Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

29

Time Required

                          20 - 45 minutes

Sections

3

  • Display Assembly
  • 23 steps
  • Lower Support Bracket
  • 2 steps
  • Right Speaker
  • 4 steps

Flags

0

  • BackiMac Intel 27" Retina 5K Display 2020

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Introduction

Some photos in this guide are from a different model and may contain slight visual discrepancies, but they won’t affect the guide procedure.

Removing the display on the 2020 iMac Intel 27" Retina 5K Display requires cutting adhesive with a specialized iMac opening tool. After you’ve completed your repair, you’ll need to follow our display adhesive guide to scrape off the old adhesive and replace it with new double-sided adhesive strips.

Before beginning any work on your iMac: Unplug the computer and press and hold the power button for ten seconds to discharge the power supply’s capacitors.

Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply.

What you need

Step 1

              Install the service wedge
  • With the hinge free to move, the iMac will be unbalanced and hard to work on. Repairs can be completed with the iMac laying down, but are faster and easier with an iMac service wedge.
  • If you are using the iFixit cardboard service wedge, follow these assembly directions to put it together.

With the hinge free to move, the iMac will be unbalanced and hard to work on. Repairs can be completed with the iMac laying down, but are faster and easier with an iMac service wedge.

If you are using the iFixit cardboard service wedge, follow these assembly directions to put it together.

1024

Step 2

              Insert an opening tool
  • Starting on the left of the display, near the power button, insert the iMac Opening Tool into the gap between the glass panel and the rear case.
  • The hub on the iMac Opening Tool will keep you from pushing the wheel in too far. If using a different tool, insert it no more than 3/8" (9.5 mm) into the display. You risk severing antenna cables and causing serious damage if you insert the tool too far.

Starting on the left of the display, near the power button, insert the iMac Opening Tool into the gap between the glass panel and the rear case.

The hub on the iMac Opening Tool will keep you from pushing the wheel in too far. If using a different tool, insert it no more than 3/8" (9.5 mm) into the display. You risk severing antenna cables and causing serious damage if you insert the tool too far.

Step 3

              Slice through the display adhesive
  • Use the tool like a pizza cutter—roll it along through the gap, and it will cut the foam adhesive through the center.
  • Be sure to always push with the handle behind the cutting wheel. If you pull, the wheel might get pulled out of the handle.
  • Run the tool up along the left side of the display.

Use the tool like a pizza cutter—roll it along through the gap, and it will cut the foam adhesive through the center.

Be sure to always push with the handle behind the cutting wheel. If you pull, the wheel might get pulled out of the handle.

Run the tool up along the left side of the display.

Step 4

              Cut through the remaining adhesive
  • Continue wheeling the tool up around the top left corner.

Continue wheeling the tool up around the top left corner.

Step 5

  • Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.

Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.

Step 6

  • Continue along the top of the display.
  • You may want to run the tool back and forth through what you’ve already cut a few times, to ensure you get as much of the adhesive separated as possible.

Continue along the top of the display.

You may want to run the tool back and forth through what you’ve already cut a few times, to ensure you get as much of the adhesive separated as possible.

Step 7

  • Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.

Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.

Step 8

  • Wheel the tool down along the right side of the display.

Wheel the tool down along the right side of the display.

Step 9

  • Finish pushing the opening tool to the bottom of the right side of the display.
  • At this point, you’ll want to run the tool back around the entire display, to ensure you cut as much adhesive as possible.

Finish pushing the opening tool to the bottom of the right side of the display.

At this point, you’ll want to run the tool back around the entire display, to ensure you cut as much adhesive as possible.

Step 10

  • While the opening tool did the lion’s share of the work, the display will still be slightly adhered to the case. A plastic card will be necessary to free up the last of this adhesive.
  • Set the iMac face-up on a table.
  • Starting from the top right corner of the iMac, insert a plastic card between the display and frame.
  • Be careful not to insert it more than 3/8" (9.5 mm), or you may damage internal components.

While the opening tool did the lion’s share of the work, the display will still be slightly adhered to the case. A plastic card will be necessary to free up the last of this adhesive.

Set the iMac face-up on a table.

Starting from the top right corner of the iMac, insert a plastic card between the display and frame.

Be careful not to insert it more than 3/8" (9.5 mm), or you may damage internal components.

Step 11

  • Gently twist the plastic card to open the space between the display and frame, and cut any remaining adhesive near the corner.
  • Using too much force will crack the glass. Work carefully, and don’t try to create a gap any larger than about 1/4" (6 mm).

Gently twist the plastic card to open the space between the display and frame, and cut any remaining adhesive near the corner.

Using too much force will crack the glass. Work carefully, and don’t try to create a gap any larger than about 1/4" (6 mm).

Step 12

  • Be sure to stop cutting before the iSight camera in this step, or you may damage it.
  • Slide the card toward the center of the display, to cut any remaining adhesive.

Be sure to stop cutting before the iSight camera in this step, or you may damage it.

Slide the card toward the center of the display, to cut any remaining adhesive.

Step 13

  • Put the card into the corner again and let it stay there to keep the adhesive from resettling.

Put the card into the corner again and let it stay there to keep the adhesive from resettling.

Step 14

  • Insert a second card into the gap between the display and frame in the top left corner.

Insert a second card into the gap between the display and frame in the top left corner.

Step 15

  • Gently twist the card, slightly increasing the space between the display and frame.
  • As with the other side, move slowly to allow the adhesive to break, and be careful not to over-stress the display glass.

Gently twist the card, slightly increasing the space between the display and frame.

As with the other side, move slowly to allow the adhesive to break, and be careful not to over-stress the display glass.

Step 16

  • Slide the plastic card toward the center, again stopping just before the iSight camera.

Slide the plastic card toward the center, again stopping just before the iSight camera.

Step 17

  • Insert the card back into the top left corner.

Insert the card back into the top left corner.

Step 18

  • With the cards inserted as shown near the corners, gently twist the cards to increase the gap between display and case.
  • If there are any sections that seem to stick and won’t separate, stop twisting and use one of the cards to cut the adhesive in the problem area.
  • Begin to lift the top of the display up from the frame.
  • Only lift the display a few inches—it is still attached to the iMac by data and power cables.

With the cards inserted as shown near the corners, gently twist the cards to increase the gap between display and case.

If there are any sections that seem to stick and won’t separate, stop twisting and use one of the cards to cut the adhesive in the problem area.

Begin to lift the top of the display up from the frame.

Only lift the display a few inches—it is still attached to the iMac by data and power cables.

Step 19

              Disconnect the display cables
  • While holding the display up with one hand, use the other to unplug the display power cable.
  • Lift the display up enough to have easy access to the connections, but not so much that you stretch the cables and stress their connections (about 8").

While holding the display up with one hand, use the other to unplug the display power cable.

Lift the display up enough to have easy access to the connections, but not so much that you stretch the cables and stress their connections (about 8").

Step 20

  • Flip up the metal retaining bracket on the display data cable.
  • Disconnect the display data cable.
  • This is a delicate connection that can easily be broken. Be sure to pull the display data cable connector straight out of its socket, toward the top of the iMac.

Flip up the metal retaining bracket on the display data cable.

Disconnect the display data cable.

This is a delicate connection that can easily be broken. Be sure to pull the display data cable connector straight out of its socket, toward the top of the iMac.

Step 21

              Lift the display
  • Lift the display up to a near-vertical position.
  • At this point there is still a strip of adhesive along the bottom of the display that will hold the display to the frame like a hinge. You can loosen this adhesive by working the display up and down a few times.

Lift the display up to a near-vertical position.

At this point there is still a strip of adhesive along the bottom of the display that will hold the display to the frame like a hinge. You can loosen this adhesive by working the display up and down a few times.

Step 22

              Remove the remaining adhesive
  • Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply (boxed in red).
  • Grasp the small tab at the end of one of the bottom edge display adhesive strips and pull the adhesive toward the top of the iMac to remove it.
  • Repeat this step with the other adhesive strip and remove it.
  • If either adhesive strip breaks before it’s removed, use a plastic card to slice through the remaining adhesive.

Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply (boxed in red).

Grasp the small tab at the end of one of the bottom edge display adhesive strips and pull the adhesive toward the top of the iMac to remove it.

Repeat this step with the other adhesive strip and remove it.

If either adhesive strip breaks before it’s removed, use a plastic card to slice through the remaining adhesive.

Step 23

              Remove the display
  • Be very careful handling the display—it’s big, heavy, and made of glass. The display has fragile edges. Avoid lifting the display by the corners.
  • Lift the display up from the frame and remove it from the iMac. Lay the display face down on a flat, soft surface.
  • It may be necessary to slowly lift from one side, to peel against the remaining adhesive.
  • After the adhesive is cut, it cannot be used to re-seal the display in place. Follow the adhesive replacement guide for your model when your repair is complete to replace the adhesive strips that secure the display to the rear enclosure.

Be very careful handling the display—it’s big, heavy, and made of glass. The display has fragile edges. Avoid lifting the display by the corners.

Lift the display up from the frame and remove it from the iMac. Lay the display face down on a flat, soft surface.

It may be necessary to slowly lift from one side, to peel against the remaining adhesive.

After the adhesive is cut, it cannot be used to re-seal the display in place. Follow the adhesive replacement guide for your model when your repair is complete to replace the adhesive strips that secure the display to the rear enclosure.

Step 24

              Remove the support bracket
  • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the nine 3.2 mm screws securing the support bracket.
  • You may need to peel up the display adhesive lining the bottom edge of the iMac enclosure to access the screws.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the nine 3.2 mm screws securing the support bracket.

You may need to peel up the display adhesive lining the bottom edge of the iMac enclosure to access the screws.

Step 25

  • Remove the lower support bracket (a.k.a. “chin strap”) from the iMac enclosure.

Remove the lower support bracket (a.k.a. “chin strap”) from the iMac enclosure.

Step 26

              Remove the right speaker
  • Use a T10 Torx screwdriver to remove the two 10 mm screws securing the right speaker.

Use a T10 Torx screwdriver to remove the two 10 mm screws securing the right speaker.

Step 27

  • Gently rock the right speaker slightly to the right, to allow access to its cable’s connection on the logic board.

Gently rock the right speaker slightly to the right, to allow access to its cable’s connection on the logic board.

Step 28

  • Use a spudger to loosen the right speaker cable’s connector from its socket on the logic board.
  • Pull the connector to the right to remove it from its socket.

Use a spudger to loosen the right speaker cable’s connector from its socket on the logic board.

Pull the connector to the right to remove it from its socket.

Step 29

  • Lift the speaker straight up and remove it from the iMac.

Lift the speaker straight up and remove it from the iMac.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

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                    Sam Omiotek

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