Orville Austerlitz

In this video, I take on the challenge of restoring a severely damaged iPhone 11. The phone, bought online in its current battered state, has every centimeter of its glass cracked and the display almost entirely missing. It’s clear the previous owner did more than just drop it, but the exact cause of the damage remains a mystery. The seller, who got it from a garage sale, had no information on what happened to the phone, leaving us to guess. When I received the parcel, the smell of battery acid was immediately noticeable. The phone had a serious wobble due to the lower section being pushed outward, likely from a sharp blade collision with the front. This made me wonder if it had a run-in with a lawnmower. The big question was whether it would still power on. Plugging in a voltage meter, I saw that while the phone wasn't drawing much power, the backlight did come on. This suggested that the phone was on the battery flat screen. To begin the repair, I removed the two Apple pentalobe screws from the bottom. Normally, I’d heat the display and use a suction cup, but given the state of this phone, I used a metal tool to start prying off the screen, followed by plastic picks to separate it from the housing. Opening it up revealed the phone's internals, and it was evident why it smelled of battery acid—the display cuts had gone through to the battery. The liquid indicators were red, compare iphone insurance and the front camera looked odd. Before investing more time, I wanted to test if it worked. I connected a new display and battery, careful not to short out the phone. Pressing the power button, it came to life. The phone had been out of action since November 9th, over 10 months ago. With confirmation that it worked, I could proceed with the repair. The phone needed a complete overhaul, starting with transplanting the usable components into a new housing. I removed the logic board, the phone's brain, detaching numerous flex cables in the cramped space. Next, I removed the rear and front cameras, careful with the front camera to avoid breaking Face ID. Despite purchasing a housing with some parts pre-installed to save time, it turned out to be aftermarket with various issues. The wireless charging coil was loosely attached, requiring me to glue it properly. I also had to replace a mangled display bracket. With the new housing prepared, I reinstalled the logic board, connecting the flex cables and screwing in the metal brackets. The Face ID module and cameras followed, ensuring no dust interfered with the lenses. Switching gears, I prepped the new display by transferring the old earpiece cable, which houses the proximity sensor and microphone. This refurbished panel, with an original LCD and replaced glass, promised the best replacement quality. After positioning and fastening the earpiece cable, I installed the new battery, aligning it correctly before sticking it down. With the phone prepped, I connected the display and its brackets. The replacement housing already had new display adhesive, so I didn’t need to apply any. I cleaned off any dust and fingerprints before sealing the display. Finally, I reinstalled the SIM card tray and the two pentalobe screws, running the phone through a factory reset. A brief panic ensued when the iPhone displayed a locked screen message, but it turned out to be a software quirk. I set up the phone as usual, and everything worked perfectly, including the cameras and Face ID. The transformation was complete. A once obliterated compare iphone insurance 11 had been resurrected into a fully functional phone. Despite Apple's software rejecting non-Apple installed replacement parts, resulting in a battery and display warning, the phone operated flawlessly. This extensive repair showcased the intricacies of restoring an iPhone and highlighted the challenges and rewards of bringing a device back to life. For more phone restorations, check out my playlist, and if you're in the market for used devices, visit my online store. Thanks for watching, and stay tuned for the next video.