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When installing a new touch screen on an iPod touch 4g, what is the best way to go back on with the new screen? I have done several of these and while the finished product is passable, it is not 100% like from the factory. Is there a trick to getting it completely flush?

The screen should by itself fit perfectly flush if there is no dent in the frame. I used to move over the small metal bracket at the top of the screen near the camera but after someone suggested to leave it I have more success. There are a couple of things you must check:

  • Did you fold the digitizer cable correctly under the top of the screen? If not it will sit on the edge under the top and bulge the screen up
  • Did you use adhesive all around the top, bottom and edges where the glass is in contact?
  • Did you check that the speaker (bottom left corner) is tucked down into the bezel? Sometimes the speaker is raised when you open the metal mid plane. Make sure it is tucked down so it does not bulge the glass on the bottom. When I follow these steps I get a perfect fit every time. Should not have to wait for the adhesive to cure. It should look perfect straight away. Of course the adhesive will sit even better after some hours. Just use your hands and press down all along the contact parts and the heat from your hands should make sure the fit “cures” Helpful reading here where we discussed this: What parts to move from the broken screen?

Thanks Alse, Will try one without the metal clip & report back. Steve

Three possible reasons that I have found will cause your screen to not sit flush: There is a small shard of cracked glass adhered to the frame. (this will cause your digitizer to stop hard with no give when you apply pressure).Flex cable not folded correctly. You’ll know this is the problem if your whole screen sits flush but the top. you’ll be able to press it into place but it’ll pop back up unless you make sure the cable is sitting right.Misplaced screws. There are several different sizes of screws and each should go in the correct hole. If you place a screw that is too large into a hole made for a small screw, it’ll protrude and cause your screen not to sit flush. If you get rainbows in your LCD when you apply light pressure then this is most likely your problem. You will have some give but that’s just your digitizer bending since your levering it on a protruding screw.

Some other issues which I dont believe were discussed. Key to having the glass sit flush after screen replacement ( only tips that were not previously mentioned) Make certain there are no small fragments of glass underneath the metal midframe as well no screws are floating around the body of the iPodBend out corners and pry them as best as you can outward if there are dentsClean the area around the edges of old adhesive, glass and debrisHeat with a blow dryer or heat gun a bit prior to adding weight to cure the adhesive. Not absolutely necessary as suggested but it never hurts either. Good luck

Asle, Thanks for you answer. The issue was the first one you mentioned. I did not have the Digitizer pushed in and it was sitting right on the edge of the mirror surface the LCD is built into. Other than that, some adhesive and time should fix this problem right up. Thanks so much, saved a bunch of future clients time issues and possible broken Ipods.

hello, i have an ipod touch that seems to only not lie flush on the middle of the left hand edge of the screen. if i press (lightly) on it, it goes down flush, but as soon as i let go it rises right back up. any ideas?

My iPod touch 4 screen does the same.Is the digitizer sometimes bent on the corners?Any recommended place to buy one to install?Mine pokes way up on the top right corner.When I hold all corners down it works.If I push the top right corner the bottom left lifts.I even removed the logic board and battery.It will not even go in with the plate.

everyone.people always wonder why the screen will not go in well.i found out the most common tricky reason why.the back plastic or metal whatever thing,it gets bent,that is why it tilts up and down in other areas and stuff.put it on a flat table and set really heavy books on top of it,face the open part down.then keep it like that for 5 minutes.it bends it back normal and boom,enjoy.

When you remove the silver plate it gives away the sturdiness.

My replacement screen was thicker than the original.