iPhone 16 Series Back Covers

Rear Housing & Back Glass — wholesale buying guide (iPhone 16 to iPhone 16 Pro Max)

Rear housing work splits into two routes: replace the complete assembly, or strip the glass off the mid-frame. From the iPhone 8 through the iPhone 13, the rear glass is bonded to the chassis with a full-frame adhesive and cannot be peeled off cold. From the iPhone 14 onward the rear panel is designed to be serviceable, which opens up a glass-only route on many models. iPhone 16 is bonded glass-on-frame, which is what makes the full-housing route attractive on that model.

The repair route decides the part: a sound frame points to glass-only work, while a bent or damaged frame makes a full housing the faster and cleaner job.

Specs and checks that matter

• Bonding: On iPhone 8 through 13 the rear glass is adhered to the mid-frame, so glass-only work needs laser separation
• Repair routes: Full housing swap, or laser-separating the rear glass and bonding a new one
• Frame adhesive: The frame adhesive is the part that decides whether the rear stays sealed — it is supplied with the housing
• Design change: From iPhone 14 onward the rear is more serviceable (14 Pro and Pro Max still use the bonded structure)

Buyer questions

Will the colour look different from the original?

Housings are colour-matched to the factory finish and checked before packing, so they sit convincingly beside an original panel.

Does it come with adhesive?

Yes — the frame adhesive is included, since that is what keeps the rear sealed.

Do I need to sand the frame to fit it?

No — housings are produced to the original frame tolerance and checked before packing.

Can I heat the rear glass off an iPhone 12?

No — the 8 to 13 series is bonded across the whole panel, so a laser separator is the standard route. Heat alone tends to crack the sheet.

Related in this range

• iPhone 16 Clear tempered glass
• iPhone 16E/17E/Se4 cases
• iPhone 16 screens
• All phone repair parts & batteries