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Featured Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

23

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

4

  • Motorola Moto X4 Opening Procedure Prerequisite
  • 12 steps
  • Midframe
  • 6 steps
  • Motorola Moto X4 Battery Disconnect Prerequisite
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 3 steps

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Introduction

If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.

For your safety, discharge your battery below 25% before disassembling your phone. This reduces the risk of a dangerous thermal event if the battery is accidentally damaged during the repair. If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.

What you need

Step 1

              Heat the screen
  • Before you begin, turn off your phone.
  • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the left edge of the phone for two minutes.
  • You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the phone warm enough. 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.
  • As you wait, take note of the the following areas:
  • Display cable—be careful not to slice too deeply near the edge here, or you may damage the display cable.
  • Fingerprint sensor cable—be careful not to slice too deeply near the edge here, or you may damage the fingerprint sensor cable.

Before you begin, turn off your phone.

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

You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the phone warm enough. 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.

As you wait, take note of the the following areas:

Display cable—be careful not to slice too deeply near the edge here, or you may damage the display cable.

Fingerprint sensor cable—be careful not to slice too deeply near the edge here, or you may damage the fingerprint sensor cable.

1024

Step 2

              Create a gap
  • Apply a suction cup to the screen, as close to the heated edge as possible.
  • Pull on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap in the seam.
  • Insert the point of an opening pick into the gap.
  • Depending on the age of your phone, this may be difficult. If you are having trouble, apply heat to the edge and try again.

Apply a suction cup to the screen, as close to the heated edge as possible.

Pull on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap in the seam.

Insert the point of an opening pick into the gap.

Depending on the age of your phone, this may be difficult. If you are having trouble, apply heat to the edge and try again.

Step 3

              Slice the screen adhesive
  • Slide the opening pick along the edge to slice through the adhesive.
  • Leave an opening pick in the seam to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

Slide the opening pick along the edge to slice through the adhesive.

Leave an opening pick in the seam to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

Step 4

  • Heat the top edge of the phone with an iOpener.
  • Carefully slice around the corner and through the top edge to separate the adhesive.

Heat the top edge of the phone with an iOpener.

Carefully slice around the corner and through the top edge to separate the adhesive.

Step 5

  • Heat the screen’s right edge with an iOpener.
  • Be careful not to slice too deeply near the cables to avoid damaging them.
  • Use an opening pick to slice along the right edge to separate the adhesive.

Heat the screen’s right edge with an iOpener.

Be careful not to slice too deeply near the cables to avoid damaging them.

Use an opening pick to slice along the right edge to separate the adhesive.

Step 6

  • Repeat the previous steps to heat and slice the bottom edge of the phone.

Repeat the previous steps to heat and slice the bottom edge of the phone.

Step 7

  • Do not try to remove the screen yet—it is still attached to the phone by delicate flex cables.
  • Carefully lift up the left edge of the screen and cut away remaining adhesives with an opening pick.

Do not try to remove the screen yet—it is still attached to the phone by delicate flex cables.

Carefully lift up the left edge of the screen and cut away remaining adhesives with an opening pick.

Step 8

  • Swing open the screen and prop it up with a small box as you work on disconnecting the flex cables.
  • During reassembly, this is a good time to power on your phone and test all functions before sealing it up. Be sure to power your phone back down completely before you continue working.

Swing open the screen and prop it up with a small box as you work on disconnecting the flex cables.

During reassembly, this is a good time to power on your phone and test all functions before sealing it up. Be sure to power your phone back down completely before you continue working.

Step 9

              Detach the fingerprint sensor cable
  • Slide the point of a spudger underneath the fingerprint sensor cable and gently pry up to loosen the cable from the phone.
  • Do not pull on the cable. It is still attached to the phone by a delicate ZIF socket.

Slide the point of a spudger underneath the fingerprint sensor cable and gently pry up to loosen the cable from the phone.

Do not pull on the cable. It is still attached to the phone by a delicate ZIF socket.

Step 10

              Disconnect the fingerprint sensor
  • Use the point of a spudger to flip up the lock bar on the fingerprint sensor’s ZIF socket, near the bottom right of the phone.
  • Use tweezers to carefully slide the fingerprint sensor cable out of the socket.

Use the point of a spudger to flip up the lock bar on the fingerprint sensor’s ZIF socket, near the bottom right of the phone.

Use tweezers to carefully slide the fingerprint sensor cable out of the socket.

Step 11

              Disconnect the display cable
  • Use an opening tool to flip up the wide lock bar on the display cable’s ZIF socket, near the top right of the phone.
  • Use tweezers to carefully slide the display cable out of the ZIF socket.

Use an opening tool to flip up the wide lock bar on the display cable’s ZIF socket, near the top right of the phone.

Use tweezers to carefully slide the display cable out of the ZIF socket.

Step 12

              Remove the screen
  • Remove the screen.
  • During reassembly, follow this guide to clean the existing adhesive off and install custom-cut adhesives for your phone.

Remove the screen.

During reassembly, follow this guide to clean the existing adhesive off and install custom-cut adhesives for your phone.

Step 13

              Unscrew the midframe
  • Remove the following twenty screws securing the midframe:
  • Eleven silver 2.7 mm-long T3 screws
  • Nine black 3.6 mm-long T4 screws
  • The midframe is still held in place by clips.

Remove the following twenty screws securing the midframe:

Eleven silver 2.7 mm-long T3 screws

Nine black 3.6 mm-long T4 screws

The midframe is still held in place by clips.

Step 14

              Loosen the midframe
  • The next few steps show how to loosen the midframe clips.
  • Insert the flat end of a spudger under the right edge of the metal midframe and pry up to loosen the midframe.
  • Insert an opening pick in the edge to hold the midframe in place.

The next few steps show how to loosen the midframe clips.

Insert the flat end of a spudger under the right edge of the metal midframe and pry up to loosen the midframe.

Insert an opening pick in the edge to hold the midframe in place.

Step 15

  • Insert the flat end of a spudger under the lower right edge of the midframe and pry up to release the midframe clip.

Insert the flat end of a spudger under the lower right edge of the midframe and pry up to release the midframe clip.

Step 16

  • Grasp the lower edge of the midframe and pull the edge slightly to the right, to clear the metal midframe clip.

Grasp the lower edge of the midframe and pull the edge slightly to the right, to clear the metal midframe clip.

Step 17

  • Insert the point of an opening pick under the top left corner of the midframe and twist slightly to release the top clip.

Insert the point of an opening pick under the top left corner of the midframe and twist slightly to release the top clip.

Step 18

              Remove the midframe
  • Remove the midframe.
  • To reinstall the midframe:
  • Align the the midframe’s top edge to the phone and press it into position.
  • Shift the bottom edge slightly to the left, to maneuver the left metal midframe clip underneath the phone edge.
  • Press the midframe’s bottom edge into position.

Remove the midframe.

To reinstall the midframe:

Align the the midframe’s top edge to the phone and press it into position.

Shift the bottom edge slightly to the left, to maneuver the left metal midframe clip underneath the phone edge.

Press the midframe’s bottom edge into position.

Step 19

              Disconnect the battery
  • Insert the point of a spudger underneath the top edge of the battery connector.
  • Be careful not to dislodge the small surface-mounted components surrounding the socket.
  • Gently pry up the connector to disconnect the battery.

Insert the point of a spudger underneath the top edge of the battery connector.

Be careful not to dislodge the small surface-mounted components surrounding the socket.

Gently pry up the connector to disconnect the battery.

Step 20

  • To re-connect the battery, align the connector on top of the socket, and press it down with your finger or a spudger.

To re-connect the battery, align the connector on top of the socket, and press it down with your finger or a spudger.

Step 21

              Battery
  • The battery is held in place by two thin strips of adhesive on the underside of the battery.

The battery is held in place by two thin strips of adhesive on the underside of the battery.

Step 22

              Loosen the battery
  • Slide the tip of an opening pick under the lower edge of the battery
  • Slowly push the pick in halfway to loosen the adhesive.
  • Insert another opening pick alongside the first pick, and slowly press it in until the adhesive releases the battery.
  • If you are having trouble, you can apply some high-concentration (over 90%) isopropyl alcohol along the battery edges to help soften the adhesive.

Slide the tip of an opening pick under the lower edge of the battery

Slowly push the pick in halfway to loosen the adhesive.

Insert another opening pick alongside the first pick, and slowly press it in until the adhesive releases the battery.

If you are having trouble, you can apply some high-concentration (over 90%) isopropyl alcohol along the battery edges to help soften the adhesive.

Step 23

              Remove the battery
  • Remove the battery.
  • To install a replacement battery:
  • Remove all traces of adhesive from the battery well.
  • Apply stretch release adhesive strips, double-sided tape, or pre-cut adhesive strips.
  • Press the battery firmly in place for thirty seconds.

Remove the battery.

To install a replacement battery:

Remove all traces of adhesive from the battery well.

Apply stretch release adhesive strips, double-sided tape, or pre-cut adhesive strips.

Press the battery firmly in place for thirty seconds.

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

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

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Motorola Moto X4 Answers community for help.

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                                                                                      16 other people completed this guide.

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                    Arthur Shi

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Himadri Shekhar Nandi - Nov 14, 2020

Reply

I want to change my motorola x4 mobile’s battery. Where should I go to get the better service (means the original battery and the best service centre)?

Traude Schwerzler - Dec 26, 2021

Reply

My battery keeps overheating and drains quickly. I did everything to close background apps to no avail. Does that mean I need new battery?

Arthur Shi - Jan 3, 2022

Hi Traude,

It may be that your battery is damaged and is has a minor internal short. This can cause the battery to drain and overheat. Replacing the battery would be the first thing I’d try. However, it may also be a motherboard problem.

Will West - Jan 9, 2022

Reply

Replaced my moto x4 battery last night as a father daughter project. It was brilliant fun, thank you.