Difficulty

Easy

Steps

8

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes            

Sections

1

  • LCD
  • 8 steps

Flags

This guide has been the hard work of our awesome students and is found to be exceptionally cool by the iFixit staff.

  • BackApple Thunderbolt Display

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              LCD               
  • Lay down the display with screen side up.
  • Since the display is able to be tilted up and down, we found it useful to prop up the screen up with a styrofoam block in between the screen and the base.
  • Place the two suction cups on both sides of the top of the screen and make sure to lock them in place.
  • The glass screen is connected to the rest of the display by small magnets. Lift slowly and the screen will come right off.

Lay down the display with screen side up.

Since the display is able to be tilted up and down, we found it useful to prop up the screen up with a styrofoam block in between the screen and the base.

Place the two suction cups on both sides of the top of the screen and make sure to lock them in place.

The glass screen is connected to the rest of the display by small magnets. Lift slowly and the screen will come right off.

1024

Step 2

  • Unscrew the 12 screws around the side edges and the top of the LCD with the TR 10 Screwdriver.

Unscrew the 12 screws around the side edges and the top of the LCD with the TR 10 Screwdriver.

Step 3

  • Slowly lift the LCD out from its placement and tilt it upwards.
  • It can be very helpful to have an extra set of hands to hold the LCD up while you work with the cables underneath.
  • There are four wires that connect the LCD to the rest of the components. Make sure not to pull hard and break any of the wires.

Slowly lift the LCD out from its placement and tilt it upwards.

It can be very helpful to have an extra set of hands to hold the LCD up while you work with the cables underneath.

There are four wires that connect the LCD to the rest of the components. Make sure not to pull hard and break any of the wires.

Step 4

  • For the first of the four wires (furthest away from the wire that is held in by a screw), grab onto the connector and pull slowly.

For the first of the four wires (furthest away from the wire that is held in by a screw), grab onto the connector and pull slowly.

Step 5

  • For the next connector, which is right next to the previous wire, there is a piece of tape attached to a metal bar.
  • Flip the metal bar over using the tape as a handle.
  • Next, grab onto the connector and slowly pull it from the socket in the logic board.

For the next connector, which is right next to the previous wire, there is a piece of tape attached to a metal bar.

Flip the metal bar over using the tape as a handle.

Next, grab onto the connector and slowly pull it from the socket in the logic board.

Step 6

  • For the connector on the other side of the logic board, grab the connector from underneath and carefully pull it from the board.

For the connector on the other side of the logic board, grab the connector from underneath and carefully pull it from the board.

Step 7

  • For the last wire connecting to the LCD, use your T 10 Screwdriver to remove the screw.

For the last wire connecting to the LCD, use your T 10 Screwdriver to remove the screw.

Step 8

  • The LCD has now been fully disconnected from the casing and can be repaired/replaced!
  • its best to set the LCD on a bed or on a thick towel to avoid damage to the LCD

The LCD has now been fully disconnected from the casing and can be repaired/replaced!

its best to set the LCD on a bed or on a thick towel to avoid damage to the LCD

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      26 other people completed this guide.                                             

Author

                                      with 11 other contributors 

                    Calvin Laverty                     

Member since: 04/14/2015

2,126 Reputation

                                      4 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       16







                                                        +13 more badges                           

Team

                       Cal Poly, Team 5-11, Maness Spring 2015                        

                                                  Member of Cal Poly, Team 5-11, Maness Spring 2015 



                    CPSU-MANESS-S15S5G11                     


                                            4 Members                     


                                            19 Guides authored                     

gigabob - Mar 22, 2016

Reply

Now I just need to find the affordable replacement LCD Panel. Mine is not too bad - but it has recently developed a streak on one side that is very irksome.

Mark Karasin - Jun 2, 2017

Reply

Love your site! Proved very helpful on multiple occasions and your products are fantastic!

Forgive my ignorance…

Is it possible to (1) Are any of the components of Thunderbolt Display upgrade-able? …. (2) There appears to be plenty of real-estate, can a Thunderbolt Display be turned into mac and/or pc? … (3) Any way to upgrade to USB 3.0/3.1?…

I like tinkering with electronics and don’t mind the complexities or if necessary getting parts, just wondering if any of these are possible and if so, can you give a clue as to where I can find more info… Thank You.

Michael Martin - Jun 13, 2017

Reply

Would like to see a continuation of what it takes to replace the Thunderbolt cable that is attached to the back of the display

Fm34b - May 10, 2018

Reply

Hi Michael

What happen to your monitor for you to need to replace the cable. It could be solution as to why my monitor has a black screen.

Any help?

Thanks

Aldo B - Sep 11, 2018

Reply

Does the LCD from an iMac 2009 27” fit into the Thunderbolt Display and make it work?