Motorola Moto X Back Cover Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

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Sections

SIM Card
1 step
Back Cover Assembly
9 steps
Back Cover
1 step

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In Progress

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              SIM Card

Insert the SIM card eject tool into the hole in the side of the SIM card tray and push to eject the tray.
Remove the SIM card tray.
If the SIM card does not fall free from the tray on its own, simply remove it with your fingers.

Insert the SIM card eject tool into the hole in the side of the SIM card tray and push to eject the tray.

Remove the SIM card tray.

If the SIM card does not fall free from the tray on its own, simply remove it with your fingers.

1024

Step 2

              Back Cover Assembly

In the following steps you will be releasing the clips holding the phone’s cases together. However, the back case is also secured with an adhesive pad. After separating the clips you will use an iOpener to allow the case to fully open. Do not attempt to fully open the phone before loosening the adhesive.
Insert a plastic opening tool into the seam between the front and rear covers near the SIM card slot.
Slide the plastic opening tool along the seam toward the upper corner.

In the following steps you will be releasing the clips holding the phone’s cases together. However, the back case is also secured with an adhesive pad. After separating the clips you will use an iOpener to allow the case to fully open. Do not attempt to fully open the phone before loosening the adhesive.

Insert a plastic opening tool into the seam between the front and rear covers near the SIM card slot.

Slide the plastic opening tool along the seam toward the upper corner.

Step 3

Carefully slide the plastic opening tool around the corner, freeing it from clips.

Carefully slide the plastic opening tool around the corner, freeing it from clips.

Step 4

Pry around the top right corner of the phone between the two covers.

Pry around the top right corner of the phone between the two covers.

Step 5

Run the opening tool along the seam around all four sides, separating the remaining clips holding the cover on.
The plastic on the front cover is thinner near the buttons, and the buttons may move around. Go slowly to avoid damaging the buttons or the front cover.
Do not push the opening tool deep into phone, or you may damage internal components.

Run the opening tool along the seam around all four sides, separating the remaining clips holding the cover on.

The plastic on the front cover is thinner near the buttons, and the buttons may move around. Go slowly to avoid damaging the buttons or the front cover.

Do not push the opening tool deep into phone, or you may damage internal components.

Step 6

Heat an iOpener and lay it over the phone for approximately 90 seconds to loosen the adhesive securing the back cover.

Heat an iOpener and lay it over the phone for approximately 90 seconds to loosen the adhesive securing the back cover.

Step 7

Starting from the SIM slot side, carefully peel the back cover off of the phone.
The back cover is very flexible, but you don’t want to damage any internal components by being too hasty.
There is a chance that the NFC coil may remain stubbornly adhered to the back cover. If that’s the case, stop peeling the cover and reapply a heated iOpener to the back cover.
Do not separate the back cover entirely; it is still connected to the phone by the camera flash cable.
The flash cable is attached on the power/volume button side of the phone.

Starting from the SIM slot side, carefully peel the back cover off of the phone.

The back cover is very flexible, but you don’t want to damage any internal components by being too hasty.

There is a chance that the NFC coil may remain stubbornly adhered to the back cover. If that’s the case, stop peeling the cover and reapply a heated iOpener to the back cover.

Do not separate the back cover entirely; it is still connected to the phone by the camera flash cable.

The flash cable is attached on the power/volume button side of the phone.

Step 8

Gently set the back cover down in a way that exposes the camera flash cable connector, but does not put strain on it.

Gently set the back cover down in a way that exposes the camera flash cable connector, but does not put strain on it.

Step 9

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the flash cable ZIF connector.
Be sure to pry only on the flap itself, not on the connector.
Pull the flash cable straight out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the flash cable ZIF connector.

Be sure to pry only on the flap itself, not on the connector.

Pull the flash cable straight out of its socket.

Step 10

Separate the back cover from the phone.

Separate the back cover from the phone.

Step 11

              Back Cover

Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry between the flash assembly and back cover to separate the adhesive.
Remove the flash assembly from the back cover.
You may also need to transfer the camera lens and the silicon pad from the rear case. These can be removed by prying carefully with a plastic opening tool.
Depending on the adhesive on the rear case, you may need to tape the flash assembly down to secure it.

Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry between the flash assembly and back cover to separate the adhesive.

Remove the flash assembly from the back cover.

You may also need to transfer the camera lens and the silicon pad from the rear case. These can be removed by prying carefully with a plastic opening tool.

Depending on the adhesive on the rear case, you may need to tape the flash assembly down to secure it.

Compare your new replacement part to the original part. You may need to transfer remaining components or 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? Check out our Motorola Moto X Answers community for troubleshooting help.

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                                                                                      51 other people completed this guide.

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                    Sam Goldheart

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Hunter - Dec 30, 2013

Hey I’m looking at replacing my rear battery door cover, because white gets dirty too quick (esp. Since I work at a bike shop). Looking at replacement covers available, it seems to be that there’s a lack of the camera lens protector as seen on the original battery cover. How do I go about removing this, to transfer it to the new cover?

ozarkana - Oct 20, 2014

I used a guitar pick and my thumbnail to detach the plastic. Then I used a hair dryer gun at low temp carefully to loosen the glue (which is actually only at the top and bottom of the phone. Just be cautious removing the back since you need to detach the ribbon cable from the flash. Once it was removed, I used the case opener tool to gently lift the flash assembly loose, leaving the grey adhesive on the case back. After the flash was removed,I used an Xacto blade to start to remove the adhesive which peeled off relatively easily, and was then stuck back on to the flash. There is a clear silicon type of “gasket” on the case back that will also peel off easily, so I transferred that to my new case back and stuck the flash in its place. The lens cover was the same.. just a little adhesive on the outer ring. I just put some pressure with my finger on the front side, and it popped out, adhesive still intact. Everything checked out, so I snapped it all together again! Easy Peasy!

By the way, I build bicycles too!

Matt Notovitz - Aug 21, 2014

Guide was extremely helpful in replacing my white back cover with a black one. Was a pain with that adhesive though, but got the new cover on without breaking anything, and it looks great. Thanks for the writeup.

Andrea Bettati - May 27, 2018

thanks for the guide. I’d like to substitute my back cover because it is damaged. I found the cover on parts4repair.com but it doesn’t have the adesive on the back, it’s just the cover. Is this a problem after the installation? Can I buy this cover and use it? thanks in advance for any help

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Introduction#

What you need#

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In Progress

Introduction

What you need

Team