Google Pixel 2 Midframe Replacement

Written By: Adam O'Camb

Comments: 18

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

Prerequisite-only guide to remove the midframe in a Google Pixel 2.

Tools

Step 1

Apply a heated iOpener to the proximity sensor on the top edge of the midframe for two minutes to soften its adhesive.

Isopropyl alcohol worked quickly for this

Raquel Smith - 12/08/20

Step 2

Slide the point of a spudger under the proximity sensor cable, starting from the side closest to the front-facing camera.
Gently lift the edge of the sensor cable until the sensor is perpendicular to the midframe.

This piece is actually glued down - heat and rubbing alcohol really helped as at first I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t get it to move.

Dave Watts - 17/10/20

Step 3

Peel back the small piece of tape covering the screw below the earpiece speaker. Peel back any tape covering other screws as well.
Remove the following screws securing the midframe:
Eleven 3.7 mm Phillips screws
One 4 mm T5 Torx screw
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

On my Pixel 2, I also had to peel back a small strip of conductive tape that was directly above (and the same kind as) the “screw below the earpiece speaker” mentioned above. It appears to be a ground strap to the assembly underneath.

Jonathan Dubovsky - 24/12/19

Me too! Please change the photo?

Andrew Hoeveler - 01/06/20

If you don't peel the mesh tape up, it will year. I'm not sure if it plays into the screen potentially not working, but it seems to be a ground for the midframe and the display ribbon has a ground contact to the

Wesley Krueger - 12/07/20

Many of the screws would not come out due to the original threadlocker on the threads. I found that if I just kept moving them around with a toothpick, I could get the out. I also had one of those telescoping magnetic bolt grabbers that pulled the screws out.

John Reagan - 14/03/21

Would be nice if they included the correct torx bit in the tool kit... mine came with a T2 Torx...pretty useless...managed to get the display ribbon cable free as those screws were surprisingly not super tight - got them with the included Philips bit...pretty F$%^ED right here

Jens Davidsen - 12/01/23

@JensDavidsen, I'm sorry to hear that the kit came with the wrong bit. We do everything we can to make sure that our tool kits are kitted correctly. I've gone ahead and forwarded your information over to CS so they can get this fixed for you. In the future, if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.

Kris Rodriguez -

You will also need to peel up the grounding tape below the front camera from the right. Be careful about not being too aggressive else you might lose adhesion while putting it back. I used some glue to ensure it would stick again during reassembly.

Bhavesh P -

What kind of glue did you use? I suspect that a) it could change the contact of the ribbon, therefore hindering conductivity and b) that the glue might change over time, e.g. break down and cause side-effects.

arne -

Step 4

Insert an opening tool into the notch in the midframe near the hold button.
Pry the midframe up enough to create a gap between it and the phone case. The midframe cannot yet be completely removed.

This is to pop a securing tab out it's place

Wesley Krueger - 09/07/20

On re-assembly make sure the securing tab, near the notch you use to open it, is inserted back under the frame again - this caused me to have to re-open my phone as my screen didn’t sit back down properly after I had put everything back together.

Dave Watts - 17/10/20

It is more effort than I anticipated. I really thought I was going to break it, but it was fine.

John Reagan - 14/03/21

Step 5

Lift the midframe up starting from the bottom edge.
When the midframe starts to make about a 45° with the rest of the phone, lift the midframe straight up and away from the phone.
As you lift the midfame, carefully guide the proximity sensor through the small slot in the midframe.

While not shown here in the photo, there is a short braided cable between the midframe and the motherboard near the front facing camera that prevents separating the midframe completely (ground?). Be careful not to damage this cable when completing the remaining steps or carefully remove before trying to separate the midframe completely.

ericdowens - 01/12/19

As ericdowens says above, there’s a small silver sliver of a connector (next to the front-facing camera). The guides on youtube said it was a grounding wire. This guide doesn’t mention it. Mine broke when I removed the midframe. No big deal. I stuck it back down with some tape when I put it all back together. Phone works fine.

Alex Lawson - 21/09/20

I had a heck of a time levering up the midframe. I had popped the side with the opening tool, but the other side was really stuck. I used some alcohol along the edge thinking there was some adhesive. Not sure. I eventually used a dental pick to pop it loose.

And when reinstalling, don’t forget to move the short braided cable back out of the way so you don’t trap it inside.

John Reagan - 14/03/21

STOP! Before you lift the midframe, the ground strap mentioned by ericdowens and Alex Lawson definitely will break if you don’t remove it from the midframe before lifting. I didn’t quite know what they were talking about, so thought I’d look for it as I was lifting the midframe, as I was sure if I was careful I’d spot it before it would break. I was very gentle, and I still broke it before realising what they were talking about. Look for some silver mesh tape on the midframe, near the forward-facing camera, same kind of tape as over the screw shown in Step 14. I’m going to try and carefully tape mine back together as Alex Lawson did, but it will be very fiddly, wish I hadn’t broken it in the first place!

Jamie Lamb -

I broke mine... then proceeded to pilfer about 2mm worth of the tape depicted in step 18 because it's a silvery adhesive.

Jens Davidsen -