Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

21

Time Required

                          45 minutes - 2 hours

Sections

2

  • Display Assembly
  • 16 steps
  • Battery
  • 5 steps

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Introduction

Before disassembling your phone, discharge the battery below 25%. A charged lithium-ion battery can catch fire and/or explode if accidentally punctured.

If your battery is swollen, do not heat your phone and take appropriate precautions. If needed, you can use a dropper or syringe to inject isopropyl alcohol (90+%) around the edges of the display to weaken the adhesive. Swollen batteries can be very dangerous, so wear eye protection and exercise due caution, or take it to a professional if you’re not sure how to proceed.

What you need

Step 1

              Display Assembly
  • Be sure to power off your phone before you begin.
  • Use a SIM eject bit, SIM eject tool, or paper clip to remove the SIM card from your phone.

Be sure to power off your phone before you begin.

Use a SIM eject bit, SIM eject tool, or paper clip to remove the SIM card from your phone.

1024

Step 2

  • Prepare an iOpener and heat the front of the phone along its left edge for about two minutes, or until it’s slightly too hot to touch. This will help soften the adhesive securing the display.
  • You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the phone warm enough to cut the adhesive. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
  • A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

Prepare an iOpener and heat the front of the phone along its left edge for about two minutes, or until it’s slightly too hot to touch. This will help soften the adhesive securing the display.

You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the phone warm enough to cut the adhesive. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.

A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate 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

  • In the following steps you will be cutting through the adhesive around the edge of the display assembly.
  • Refer to the second and third images and familiarize yourself with the width of the adhesive around edges of the display.
  • If you plan to re-use the display assembly, be particularly careful as you cut the adhesive on the sides of the phone. Don’t insert your tool more than 2 mm into the phone, and angle it down (away from the display assembly) as much as possible.

In the following steps you will be cutting through the adhesive around the edge of the display assembly.

Refer to the second and third images and familiarize yourself with the width of the adhesive around edges of the display.

If you plan to re-use the display assembly, be particularly careful as you cut the adhesive on the sides of the phone. Don’t insert your tool more than 2 mm into the phone, and angle it down (away from the display assembly) as much as possible.

Step 4

  • Apply a suction cup to the display, near the middle of the left edge.
  • Pull the suction cup with firm, constant pressure to create a slight gap between the display panel and the rear case.
  • If the screen is cracked, the suction cup may not stick. In that case, try lifting with strong tape, or superglue the suction cup in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.
  • If the display doesn’t separate even with significant force, apply more heat to further soften the adhesive and try again. The adhesive cools quickly, so you may need to heat it repeatedly.

Apply a suction cup to the display, near the middle of the left edge.

Pull the suction cup with firm, constant pressure to create a slight gap between the display panel and the rear case.

If the screen is cracked, the suction cup may not stick. In that case, try lifting with strong tape, or superglue the suction cup in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.

If the display doesn’t separate even with significant force, apply more heat to further soften the adhesive and try again. The adhesive cools quickly, so you may need to heat it repeatedly.

Step 5

  • Slide the tool along the left edge of the phone, cutting through the adhesive securing the display.
  • As you move on to cutting the adhesive around the rest of the display, it may help to leave an opening pick in place here and grab another for the following steps.

Slide the tool along the left edge of the phone, cutting through the adhesive securing the display.

As you move on to cutting the adhesive around the rest of the display, it may help to leave an opening pick in place here and grab another for the following steps.

Step 6

  • Slide the opening pick down and cut the adhesive around the bottom of the display.
  • If the adhesive is too tough to cut, continue to heat it until it softens enough to cut fairly easily. Excessive prying or force used here could permanently damage the display or other components.
  • Be careful as you slide your pick around the top and bottom edges of the display. The display cables, fingerprint sensor, and fingerprint sensor cable are all housed fairly close to the edge of the display and can easily be damaged. Refer to this image to see the exact location of the cables.

Slide the opening pick down and cut the adhesive around the bottom of the display.

If the adhesive is too tough to cut, continue to heat it until it softens enough to cut fairly easily. Excessive prying or force used here could permanently damage the display or other components.

Be careful as you slide your pick around the top and bottom edges of the display. The display cables, fingerprint sensor, and fingerprint sensor cable are all housed fairly close to the edge of the display and can easily be damaged. Refer to this image to see the exact location of the cables.

Step 7

  • Continue cutting through the adhesive on the top and right sides of the phone.
  • The proximity sensor, earpiece speaker, and front-facing camera are all located along the top edge of the phone, but are housed beneath the display unit. You shouldn’t come into contact with any of them as you insert your pick to cut the adhesive.

Continue cutting through the adhesive on the top and right sides of the phone.

The proximity sensor, earpiece speaker, and front-facing camera are all located along the top edge of the phone, but are housed beneath the display unit. You shouldn’t come into contact with any of them as you insert your pick to cut the adhesive.

Step 8

  • Once all the adhesive is cut, carefully lift open the display from the left edge.
  • Don’t fully remove the display yet. There are still cables connecting the display assembly that can rip easily.
  • Prop the display unit at a 90 degree angle against a box to prevent the display and fingerprint cables from bending or tearing.

Once all the adhesive is cut, carefully lift open the display from the left edge.

Don’t fully remove the display yet. There are still cables connecting the display assembly that can rip easily.

Prop the display unit at a 90 degree angle against a box to prevent the display and fingerprint cables from bending or tearing.

Step 9

  • Remove the yellow sticker covering two of the black Phillips screws below the earpiece.

Remove the yellow sticker covering two of the black Phillips screws below the earpiece.

Step 10

  • Remove the following Phillips screws from the midframe:
  • Sixteen 3.8 mm black screws
  • Three 2.4 mm silver screws

Remove the following Phillips screws from the midframe:

Sixteen 3.8 mm black screws

Three 2.4 mm silver screws

Step 11

  • Insert the flat end of a spudger between the midframe and the left edge of the phone and carefully pry to release the two clips holding the midframe in place.

Insert the flat end of a spudger between the midframe and the left edge of the phone and carefully pry to release the two clips holding the midframe in place.

Step 12

  • Lift the midframe up and away from the phone.

Lift the midframe up and away from the phone.

Step 13

  • Use the point of a spudger to disconnect the larger of the two display cable connectors.

Use the point of a spudger to disconnect the larger of the two display cable connectors.

Step 14

  • Disconnect the smaller display cable connector.
  • This cable houses a display controller chip encased in yellow tape. You do not need to remove the yellow tape. The chip is lightly adhered to the motherboard, but should come up with minimal effort.
  • Gently continue lifting the cable to break the adhesive seal and pull the cable away from the motherboard.

Disconnect the smaller display cable connector.

This cable houses a display controller chip encased in yellow tape. You do not need to remove the yellow tape. The chip is lightly adhered to the motherboard, but should come up with minimal effort.

Gently continue lifting the cable to break the adhesive seal and pull the cable away from the motherboard.

Step 15

  • At the opposite end of the phone, disconnect the fingerprint sensor cable.
  • The fingerprint sensor cable is taped to a shield above it. As you lift the cable, lift the tape up with it. You can also remove the tape before disconnecting the cable.

At the opposite end of the phone, disconnect the fingerprint sensor cable.

The fingerprint sensor cable is taped to a shield above it. As you lift the cable, lift the tape up with it. You can also remove the tape before disconnecting the cable.

Step 16

  • Remove the display assembly from the phone.
  • Before you reinstall the display assembly, thoroughly remove any remaining adhesive and glass from the frame of the device with isopropyl alcohol.
  • Be sure to turn on your phone and test your repair before installing new adhesive and sealing the display assembly.
  • If your replacement display doesn’t have touch functionality and you’re sure that it has been installed correctly, back up your data and perform a factory reset.

Remove the display assembly from the phone.

Before you reinstall the display assembly, thoroughly remove any remaining adhesive and glass from the frame of the device with isopropyl alcohol.

Be sure to turn on your phone and test your repair before installing new adhesive and sealing the display assembly.

If your replacement display doesn’t have touch functionality and you’re sure that it has been installed correctly, back up your data and perform a factory reset.

Step 17

              Battery
  • Remove the yellow tape covering the battery connector.

Remove the yellow tape covering the battery connector.

Step 18

  • Use the point of a spudger to disconnect the battery by prying its connector straight up from the motherboard.

Use the point of a spudger to disconnect the battery by prying its connector straight up from the motherboard.

Step 19

  • Peel back the black pull tab from the top of the battery and pull straight up with firm, steady pressure to break the adhesive holding the battery in place.
  • The battery is held in place by mulitiple strips of adhesive. You may be able to break the adhesive using the pull tab, but if not, apply an iOpener to the back of the device to soften the adhesive and proceed to the next step.

Peel back the black pull tab from the top of the battery and pull straight up with firm, steady pressure to break the adhesive holding the battery in place.

The battery is held in place by mulitiple strips of adhesive. You may be able to break the adhesive using the pull tab, but if not, apply an iOpener to the back of the device to soften the adhesive and proceed to the next step.

Step 20

  • If your pull tab breaks or the adhesive is too strong to break, use an opening pick to gently pry the battery out of the case.
  • Only pry from the edge of the device. Prying from any other side can cause severe damage to exposed components.

If your pull tab breaks or the adhesive is too strong to break, use an opening pick to gently pry the battery out of the case.

Only pry from the edge of the device. Prying from any other side can cause severe damage to exposed components.

Step 21

  • Once the battery is loose, remove it from the phone.
  • Do not reuse the battery after it has been removed. The stress of removal can cause hidden damage to the battery cell, creating a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.
  • To install a new battery:
  • Remove any remaining adhesive from the phone, and clean the entire area under the battery with isopropyl alcohol.
  • Apply a few new strips of pre-cut adhesive or Tesa tape.
  • If you are attaching the battery with a custom-cut adhesive, follow this guide.
  • Press the new battery firmly into place for 5-10 seconds.

Once the battery is loose, remove it from the phone.

Do not reuse the battery after it has been removed. The stress of removal can cause hidden damage to the battery cell, creating a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.

To install a new battery:

Remove any remaining adhesive from the phone, and clean the entire area under the battery with isopropyl alcohol.

Apply a few new strips of pre-cut adhesive or Tesa tape.

If you are attaching the battery with a custom-cut adhesive, follow this guide.

Press the new battery firmly into place for 5-10 seconds.

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

After completing this guide, calibrate your newly-installed battery.

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

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

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                    Taylor Dixon

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Andy Lyke - Mar 29, 2018

Reply

Or buy a new phone. If I’d known how complicated this was, I’d have bought another’s device.

Zacarias S Kosa - Apr 6, 2018

Reply

I agree with Andy. Tutorial is perfectly explained, but construction design obviously is to avoid buyers change without risk of damage in comparison like other phones like Moto G 2nd version or Nexus 4 which are not piece of cake however is not to difficult. I hate that mind of developers trying to fix on design “battery for life of device”. That is the issue. Almost the problem is the battery. No matter how much well it is, continue being the critical lifetime part. Must need replaceable for users.

Maurice Fortin - Jul 29, 2018

Reply

I personally wish phone makers would stop doing this crud, the battery is the least of the worries and should be easily replaceable, likely folks will want to upgrade to a new phone before battery is “dead” and more likely you will have to buy a new screen because of how fragile they make these things especially the new fad of ALL GLASS design >:(…wish moto would not advertise any water proof of any sort, just had my moto G4 Play die because of a small bit of water getting on the screen, now have to buy a brand new one, there goes over $400 down the drain….got so mad I beat the crud out of it smashed it right to bits when it refused to power on at all after drying out in dry rice for a few days, but at least it had an easy to remove battery with nowhere to buy a $20 battery for less then $90 (ship and tax)

Claude Robotham - Nov 14, 2018

Reply

The article is great, but I wouldn’t go through such torture. And the cost to have a repair shop do it might be 40% of the price of a new phone. I agree with Andy and Zacarias. This practice of non-replaceable batteries, claiming that this design is “waterproof” and makes the phone slimmer, is all just a racket. I kept my Samsung S3 with replaceable battery for four years, and only gave it up because it couldn’t take the Android updates anymore. Now only LG sells phones with replaceable batteries, but the LG phone I tried was a piece of junk. It looks like I’ll just have to replace my Moto phone every two years now. That’s unfair.

Rineez - Aug 14, 2021