Google Pixel 4 Battery Replacement

Written By: Carsten Frauenheim

Comments: 36

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

30 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

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

Use this guide to remove or replace a worn battery in the Google Pixel 4. 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.

Note: Some photos in this guide show the SIM card tray ejected from the phone. You do not need to eject the SIM card tray for this procedure.

Caution: Google warns that disassembly of the front laser assembly could result in hazardous exposure to invisible infrared laser emissions. Read their safety warnings here.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Prepare an iOpener and apply it to the bottom edge of the back panel for one minute.
A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

Step 2

Apply a suction cup to the heated edge of the back panel by pressing down on it to create suction, as close to the edge as possible.
If your back glass is badly cracked, covering it with a layer of clear packing tape may allow the suction cup to adhere. Alternatively, very strong tape may be used instead of the suction cup. If all else fails, you can superglue the suction cup to the broken panel.

Step 3

Pull up on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap between the back panel and the frame.
Depending on the age of your phone, this may be difficult. If you are having trouble, apply more heat to the edge and try again.
Insert the point of an opening pick into the gap.

Step 4

Slide the opening pick across the bottom towards the left corner to slice the adhesive.
With the pick still inserted, slide it from the bottom left corner over to the bottom right corner to completely slice the bottom side adhesive.
Leave the pick inserted in the bottom right corner to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

Step 5

Prepare an iOpener and apply it on the left edge of the phone for one minute.

Step 6

Insert a second opening pick underneath the back panel directly over the charge port.
Slide the opening pick to the bottom left corner of the phone.

Step 7

Slide the opening pick around the bottom left corner and across the left side of the phone to slice the adhesive.
The adhesive can be very gummy. Push the pick in and out in a sawing motion to help with slicing.
Stop when you reach the top left corner, near the camera, and leave the pick inserted.

Step 8

Prepare an iOpener and apply it on the right edge of the phone for one minute.

Step 9

With the first two opening picks still in place, insert a third pick on the lower part of the righthand side.
Slide the opening pick up towards the top of the phone, slicing the right side's adhesive.
Stop when you reach the top right corner, and leave the pick inserted.

Step 10

Slide the third opening pick around the top right corner and across the top side of the phone, slicing the final strip of adhesive.

Step 11

Once you have sliced around the perimeter of the phone, carefully lift the right edge of the back cover, opening it like a book.
Do not try to pull the panel all the way off yet, as it is still connected to the phone.

Step 12

Continue swinging open the back panel until you can rest it on the left edge the phone, being careful not to put any stress on the attached ribbon cable.
During reassembly, this is a good point to power on your phone and test all functions before re-sealing the back panel. Be sure to power your phone back down completely before you continue working.

At this point I suggest taking a photo of what you're seeing in there. This way you can make sure you put it all back the way it was when you're done.

Brian Wood -

Step 13

Remove the five T3 Torx screws securing the battery connector shield:
Four 4.0 mm screws
One 2.1 mm screw
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement T3 - 2.1mm screw (the one circled in orange)? I lost this screw during the battery replacement. Had it, dogs fought, had to get up to break it up, and couldn’t find it. I swore I put it on the mat, but I couldn’t find it when I got back to the table. :(

Nikki Chan -

Step 14

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the battery connector shield.

Step 15

Whenever you use the spudger near the battery, be very careful not to puncture the battery.
Using the pointed end of a spudger, pry the battery connector straight up from the motherboard to disconnect the battery.
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.

Step 16

Using the flat end of a spudger, gently fold the battery cable over so it doesn't accidentally make contact during the rest of your repairs.

Step 17

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 4 mm screws securing the back panel connector cover.

Step 18

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the back panel connector cover.

Step 19

Using the pointed end of a spudger, pry up and disconnect the back panel connector.

Step 20

Remove the back panel.
During reassembly, follow this guide to install custom-cut adhesives for your device.
Follow this guide if you are using a pre-cut adhesive card.

Why does the kit not come with the back panel adhesive?

It's not cheap to get the full kit, and it seems like it's such a small thing to include.

I ended up re-using the existing back panel adhesive and now a bit worried that it's not as strong and I will have issues with water or moisture getting into the device more easily.

Mike Y -

Step 21

Pull on the yellow pull tab of the adhesive strip with steady force.
If the adhesive becomes hard to pull, you can roll it around a spudger and continue pulling.
Continue firmly pulling up on the adhesive strip with constant force. If you're using a spudger, spin it every so often to keep the exposed section of the pull tab as short as possible.
This may take a lot of force.
These adhesive pull tabs are very prone to snapping in half during this process. Pull as slowly as possible.
If the adhesive pull tabs are not stretching, fill a plastic dropper or syringe with high concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol and apply a few drops under the left edge of the battery. Give the alcohol a minute to weaken the battery adhesive.
Continue this process for each of the three pull tabs, until all are either out or have snapped in half.

These are basically like command adhesive strips. If you don't get them off by pulling the tab you can pry them up but it is not easy. This is three strips of strong adhesive.

Brian Wood -

I pulled the adhesive strips upwards and they just torn leaving most of the adhesive beneath the battery. Battery is impossible to remove now.

Denys Čumak -

I too have experienced something like that. In this case I followed step 22 below to push the opening pick in and force it away from the adhesive. Some strength will be required. The key is to apply balanced force to prevent the battery from being deformed and damaged.

hedgehog_camara -

Step 22

If the battery tabs snapped during removal, insert an opening pick on the upper right edge of the battery, slicing the adhesive underneath.
Even if you successfully removed all three adhesive pull tabs, using an opening pick to dislodge the battery may be helpful.
Don't insert the opening pick on or anywhere below the grip sensor cable, as the pick can damage the charge port flex cable located underneath the battery.

The grip sensor cable picture here is incorrect for my pixel 4; on mine it runs straight from the connector on the right to the left edge of the case, then makes a 90° turn downward to where it connects to the sensor. The result was that I tore the cable because I was using the picture as a guide. I've taken a picture of the alternative placement on mine and I'll send it to the iFixit people to update this guide.

Dave P Jarzembski Owen - 02/09/23

At the bottom end of the battery there is a thin white antenna cable, somewhat hidden between battery and speaker / charging unit. It is also a bad idea to use a pick on the lower adhesive strip. In my case the cable glued to the rest of the strip and I damaged it when lifting the battery.

David -

Step 23

Do not reuse the battery if it has been deformed or damaged, as doing so is a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.
Lift the battery up and away from the phone to remove it. You may need to peel the battery away from any leftover adhesive tabs.
If there's any alcohol solution remaining in the phone, carefully wipe it off with a lint-free cloth or allow it to air dry before installing your battery.
To install a replacement battery:
If you're using stretch release adhesive, apply them onto the battery. Otherwise, apply some double-sided tape, or pre-cut adhesive strips in the phone's battery well, being careful not to cover the charge port flex cable. Peel away any tape liners to expose the adhesive.
Temporarily re-connect the battery's connector to the motherboard socket. This ensures that the battery is properly positioned.
Lay the battery in place and press firmly.
Disconnect the battery connector from its motherboard socket and resume re-assembly.

There is a better guide for applying the back adhesive. Search out the guide for the pixel 4 back adhesive on this website. It sucks that they didn't include it here, and I messed it up by trying to decipher these generic instructions.

Joe Gaughran -

Thanks for this @joegaughran - saved me a problem. For others, the guide can be found here: How to Replace the Back Panel Adhesive on Your Google Pixel 4

phzdw -

Conclusion

For optimal performance, calibrate your newly installed battery after completing this guide.

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps 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 Answers community for help.

Author

Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 10/03/20

110978 Reputation

26 comments

If you are gonna sell me your tool kit at least supply a *!&$!&$^ T3 Tork bit to complete the job.

Nicholas Smyth - 15/09/20

Hi Nicholas,

The iFixit kit should definitely have a T3 bit. Please contact our customer support and we will get the issue resolved!

Arthur Shi - 15/09/20

When you put it back together do you need to reheat the adhesive?

Keith P - 03/11/20

Hey Keith,

When putting the phone back together and reinstalling the back panel, we recommend removing the old adhesive and installing new adhesive. The Pixel 4’s back panel adhesive can be found here, and a guide on how to install it can be found here!

If you’d like to reuse your old adhesive, try removing any large uneven chunks, reheat the adhesive, and press the back panel back into place.

Carsten Frauenheim - 03/11/20

Does the kit include replacement battery adhesive strips? I don’t recall seeing it in mine.

Nikki Chan -

Hey Nikki!

The kit should come with a pre-cut adhesive card. You can pull strips from the card to adhere your battery to the frame.

Arthur Shi -

@arthurshi Thanks, I figured as much. However, I thought it would be nice if they included this instead of the pre-cut adhesive card. This way the battery can still be removed the Google factory way. [linked product missing or disabled: IF356-191]

Nikki Chan -

That’s a great idea! We got the battery strips recently and haven’t had a chance to incorporate them into the kit. We’ll definitely do that.

Arthur Shi -

After putting in the new battery the phone doesn’t turn on. If I plug in a charger I get the splash screen and then the battery icon indicating the charge level (85%). What am I missing here?

Bryan P -

For anyone who may find this later - my issue was the side button connector ribbon cable came loose in the process of removing the old battery. I had to remove the cover for that and then re-seat the connector. I put it all back together and it’s working great now.

Bryan P - 06/01/22

After replacing the battery and putting it back together, the WIFI is no longer working. It only works when the phone is on top of the WIFI router now.

I cleaned the contacts for the WIFI on the back cover, but still nothing. I reformed the contacts on the board and that didn’t help either.

Anyone else have WIFI issues after replacing the battery?

Techie Zeddie -

is the kit available to purchase in ifixit canada? I can’t find the kit for pixel 4 battery replacement.

d02chan -

Replaced the battery in my Pixel 4 about a month ago using this guide. Went well and only took about 45 minutes. Everything works well and is as good as new. Kit came with everything needed to complete the job. Zero complaints from me. Thanks ifixit!

Danny -

Great tutorial and I followed step by step successfully. But I did (and recommend to do) steps 17 - 20 first, and 13 - 16 afterwards. If you remove the back panel first, it is easier to unconnect the battery than vice versa.

Andreas Voss -

I have successfully completed this repair guide twice. Thanks a lot for providing the guide!

One thing: One of the iFixit batteries had a charge level of 1%, so it was about to be completely discharged. If you have other rechargeable batteries in stock, you should charge them from time to time, otherwise they may get destroyed.

Andreas Voss -

Very good guide and the fixit kit is awesome.

All went well and battery works like the first day!

Adrian Frach -

I recently replaced the battery on my pixel 4 and it was a simple fix with this kit. However, my back panel is not remaining stuck down. Particularly the corner around the camera starts to separate when my phone gets hot. This was the first indication that my old battery was bulging, and I'm hoping that's not the case again so soon. (It's only been 3 days!).

It could also be that I didn't properly seal the back. I have been unable to find good instructions for using the supplied back panel adhesive. I had to basically make it up.

Did I need to heat it? Clamp it? How to properly close the back? Yesterday I tried applying the iOpener again, then clamping the back closed and putting the phone in the fridge for 5 min. Doesn't seem like it worked.

Any tips? I could buy another back panel adhesive ($8 cdn) but maybe I can still fix this?

Matt Gorbet - 28/08/22

This guide is great. After reading it, I'm confident enough to buy the parts to fix my phone myself!

Artemis von Otto -

I just changed the battery of my pixel 4 and it was the easiest phone repair I’ve ever done, all thanks to this guide and the kit available. Thanks!

Unai Blazquez -

Ugh! My camera has spots all over it now! I guess my battery is ok though.

Matt Cosentino -

It took me approximately 2 hours to complete this guide including the significant amount of time cleaning the previous adhesives off the phone. In my case I may not have needed to be so thorough but am happy with the results - resealing the back cover had zero issues.

A pretty reasonable repair for someone with steady hands. I am happy to see a significant performance increase from the replaced battery compared to the 4 y/o one.

RJB -

Das Auseinandernehmen des Gerätes mit Hilfe des "Wärmekissens" und der Plektren war kein Problem, ebenso wie der Ausbau des Akkus. Das nervigste an der ganzen Reparatur war das Entfernen der Klebereste der Gehäusedichtung. Trotz der Zuhilfenahme von Q-Tips mit Klebstoff-Löser hat mich dieser Schritt ganze 2 Stunden gekostet!

Nach dem Einbau des Akkus dann für einen kurzen Moment Herzrasen, als das Gerät nach dem Einschalten mit einem roten Akku-Symbol sofort wieder ausging. WT...?? Dann Ladekabel angeschlossen und Erleichterung genossen: das Gerät begann bei 1% zu laden! Anscheinend wird der Akku im entladenen Zustand geliefert. Ich hoffe nur, er war nicht tiefentladen!

Beim Hantieren mit der neuen Gehäusedichtung sollte man vorsichtig und sehr behutsam vorgehen, um sie nicht verkehrt anzusetzen. Das war ein Moment, in dem ich mir mein altes S3 zurückwünschte: Rückwand ab, Akkus wechseln, Rückwand wieder anstecken, fertig! Kein Kleber, keine Schrauben. Früher war manches doch besser als heute...

Wolfgang -

English version:

Taking the device apart using the "heat pad" and picks was easy, as was removing the battery itself.

The most annoying part of the whole procedure was the removing of the adhesive residue from the housing seal. Despite using q-tips and glue remover, this step took me 2 hours!

After installing the new battery, there was a brief moment of palpitations when the device immediately switched off again with a red battery symbol on the screen. WT...?? Then I connected the charging cable and relief was felt: the device started charging at 1%! Apparently the battery is delivered in a discharged state. I just hope it wasn't deeply discharged!

When handling the new housing gasket, you should be careful not to put it on incorrectly. That was a moment when I was mourning for my old S3: removing the back panel, changing the battery, reconnecting the back panel, done! No glue, no screws!

Some things used to be better than today...

Wolfgang -

The fitting kit and the instructions were fantastic. First time stripping down a phone and after this it won’t be my last. The kit contains everything you need. Check all the boxes as I thought my triangular openers were missing but I found them at the bottom of the heater pack. To remove the old seal from around the edge of the phone use the heater pad to warm the old seal first then use a sharp blade to remove it with ease. Thank you.

Lee Pickford - 20/10/23

it helps to have a partner when installing the first pick at the bottom. I had to heat my bottom edge 4 times and then hold the front while pulling on the suction cup. My partner was able to get the first pick in and then I could proceed with the rest of the instructions. I agree with the person above that getting the old battery out was a pain. My bottom tab broke right away but my dual side tabs stretched without breaking and I was able to get a pick under the upper right quarter and then use a pry pick to get it the rest of the way.

Mark Henderson -

0 Experience here. Followed the instructions, checked some youtube tutorials too, and managed to replace the battery easily. The adhesive strips on the original battery were somewhat hard to remove but as clumsy as I am, managed to take out the battery without destroying other parts. 10/10.

sebastianroco -