Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

7

Time Required

                          25 - 45 minutes

Sections

1

  • SL/SR Button Board
  • 7 steps

Flags

This guide has been the hard work of our awesome students and is found to be exceptionally cool by the iFixit staff.

  • BackNintendo Switch Joy-Con

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

Before using this guide, determine that the buttons are unresponsive by going to the system settings of the game console and testing the input devices under the ‘Controllers and Sensors’ section.

What you need

Step 1

              SL/SR Button Board
  • Remove the four 6 mm screws visible on the back of the Joy-Con using the Tri-point Y00 screwdriver.
  • During the entire procedure, place the small screws somewhere you won’t lose them and keep them organized.

Remove the four 6 mm screws visible on the back of the Joy-Con using the Tri-point Y00 screwdriver.

During the entire procedure, place the small screws somewhere you won’t lose them and keep them organized.

1024

Step 2

  • Open the Joy-Con by inserting the opening pick tool into the bottom corner and sliding it upwards.
  • When opening, be careful not to ‘yank’ the two halves of the Joy-Con far apart, as they are still attached by cables.
  • The ribbon cables are fragile. Forceful pulling may lead to device damage.

Open the Joy-Con by inserting the opening pick tool into the bottom corner and sliding it upwards.

When opening, be careful not to ‘yank’ the two halves of the Joy-Con far apart, as they are still attached by cables.

The ribbon cables are fragile. Forceful pulling may lead to device damage.

Step 3

  • Remove the two 3 mm screws on the charging rail using the Phillips #00 screwdriver.
  • The part that needs to be replaced is the button board directly under these two screws.

Remove the two 3 mm screws on the charging rail using the Phillips #00 screwdriver.

The part that needs to be replaced is the button board directly under these two screws.

Step 4

  • Remove the three 3 mm screw on the battery compartment using the Phillips #00 screwdriver.
  • With the battery compartment loosened, the locking tab holding the cable in place will be easy to access.

Remove the three 3 mm screw on the battery compartment using the Phillips #00 screwdriver.

With the battery compartment loosened, the locking tab holding the cable in place will be easy to access.

Step 5

  • Use the plastic spudger tool to lift the tab lock holding the bent button board cable. Lightly lift the battery compartment to have more space while doing so.
  • Once the tab is unlocked, remove the bent cable.

Use the plastic spudger tool to lift the tab lock holding the bent button board cable. Lightly lift the battery compartment to have more space while doing so.

Once the tab is unlocked, remove the bent cable.

Step 6

  • Insert the new replacement button board cable into the tab.
  • Use the spudger to re-lock the tab to hold the new part in its place.

Insert the new replacement button board cable into the tab.

Use the spudger to re-lock the tab to hold the new part in its place.

Step 7

  • To avoid having the same problem in the future, make sure the new cable is bent under the battery compartment after reassembly.
  • Lightly lift the battery compartment to make it easier to bend the new button board cable under it.
  • The space between the battery and the back shell of the Joy-Con is very tight, which caused the original cable to bend and malfunction. Inserting the new cable under the battery will give it more space.

To avoid having the same problem in the future, make sure the new cable is bent under the battery compartment after reassembly.

Lightly lift the battery compartment to make it easier to bend the new button board cable under it.

The space between the battery and the back shell of the Joy-Con is very tight, which caused the original cable to bend and malfunction. Inserting the new cable under the battery will give it more space.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order, starting from Step 4.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      8 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 1 other contributor 


                    Javier Cora

Member since: 03/18/2022

370 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



                       Badges:
                       5







                                                        +2 more badges

Team

                       University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez, Team 2-4, Cools Stephens Spring 2022                        

                                                  Member of University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez, Team 2-4, Cools Stephens Spring 2022 



                    UPRM-COOLS STEPHENS-S22S2G4                     


                                            1 Member                     


                                            5 Guides authored

Rudi Lim - Jun 22, 2022

Reply

Valuable step-by-step guide plus pictorial samples. Keep writing your good stuff, Javier!