iPhone 11 screen replacement: the complete DIY repair guide

Can you replace an iPhone 11 screen yourself?

Yes, absolutely. An iPhone 11 screen replacement is one of the more approachable DIY phone repairs out there. The display assembly uses a clip-and-screw design, and with the right tools and about 45 to 60 minutes, you can swap a cracked or dead screen without sending the phone anywhere. Parts run roughly $35 to $80 depending on the quality tier you choose, which is a lot less than the $199 to $329 Apple charges out of warranty.

What kind of screen does the iPhone 11 use?

The iPhone 11 uses a 6.1-inch LCD panel, specifically Apple's Liquid Retina IPS display at 1792 x 828 resolution. It's not OLED like the 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max, which actually works in your favor: LCD replacements cost less and are easier to source. The display assembly includes the digitizer (touch layer) bonded directly to the glass, so you're replacing glass, LCD, and touch in one unit. You don't need to separately bond anything.

How much does an iPhone 11 screen replacement cost?

Here's a quick breakdown so you can decide where you want to spend:

Option	Typical cost (US)	Notes
DIY part only (aftermarket LCD)	$35 to $55	Good for budget repairs, solid everyday quality
DIY part only (OEM-spec or soft OLED upgrade)	$55 to $80	Better brightness and color accuracy
Local repair shop	$80 to $150	Labor included, quality varies
Apple out-of-warranty	$199	Genuine part, Face ID fully recalibrated
Apple with AppleCare+	$29 service fee	Only if you have active AppleCare+

If you're doing it yourself, shop our Apple iPhone 11 Replacement Parts collection for screens, adhesive strips, and everything else you'll need in one place.

What you need before you start

Gather everything first. Stopping mid-repair to hunt for a tool is how screws get lost and connectors get damaged.

• iPhone 11 LCD screen assembly (with front camera bracket if not doing a transfer)
• Pentalobe P2 screwdriver (for the two bottom screws)
• Phillips #000 screwdriver
• Y-type tri-point Y000 screwdriver (for battery bracket screws)
• Plastic opening picks or pry tools
• Suction cup handle
• Tweezers
• Spudger or plastic spudger
• Adhesive strips or waterproof frame adhesive
• A magnetic parts mat or small cups for screws
• Optional: heat gun or iOpener to soften the frame adhesive

Most of these come bundled in an iPhone 11 screen replacement kit. Kits typically run $5 to $15 on top of the part itself and save you from improvising with the wrong tools.

Step-by-step iPhone 11 screen replacement

Step 1: power down and remove the pentalobe screws

Shut the phone off completely. Remove the two P2 pentalobe screws on either side of the Lightning port. Set them somewhere safe, those are easy to lose.

Step 2: soften the adhesive

Apply gentle heat along the edges of the screen for 60 to 90 seconds. You don't need it hot, just warm to the touch. This makes the adhesive flexible so your picks don't crack the already-damaged glass further.

Step 3: suction and pry

Place the suction cup on the lower portion of the front glass, just above the home indicator area. Pull up firmly and insert a plastic pick into the gap on the bottom-left edge. Work the pick slowly along the left side, then the top, then the right. Do not go near the top-right corner where the earpiece mesh sits. Don't pull the screen away from the phone yet, it's still connected by ribbon cables.

Step 4: open the phone like a book

Swing the display up from the bottom, hinging at the top edge. Prop it at about a 90-degree angle, or lean it against something stable. Do not let it flop backward past 90 degrees, you'll stress the flex cables.

Step 5: disconnect the battery

Remove the two screws securing the battery connector bracket, lift the bracket off, then disconnect the battery connector with a spudger. This prevents any accidental shorts while you work.

Step 6: remove the display connector bracket

There's a metal plate over the display connectors held by four Phillips screws (three identical, one slightly longer, mark that one). Remove the plate. You'll see three connectors: the digitizer, the LCD, and the front camera/sensor flex.

Step 7: disconnect the display cables

Pop each connector up gently with a spudger starting from one end. They unclip like a tiny LEGO connector, straight up, not at an angle. Set the old screen aside.

Step 8: transfer components (if needed)

If your new screen didn't come with a front camera assembly or earpiece speaker, transfer them from the old screen now. This involves removing several more screws and a bracket. Take photos before you disassemble anything so you know what goes where. The earpiece mesh, ambient light sensor, and front camera all live in a bracket at the top of the display.

Step 9: connect the new screen

Snap the three connectors on the new screen down in reverse order. Front camera first, then LCD, then digitizer. Seat them straight, then press firmly until you feel each one click. Replace the connector bracket plate with all four screws, paying attention to the longer one.

Step 10: test before you seal

Reconnect the battery. Press and hold the side button to power on. Check touch response across the full screen, test the front camera, earpiece audio, and the ambient light sensor by watching the brightness auto-adjust. If something's off, it's much easier to fix before the adhesive sets.

Step 11: seal it up

Power off again. Apply fresh adhesive strips around the inside perimeter of the frame. Remove the protective film from the new screen. Align the top edge first, then press the display down from top to bottom. Press firmly around all edges for 30 seconds. Reinstall the two pentalobe screws at the bottom. Done.

Things that can go wrong (and how to avoid them)

The connectors are the most common failure point. If the screen flickers or shows no image, reseat the LCD connector first, it's almost always that one. If touch doesn't work, it's usually the digitizer connector. Check that none of the connector contacts are bent before you reassemble.

Cracking the glass during opening happens when people rush or skip the heat step. Slow down on the pry. Plastic picks are your friend, metal pry tools will scratch the frame and can slice a flex cable.

If you see lines on the screen after reinstalling, that's almost always a cable not fully seated. Open it back up and reseat before assuming the part is bad.

Will Face ID still work after replacing the screen?

Yes, as long as you don't damage or replace the TrueDepth camera module. Face ID on the iPhone 11 lives in the front-facing camera assembly, not in the display itself. If you're careful during the component transfer and don't break the flex cable or the camera module, Face ID will work exactly as before. You do not need Apple's proprietary software to recalibrate it on the 11 (that requirement started with the iPhone 12's display, not the 11).

Protecting the new screen

Once your iPhone 11 screen replacement is done, put a tempered glass protector on it immediately. All that work, and then a single face-down drop can crack the new glass. The iPhone XR / 11 Tempered Glass Screen Protector with Cleaning Kit (Pack of 10) fits the iPhone 11 perfectly since the XR and 11 share the same 6.1-inch form factor. If you run a shop and do volume repairs, that 10-pack is the way to go.

If you're also working on 11 Pro Max devices, the iPhone XS MAX / 11 Pro MAX Tempered Glass Screen Protector with Cleaning Kit (Pack of 10) is the match for that model. And for a deeper look at picking the right protector for any device, our Tempered Glass Screen Protectors: Shop Buyer's Guide covers everything from hardness ratings to oleophobic coatings.

Repair shops: notes on wholesale

If you're fixing iPhones professionally, buying screens one at a time gets expensive fast. PhonePartPro sells to repair shops at wholesale pricing, so the per-unit cost drops significantly when you're ordering in quantity. Check the Apple iPhone 11 Replacement Parts page for bulk options, or reach out directly for a wholesale account. We ship from the US, so you're not waiting two weeks for parts to clear customs.

Other repairs worth knowing about

While you have the tools out: if you've got an iPad in the queue too, our iPad Pro 11 Broken Screen: Repair Cost and DIY Guide walks through that process in similar detail. Tablet screens involve more adhesive and larger panels, but the logic is the same. Browse our full repair guide hub for walkthroughs covering other models and part types.

FAQ

How much is an iPhone 11 screen replacement?

DIY parts run roughly $35 to $80 depending on quality. Local repair shops typically charge $80 to $150 including labor. Apple's out-of-warranty price is $199. If you have AppleCare+, the screen service fee is $29.

How much is iPhone 11 screen replacement (searching without "an")?

Same answer: $35 to $80 for a part you install yourself, $80 to $150 at a shop, or $199 at Apple without AppleCare+. The DIY route gives you the biggest savings on this model since it's a straightforward LCD swap.

Will Face ID work after screen replacement on iPhone 11?

Yes. Face ID uses the TrueDepth front camera system, which is separate from the display panel. As long as you don't damage the camera module or its flex cable during the repair, Face ID will work normally after a screen swap. No software recalibration is needed on the iPhone 11 the way it is on newer models.

How do you do an iPhone 11 screen replacement?

Remove the two bottom pentalobe screws, warm the edges to soften adhesive, suction and pry the display from the bottom edge, disconnect the battery, remove the display connector bracket, unplug the three display cables, transfer any components from the old screen, connect the new screen, test everything powered on before sealing, then press the screen into the fresh adhesive and reinstall the screws. Full step-by-step instructions are in the guide above.

How much is a screen replacement for the iPhone 11 Pro Max?

The 11 Pro Max uses a 6.5-inch OLED display, which costs more to replace. DIY parts for the Pro Max run roughly $80 to $130. Local shops usually charge $130 to $200. Apple charges $329 out of warranty for the Pro Max display repair.

How much is an iPhone 11 Pro screen replacement?

The 11 Pro is a 5.8-inch OLED. Parts for a DIY swap typically run $70 to $110. Shops charge around $120 to $180. Apple's out-of-warranty price for the 11 Pro is $279.

How much is a screen replacement on an iPhone 11 (summary)?

To put it simply: $35 to $80 if you do it yourself with a part from PhonePartPro, $80 to $150 at a local shop, or $199 at Apple without a protection plan. The iPhone 11's LCD design makes it one of the more affordable screens to replace in the entire iPhone lineup.