IT

7 Must-Have Tools for Mobile Phone Repair

Author: Craig Lloyd / Source: howtogeek.com

If you’re thinking about replacing the battery in your smartphone yourself, or even switching out that shattered screen, there are several tools you should have to make the job a lot easier.

Undoubtedly, one of the best places to buy replacement parts is iFixit. And after the whole iPhone battery fiasco, their battery replacement kits have become quite popular.

While these kits come with all the tools you’ll need to get the job done, unfortunately it’s the bare minimum, and you’d be surprised at how easier the process is with a few additional tools at your disposal.

Suction Cup Pliers

If you have a mobile device like the iPhone, where you have to pry up the display in order to get inside, a pair of suction cup pliers is a great tool to have.

iFixit battery replacement kits come with a small suction cup to help pry open your phone, but it pales in comparison to some suction cup pliers. You just attach one suction cup to the back of the phone and the other to the front, and then simply squeeze on the pliers to separate the display from the rest of the phone.

If you do even only a small handful of mobile repairs, these pliers are a worthy investment and will pay for themselves with the amount of time you’ll save.

Heat Gun or Hair Dryer

Of course, with newer smartphones, you can’t pry open the display without heating up the adhesive first. To do that, it’s great to have a heat gun or a hair dryer.

The heat softens up the adhesive and makes it easier to separate the display when you pry it open, as well as lessening the chance of something breaking.

You can also use something like a rice bag that you heat up in the microwave. iFixit sells their own version of this specifically made for mobile repair, but you could easily make your own with a sock and some rice.