How To Repair an iPhone 14 Bootlooping due to IR Camera

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How To Repair an iPhone 14 Bootlooping due to IR Camera
Device	iPhone 14
Affects part(s)	Front Camera, Main Logic Board
Needs equipment	Screwdrivers, Opening Tools
Difficulty	◉◉◌◌ Medium
Type	Parts Replacement"Parts Replacement" is not in the list (Soldering, Teardown, Part replacement, Cleaning, Software, BGA, General) of allowed values for the "Repair Guide type" property.

iPhone 14 TrueDepth Camera Assembly

Problem description

iPhone 14 continuously bootloops. The issue is traced to a shorted or malfunctioning front IR camera flex within the TrueDepth assembly, which causes abnormal line behavior on the front camera rail.

Symptoms

• Device auto-powers on immediately when connected to DCPS (without user input).
• DCPS shows normal current draw spike.
• Looping restart sequence.

Solution

Replace the front camera/IR camera assembly (TrueDepth module).

iPhone 14 Front Camera Flex - Boardview

Diagnostic Steps

1. Visual Inspection
   • Inspect front camera flex for bends, liquid damage, especially near the IR camera sensor area.
2. DCPS Behavior Check
   • Connect phone to DCPS.
   • Observe auto-boot behavior. If device powers on immediately without power key press → suspect peripheral short.
   • Note current draw pattern: repeating cycles or no stable idle indicates bootloop.
3. Isolation Test
   • Unplug the front camera/IR flex → reconnect battery and observe behavior.
   • If phone now boots fully into iOS, fault confirmed in front camera/IR module.
4. Substitute Test (if available)
   • Connect known-good front camera assembly and check if auto-boot and bootloop are resolved.
     

iPhone 14 Front Camera Flex Connector

Repair Steps

1. Power off and disconnect battery.
2. Locate front camera/TrueDepth assembly flex.
3. Disconnect front camera flex and test boot with DCPS or charger.
4. Once confirmed device boots normally, replace the front camera/IR module.
5. Reassemble, connect battery, and verify stable boot.
6. Test all functions (camera, proximity, Face ID if paired original module available).

Note: Face ID will remain disabled unless the replacement module is re-paired with Apple calibration tools (only possible through authorized channels).