How to Restore an Abused iPhone (or any gadget)
After a few months of use, our gorgeous new gadgets incur a fair share of dings and scratches. However, all is not lost! Learn how one man bought a horribly abused iPhone on Ebay and polished it up to look brand new. It’s a superb tutorial including both case and screen refurbishing which you can apply to all of your neglected gadgets.
Steps to Resurrection:
- Buy a scratched iPhone on eBay
- Gently dry sand external scratches
- Add some water and wet sand
- Polish with a 3M Headlight Lens Restoration Kit (~$15)
Photos:
Unfortunately, the Apple logo is erased in the process, but I’d say it’s a worthwhile sacrifice for the outstanding results. But we’re not finished yet! We still have to repair the front screen which was severely cracked.
LCD Repair:
The LCD repair is a slightly more delicate process since we have to remove the entire front of the device and expose its circuitry innards. Nonetheless, it’s not too complex and the image below walks you through the screw removal process.
Materials:
- Replacement iPhone LCD
- Compressed Air ( or bike pump)
- E-xacto blade ( or something flat and thin)
- Small Phillips screwdriver
- Suction cup
With this detailed tutorial, just about anyone can refurbish their scratched and damaged gadgets. It’s pretty cheap too, the 3M cleaning kit costs less than$15 and the screen replacement is less than $10. So what are you waiting for? Go polish your neglected gadgets! Oh, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future posts.
Final Results:
Things to do with your new iPhone:
March 4th, 2010
Good work, that’s awesome!
March 5th, 2010
If I’m going to loose my Apple symbol I’m not going to try this! Where did it go?
March 6th, 2010
It gets removed in the buffing/sanding process.
March 9th, 2010
god forbid you lose your apple symbol!
March 11th, 2010
And can I use this method for my Macbook Pro? Does it work for metal cases?
March 11th, 2010
Probably
March 12th, 2010
couldn’t you just stamp another on there? or are they laser etched?
March 12th, 2010
You can’t really “stamp” it on there, but you could laser etch it on there.
April 5th, 2010
How about just getting a replacement OEM housing?
April 6th, 2010
You could…but then might not look as sleek
April 9th, 2010
There wouldn’t happen to be any tips involving replacing/repairing the screen on a 2005 30GB iPod video, would there? My dad changed the battery in it after five years and accidentally crushed part of the screen with his thumb while doing so, so now there’s a big black “hole” when I view it. The iPod’s still functional, but it’s annoying nonetheless–any tips?
April 9th, 2010
Hmmmm we don’t have anything posted here on HacknMod, sorry. I’d assume it’s fairly similar to the above photos though.
April 9th, 2010
my screen isn’t broken, its just scratched. can I do the same thing for the screen or should I do something else? and will it work for stainless steel on my ipod touch (1st gen)?
April 10th, 2010
@jw – Yeah, you can just order a new screen using the eBay links in the article. The 3M product is made for plastics, but you can probably find something similar for the stainless.
April 11th, 2010
nah…I mean will the polishing deal work on the screen as well as the back?
April 11th, 2010
No. I highly, highly doubt it would work on the screen since you have to “buff it out” which would probably leave a blurred result.
April 15th, 2010
@lru: check out ifixit.com. they sell parts and tools to repair most apple stuff.
April 18th, 2010
Why go through the trouble of sanding the back and buying a new LCD front? Why not just buy a new back cover too? How are you going to avoid scratching the lens when ur sanding the back?
June 1st, 2010
Loosing the Apple Logo is priceless and worth the $15 charge for the headlight polishing kit alone.
June 1st, 2010
Can I get the kit at parts store, like Autozone?
Thanks.
June 1st, 2010
You might be able to get it at an auto store. The product in the link above works really, really well though.
June 10th, 2010
Did this just to get rid of the apple logo. Used 600 grit wet/dry and moved up to 1500. Looks pretty good, I think I just need to buff it to get that perfect polished look.
Thanks for the share!
June 21st, 2010
Or you can just take care of your phone lol
June 22nd, 2010
hey guys.you could get the apple symbol as well as your name laser engraved at any iStore
July 15th, 2010
will this work on a zune?
July 15th, 2010
It will work on a variety of gadgets depending upon the type of material it’s made of.
July 21st, 2010
Wow, thanks! I’m considering doing this for my iPod Touch!
August 2nd, 2010
can it remove the scratches on my macbook?? mine is white in color, been using for 4 years now!!!!
August 2nd, 2010
Good question C.L. I’m not sure if it would work on the white macbooks. Does anyone else know from experience?
August 25th, 2010
I tried this and it worked great! It actually looks better without the apple/writing in person. My girlfriend asked me why I got another 3gs because it looked so good.
October 16th, 2010
Wonder if the first part could be used to remove the glossy effect from a laptop ?
October 31st, 2010
You could always avoid the apple logo or apply a small piece of tape cut to fit to protect it before sanding…
November 1st, 2010
@ls going by what you just said I take it your a complete and utter noob at sanding or have never done it.
First of all it would cause the surface to feel and look uneven, like the logo would look bumped.
Secondly dependant on the sander used, it would be impossible to avoid removing the apple logo because if they did, then they would also have to miss parts out and wouldn’t look as nice in the finished results.
Also what you said about tape, are you having a laugh?
December 13th, 2010
Very nice! Did a fantastic restoration job. I used to work for the Apple store, you could also just return it for a new one in warranty, and complain if you are outside warrant and still get one lol