Google Pixel 3a Battery Replacement

Written By: Arthur Shi

Comments: 66

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

20 - 50 minutes

Introduction

This repair guide was authored by the iFixit staff and hasn’t been endorsed by Google. Learn more about our repair guides here.

Follow this guide to remove the lithium-ion battery inside the Pixel 3a.

If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions. For your safety, discharge your battery below 25% before disassembling your phone. This reduces the risk of a dangerous thermal event if the battery is accidentally damaged during the repair.

The Pixel 3a’s unreinforced display panel is fragile. If you are reusing the screen, be sure to pay special attention to the warnings in the opening procedure.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Take note of the two seams on the phone:
Screen seam: This seam separates the screen from the rest of the phone. This is where you should pry.
Frame seam: This is where the plastic frame meets the back cover. It is held in place by screws. Do not pry at this seam.
Before you begin prying, note the following areas on the screen:
Screen flex cable: Do not pry deeper than instructed, or you risk damaging this cable.
Adhesive perimeter: Prying beyond the narrow perimeter without angling the pick will damage the display panel.

Power is off, but does the battery need to be disconnect to safely do this replacement?

mplishka -

Da ich keinen iopener ( dachte das wäre alles dabei wie auf der bstellvorschau!!!) habe ich eine Wärmflasche auf das Handy gelegt ..behutsam und nicht zu heiß. Besonders an Kopf und fußende war das Display ziemlich fest...befolgt man die Anweisungen genau ist es eigentlich kein Problem das Display vom Rahmen zu lösen, jedoch bin ich der Meinung, dass hier schon ein gewisses Maß an motorischer Vertrautheit mit der Materie bestehen sollte, da wie gesagt oben und unten doch ein tieferes eingreifen in den Rahmen unter das Display nötig ist...

Ralph S. aus Neumünster

Ralph S -

You definitely want to use the iOpener on all sides as you make your way around the screen. The adhesive on my device was quite strong!

My screen was cracked in the corner and it was a real pain in the neck to get the little bits and pieces out of the corner. I don't know if this step is easier with an intact screen, but it was definitely the most difficult step on the repair for me.

Simon Stone -

Step 2

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the right edge of the display for a minute.
You can choose to skip this step since the Pixel 3a's screen adhesive is not very strong. Heating it, however, will decrease the chance of cracking the screen.

I used a washcloth soaked with hot water and sealed in a plastic bag instead of the iOpener for this step, and it worked great.

E. Dunham - 11/05/21

My screen was cracked diagonally. Heating with iOpener helped at the top and bottom edges to weaken the adhesive.

Károly Varga -

Step 3

Place a suction cup near the right edge of the screen.
Pull on the suction cup with strong steady force.
Insert the pick into the gap, no more than 1 mm.

Step 4

This step shows how to insert the pick without damaging the OLED panel. Do this before you slice either long edges of the phone.
With the pick 1 mm in the gap, pivot the pick upwards to a steep angle.
At this angle, carefully push the pick into the gap about 1/4" (6 mm). The pick should slide in below the OLED panel.
Stop if you feel the point of the pick hitting a ridge. The pick may be pressing against the edge of the OLED panel. Angle the pick and try again.

If you don’t have picks, you can also use the corner of an old gift card, though it may be necessary to shave it a bit thinner with a knife so it fits the gap better.

E. Dunham - 11/05/21

Step 5

Slide the pick along the right edge, slicing through the adhesive.
Do not insert the pick more than 1/4" (6 mm), or you may damage the screen's flex cable.
Leave a pick in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Don’t make my mistake and read ahead. 6mm may be too close for comfort! 8mm is definitely too far and caused me to damage. Also be sure to read the right manual! I have an XL and it notes 5mm.

Miguel Higgins-Moy - 15/01/20

Fortunately my old screen was beyond repair, But be super careful around the bottom I managed to sever the ribbon cable to the digitizer.

Stephen Hammons - 02/06/20

I broke my screen here. The adhesive in my case was quite strong on the top and bottom.

Mario Flores - 07/05/21

This is by far the hardest part of the entire replacement. I ruined my screen doing this, you might as well buy a new screen at the same time as you buy your battery. I just barely rubbed the edges of my screen and it turned the edge of my screen purple. This eventually migrated to the entire screen causing the whole thing to be purple/black.

Ross Lancaster -

Hard to not make a mistake here. It's more like 1/8". It's difficult to keep the pick at a steep angle at all times on left and right sides.

Won Choi -

I've repaired many iPhones, and never had any issues. The screens always remained intact. But with the Pixel, I completely destroyed the screen. The only thing it showed after booting up was a purple line... The adhesive is very strong and it's nearly impossible to separate the screen without damaging it. You should order a new screen before you attempt to change the battery, just in case.

Philipp -

Step 6

As you slice around the bottom edge of the phone, do not insert the pick more than 1/4" (6 mm).
Slide the pick around the bottom right corner to slice through the adhesive.
If the corner feels hard to slice, apply a heated iOpener to the corner for a minute and try again.
Continue slicing along the bottom edge of the phone and around the left corner.

Heating bottom of the screen and going very slowly is key here. The adhesive was stronger than expected, and I cracked the glass while going around this first corner.

Jerome C -

My screen was already cracked diagonally, so going around the corners was especially hard. Starting from each side was not so risky as I first thought because side adhesive is really thin. However top and bottom needed some more lifting force from the pick. More heating helped at the top and bottom edges.

Károly Varga -

Step 7

Slice through the left edge of the phone, making sure to properly angle the pick below the OLED panel and insert it in no more than 1/4" (6 mm).
To angle the pick below the OLED panel, insert the point of the pick no more than 1 mm in, angle the pick upwards, and then slowly push the pick in 1/4".

Step 8

Slice along the top edge while keeping the pick no more than 5/16" (8 mm) in.

There is a LOT more adhesive at the top than anywhere else on the phone! It’s like there’s 2 lines of adhesive, one along the edge of the case and one along the edge of the screen, and it’s filled in between them wherever the speaker camera aren’t. I needed to heat and pry several times to get the top loose. Fortunately, there’s little risk of hitting a cable near the top (look ahead to the step where you lift the screen off to see where all the cables go!)

E. Dunham - 11/05/21

I found that applying the iOpener across the top edge of the glass for about 30 seconds at this step helped soften the adhesive significantly. My front camera was replaced only a few months ago by uBreakiFix and the display adhesive subsequently let go on the entire right edge, bottom, and part of the left side shortly after the new front camera failed. Only the top was still securely stuck.

Reid Solberg -

Step 9

With all of the edges cut, carefully hinge open the right edge of the screen.
Do not remove the screen. It is still attached to the phone by a flex cable near the left edge.
Use an opening pick to carefully cut through any remaining adhesive.

Step 10

With all of the adhesives cut, flip the attached screen glass side down and rest it on top of the phone. The screen flex cable should be loosely arched.

Hi, could you help me with one clarification?

What does the small “metal patch” in the middle of the display ribbon do?

Does it prevent the phone from starting while disconnected?

Thank you for your time!

oliver schirmer - 04/06/20

Hi Oliver,

I think the patch you’re referring to helps with either EM shielding or heat dissipation. It should not prevent the phone from starting.

Arthur Shi - 05/06/20

Step 11

Carefully peel the black tape covering the screen connector bracket.
If it is in good condition, you can re-use this tape during reassembly. Otherwise, replace it with a piece of electrical tape.
Remove the two 4.4 mm long T3 screws securing the screen connector bracket.
Remove the screen connector bracket.

This may be a silly question but how are you able to tell whether the tape is in good condition? Is it based off of how sticky it is after you remove it?

Sylvia - 25/08/20

That is a fair question! If the tape is in one piece and is relatively sticky, it can probably be used again.

Arthur Shi - 26/08/20

Oops! I forgot to put any tape back. Does this tape have a critical purpose, in other words should I go to the trouble to pry the screen back off and tape it?

elyze - 31/08/20

The tape does not serve a critical purpose. If you have already re-sealed your phone, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Arthur Shi - 31/08/20

Les vis sont des T4 et non des T3

Gaëtan PERRIER - 08/09/20

Bonjour Gaëtan ! Merci pour la remarque. En fait, il y a toujours une certaine tolérance entre le tournevis et la tête de vis. Donc il se peut que la taille supérieure ou inférieure soit plus “confortable” au cas par cas. Bonne réparation !

Claire Miesch - 10/09/20

Bonjour,

Pouvez-vous me conseiller un bon kit de réparation pour mon Google Pixel 3A?

J'ai peur de me faire arnaquer en achetant un mauvais écran de basse qualité .

mailsecoursd - 03/01/21

In 2023, (along with the USB-C port and screen adhesive) this repair kit includes a new piece of black tape to cover the connector bracket.

nelson -

Do you sell the 2 4.4mm t3 screws and the screen connector bracket. Or know where I can get it thanks

Brett Bellesbach -

Step 12

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the screen flex cable.
When you disconnect connectors like these, be careful not to dislodge the small surface-mounted components surrounding the socket.
To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

I had accidentally pressed the power button and the phone was on when connecting the new screen and that broke the board! So make sure the phone is off.

Diako Mardanbegi - 24/12/20

hey man think I've just done the same thing :(

how did you fix it? did it need a new motherboard?

Ben Willshaw -

is it okay if I forgot to add the black tape on the connector area???

Harry Banda -

When reassembling, before reattaching the connector for the screen flex cable is the time to align the screen cover adhesive sheet onto the perimeter of the plastic mid-frame. Even if one is using the Tesa tape, I suspect aligning it along the edge of the mid-frame would be simpler without the screen and its flex cable obstructing your efforts.

nelson -

Step 13

Remove the screen.
Carefully compare your replacement screen with your original part. You may need to transfer additional components (such as the speaker mesh) to the new part.
To reinstall the screen:
Follow this guide if you are using custom-cut adhesives.
If you are using double-sided tape such as Tesa tape, follow this guide.
During the boot-up process after reassembly, the screen will go through a calibration sequence. Do not touch the screen during this process, as it could result in improper touch calibration and create touch issues.

There is a blue plastic tape covering the digitizer and when I try to take it off it rips out something more than just the tape I think it’s pulling the magnet too

Darien Suarez - 25/05/20

i had a little plastic piece around the camera (seems to just be a spacer) that i moved to the new screen. had to pry it up with a pick cuz it was stuck down good.

elyze - 12/06/20

actually to clarify- i didn’t move the little camera spacer to the new screen- i placed it around the camera on the phone, where there was a little indent for it, and stuck it down with a bit of tesa strip, then applied more tesa strips around the edge of the phone before finally reconnecting and replacing the screen. the little plastic bit i encountered needs to be precisely placed around the camera so would not be a good idea to just stick it to the screen when reinstalling!

elyze - 12/06/20

Thanks team! I was able to replace my broken screen with no issues!

Instead of cutout adhesives or tesa tape, I used B-7000. Painless.

Appreciate the screen and instructions!

Jessica Hale - 29/10/20

Bonjour,

Pouvez-vous me conseiller un bon kit de réparation pour mon Google Pixel 3A?

J'ai peur de me faire arnaquer en achetant un mauvais écran de basse qualité .

Hello . Can you advice me a site where i Can buy a quality screen replacement pack for my Google Pixel 3A?

There's a lot of rip off on internet and id like to get a good pack and a quality screen .

Bichette Laterreur - 03/01/21

Hello! We currently sell a replacement screen. However, I’m not sure if it is available yet internationally.

Arthur Shi - 04/01/21

I have a quick question, so I haven’t done anything yet because I only just ordered my repair kit, but is it possible to replace the battery without having to replace the display ?

Braeden - 27/01/21

Hi Braeden!

Yes, it is definitely possible to replace the battery without replacing the display. With that said, the initial entry steps can be pretty tricky. Before you begin, look very closely over the display to see if you can see any micro-fractures. If you see any, you will most likely crack the screen when you try to remove it. Take your time and apply a heated iOpener often. Good luck!

Arthur Shi - 27/01/21

I forgot to order the tape when getting my replacement USB port, so I ended up putting the screen back on without any tape and using regular clear tape on the outside of the phone to keep the screen from falling off. It’s less waterproof, but it’ll do the job until the right part arrives.

E. Dunham - 11/05/21

Speaker mesh appeared to already be in place on my replacement screen, so I did not transfer this over from my old screen. That was a huge mistake, sounds were garbled above about 30% volume. Make sure you do this part!

Evan Heisman -

Shall I place the adhesive onto the screen or onto the body when placing the new screen? It is not clear from the guides.

HoundRock -

I tried the replacement after watching this and many other videos. I purchased a working Pixel 3a and removed it to put onto my old Pixel 3a. The screen is not turning on on either devices now, old or new. The device is turning on because I can feel vibrations. What do you think the problem is?

InnLing Eng -

Step 14

Remove the fourteen T3 screws of the following lengths securing the plastic midframe:
Twelve 4.3 mm silver T3 screws
Two 4.3 mm black T3 screws
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

I found that a T3 bit didn’t get purchase on the screws in my Pixel 3a, but the T4 bit worked great. Not sure what’s up with that.

E. Dunham - 11/05/21

This is definitely possible, depending on which kit’s T3 bit you use, along with potential screw quality variances.

Arthur Shi - 11/05/21

My Pixel 3a has been apart three times for a non-functioning front camera. The first time, it was by a Google authorized repair shop, and the camera stopped functioning again after a few months. When I took it apart the second time, I noted that many of the screws weren't seated before I removed them. The camera module had become disconnected and simply reseating the connector fixed it. I was careful to fully drive all screws and apply an appropriate amount of torque to them, thinking the repair shop failed to do so. After 9 or 10 months, my front camera stopped working again. Again, I'm noticing a lot of the screws have worked themselves loose. I'm going to try to find an appropriate thread compound that I can precisely apply to these tiny screws.

Reid Solberg -

Hey Reid,

I would suggest blue Loctite or threadlocker. Dab a small drop on each screw before you install them.

Arthur Shi -

One of the bolts was rounded, so the torx screwdrivers (T3 or T5 in the kit) couldn't bite and loosen it. Not sure how to go forward.

Won Choi - 14/05/22

Step 15

The midframe is still held in place by plastic clips.
Insert an opening pick into frame seam at the bottom of the phone. This seam sits between the plastic midframe and the back cover.
Slide the pick along the seam to release the clips holding the plastic midframe.

To remove the midframe, I was having a lot of trouble until removing the sim card tray. I think this might have to be removed before the midframe

Elijah Kennedy -

Step 16

Slide the opening pick along the left and right edges of the phone to release the midframe clips.
Lift the bottom edge of the plastic midframe up but do not remove the midframe. The midframe is still tethered to the phone by the fragile proximity sensor cable at the top edge.
To reinstall the plastic midframe, align the midframe to the back cover, and squeeze the perimeter of the phone with your fingers to snap the clips back into position.

Step 17

Use the point of a spudger to carefully pry up and disconnect the proximity sensor connector from the motherboard.
Your proximity sensor connector may have automatically disconnected itself when you lifted the midframe.
Remove the plastic midframe.

This connector is f*ckn impossible to reconnect 😭

Arnau Mora -

This is the hardest part of the job. I gave up on connecting the proximity sensor while in the midframe, and found it much easier to remove the proximity sensor from the midframe, attach the connector, then thread the sensor into its home in the midframe.

Steve Williams -

Step 18

This step shows how to reconnect the proximity sensor during re-assembly.
Align the top edge of the plastic midframe with the phone.
Use the point of a spudger to carefully align and push the proximity sensor connector onto the motherboard socket.
This takes a bit of patience and finesse. Once you have the connector in place, you can also use a finger to gently press the connector onto the socket.
Alternatively, you can remove the proximity sensor from the midframe to reattach it to the motherboard first.
Use the point of a spudger to carefully pry the proximity sensor out of its recess on the midframe. The sensor is lightly adhered to the midframe.
Remove the sensor from the midframe. Attach the sensor connector onto its motherboard socket.
Thread the sensor cable through the midframe and reposition the sensor in the recess. Press down with your finger to adhere the sensor back onto the midframe.

I tried to do this for about 15 minutes before I went to the alternative. There is a tiny post to hold the sensor in position on the midframe. I pried the sensor from the midframe from the corner opposite that post and then finished this step in 2 minutes.

jason.naylor - 14/04/21

Definitely plan b for reconnecting the proximaty sensor…

noel - 02/05/21

Plan B ok for me as well. There is a hole below the sensor in order to push it with a sim card opener.

Laurent GUILLOT -

Definitely plan B

Tom Heath -

Plan B here as well. Also +1 for Laurent GUILLOT's hint.

Paul Kube -

Step 19

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery connector from its motherboard socket.
Bend the battery flex cable slightly so that it will not accidentally make contact with the socket.

Step 20

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the interconnect cable from its motherboard socket above the battery.

Step 21

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the interconnect cable from its daughterboard socket below the battery.
Remove the interconnect cable.
During reassembly, be sure to attach the cable in the orientation as shown. The cable won't work if it's reversed.

I would add here as a warning to pay attention to the orientation of the ribbon cable when you are putting it back. I put mine back upside down which caused a lot of headache (no direct damage thankfully) as the phone did not turn on, so furiously checked everything, put it back together again and again which in the end damaged something else (the screen).

Róbert Nagy -

Thanks for sharing! I added your tip to the step.

Arthur Shi -

Step 22

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the left squeeze sensor connector from its socket on the motherboard above the battery.
Repeat the procedure for the right squeeze sensor connector near the power button.

Step 23

The battery is held in place by two stretch-release adhesive strips.
Carefully pull the right stretch-release adhesive's pull-tab from the bottom right corner of the battery.
Be very careful not to puncture the battery pack with the tweezers.

Step 24

Pull the tab at a shallow angle (close to parallel to the phone) with steady force. As the strip comes out, you can roll it around your tweezers.
Keep pulling until the entire strip comes free.

Step 25

Find the second stretch-release adhesive's pull-tab at the upper left corner of the battery.
Be careful not to puncture the battery with the tweezers.
Grasp the tab carefully with your tweezers.
Pull the tab at a shallow angle with steady force, rolling it as it gets longer, until the entire strip comes free.
If your adhesive strips did not pull out intact, insert an opening pick under the bottom edge of the battery and pry upwards to loosen the battery.
If needed, apply a heated iOpener to the back of the phone for a minute to loosen the battery adhesive.

Step 26

Remove the battery.
To install a replacement battery:
Remove any battery adhesive remaining on the phone.
Install replacement pull-stretch adhesives, or double-sided tape such as Tesa tape, in the phone's battery well where the original adhesive used to stick.
Gently set the battery in place. Temporarily connect the battery's connector to the motherboard to ensure that the battery is properly positioned.
Press the battery firmly in place with your fingers.
Disconnect the battery from the motherboard and resume re-assembly.

Der Zusammenbau gestaltet sich sehr einfach, lediglich die Verbindung mit dem Näherungssensor war so ätzend dass ich mir den Teil erspart habe. Den Versuch den Sensor vom Rahmen zu lösen hatte ich leider nicht mehr gemacht ich glaube aber, dass das der bessere Weg ist.

Ansonsten habe ich den neuen Akku mit Teppichklebeband befestigt und das Display habe ich mit dem noch vorhandenen und anhaftenden Klebstoff wieder auf den Rahmen gedrückt....

Nach dem der Akku geladen war und ich das Gerät gestartet habe, fand Ein Neustart statt und danach lief das Handy wieder noch nicht einmal eine Display oder Fingerabdrucksensor Kalibrierung wurde gefordert.

Wenn es jetzt nochmal 2-3 Jahre macht bin ich sehr zufrieden....

Achtung die Schrauben sind so klein ..., Mir ist eine abhanden gekommen warscheinlich zu tief eingeatmet...., Aber zum Glück geht der Drucksensor dennoch!!!!!!

Ralph S - 06/10/22

Conclusion

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

For optimal performance, calibrate your newly-installed battery: Charge it to 100% and keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Then use your device until it shuts off due to low battery. Finally, charge it uninterrupted to 100%.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Google Pixel 3a Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Author

Arthur Shi

Member since: 03/01/18

248651 Reputation

7 comments

There is no link to a battery part to purchase, where can those be found?

Nir Hadjes - 29/06/19

Hi Nir,

We are in the process of getting replacement batteries. Because the phone is so new, supply chains have not gotten to offering replacements yet.

Arthur Shi - 29/06/19

Just completed this took, probably took me an hour and half from start to plugging the phone back in after I was done. Seems to have worked very well! Do be careful pulling the adhesive out from behind the battery. If it breaks, it can be a little trickier to get it out. I had to heat up the adhesive through the back of the phone, but once I did that I was able to very carefully pry the battery out, using a pick as a load distributor on the battery.

Zachary Tolar - 29/05/21

Same with me....one strip came out nicely, the other one just broke midway.

Andrea Airoldi -

If you are reusing the screen, this guide is too dangerous

1. You should heat the disaply evenly, not only at the right edge:

Using simple physics heating the display from all sideas will reduce the adhesive force of the glue overall, heating only one side will reduce the adhesive force on one side, thus you will need to use more force on the suction cup making things worse.

2. Start from bottom edge:

Most glue is present on bottom and top edges, also there is more space to insert the pick too cut the glue. It will give you more room to work on left and right edges where the gap is very less.

3. Don't use iopener

It's very hard to evenly heat the display with iopener. You basically heat one edge, run to the microwave to heat the iopener then place on the next edge, until then the first edge cools. Use hair dryer, or heat gun they heat the display evenly

Abhijeet Narvekar - 27/07/22

worked pretty smoothly. I would have appreciated better reassembly instructions, particularly for the screen installation. I connected the screen before putting the adhesive on, which was a mistake. Should have mounted the adhesive to the mid-frame first, then mounted the screen cable then peeled off the upper adhesive backing. The proximity sensor was much easier to do the second method. All good though and charging up.

tobywhitfield -

Agreed. I advise to put on the adhesive on the frame, connect the screen, peel the protective layer (carefully) and put the screen in place.

Andrea Airoldi -