Studio Display — Display (VESA Mount Adapter)
Before You Begin
Danger
Ensure that the power cord is not plugged into an electrical outlet.
Warning
Read Broken Glass Safety before you begin.
Caution
Two people need to perform some of the removal and reassembly steps.
Some images show the power cord removed from the display, but during this procedure, the power cord should remain connected to the display.
Tools
Adhesive cutter
Adhesive cutter replacement wheels
Display adhesive strips
Display support stand
ESD-safe tweezers
Ethanol wipes or IPA wipes
Microfoam bag
Nylon probe (black stick)
Safety glasses
Silicone roller
Sticky sheet pad
Support foam rest blocks
Support wedge: tilt-adjustable stand
Support wedge: tilt- and height-adjustable stand
Caution
This procedure requires System Configuration. To perform System Configuration you will need the following:
The latest version of Apple Service Utility installed on a Mac running macOS Sonoma (14.1 or later)
Internet access
A USB-C charge cable or a USB-A to USB-C cable. The USB-C cable must support both power and data. Don’t use Thunderbolt 3 cables.
Caution
The adhesive cutter has replacement wheels. You will likely need to use several wheels because when a wheel is chipped, dented, broken, or no longer flat, you must replace it. Using a damaged wheel can damage the polyester tape on the display. The image on the left is a damaged wheel, and the image on the right is a new wheel.
Important
To remove the display, you must cut adhesive strips that attach the display to the rear housing. Each strip has a foam layer surrounded by two adhesive layers. You’ll use the adhesive cutter to cut the adhesive strips and will be cutting mostly through the foam layer.
For models configured with the tilt-adjustable stand or tilt- and height-adjustable stand, refer to the Display (Stand) removal and reassembly instructions.
Note: The images in this procedure may show a display with a stand. However, the procedure is the same for a display with a VESA mount adapter.
Removal
Place the display flat on the large foam blocks with the display faceup. Cut the display adhesive strips by inserting the adhesive cutter between the display and the housing. Start from a corner, and move the wheel around the edges of the display.
Move your fingers along the edge of the display to check that the adhesive has been sufficiently cut. If the adhesive is not completely cut, use the adhesive cutter to cut any remaining adhesive.
Stand up the display with the top of the housing (camera side) on the table.
Place the support tilt wedge and support lift wedge in front of the display.
Caution: You will need another person to assist you to complete steps 5 through 10.
Have another person hold the housing from the back. Then carefully separate the display from the housing starting from the bottom (non-camera) side.
Carefully separate the remainder of the display from the housing. When the display is separated from the hangers in the housing, lift up the display assembly and rest it on the support lift wedge and support tilt wedge.
Pull the tab to flip up the locking bar on the DisplayPort signal flex cable (1). Then slide the end of the flex cable out of the connector (2).
Important: The DisplayPort signal flex cable has a small area of adhesive that adheres to the back of the display. If the flex cable is still adhered to the back of the display, use the black stick to release it.
Slide the end of the DisplayPort power cable out of the connector (3).
Pull the tab to flip up the locking bar (1) on the camera flex cable. Then slide the end of the flex cable out of the connector (2).
Gently wiggle the ends of the display backlight cables out of the connectors (3).
Set the display on the display support stand.
Important: If you don’t have a display support stand, lay the display facedown on a clean, soft towel. To avoid damage to the display, ensure that the flex cables don’t touch the towel.
Use ESD-safe tweezers to peel the display adhesive from the back of the display as shown.
Caution
To prevent damage to the polyester film on the display, don’t peel the display adhesive from the corners of the display.
Don’t use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes on the display. Ethanol or isopropyl alcohol may damage the polyester film.
Use ESD-safe tweezers to peel the display adhesive from the edges of the housing as shown.
Use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes to clean any remaining adhesive from the housing.
Reassembly
Place the display adhesive strips on a flat surface and check them for damage and wrinkles. Refer to the part numbers on the adhesive strips to identify the correct position of the adhesive strips:
Bottom (946-21413) (1)
Upper left (946-21414) (2)
Upper right (946-21415) (3)
Right (946-21416) (4)
Left (946-21417) (5)
Caution: Damaged display adhesive strips can cause cosmetic gaps and light leakage. They can also weaken the bond between the display and the housing. If the adhesive strips are wrinkled or damaged, replace them.
Note: The display adhesive strips have two layers of adhesive with a foam layer between them. There is a paper release liner on the underside and a plastic release liner on the top. The colors of the release liners may vary.
Place the housing on the foam blocks with the interior faceup.
Peel off sections of the paper release liner from the left adhesive strip as you press the adhesive strip to the edge of the housing. Then use the flat end of the black stick to firmly press along the length of the adhesive strip to adhere it to the housing.
Important: Ensure that you match the display adhesive strip pattern to the housing pattern.
Repeat step 3 to install the adhesive strips on the right, upper left, upper right, and the bottom edges of the housing. Then continue to step 5.
Caution: You will need another person to assist you to complete steps 5 through 12.
Have another person stand up the housing with the top of the housing (camera side) on the table. Place the support lift wedge and support tilt wedge in front of the housing.
Lift the display assembly up and rest it on the support lift wedge and support tilt wedge.
Slide the ends of the display backlight cables (1) into the connectors.
Slide the end of the camera flex cable into the connector (2). Then flip down the locking bar on the flex cable (3).
Slide the end of the DisplayPort power cable into the connector (1).
Slide the end of the DisplayPort signal flex cable into the connector (2). Then flip down the locking bar on the flex cable (3).
Place the display in the housing by aligning the edges.
Place the two support foam rest blocks on the table with the lines in the blocks running vertical as shown. Place the housing on the foam blocks with the display side faceup.
Separate the display just enough to remove the release liner from the bottom edge of the display. Repeat the motion along the perimeter of the display until the release liners are removed from the left, right, and top edges.
Remove the liner from the sticky sheet pad. Roll the silicone roller back and forth on the sticky sheet pad to clean it.
Roll the silicone roller across each edge of the display six times.
Use both hands to press the edge of the display and help set the adhesive. Move your hands along the edge of the display, pressing at each location.
Place the display in the microfoam bag. Then place it flat on a clean table with the display side facedown. Wait 30 minutes for the adhesive to attach to both the display and the housing.
Caution: Don’t drag the display on the table.
Remove the display from the microfoam bag. If you reinstalled the existing display or logic board, the repair is complete.
Caution: If you replaced the display or logic board, complete the remaining steps to run System Configuration. Ensure that you have a Mac with Apple Service Utility installed and a USB-C charge cable before you continue.
Open the Apple Service Utility app on the Mac. Ensure that all Resources have been installed.
Note: The time to download and install Resources will vary based on your network connection speed to the internet.
Apple Service Utility will display a message that says, "Connect a device or tool."
Plug the display power cord into an electrical outlet.
Plug one end of the USB-C charge cable into the Mac. Then plug the other end of the USB-C charge cable into the Thunderbolt 3 port on the back of the display. The Thunderbolt 3 port is the rightmost port.
When Apple Service Utility detects the display, System Configuration will start automatically.
If System Configuration is successful, Apple Service Utility will display a message that says, "Completed System Configuration."
Caution
If System Configuration is interrupted, canceled, or encounters an error, Apple Service Utility will display a message instructing you to contact the Self Service Repair Store team for assistance.
If you replaced the display, the display’s brightness, True Tone, and Center Stage may not function properly until you complete System Configuration.
If you replaced the logic board, an alert symbol and “support.apple.com/display/restore” will appear on your screen until you complete System Configuration.