Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 2 hours

Sections

Back Panel
8 steps
Shield Plate
2 steps
Nintendo Switch Lite Battery Disconnection
3 steps
Heat Sink
3 steps
Motherboard Assembly
14 steps
Motherboard
3 steps

Flags

BackNintendo Switch Lite
Full Screen
Options
History
Save to Favorites
Download PDF
Edit
Translate
Get Shareable Link
Embed This Guide
Notify Me of Changes
Stop Notifications

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 removing the shield plate and heat sink. The thermal paste will need to be cleaned off of both components—as well as the CPU—and reapplied before reinstalling the shield plate and heat sink.

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 heat sink

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingers to carefully peel up the foam that’s lightly adhered to the fan.
The foam only needs to be peeled back enough to clear the fan.

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingers to carefully peel up the foam that’s lightly adhered to the fan.

The foam only needs to be peeled back enough to clear the fan.

Step 15

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the three 3 mm screws securing the heat sink to the motherboard.

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the three 3 mm screws securing the heat sink to the motherboard.

Step 16

Use a spudger or your fingers to lift the heatsink up and off of the motherboard to remove it.
You may feel a bit of resistance. This is normal, since the heat sink is slightly bonded to the CPU with thermal paste.
Clean off the old thermal paste from the heat sink and CPU using isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Apply new thermal paste to the CPU before reassembly.

Use a spudger or your fingers to lift the heatsink up and off of the motherboard to remove it.

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

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

Step 17

              Remove the right 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 right trigger button assembly to the motherboard.

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

Step 18

Remove the right trigger button assembly.

Remove the right trigger button assembly.

Step 19

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to remove the right trigger button assembly’s rubber pad if it didn’t stay attached to the button assembly.

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to remove the right trigger button assembly’s rubber pad if it didn’t stay attached to the button assembly.

Step 20

              Disconnect the antenna cables

Use the point of a spudger to pry the black antenna cable straight up out of its socket on the motherboard.
Repeat the same process for the white antenna cable.

Use the point of a spudger to pry the black antenna cable straight up out of its socket on the motherboard.

Repeat the same process for the white antenna cable.

Step 21

              Disconnect the fan cable

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

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

Step 22

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

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

Step 23

              Disconnect the screen cable

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

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

Step 24

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

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

Step 25

              Disconnect the digitizer cable

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

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

Step 26

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

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

Step 27

              Disconnect the right joystick cable

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

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

Step 28

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

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

Step 29

              Remove the motherboard assembly

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following six screws securing the motherboard:
Three 3.1 mm screws
Three 4.5 mm screws

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

Three 3.1 mm screws

Three 4.5 mm screws

Step 30

Insert a spudger in the gap between the frame and the motherboard and lift the motherboard up and out of its recess.
Remove the motherboard assembly.

Insert a spudger in the gap between the frame and the motherboard and lift the motherboard up and out of its recess.

Remove the motherboard assembly.

Step 31

              Remove the right speaker module

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

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

Step 32

Remove the right speaker module from the motherboard.

Remove the right speaker module from the motherboard.

Step 33

Only the motherboard remains.

Only the motherboard remains.

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.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      14 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 1 other contributor

                    Craig Lloyd

Member since: 02/10/2016

28,344 Reputation

                                      82 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       41







                                                        +38 more badges

Sean Topp - Jan 20, 2022

Great guide, helped me fix charge port replacement, did notice between 16-17 the card reader magically disappeared, but help me tear down and repair and rebuild with a little bit of head scratching.

Walter - Jun 6, 2022

La guida è molto chiara.. ma dove si può acquistare una scheda madre di ricambio ?

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need