Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

13

Time Required

                          20 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

3

  • Rear Panel
  • 5 steps
  • Battery Cable
  • 1 step
  • Display Assembly
  • 7 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Video Overview

Step 1

              Rear Panel
  • In the following steps you will release the clips (highlighted in red) along the perimeter of the Nexus 7’s rear panel.
  • Do not use excessive force while prying the clips. They can be easily broken.

In the following steps you will release the clips (highlighted in red) along the perimeter of the Nexus 7’s rear panel.

Do not use excessive force while prying the clips. They can be easily broken.

1024

Step 2

  • Gently insert a plastic opening tool near the top of the Nexus 7 between the rear panel and the front panel assembly.
  • Carefully run the plastic opening tool along the top edge to pry the rear panel away from the front panel assembly of the Nexus 7.

Gently insert a plastic opening tool near the top of the Nexus 7 between the rear panel and the front panel assembly.

Carefully run the plastic opening tool along the top edge to pry the rear panel away from the front panel assembly of the Nexus 7.

Step 3

  • Insert the plastic opening tool between the rear panel and the front panel assembly near the power button and pry up at several points along the right edge of the Nexus 7.

Insert the plastic opening tool between the rear panel and the front panel assembly near the power button and pry up at several points along the right edge of the Nexus 7.

Step 4

  • Pry up the rear panel along the left edge using the method described in previous steps.

Pry up the rear panel along the left edge using the method described in previous steps.

Step 5

  • Gently lift and remove the rear panel up off the front panel assembly.

Gently lift and remove the rear panel up off the front panel assembly.

Step 6

              Battery Cable
  • Using the tip of a spudger, push first on one side then the other to “walk” the battery cable straight out of its socket on the motherboard.

Using the tip of a spudger, push first on one side then the other to “walk” the battery cable straight out of its socket on the motherboard.

Step 7

              Display Assembly
  • Peel the upper piece of black adhesive tape completely up off the Nexus 7.
  • Similarly, peel the lower piece of black adhesive tape, but only as far as the copper strip.
  • It is helpful to fold this piece of tape back on itself to keep it out of the way.
  • Whilst pulling the tape, be sure that the metal shield does not lift up. Hold the shield in place, and if it lifts up, re-seat it in the spring clips around the perimeter of the shielded area.

Peel the upper piece of black adhesive tape completely up off the Nexus 7.

Similarly, peel the lower piece of black adhesive tape, but only as far as the copper strip.

It is helpful to fold this piece of tape back on itself to keep it out of the way.

Whilst pulling the tape, be sure that the metal shield does not lift up. Hold the shield in place, and if it lifts up, re-seat it in the spring clips around the perimeter of the shielded area.

Step 8

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the display data cable straight up off its socket on the motherboard.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the display data cable straight up off its socket on the motherboard.

Step 9

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flaps on the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF sockets.
  • Make sure you are flipping up the white retaining flaps, not the black sockets themselves.
  • Use the tip of a spudger to pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flaps on the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF sockets.

Make sure you are flipping up the white retaining flaps, not the black sockets themselves.

Use the tip of a spudger to pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Step 10

  • Remove the following screws securing the display assembly to the metal frame:
  • Thirteen 3.2 mm silver Phillips screws
  • Two 4.25 mm black Phillips screws
  • In 3G models, the two top-center Phillips screws are slightly lower and on top of the motherboard.
  • Note that the assembly for the non-3G model will NOT fit the 3G model. When looking for the 3G assembly, look for model ‘ME370TG’, and note that in pictures of the 3G verison the top 2 phillips screw holes are slightly lower than the upper right and left ones.

Remove the following screws securing the display assembly to the metal frame:

Thirteen 3.2 mm silver Phillips screws

Two 4.25 mm black Phillips screws

In 3G models, the two top-center Phillips screws are slightly lower and on top of the motherboard.

Note that the assembly for the non-3G model will NOT fit the 3G model. When looking for the 3G assembly, look for model ‘ME370TG’, and note that in pictures of the 3G verison the top 2 phillips screw holes are slightly lower than the upper right and left ones.

Step 11

  • The display assembly is held in place by a large amount of adhesive on the underside of the large copper ESD shield. In the next few steps, you will be using a plastic spudger to release this adhesive.
  • Work carefully and slowly, making sure to not break the I/O data cable.

The display assembly is held in place by a large amount of adhesive on the underside of the large copper ESD shield. In the next few steps, you will be using a plastic spudger to release this adhesive.

Work carefully and slowly, making sure to not break the I/O data cable.

Step 12

  • Insert a plastic spudger on the left side of the Nexus 7, near the bottom of the battery.
  • Only insert the spudger enough to free the adhesive (about halfway across the Nexus 7)—if you go any farther, you may damage the LCD cable.
  • Slide the spudger toward the top of the Nexus 7, releasing the adhesive as you go.

Insert a plastic spudger on the left side of the Nexus 7, near the bottom of the battery.

Only insert the spudger enough to free the adhesive (about halfway across the Nexus 7)—if you go any farther, you may damage the LCD cable.

Slide the spudger toward the top of the Nexus 7, releasing the adhesive as you go.

Step 13

  • Carefully rotate the metal frame away from the display assembly, minding any cables that may get caught.
  • You may need to apply heat to the display assembly before lifting it away from the device.
  • Display assembly remains.

Carefully rotate the metal frame away from the display assembly, minding any cables that may get caught.

You may need to apply heat to the display assembly before lifting it away from the device.

Display assembly remains.

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

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                    Brett Hartt

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Rupert K - Sep 22, 2012

Reply

great but where can i get nexus 7 digitizer, in stock reasonable price in uk please?

Robert Leather - Jan 3, 2020

eBay is a good source. I paid £14 for mine and it came with tools.

Chris - Nov 6, 2012

Reply

I don’t feel that this guide is complete, how do you separate the display from the frame?

Jeremy Cooper - May 10, 2013

That’s because this guide is for the “Display Assembly”. I just tried to remove the LCD itself, extremely difficult. I didn’t succeed. Now looking for a whole assembly

Nadim M - Jan 4, 2017

I’ve managed to do it using a heat gun. Be careful not to apply to much heat as I warped the frame slightly in one place. Use a prying tool from the top rather than trying to push from the back as the glue is quite tough and peeling it away is easier. You need to reapply heat as you work, it then comes out quite easily. I repurposed the glue strips from the old screen, however taking out bits of glass was a bit tough. The new display fits neatly after that.