

If your iPhone 4S headphone jack or mute switch is giving you issues, a DIY repair on the cable that handles those functions can remedy the problem. Symptoms typically include audio cutting in and out when headphones are plugged in or no sound at all. The mute switch can also face issues where turning vibrate on or off results in no response or the switch itself being loose. These problems don't typically involve the actual mute switch, but the cable that lies underneath it.

Regardless whether you're having headphone jack or mute switch issues on your iPhone 4S, this guide can walk you through how to get both functions back in working order again.

iPhone DIY repair: Ultimate guide to fixing stuck or broken power buttons

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 a 12:14 pm

The iPhone has been plagued with power button issues since the debut of the iPhone 4. We've seen complaints from many readers that their iPhone power buttons are completely recessed and no longer register when pressed. In some cases, they'll still respond but you have to press extremely hard. In severe cases, the power button actually recesses into the casing. In our experience, power button issues are almost as prevalent as home button issues. As it turns out, the power button itself isn't the culprit at all, the flex cable that sits underneath it is. After so many presses, it just becomes worn down and too thin.

Fortunately, a DIY repair can breath new life into your malfunctioning power button. It'll cost you a lot less than a brand new iPhone and give you lots more life out of your existing one. Regardless which iPhone you have, we've got the guide for you including step by step instructions and links to parts and tools for the suppliers we trust.

If you've got your DIY ninja pants handy, get 'em on and follow along...

iPhone DIY repair: Ultimate guide to replacing the battery in your iPhone

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 a 3:23 pm

If you've got an iPhone that's going on a few years old, you may notice that your battery doesn't hold a charge like it once did. That doesn't always have to mean you have to run out to buy a new iPhone. A replacement battery is actually not very costly and as luck may have it, it's one of the easiest DIY repairs when it comes to most iPhone models.

As long as you've got a little bit of patience, we can walk you through how to squeeze lots more life out of your iPhone with a brand new battery replacement.

iPhone DIY repair: Ultimate guide to fixing broken or unresponsive Home buttons

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Jan 8, 2013 a 5:42 pm

If you've owned iPhones over the years, you're probably familiar with Home button quirks. Since the Home button is the most used button on the device, and the only one you use for actual operation, it's typically the quickest to wear down and cause you problems. And no, WD-40 is not the answer. Regardless what iPhone model you have, it is possible to fix a malfunctioning Home button the right way.

We can walk you through not only how to replace the components that are causing the issue, but where to get quality parts and tools from the suppliers we trust. If you're not quite ready to give up your current iPhone and you're up to the challenge, follow along and we'll help you get your Home button back in working order in no time.

iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch DIY repair: Ultimate guide to replacing broken screens

By Allyson Kazmucha, Wednesday, Jan 2, 2013 a 1:24 pm

The most common DIY repair anyone will ever have to do on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is a screen replacement. Most likely, you've cracked the screen accidentally and you need to just replace it with a new, unbroken one. While some iDevice screens are extremely easy to change out, others aren't quite that simple.

Regardless, iMore is here to help and we can walk you through screen repairs on almost all models of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Not only that, we'll give you links to the parts and tools you need from suppliers we trust. From start to finish and component to component, this is your go-to guide for everything screen repair.

iPhone 4S: Ultimate DIY repair guide

By Allyson Kazmucha, Wednesday, Dec 26, 2012 a 6:00 pm

Everything you need to know to do-it-yourself (DIY) repair your iPhone 4S. Whether you're out of warranty or your iPhone 4S has suffered accidental damage, we've got you covered!

If you've got an iPhone 4S that's starting to show its age or you've accidentally damaged it, there's still hope for it. Whether you're not eligible for an upgrade yet or just want to hold out for the next round of Apple's latest and greatest, we can help get every ounce of life you possibly can out of your iPhone 4S. Even after you decide to upgrade your iPhone, your old one always makes a great hand me down for a child or relative that doesn't always need the latest model.

iMore will help you get the longest life possible out of your iPhone 4S, and walk you step by step through all the major repairs, with detailed instructions, photographs, and links to high quality parts from suppliers we trust.

How to replace the headphone jack and volume cable in a GSM/AT&T iPhone 4

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Dec 18, 2012 a 1:47 pm

If you've got an AT&T or some other GSM variant of an iPhone 4 and you are experiencing issues with either the headphone jack, mute switch, or volume buttons, a DIY repair can quickly get your iPhone back into working condition. Symptoms can range from no sound from the headphone jack to something being stuck inside. If your volume buttons aren't working or you have to push down extremely hard, this replacement cable should also fix that issue.

So if you're out of warranty and don't fancy buying a new iPhone just yet, follow along to see if you're up for the challenge.

Having sound issues on your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S? Here's how to fix them.

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Dec 11, 2012 a 3:21 pm

If you've got an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S that's having some issues with sound, you probably aren't alone. Issues could range from system sounds working but your iPhone not actually ringing or system sounds not working unless plugged into the headphone jack. While sound can be caused by several issues, symptoms like this are typically fixable with a pretty simple DIY repair.

If any of the above symptoms sound like what you're experiencing, follow along for a more detailed list of symptoms and how to correct the problem.

How to replace the volume buttons in an iPhone 4S

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Dec 4, 2012 a 1:28 pm

Like any other metal, steel can become sharp or jagged when damaged. If you've got an iPhone 4S and you've physically damaged the volume buttons, a DIY repair can get them back into like new condition in no time. If you didn't opt for AppleCare+ and your normal warranty won't cover the damage, taking matters into your own hands may not be a bad idea.

Follow along and we'll walk you through how to get those buttons back into perfect condition for a lot less than what the cost of a new iPhone is.