Nintendo 3Ds Circle Pad Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

Back Cover
2 steps
Battery
1 step
Lower Case
2 steps
Circle Pad Joystick
4 steps
SD Board
3 steps
Wi-Fi Board
2 steps
Motherboard Assembly
6 steps
Circle Pad
3 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Back Cover

Unscrew the four Phillips #00 screws along the top of the back cover.

The screws are held in place by locking washers, and will not come out of the back cover.

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Step 2

Hold the device in one hand and turn it over.
Grab the top edge of the back cover with your opposite hand so that the cover does not fall back into place.
Flip the 3DS over again so that the back cover is facing up.
Pull the back cover up and away from the rest of the device to remove it.

Hold the device in one hand and turn it over.

Grab the top edge of the back cover with your opposite hand so that the cover does not fall back into place.

Flip the 3DS over again so that the back cover is facing up.

Pull the back cover up and away from the rest of the device to remove it.

Step 3

              Battery

Insert a plastic opening tool into the notch in the lower case above the battery.
Pry the battery up with the plastic opening tool.
Grab the top edge of the battery and lift it out of the lower case.

Insert a plastic opening tool into the notch in the lower case above the battery.

Pry the battery up with the plastic opening tool.

Grab the top edge of the battery and lift it out of the lower case.

Step 4

              Lower Case

Remove the nine 6.3 mm black Phillips screws from the lower case.
These screws will strip very easily unless you use the correct size bit. Apply pressure to the screws while turning to avoid stripping them.
Remove the 2.4 mm silver Phillips screw above the game cartridge slot.

Remove the nine 6.3 mm black Phillips screws from the lower case.

These screws will strip very easily unless you use the correct size bit. Apply pressure to the screws while turning to avoid stripping them.

Remove the 2.4 mm silver Phillips screw above the game cartridge slot.

Step 5

Lift the bottom edge of the lower case off the rest of the 3DS.
There are still two ribbon cables connecting the mother board to the case, so be sure not to pull the lower case all the way off.
Use a plastic opening tool to pry the shoulder button ribbon cables off their sockets on the motherboard.
Remove the lower case from the device.

Lift the bottom edge of the lower case off the rest of the 3DS.

There are still two ribbon cables connecting the mother board to the case, so be sure not to pull the lower case all the way off.

Use a plastic opening tool to pry the shoulder button ribbon cables off their sockets on the motherboard.

Remove the lower case from the device.

Step 6

              Circle Pad Joystick

Remove the two 7.7 mm Phillips screws securing the back of the Circle Pad to the motherboard.

Remove the two 7.7 mm Phillips screws securing the back of the Circle Pad to the motherboard.

Step 7

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the back of the Circle Pad off the motherboard.
Lift the Circle Pad joystick off the motherboard and lay it on its back so that the ribbon cable connector is accessible.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the back of the Circle Pad off the motherboard.

Lift the Circle Pad joystick off the motherboard and lay it on its back so that the ribbon cable connector is accessible.

Step 8

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the Circle Pad ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Lift the Circle Pad joystick off the motherboard.

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the Circle Pad ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Lift the Circle Pad joystick off the motherboard.

Step 9

To decrease the chance of losing it during repairs, you may want to remove the two thin pads underneath the Circle Pad joystick.
Use a spudger or screwdriver to lift the pads up and remove them from the device.

To decrease the chance of losing it during repairs, you may want to remove the two thin pads underneath the Circle Pad joystick.

Use a spudger or screwdriver to lift the pads up and remove them from the device.

Step 10

              SD Board

Remove the two 4.5 mm Phillips screws securing the SD board to the motherboard.

Remove the two 4.5 mm Phillips screws securing the SD board to the motherboard.

Step 11

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the SD board ribbon cable connector off its socket on the motherboard.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the SD board ribbon cable connector off its socket on the motherboard.

Step 12

Insert the flat end of a spudger between the SD board and the motherboard.
Run the spudger along the sides of the SD board to free it from the adhesive pad holding it in place.
Once completely freed, lift the SD board straight off the motherboard.

Insert the flat end of a spudger between the SD board and the motherboard.

Run the spudger along the sides of the SD board to free it from the adhesive pad holding it in place.

Once completely freed, lift the SD board straight off the motherboard.

Step 13

              Wi-Fi Board

Slide the flat end of a spudger under the corner of the Wi-Fi board, and lift it away from the motherboard.
The Wi-Fi antenna cable is still connected to the Wi-Fi board, so you cannot completely remove the Wi-Fi board yet.

Slide the flat end of a spudger under the corner of the Wi-Fi board, and lift it away from the motherboard.

The Wi-Fi antenna cable is still connected to the Wi-Fi board, so you cannot completely remove the Wi-Fi board yet.

Step 14

Lift the Wi-Fi board off the motherboard and rotate it so that the bottom side is facing up.
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Wi-Fi antenna cable connector off its socket on the Wi-Fi board.
Remove the Wi-Fi board from the device.

Lift the Wi-Fi board off the motherboard and rotate it so that the bottom side is facing up.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Wi-Fi antenna cable connector off its socket on the Wi-Fi board.

Remove the Wi-Fi board from the device.

Step 15

              Motherboard Assembly

Grasp the microphone ribbon cable near the microphone with a pair of tweezers.
Pull the microphone straight up out of the upper case.

Grasp the microphone ribbon cable near the microphone with a pair of tweezers.

Pull the microphone straight up out of the upper case.

Step 16

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the speaker assembly ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, NOT the socket itself. Damaging the socket or cable will result in a 3DS that will blink its power LED when you press the power button - and do nothing else.
Disconnect the speaker assembly ribbon cable with a pair of tweezers.

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the speaker assembly ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, NOT the socket itself. Damaging the socket or cable will result in a 3DS that will blink its power LED when you press the power button - and do nothing else.

Disconnect the speaker assembly ribbon cable with a pair of tweezers.

Step 17

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the camera ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
When reassembling, note that the gold contacts face toward the motherboard (as opposed to the camera cable’s gold contacts facing away).

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the camera ribbon cable ZIF socket.

When reassembling, note that the gold contacts face toward the motherboard (as opposed to the camera cable’s gold contacts facing away).

Step 18

Remove seven Phillips screws securing the motherboard to the upper case:
Four 2.5 mm gold screws
Two 3.5 mm black screws
One 2.5 mm silver screw
When you remove this screw the volume slider can fall out.
Lift the side of the motherboard that sits along the bottom edge of the 3DS.

Remove seven Phillips screws securing the motherboard to the upper case:

Four 2.5 mm gold screws

Two 3.5 mm black screws

One 2.5 mm silver screw

When you remove this screw the volume slider can fall out.

Lift the side of the motherboard that sits along the bottom edge of the 3DS.

Step 19

Continue lifting the motherboard assembly and rotate it until it is resting next to the rest of the device.
Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself. Damaging the socket or cable will result in a 3DS that won’t have a functional top screen.

Continue lifting the motherboard assembly and rotate it until it is resting next to the rest of the device.

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself. Damaging the socket or cable will result in a 3DS that won’t have a functional top screen.

Step 20

Remove the motherboard assembly from the rest of the device.

Remove the motherboard assembly from the rest of the device.

Step 21

              Circle Pad

There is a black plastic ring that sits between the bottom of the circle pad and the underside of the upper case. The ring has a slit in it that allows you to remove and reinstall it.
Use a spudger to orient the Circle Pad and plastic ring so that the slit in the ring is 180o from the opening in the bottom of the Circle Pad.

There is a black plastic ring that sits between the bottom of the circle pad and the underside of the upper case. The ring has a slit in it that allows you to remove and reinstall it.

Use a spudger to orient the Circle Pad and plastic ring so that the slit in the ring is 180o from the opening in the bottom of the Circle Pad.

Step 22

Insert the tip of a spudger into the slot in the bottom of the Circle Pad and under the plastic ring.
Use a prying motion to remove the plastic ring from underneath the bottom of the Circle Pad.
It is all right if the ring is slightly bent by the spudger during removal. As long as it is not torn, the ring will still perform its intended duty.

Insert the tip of a spudger into the slot in the bottom of the Circle Pad and under the plastic ring.

Use a prying motion to remove the plastic ring from underneath the bottom of the Circle Pad.

It is all right if the ring is slightly bent by the spudger during removal. As long as it is not torn, the ring will still perform its intended duty.

Step 23

Open the 3DS and hold it so that the bottom of the buttons are facing upward.
Grab the top of the Circle Pad and pull the tip of one of the “prongs” on the bottom of the Circle pad through the hole in the upper case.
Continue pulling the bottom of the Circle Pad through the hole in the upper case while rotating the Circle Pad until it is free.

Open the 3DS and hold it so that the bottom of the buttons are facing upward.

Grab the top of the Circle Pad and pull the tip of one of the “prongs” on the bottom of the Circle pad through the hole in the upper case.

Continue pulling the bottom of the Circle Pad through the hole in the upper case while rotating the Circle Pad until it is free.

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

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                    David Hodson

Member since: 04/13/2010

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Joe Leon - Jun 6, 2012

where do you buy the circle pad

Omniwheel - Oct 25, 2015

Great guide, just upgraded my joystick. Bought my replacement from shapeways. The replacement is metal so it won’t break like the last one. Also it’s a lot more comfortable.

Anyway highly recommend this replacement:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/76RHQ7…

TJ Celtic - Jul 9, 2013

yeah where can I buy a new circle pad? mine broke in half the lower half is still inside my 3ds XL and I refuse to pay $135 nintendo non-warranty fee just for this problem.

Blyatac - Mar 8, 2019

linkjosef - Aug 31, 2013

Hi can you tell me where i can get the replacement? thank you

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need