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How to add magnets to an iPad back cover case [Video]

A couple of months ago I wrote about a $1.99 back cover case I got for my iPad mini on eBay, and how I modded it to have magnets to hold the Smart Cover. I’ve been absolutely loving the back cover, including the magnet mod, and have kept it on 24/7 since. My roommate just got an iPad mini, so I grabbed one of the $1.99 cases I had as spares and gave it to him. I asked him if he wanted the magnet mod done to it, and he did, so I set out to make a second magnetic back cover- and I filmed the process.

The 20 minute video shows all the steps, and I have to apologize in advance for sections with loud noises, the camera tipping over, and other weirdness. This isn’t the kind of thing you can just re-shoot, so I just let the camera run while I was doing the mod. The previous article has a picture tutorial of this exact mod, so if you don’t fancy a video, you have that as an option. I just thought that since I was doing the mod anyways, I could make a video from it.

The list of “parts” needed are as follows

  • A Smart Cover compatible back cover case. This can be the $1.99 eBay one for the iPad mini, or another such type of case. It’s also not limited to just the iPad mini, as you can do this mod for cases for the full size iPad.
  • Sugru or similar material (I really recommend Sugru for this task)
  • Something to cut with (as low tech as an exacto knife, or as high tech as a Dremel)
  • Two (or more) small magnets. Search for 1x5mm magnets on eBay, like these, if you need to buy them.
  • Something to mark the magnets’ position on the back case
  • A dummy iPad mini isn’t a bad idea for such mods, especially not if you plan on doing more/other mods. You can find them on eBay for ~$12.

You could do this mod for under $5 per cover, assuming you have the tools, and that price includes the back cover case itself. It’s very rare to find a back cover case with magnets, and yet it’s an extremely useful feature, so I really recommend this as a cheap way to get into some DIY accessory making.

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Andreas Ødegård

Andreas Ødegård is more interested in aftermarket (and user created) software and hardware than chasing the latest gadgets. His day job as a teacher keeps him interested in education tech and takes up most of his time.

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