Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

27

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

7

  • SIM Tray
  • 1 step
  • Back Cover
  • 6 steps
  • Motherboard Cover
  • 4 steps
  • Battery Disconnect
  • 1 step
  • Fingerprint Reader
  • 2 steps
  • Motherboard Removal
  • 8 steps
  • Motherboard
  • 5 steps

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  • BackMotorola Moto G Play (2021)

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Remove the SIM card tray
  • Insert a SIM card eject tool or a straightened paperclip into the hole adjacent to the SIM card tray.
  • Press firmly to eject the tray.
  • The SIM card may fall out.
  • Grab and remove the SIM card tray from the phone.
  • Reinsert the SIM card tray with the SIM card recess facing the screen.

Insert a SIM card eject tool or a straightened paperclip into the hole adjacent to the SIM card tray.

Press firmly to eject the tray.

The SIM card may fall out.

Grab and remove the SIM card tray from the phone.

Reinsert the SIM card tray with the SIM card recess facing the screen.

1024

Step 2

              Heat the left edge
  • Discharge your battery to 25% or lower and power off your phone before you begin.
  • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the left edge of the cover for two minutes.
  • A hair dryer or heat gun may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

Discharge your battery to 25% or lower and power off your phone before you begin.

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the left edge of the cover for two minutes.

A hair dryer or heat gun may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

Step 3

              Insert an opening pick
  • Apply a suction cup to the back cover, as close to the center of the left edge as possible.
  • Pull up on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap between the cover and the frame.
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap.

Apply a suction cup to the back cover, as close to the center of the left edge as possible.

Pull up on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap between the cover and the frame.

Insert an opening pick into the gap.

Step 4

              Slice the right adhesive
  • Slide your opening pick back and forth along the left edge to slice through the adhesive.
  • Leave the pick in at the bottom left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Slide your opening pick back and forth along the left edge to slice through the adhesive.

Leave the pick in at the bottom left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 5

              Slice the bottom adhesive
  • Insert and slide a second opening pick to the bottom right corner to slice through the adhesive.
  • Leave the pick inserted to prevent the bottom edge from resealing.
  • Repeat this process for the right and top edges of the cover.

Insert and slide a second opening pick to the bottom right corner to slice through the adhesive.

Leave the pick inserted to prevent the bottom edge from resealing.

Repeat this process for the right and top edges of the cover.

Step 6

              Dislodge the fingerprint reader
  • The fingerprint reader is connected to the motherboard by a fragile cable. You must free it before pulling the cover off.
  • Grab and lift the bottom edge of the cover.
  • As you lift the back cover, press and unstick the fingerprint reader from it.

The fingerprint reader is connected to the motherboard by a fragile cable. You must free it before pulling the cover off.

Grab and lift the bottom edge of the cover.

As you lift the back cover, press and unstick the fingerprint reader from it.

Step 7

              Remove the back cover
  • Grab and remove the back cover.
  • If your back cover is still sticking to the frame, slide the pick around the edges of the phone to slice through any remaining adhesive.
  • Reassembly notes:
  • This is a good point to test your phone before sealing it up. Follow this guide to perform a hardware test. Be sure to power your phone back down completely before you continue working.
  • To adhere the back cover with custom-cut adhesives, follow this guide.
  • To adhere the back cover with tape, follow this guide.

Grab and remove the back cover.

If your back cover is still sticking to the frame, slide the pick around the edges of the phone to slice through any remaining adhesive.

Reassembly notes:

This is a good point to test your phone before sealing it up. Follow this guide to perform a hardware test. Be sure to power your phone back down completely before you continue working.

To adhere the back cover with custom-cut adhesives, follow this guide.

To adhere the back cover with tape, follow this guide.

Step 8

              Reposition the fingerprint reader
  • Flip the fingerprint reader to the left, away from the phone.
  • Don’t fold or sharply bend the ribbon cable.

Flip the fingerprint reader to the left, away from the phone.

Don’t fold or sharply bend the ribbon cable.

Step 9

              Unfasten the motherboard cover
  • Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the twelve 3.9 mm-long screws securing the motherboard cover.

Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the twelve 3.9 mm-long screws securing the motherboard cover.

Step 10

              Pry the motherboard cover
  • Insert the pointed end of a spudger between the bottom right corner of the motherboard cover and the frame.
  • Pry the cover upward until you can grab it with your fingers.

Insert the pointed end of a spudger between the bottom right corner of the motherboard cover and the frame.

Pry the cover upward until you can grab it with your fingers.

Step 11

              Remove the motherboard cover
  • Grab the bottom edge of the motherboard cover and remove it from the frame.

Grab the bottom edge of the motherboard cover and remove it from the frame.

Step 12

              Disconnect the battery
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the battery’s press connector.
  • To re-attach press connectors, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Don’t press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend and cause permanent damage.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the battery’s press connector.

To re-attach press connectors, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Don’t press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend and cause permanent damage.

Step 13

              Disconnect the fingerprint reader
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the fingerprint reader’s press connector.
  • The gold arrow indicates the direction to pry from.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the fingerprint reader’s press connector.

The gold arrow indicates the direction to pry from.

Step 14

              Remove the fingerprint reader
  • Use your fingers or tweezers to remove the fingerprint reader.
  • Be careful while handling the fragile ribbon cable.

Use your fingers or tweezers to remove the fingerprint reader.

Be careful while handling the fragile ribbon cable.

Step 15

              Disconnect the antenna cables
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the gray antenna cable.
  • Pry on the metal head of the connector only. Avoid lifting the cable itself as much as possible.
  • During reassembly, these can be tricky to reconnect. Hold the connector in place over its socket and press down with the flat end of a spudger. The connector should snap into place.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the gray antenna cable.

Pry on the metal head of the connector only. Avoid lifting the cable itself as much as possible.

During reassembly, these can be tricky to reconnect. Hold the connector in place over its socket and press down with the flat end of a spudger. The connector should snap into place.

Step 16

  • Repeat the previous step for the black antenna cable.

Repeat the previous step for the black antenna cable.

Step 17

              Disconnect the board cable
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the board cable’s press connector.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the board cable’s press connector.

Step 18

              Disconnect the display
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the display’s press connector.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the display’s press connector.

Step 19

              Unfasten the motherboard
  • Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 2.5 mm-long screws securing the motherboard.

Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 2.5 mm-long screws securing the motherboard.

Step 20

              Lift the motherboard
  • Insert the pointed end of your spudger between the bottom left edge of the motherboard and the frame.
  • Lift the motherboard from its recess.
  • Be sure the loose cables don’t catch on the motherboard as it’s removed.

Insert the pointed end of your spudger between the bottom left edge of the motherboard and the frame.

Lift the motherboard from its recess.

Be sure the loose cables don’t catch on the motherboard as it’s removed.

Step 21

              Remove the motherboard
  • Grab the motherboard by its bottom corners and remove it.
  • During reassembly, make sure no cables or connectors become trapped underneath the motherboard.

Grab the motherboard by its bottom corners and remove it.

During reassembly, make sure no cables or connectors become trapped underneath the motherboard.

Step 22

              Clean the thermal paste
  • Follow this guide to remove excess thermal paste and prepare the frame and motherboard for reassembly.

Follow this guide to remove excess thermal paste and prepare the frame and motherboard for reassembly.

Step 23

              Remove the depth camera
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the depth camera’s press connector.
  • The camera may eject from the motherboard. Work slowly to avoid losing it.
  • Remove the camera.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the depth camera’s press connector.

The camera may eject from the motherboard. Work slowly to avoid losing it.

Remove the camera.

Step 24

              Remove the front-facing camera
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the front-facing camera’s press connector.
  • The camera may eject from the motherboard. Work slowly to avoid losing it.
  • Remove the camera.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the front-facing camera’s press connector.

Step 25

              Remove the 3.5 mm jack gasket
  • Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to remove the gasket from the 3.5 mm jack.

Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to remove the gasket from the 3.5 mm jack.

Step 26

              Remove the main camera
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the main camera’s press connector.
  • The gold arrow indicates the direction to pry from.
  • Remove the camera.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the main camera’s press connector.

Step 27

  • The motherboard is all that remains.

The motherboard is all that remains.

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—be sure to transfer remaining components and remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.

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Author

                    Clay Eickemeyer

Member since: 09/19/2022

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