It happened. That sickening crunch. You pulled your phone out of your pocket, or maybe it slid off the nightstand, and now your iPhone 6 looks like a spiderweb. Most people would tell you to just chuck it. "It's ancient history," they'll say. But honestly? If the phone still turns on and your data is trapped inside, knowing how to fix the screen on iPhone 6 is a skill that saves money and keeps a perfectly functional music player or "backup phone" out of a landfill.
The iPhone 6 was a turning point for Apple. It was the first "big" phone they made. Because of that, the market is absolutely flooded with cheap replacement parts. You can get a new glass panel for the price of a decent lunch.
Don't be fooled by the slim profile. This isn't like the newer iPhones where everything is glued shut with industrial-strength waterproof adhesive. The 6 is mechanical. It’s held together by tiny screws and a few clips. If you have patience and a steady hand, you can do this in about forty minutes.
The big mistake most people make with the iPhone 6 screen
Before you grab a screwdriver, you need to understand the difference between a "full assembly" and just the "glass." This is where beginners get burned. They see a piece of glass on eBay for $5 and think they’ve found a bargain.
You haven't.
Replacing just the glass requires a heat gun, LOCA glue, and a level of precision that most professional shops won't even touch. You want the full display assembly. This includes the LCD (the part that shows the picture), the digitizer (the part that feels your touch), and the glass. It makes the job a "drop-in" repair rather than a nightmare.
Look for "premium" or "OEM grade" parts. If you buy the absolute cheapest screen on the internet, the colors will look washed out. The whites will look blue. Even worse, the touch sensitivity might be laggy, making you feel like you're typing through molasses. Spend the extra ten bucks. It matters.
Preparing your workspace (and your brain)
You need a clean table. Not "mostly clean." I mean hospital-clean. One stray breadcrumb under your phone while you're pressing down can crack the new screen instantly.
Gather your tools. You need a Pentalobe screwdriver (the star-shaped one for the bottom), a small Phillips head, a suction cup, and a plastic prying tool. Professionals call it a "spudger." If you're desperate, a guitar pick works. Metal tools are dangerous. They scratch the frame and can short out the motherboard if you touch the wrong pin.
Step 1: The Pentalobe screws
Power the phone off. Seriously. If you try to fix the screen on iPhone 6 while the power is running, you risk blowing the backlight fuse. That’s a microsoldering job, and if that happens, the phone is basically garbage. Remove the two screws next to the charging port. Keep them separate.
Step 2: The suction cup dance
Stick the suction cup right above the Home button. Pull up gently. The iPhone 6 doesn't have the waterproof seals of the iPhone 7 or 11, so it should pop up relatively easily. Use your plastic tool to gently unclip the sides.
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Warning: Do not pull the screen all the way off yet. The top of the screen is connected by four very thin ribbon cables. If you yank it, you’ll tear the connectors right off the logic board. Open it like a book, but only to about 90 degrees.
The delicate art of the ribbon cables
This is the part that makes people nervous. You'll see a metal plate held down by five screws. Under that plate are the connectors for the camera, the sensor, the LCD, and the digitizer.
- Remove the battery connector first. This is the most important rule in repair. No power means no accidents.
- Unscrew the plate covering the display cables.
- Use your plastic tool to "pop" the connectors up. They feel like little Lego bricks.
Once those are disconnected, the old broken screen is free. Set the body of the phone aside. Now comes the tedious part: transferring the original components.
Why you must keep your original Home button
If you want Touch ID to work, you have to use your original Home button. Apple pairs the fingerprint sensor to the specific logic board in your phone. If you use the button that comes with a "pre-assembled" screen, you will lose the ability to unlock your phone with your thumb. You'll be stuck typing a passcode like it's 2008.
Carefully unscrew the bracket holding the button. There is a tiny bit of mild adhesive holding the rubber gasket down. A tiny bit of heat—even just breathing on it or using a hair dryer for three seconds—softens it up. Push the button from the front to the back. Do not use force. If you tear that ribbon cable, Touch ID is gone forever. There is no software fix for a torn Home button cable.
Moving the "Small Parts"
You also have to move the earpiece speaker, the front-facing camera, and the heat shield.
The heat shield is that big metal plate on the back of the LCD. It's held in by several screws along the side.
The camera and sensor assembly is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle. Pay attention to how the microphone is tucked in. It’s a tiny gold square. If it isn't seated perfectly in its little plastic groove, people won't be able to hear you on FaceTime.
Take photos as you go. Honestly, your memory isn't as good as you think it is when you're looking at seven identical-looking screws.
Reassembly and the "Moment of Truth"
Reverse everything.
Reconnect the display cables first. You should feel a distinct "click." If it feels mushy, don't press harder. Align it again. If you bend the tiny pins inside those connectors, you're looking at a much more expensive repair.
Reconnect the battery last.
Before you screw everything back together and seal it up, do a "bench test." Rest the screen on the frame and turn the phone on.
- Does the Apple logo appear?
- Is the touch working in all corners?
- Can you see any weird lines?
If everything looks good, tuck the cables in carefully. They should fold like a hinge. If they get pinched, they can develop "touch disease" later on, where the screen thinks it's being touched when it's not. Press the screen into the frame starting from the top. It should snap in flush.
Common troubleshooting: What if it doesn't work?
If the screen is black but you hear the phone vibrating or making sounds, you probably didn't seat the LCD cable correctly. Open it back up, disconnect the battery, and reseat the cables.
If there are vertical lines on the screen, it usually means there is a bit of dust or static in the connector. Clean it with a tiny drop of 90% isopropyl alcohol and a soft brush.
If the Home button doesn't work, check the long "extension" cable that runs under the heat shield. It’s easy to pinch that one during reassembly.
Is it actually worth it in 2026?
We have to be realistic. The iPhone 6 stopped receiving major iOS updates years ago. It won't run the latest high-end games. However, as a dedicated device for a kid, a dedicated Spotify streamer for a car, or an emergency backup, it’s still solid.
The screen is the most common failure point. By choosing to fix the screen on iPhone 6 yourself, you’re spending maybe $25 and an hour of your time. A repair shop might charge you $80, which is more than the phone is worth. The DIY route is the only way the math makes sense.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are ready to tackle this, don't just wing it.
- Buy a high-quality kit: Look for kits that include the specialized Pentalobe screwdriver. Brands like iFixit or reputable eBay sellers with high ratings for "Mobile Display Assemblies" are your best bet.
- Organize your screws: Use a magnetic mat or even just a piece of paper with circles drawn on it to keep track of which screw went where. Putting a long screw into a short screw hole (a mistake called "long-screw damage") can kill the motherboard.
- Watch a video first: Read this guide, then watch a teardown video to see the hand movements. Seeing the "flick" of the spudger helps build confidence.
- Check your battery while you're in there: Since the phone is already open, look at the battery. If it looks swollen or if your phone was dying at 20%, now is the time to swap that out too. It adds five minutes to the job and makes the phone feel brand new.
Fixing your own tech is a badge of honor. It moves you from being a consumer to being an owner. Even if the iPhone 6 is an older model, the logic of the repair applies to almost every device you'll ever own. Take your time, don't force the plastic, and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing that screen light up without a single crack.