Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

29

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

4

  • Back Panel
  • 8 steps
  • Shield Plate
  • 2 steps
  • Nintendo Switch Lite Battery Disconnection
  • 3 steps
  • Left Joystick
  • 16 steps

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0

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Introduction

The Switch Lite uses JIS screws, but you can use a Phillips screwdriver in a pinch. Be very careful not to strip the screws. iFixit’s Phillips bits are designed to be cross-compatible with JIS-style screws.

Note: This procedure requires disconnecting the battery for safety. In order to do this, the shield plate must be removed. The shield plate is bonded to the heat sink with thermal paste, which will need to be cleaned off and reapplied before reinstalling the shield plate.

What you need

Step 1

              Remove the back panel screws
  • Before beginning this repair, make sure that the device is completely turned off.
  • Use a Y00 screwdriver to remove the four 6.3 mm-long screws securing the back panel.
  • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

Before beginning this repair, make sure that the device is completely turned off.

Use a Y00 screwdriver to remove the four 6.3 mm-long screws securing the back panel.

Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

1024

Step 2

              Remove the top and bottom back panel screws
  • Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following screws securing the back panel:
  • Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the top of the device
  • Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the bottom of the device
  • To prevent these tight screws from stripping, apply firm downward force, work slowly and try a different screwdriver if the screws won’t come out.

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following screws securing the back panel:

Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the top of the device

Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the bottom of the device

To prevent these tight screws from stripping, apply firm downward force, work slowly and try a different screwdriver if the screws won’t come out.

Step 3

              Release the clips securing the back panel
  • Insert an opening tool into the left speaker grille on the bottom of the device.
  • Twist the opening tool to release the clips securing the back panel.
  • Avoid inserting the opening tool further than required to prevent damage to the speaker module.

Insert an opening tool into the left speaker grille on the bottom of the device.

Twist the opening tool to release the clips securing the back panel.

Avoid inserting the opening tool further than required to prevent damage to the speaker module.

Step 4

              Continue releasing the clips around the device
  • Slide the opening tool around the bottom-left corner to release the clips on the left side of the device.

Slide the opening tool around the bottom-left corner to release the clips on the left side of the device.

Step 5

              Twist to release the clips
  • Insert an opening tool into the right speaker grille on the bottom of the device.
  • Twist the opening tool to release the clips.
  • Avoid inserting the opening tool further than required to prevent damage to the speaker module.

Insert an opening tool into the right speaker grille on the bottom of the device.

Twist the opening tool to release the clips.

Step 6

              Slide and pry around the corners
  • Slide and pry the opening tool around the bottom-right corner to release the clips on the right side of the device.

Slide and pry the opening tool around the bottom-right corner to release the clips on the right side of the device.

Step 7

  • Continue sliding and prying the opening tool along the gap on the top of the device to release the clips.

Continue sliding and prying the opening tool along the gap on the top of the device to release the clips.

Step 8

              Remove the back panel
  • Lift the bottom edge of the back panel, opening it like a book.
  • Remove the back panel.

Lift the bottom edge of the back panel, opening it like a book.

Remove the back panel.

Step 9

              Remove the shield plate
  • Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:
  • Three 3.1 mm screws
  • One 4.5 mm screw

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:

Three 3.1 mm screws

One 4.5 mm screw

Step 10

  • Use a spudger or your fingers to lift the shield plate up and out of the device.
  • You may feel a bit of resistance. This is normal, since the shield plate is slightly bonded to the heat sink with thermal paste.
  • Remove the shield plate.
  • Clean off the old thermal paste from the shield plate and heat sink using isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Apply new thermal paste to the heat sink before reassembly.

Use a spudger or your fingers to lift the shield plate up and out of the device.

You may feel a bit of resistance. This is normal, since the shield plate is slightly bonded to the heat sink with thermal paste.

Remove the shield plate.

Clean off the old thermal paste from the shield plate and heat sink using isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Apply new thermal paste to the heat sink before reassembly.

Step 11

              Disconnect the battery
  • Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the motherboard interconnect cable’s ZIF connector.

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the motherboard interconnect cable’s ZIF connector.

Step 12

  • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the interconnect cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the interconnect cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

Step 13

  • Use the point of a spudger to pry the battery connector straight up and out of its socket on the motherboard.

Use the point of a spudger to pry the battery connector straight up and out of its socket on the motherboard.

Step 14

              Remove the left speaker module
  • Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to pull the left speaker cable straight up and out of its socket on the daughterboard.
  • Do not pull from the wires, or else you risk ripping the wires off the connector.

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to pull the left speaker cable straight up and out of its socket on the daughterboard.

Do not pull from the wires, or else you risk ripping the wires off the connector.

Step 15

  • Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the 4.5 mm screw securing the left speaker module.

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the 4.5 mm screw securing the left speaker module.

Step 16

  • Use your fingers to lift the speaker module up and out of its recess to remove it.
  • Part of the speaker module sits underneath a delicate ribbon cable. Take care not to snag the speaker module on the cable as you remove it.

Use your fingers to lift the speaker module up and out of its recess to remove it.

Part of the speaker module sits underneath a delicate ribbon cable. Take care not to snag the speaker module on the cable as you remove it.

Step 17

              Disconnect the motherboard interconnect cable

Step 18

  • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the motherboard interconnect cable out of its connector on the daughterboard.

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the motherboard interconnect cable out of its connector on the daughterboard.

Step 19

              Disconnect the screen and volume button cables
  • Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flaps on the two ribbon cable ZIF connectors.

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flaps on the two ribbon cable ZIF connectors.

Step 20

  • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the daughterboard screen cable out of its connector on the motherboard.
  • Repeat this procedure for the volume buttons cable.

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the daughterboard screen cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

Repeat this procedure for the volume buttons cable.

Step 21

              Remove the volume buttons
  • Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to remove the volume buttons.

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to remove the volume buttons.

Step 22

              Disconnect the joystick cable
  • Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the left joystick cable’s ZIF connector.

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the left joystick cable’s ZIF connector.

Step 23

  • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the left joystick cable out of its connector on the daughterboard.

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the left joystick cable out of its connector on the daughterboard.

Step 24

              Remove the left trigger button assembly
  • Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 4.5 mm screws securing the left trigger button assembly.

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 4.5 mm screws securing the left trigger button assembly.

Step 25

  • Remove the left trigger button assembly.

Remove the left trigger button assembly.

Step 26

              Remove the daughterboard
  • Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:
  • Two 4.5 mm screws
  • Two 6 mm screws

Two 4.5 mm screws

Two 6 mm screws

Step 27

  • Use your fingers to lift the daughterboard up and out of its recess to remove it.

Use your fingers to lift the daughterboard up and out of its recess to remove it.

Step 28

              Remove the left joystick
  • Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 3.5 mm screws securing the left joystick.

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 3.5 mm screws securing the left joystick.

Step 29

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the joystick up and out of its recess.
  • Use your fingers to remove the joystick.
  • There is a thin black gasket around the hole where the joystick pokes through the frame. Try not to disturb this gasket as you remove the joystick.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the joystick up and out of its recess.

Use your fingers to remove the joystick.

There is a thin black gasket around the hole where the joystick pokes through the frame. Try not to disturb this gasket as you remove the joystick.

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? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Nintendo Switch Lite Answers community for help.

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                                                                                      51 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 6 other contributors 


                    Craig Lloyd

Member since: 02/10/2016

28,344 Reputation

                                      82 Guides authored                  



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ALLEN COLLINS - May 22, 2021

Reply

Really appreciate the detailed pictures.

lee - Aug 16, 2021

Reply

Great guide! Circling the screws really helped as went backwards for the reassembly. Not a bad repair just very delicate components. Best of all no adhesive removal required!

Louise Perkins - Sep 1, 2021

Reply

This was great, I love how every step was so simply broken down and had pictures. Thank you, my son is very happy to have his switch back in action.

lczleal - Nov 22, 2021

Reply

I followed this guide, bought the tools and replacement part, after successfully doing the replacement, my switch light now won’t power on at all, how can I fix this? any help please…

Moon Poppy - Nov 29, 2021

Hi Iczleal I had the same issue when I first did it and then I went back step by step. Turns out I didn’t plug the battery back in correctly, I recommend just repeating the steps and checking to see if everything is connected properly. Hope this helps :)