Difficulty

Very difficult

Steps

12

Time Required

                          45 minutes - 3 hours            

Sections

2

  • Battery
  • 5 steps
  • Top Screen
  • 7 steps

Flags

1

Member-Contributed Guide

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Back Cover Removal Preparation               
  • Before starting the disassembly, remove
  • The stylus
  • Any game cartridge
  • The SD card

Before starting the disassembly, remove

The stylus

Any game cartridge

The SD card

1024

Step 2

              Back Cover Removal               
  • Unscrew the four 6mm tri-point screws located at the four corners of the bottom panel.

Unscrew the four 6mm tri-point screws located at the four corners of the bottom panel.

Step 3

              Case Separation               
  • Be careful when separating the bottom panel from the front casing to avoid breaking the three cables connected to the motherboard (two on each side and one in the rear).
  • Using a spudger, separate the back panel from the front casing by gently prying around the panel.
  • There are many clips along the hinge of the case, so it is recommended to work your way along one short side and the two long sides before finishing the last short side.

Be careful when separating the bottom panel from the front casing to avoid breaking the three cables connected to the motherboard (two on each side and one in the rear).

Using a spudger, separate the back panel from the front casing by gently prying around the panel.

There are many clips along the hinge of the case, so it is recommended to work your way along one short side and the two long sides before finishing the last short side.

Step 4

  • Using tweezers, disconnect the two cables that connect the rear buttons on either side to the motherboard by gently pulling them upwards.

Using tweezers, disconnect the two cables that connect the rear buttons on either side to the motherboard by gently pulling them upwards.

Step 5

              Battery Removal               
  • Using a spudger, lift out the battery.
  • Be aware that there is a sticky pad holding the battery into its tray. It may be necessary to use multiple tools to gently pry the battery away from the tray and motherboard.

Using a spudger, lift out the battery.

Be aware that there is a sticky pad holding the battery into its tray. It may be necessary to use multiple tools to gently pry the battery away from the tray and motherboard.

Step 6

              Disconnect Top Screen               
  • Release the top screen ribbon cable in image 1. Thread it through the rectangular slot below the tweezers.
  • Carefully coil the ribbon cable and prepare to slide it through the cylinder hinge.

Release the top screen ribbon cable in image 1. Thread it through the rectangular slot below the tweezers.

Carefully coil the ribbon cable and prepare to slide it through the cylinder hinge.

Step 7

              Remove Plastic Plate               
  • Remove the two screws holding the plastic cover plate down to reveal the red wifi wire which will come out along with the top screen and case.

Remove the two screws holding the plastic cover plate down to reveal the red wifi wire which will come out along with the top screen and case.

Step 8

              Disconnect Wi-fi Antenna               
  • Disconnect the wifi wire and unclip it along its path around the battery tray and under the plastic plate we removed before.
  • Slide out the cylinder that holds the other side of the hinge together.
  • On my 2DS XL, I wiggled the top half of the case and the cylinder wiggled out enough to grab it with the tweezers.

Disconnect the wifi wire and unclip it along its path around the battery tray and under the plastic plate we removed before.

Slide out the cylinder that holds the other side of the hinge together.

On my 2DS XL, I wiggled the top half of the case and the cylinder wiggled out enough to grab it with the tweezers.

Step 9

              Remove Top Screen and Shell               
  • Finish sliding the ribbon cable through the hinge and free the red wifi wire, as well.
  • The top part of the case is now free, and you are okay to set the rest of the 2DS XL aside for reassembly.
  • I apologize for the quality of the picture, but as you can see, the cable slides through a slot on the top case’s hinge body. carefully slide the cable out of the slot and free the cable from the two pins holding it down to the case frame.

Finish sliding the ribbon cable through the hinge and free the red wifi wire, as well.

The top part of the case is now free, and you are okay to set the rest of the 2DS XL aside for reassembly.

I apologize for the quality of the picture, but as you can see, the cable slides through a slot on the top case’s hinge body. carefully slide the cable out of the slot and free the cable from the two pins holding it down to the case frame.

Step 10

              Remove Plastic Plate               
  • Insert a spudger along the edge of the plastic plate on the top shell. Pry up gently until the glue releases. There is a large glue pad under this plate, but there is nothing else holding it on.
  • After prying off the plate, there are four screws marked in the rings to release the back plate from the screen plate.
  • Once the screws are removed, lift off the back plate to reveal the screen and plastic trim.

Insert a spudger along the edge of the plastic plate on the top shell. Pry up gently until the glue releases. There is a large glue pad under this plate, but there is nothing else holding it on.

After prying off the plate, there are four screws marked in the rings to release the back plate from the screen plate.

Once the screws are removed, lift off the back plate to reveal the screen and plastic trim.

Step 11

              Separate Screen and Bezel               
  • Gently pry around the top edge of the case. As you can see, my case is cracked, but not as a result of this repair. This plastic is very thin, so do be careful working your way around the case.
  • The front lens is plastic, but it is held to the frame with glue pads. Using multiple soft tools, work your way around the lens to free the lens and the screen from the frame bezel.
  • You can now set aside the bezel for reassembly.

Gently pry around the top edge of the case. As you can see, my case is cracked, but not as a result of this repair. This plastic is very thin, so do be careful working your way around the case.

The front lens is plastic, but it is held to the frame with glue pads. Using multiple soft tools, work your way around the lens to free the lens and the screen from the frame bezel.

You can now set aside the bezel for reassembly.

Step 12

              Remove Screen from Lens               
  • Because the lens is plastic, I gently bent the lens away from the screen to release it. Using a spudger or pry tool will also be very useful here.
  • Once you have removed the screen, you are ready to replace the screen and begin reassembly.
  • Be very mindful of the ribbon cable as it goes back through the hinge during reassembly, as it can be damaged very easily.

Because the lens is plastic, I gently bent the lens away from the screen to release it. Using a spudger or pry tool will also be very useful here.

Once you have removed the screen, you are ready to replace the screen and begin reassembly.

Be very mindful of the ribbon cable as it goes back through the hinge during reassembly, as it can be damaged very easily.

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

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                                                                                      21 other people completed this guide.                                             

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                    Chris Julian                     

Member since: 03/15/2018

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David Lin - Jul 6, 2019

Reply

I think there is a missing step between step 5 and 6. I followed the instructions until step 5, but couldn’t figure out how to separate the top case from the bottom case. In step 6, you can see the top case has been separated from the bottom case. But no instruction is given on how to do that.

Chris Julian - Jul 6, 2019

Reply

The hinge only has one component holding it together from coming apart. It is on the left hi he as you look at it like you’re playing. The hinge component is a small barrel that resides inside the hinge. You have to open and close it while it is on its right side and try to grab with a pair of tweezers onto the edge of the barrel.

Brian Shuler - Jul 31, 2019

Reply

Didn’t follow exactly how to disconnect the top section fully.

Chris Julian - Jul 31, 2019

Hopefully I can assist you. Where are you getting stuck? The barrel on the left hinge is a bit difficult to remove. I opened and closed the hinge a few times with the left hinge up off the desk. While doing this, I watched for the edge of the barrel to poke out so I could grab it with angled tweezers. That was the hardest part of removing the top half for me personally, but it is almost exactly like the DSi XL, and I have disassembled many of those already. My kids are NOT gentle with electronics.

After getting the barrel out on the left hinge, coil up the ribbon cable around the wifi antenna and slide it through the right side of the hollow hinge.

DocWhoGaming - Dec 5, 2019

Reply

Does this work with the pokeball edition of the 2ds?