An iPhone from 2010 to 2016 is not a phone for the apps of today, but plenty are still in drawers and in use: as a child's first phone, a spare, a music player, or because the owner just likes it. A repair on these is small, and worth knowing about when you are deciding whether to keep one running.
Blue Apple repairs the older iPhones, from the iPhone 6S Plus back to the iPhone 4, at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam. Each model has its own page with the repairs we offer for it: start at the iPhone repair page.
What is different about the older iPhones
- Three generations of connector. The iPhone 4 and 4S use the old wide dock connector, the iPhone 5 and everything after it use Lightning.
- Home button and Touch ID. From the 5S on, the home button holds Touch ID, and it is paired to the phone, like on the newer models with a button.
- Small screens, easy repairs. These phones have small LCD screens that are simple to repair. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are known for a touch fault that can make the screen unresponsive.
- No new software. Apple stopped updating these phones years ago. Many apps no longer run on them, and a repair does not change that.
What usually goes wrong with older iPhones
- Battery that is flat within minutes. A battery of this age has long passed its life. A new one is the most common repair on every model here.
- Cracked screen. Cheap and quick on these models, and the most common visible fault.
- Touch that stops responding on a 6 or 6 Plus. A grey flicker bar at the top, or touch that fails: this is the known touch fault of these two models and takes board-level work.
- Charging connector. A worn Lightning or dock connector, or lint inside it.
- Does not turn on, or stuck on the logo. It can be a battery, a software problem or a fault on the board. We find out before we quote.
The older iPhone models we repair
Every model below has its own page, with the repairs we offer for it and what each one costs.
iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPhone 5S / SE, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 4/4S.
Repair or replace?
Repair costs on these phones are small, but so is the value of the phone, so the honest answer is often: only if it matters to you. For a child's phone or a spare, a battery and a screen are worth it. If the owner mostly wants the photos on it, tell us: we look at getting the data off before anything else.
Looking after your iPhone
- Back up the photos before anything else. Old phones can fail without warning, and the photos are the part you cannot replace.
- Do not leave it charging for days. An old battery does not like it.
- Keep it out of the heat. Old batteries swell more easily.
How a repair works at Blue Apple
Open your model on the iPhone repair page, choose the repair and you see the price straight away. You can bring it to our workshop at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, have it collected (pickup and delivery) or send it by post. If your fault is not in the list, the custom repair form lets you describe it, and we come back with a price before any work starts.
Questions about repairing an older iPhone
Can you get the photos off an old iPhone that will not turn on?
Often we can, depending on the fault. Our article on data recovery from a dead iPhone explains what to expect and what we cannot promise.
Is it worth repairing an iPhone 5S?
For a spare or a child's phone, a new battery is cheap. For daily use with modern apps, it is not the right phone.
More reading
- Data recovery from a dead iPhone or MacBook: how to get your photos back
- Why repairing an iPhone battery is cheaper than a new phone
In short
A new battery or screen costs little on an older iPhone, and the real question is how much you want that phone to keep going. See the iPhone repair page for the models and repairs, or send us a request. You will find us at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, and you can call 020 239 11 93 with a question first.
