Google Pixel 5a Battery Replacement

Written By: Clay Kim

Comments: 57

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

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 the battery on your Google Pixel 5a.

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

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

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Be sure to turn off your device before you begin the repair.
You'll need to pry the screen up to remove it from the phone. Read the following notes carefully before proceeding.
Take note of the two seams on the edge of the phone:
Screen seam: This seam separates the screen from the rest of the phone. Do not pry at this seam.
Bezel seam: This is where the plastic bezel designed to protect the screen meets the frame. It's held in place by plastic clips. This is where you should pry.

This will be clear if you examine your replacement part first.

bcling -

True, but one may be disassembling the device prior to receiving their replacement 😉

Niels Klassen -

I'm not sure why it's recommended to pry at the bezel seam. I followed this guide but the bezel that's held in by clips, provides some additional housing for the front facing camera as well as the ear-speaker grille. I ended up separating the old screen from the bezel and putting the bezel back into the phone first, before installing the replacement screen.

Kevin Kim -

My replacement screen did not come with the bezel, and I had to remove it from the old screen. I didn't notice this until i attempted to replace the screen. Be sure to look at your replacement screen prior to reassembly. It will save you some heartache. All was good though and the phone is working.

jak ll -

1. "Be sure to turn off your device before you begin the repair". Kind of tough to do if you are replacing the screen because it is blank and you can't tell what is going on or select a "Power Off" option.

2. To power off the phone, would be good to have instructions to disconnect the battery once the screen is disconnected from the rest of the phone.

BlueNGray -

Step 2

Apply a heated iOpener to the right edge of the display for one minute to soften the adhesive.
Depending on the strength of your device's adhesive, you may need to reapply the iOpener multiple times in order to weaken it enough.
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.

Use the full length of the iOpener to soften the adhesive on the right edge and top or bottom. My repair required three applications of the iOpener.

bcling -

I needed about 4 applications of the iOpener before the adhesive was weakened enough to stick the opening pick in.

Ibukunoluwa Amusan -

Do you have to wait 10 minutes between each application?

Joey -

I heated the iopener twice for 30sec (weak microwave) then applied for a couple minutes without success. Then reheated iopener for 30 more sec. Then used the blue tool supplied in kit to help push down on bezzle and that did the trick to separate enough to get the picks in.

Ilya Pittel -

While I appreciate that iFixit gives you everything required for the repair in a kit, I gave up on the iOpener after 2 applications and went for the heat gun. I have a Porter Cable heat gun (PC1500HG), kept it on a medium-low heat about an inch away and was able to get around the entire screen edge more quickly. After that, I was able to use the supplied opening picks and suction cup pretty easily.

jb_ne -

Has anyone used a hair dryer? How long to safely apply the hair dryer?

It Was A Dark & Stormy Phone -

I heated the iOpener twice at 30 seconds each and let it sit on the first long edge for 10-15 minutes (while watching TV). This seemed to soften the adhesive and I was able to insert the blue picks without much trouble using the suction cup. Patience is the key. I reheated the iOpener for another 30 seconds and that was enough to soften the top and bottom edge, about 8-10 minutes on each edge. There was enough heat left in the iOpener to soften the last long edge, another 6-8 minutes.

Chuck Pietro -

Step 3

To remove the screen, you'll need to insert opening picks in between the black clips that secure the bezel to the midframe.
Note the optimal points of entry before proceeding.

Use an old credit card or hotel key card to provide additional thickness and leverage to pop the bezel off.

bcling -

This may seem like a no-brainer but I held the new screen against my broken phone and used a pencil to mark where each blue pick would go.

Determined, but distracted -

They did not send the 6 opening picks with the repair kit

hema v -

Actually, they did send the picks, they were in the iopener. I successfully changed the screen

hema v -

Step 4

If your display 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 screen.
Place a suction cup as close to the right edge of the screen as possible.
Lift the suction cup with a strong steady force until a small gap forms between the bezel and midframe.

Do we use the suction cup before inserting the picks? After applying the I opener 3 plus times, I am having difficulty removing the broken screen. Any tips?

William Maniss -

This was the most difficult part. What really helped was putting a piece of packing tape on the screen. It has to be wider than the suction cup. If there is any hint of a crack where the suction cup is located, it will not stick. I had to warm the right side and the top a couple of times to get the screen to give a little bit. It will only give just a little bit and you have to to slide the pick in with more force than I was comfortable with.. It really would help to have a third hand to hold the phone, pull the suction cup and the other to slide the pick in. I had to use my ring finger to apply force to the suction cup and with the same hand slide the pick between the phone and the screen. After this step it was easy peasy!

Dustin Ashberry -

Agree this was the hardest part. I heated the right edge of the phone multiple times with the iOpener before the glue was soft enough to flex. My screen only had a crack, was not shattered. I had to wet the suction cup to get it to hold strong enough to pull up to open a gap to insert the pick. Once the first pick was in, heating the other edges and moving around the phone was fairly easy.

Lisa McManis -

The screen itself has a large lip that makes it harder to insert the picks. what worked for me was pulling up the screen just enough to insert the pick slightly. next I rotated the pick towards the phone and pushed it down (the phones chassis has a bezel that will catch the tip so you can use a bit more force). Once the pick is inserted like that you can rotate away from the phone, pulling up the screen easily.

Mason Tate -

Ended up using Gorilla tape on the screen, a more powerful suction cup from a windshield phone mount, moving it back 1/2 inch from the edge so the tape wouldn't peel from the edge when I pulled.

Scott Chaney -

You definitely need a third hand to get the pick in, have someone nearby to help if possible.

This is the step that requires the most energy.

Ibukunoluwa Amusan -

This was by far the most difficult part of the repair hands down. I heated the phone several times before the adhesive softened enough to stick a pick in

Niels Klassen -

I was unable to use the technique shown here to lift up the edge. I used the iOpener and suction cup multiple times without being able to lift the edge even a little (might be a testament to my own physical weakness, though, haha). I ended up running a razor blade along the bezel seam until I was able to wiggle it in and then slowly wedge the picks in.

Mary in CA -

This took me an 1.5 hrs. Just keep re-heating and re-applying the iOpener, and using your spudger to open it up. Don't give up! You got this!

ccc -

My screen was beyond destroyed. I had it covered with tape and the suction cup wouldn't stick. I just let the iOpener rest on the edge nice and long and between the blue picks and my thumbnails I was able to get in there just fine. I did get a small crack in the bezel at one point but this was a spot where all the glass had come off. It didn't matter since this screen and bezel weren't going back on. If I had needed to keep the screen and bezel in good shape, I could have.

Determined, but distracted -

Step 5

The bezel is connected to the midframe by a series of plastic clips which can be detached by inserting an opening pick at points all along the seam.
Insert the tip of an opening pick into the bezel seam about 4-5 cm from the bottom of the phone.

Angling the opening pick downward helped with the initial opening

barely_diy -

Probably easier to just use the opening tool instead of the opening picks. Also you may need to use the iopener (the bag you microwave) in the other 3 sides as well . After these tips it will be a breeze to open. Cheers!

Froilan Rivero -

Step 6

Insert the tip of an opening pick into the bezel seam about 3-4 cm from the top of the phone.

Step 7

Insert the tip of an opening pick into the bezel seam at the top of the phone.
If this step proves difficult, slide the pick along the top right corner of the phone until there is enough of a gap at the top for the opening pick.

Step 8

Insert the tip of an opening pick into the bezel seam at the bottom of the phone.
If this step proves difficult, slide the pick along bottom right corner of the phone until there is enough of a gap at the bottom for the opening pick.

Step 9

Insert the tip of an opening pick into the bezel seam on the left side of the phone, about 2 cm from the bottom of the phone.

Step 10

Insert the tip of an opening pick into the bezel seam about 3-4 cm below the front-facing camera.

Step 11

Be sure to detach all the clips. Slice through any remaining adhesive with an opening pick.
Open the device from the right side like a book.

Step 12

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the 4.6 mm-long screw securing the screen connector bracket.
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

There is just this one screw.

bcling -

One screw - super easy in that regard!

Determined, but distracted -

My screw was a T4 not a T3.

Jason Russell -

Step 13

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the screen connector bracket.

Step 14

Use the tip of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the screen flex cable.
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.

This was the most tedious part for me when reassembling. I used the gold colored corners on the board to line up the connector. Also, I recommend using your finger and not the spudger for pressing down when you reattach (even if you don't have small hands); this helps you feel the slight click when it's in place.

Additionally, you can use the suction cup as a sort of kickstand so you have enough ribbon cable to work with (because there's not a lot.)

Lol No -

Just successfully completed my screen replacement & agree with the comments above. This guide would be improved if there was a close-up picture showing the gold alignment marks. Sorry, I would have posted a picture of this myself, but my phone was being operated on at the time. LoL

CRAIG MCKAY -

Operation success! Had some trouble when disconnecting and removing the old screen because I didn't know how much range I had when opening it up like a book. Ended up bending the connector on the old screen and bent the connector on the motherboard a little. Be very careful when opening up the screen while the screen is still attached to the frame. Only open it up like 30 degrees at first to see what the cable is doing and how much slack you have.

This led to me trying to straighten out the pins on the motherboard connector for like 3 painstaking hours because every time I tried to insert the new connector by clicking down on one side at a time it kept popping up on the opposite end and shifting up/down a little bit. Assumed the pins were still misaligned with the screen connector and eventually got frustrated enough to just push down the connector in the middle, which explicitly contradicts the instructions. The connector still popped off with some light pressure but I just put the bracket on & it all works!

A Husk -

Reattaching the cable was definitely the hardest part. I've only done this once before but that time there was a much more tangible sensation when all was attached. No matter how carefully I lined things up inside the golden corners it just didn't seem to be clicking as expected. I finally thought I got it so I put the metal cover back and hoped for the best.

Bonus fun - the "remove this last" plastic that covered the pre-cut adhesive came up with the blue plastic sheet, so I was working around exposed adhesive. I kept a piece of stiff plastic over that and tried not let the phone get glued back together and in the end it worked.

I wish I'd got a 2nd sheet of adhesive in case once reassembled it turned out the little pins had not connected well enough - I didn't know if it would be ok to start it up again before actually pressing things together. Would that have messed with the calibration? Would be nice to know if I coud have tested the connection and then squeezed it all shut.

Determined, but distracted -

Yes, the attaching of the cable is the hardest part. Mine never really stayed , so I did what the determined person before me did: Put the metal part on top and hope for the best.

I used my fingers to tell if it was on top and also made sure that the square was aligned with the gold corners on the phone.

You definitely need a second person to hold a light and the screen while you do everything. I couldn’t have finished otherwise.

It works!!!! I’m so happy 😀 Good luck!

First time doing this -

Got it connected, saw my screen for a couple of seconds clear as day, then when I went to put it back together and the screen blacked out....lightly flashing I gently brought it around the edges to snap them together and the last one by the camera had a little bit of a harder time... 😭

Jen -

Step 15

Remove the screen from the phone.
During reassembly:
If you replaced the screen, check the screen's front-facing camera hole and remove any protective liners covering it.
Remember to reinstall the screen connector bracket.
If you are using a custom-cut adhesive, follow this guide to correctly apply new screen adhesive.
If you are using Tesa tape to reattach the screen, 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.

The ribbon connector is a little tricky to attach to the pcb. Just be patient with the spudger and it will connect. The precut adhesive strip is such a nice touch for finishing the project.

Dustin Ashberry -

I also struggled with the ribbon connector. Be patient. It is hard to see the alignment so is done by feel and some outline guides on the pcb. I plugged in the new screen, tested by powering up the phone, then unplugged the screen to install the pre-cut adhesive. There were no instructions with the pre-cut adhesive sheet. First remove EVERY trace of old adhesive. I used the spudger plus isopropyl alcohol on a lint free wipe. Once the old glue was gone, I aligned the pre-cut adhesive with the clear plastic side down, folded down about 1", confirmed my alignment, then pulled on the clear plastic and secured as I removed the clear liner. Then I removed the large blue plastic liner, then there was a very small blue pull tab that exposed the top sticky side of the adhesive. Carefully pull on that to removed. Be sure to re-install the metal latch and screw over the ribbon connector before snapping the screen back onto the phone. I forgot it and had to re-open the phone. Face-palm!

Lisa McManis -

Custom cut adhesive is great. No instructions.

Do not reattach the ribbon cable before applying the adhesive.

Check the alignment of the adhesive with the clear plastic down.

Carefully remove the clear plastic. This can be done all at once or gradually starting at the bottom of the phone.

Apply the adhesive starting at the bottom of the phone pressing the adhesive in place and rechecking alignment as you go.

Once the adhesive is in place, press the adhesive down again.

Remove the blue plastic using the tabs at the top and down each side.

Reattach the display cable by pressing the connector down from one side and then the other. The alignment of the connector is difficult since it is not visible, but starting at one side makes alignment easier.

Reinstall the connector retaining plate and screw.

Remove lens and connector tape from the top of the new screen

Reinstall the screen and press down firmly on all of the edges making sure there are no gaps around the bezel.

Power on without touching the screen to calibrate.

craig potts -

Precut adhesive is installed in 3 steps:

1. Place adhesive before attaching cable. Remove clear plastic from adhesive and align with phone. Place adhesive onto phone using camera hole as starting point. Make sure blue plastic is properly aligned with edge of phone around entire perimeter

2. Once adhesive is aligned and fully on, remove blue plastic starting from top right corner. A rectangular tab there can be lifted and used to remove blue plastic. Thin blue plastic strip will remain on adhesive after removing blue sheet. Leave it on to prevent damaging adhesive while screen is being installed

3. Attach screen cable and retaining clip. Remove thin blue plastic strip starting from bottom. Two tabs there can be used to get started. Align and attach screen

When attaching cable, hold screen perpendicular to phone with screen facing bottom charging port. This will give the cable more slack to work with. Two corner outlines are printed next to the plug on the phone that can be used to help with cable alignment

barely_diy - 23/09/22

The display connector's snaps are quite weak and will come undone easily. The connector's bracket seems to be the only thing keeps it in place. Try to get the connector to snap in as best you can (as others have said it's about feel) then install the bracket to lock it down. Lastly, the ribbon cable is fragile but it can be gently bent to help with installation. I bent mine outwards around 120 degrees and had no issues.

Mason Tate -

Remember after the cable retainer plate but before the screen is laid down, peel the proximity sensor protective film, and the tiny red tab on the camera peephole protective film.

Then you can start to pull a little bit on the thin blue strip tab so it hangs out, rest the screen clips in position but do not push down.

This will leave enough gap for you to now fully pull out the thin strip. Then click the screen down.

I had a bit of a scare, during 1st power on test screen just showed snow, super long pressed to turn it back off but there was no feedback to tell me it had done so. Un&re-plugged screen and got a bigger scare when it wouldn't turn on. Insanely super long press and it did come on to a normal boot sequence and a beautiful screen.

Stephen Cass -

The process went smoothly for me. The only thing I failed to realize is there is actually two pieces of protection over the camera hole. There was a piece of masking tape AND a clear red cover. I didn't like the idea of my phone taking red pictures so I had to disassemble and remove this red cover. The phone was far too easy to disassemble a second time which made me wonder if the adhesive I applied was doing it's job. I decided to heat the parameter with a hair dryer the second time I put the screen in.

Joshua Morris -

Thank you! This is so important! You saved me a headache.

ccc -

Is there any reason why a screen replacement on a pixel 5a would result in lost encryption keys? Specifically, I am curious about the Titan M security chip. I know that it will not release encryption keys if it detects certain hardware modifications. Would a new screen be one of the hardware modifications flagged by the Titan M?

Jacob -

Attaching the new ribbon connector was an absolute nightmare. After trying for almost an hour, I had to pay a mobile phone repairperson to fix it. Even he struggled with it and asked if I had the correct screen.

I also want to echo what someone else said: make sure you remove the plastic with the red flap from the front facing camera lens on the new screen. There are two temp adhesives to remove for that one.

ccc - 29/06/23

Very grateful for the comments to remove both camera lens covers before assembly! Luckily the 2nd one being red made me wonder if something was wrong, but it's really not super obvious that the red part should be removed. I had to really get down in the window hole to remove it

Determined, but distracted -

There were instructions for the adhesive, they just have a separate link for that.

So the outline is:

1. Use the iopener to loosen the adhesive

2. Using the given tools, pry on the right and remove the old screen with bezel

3. Disconnect the old screen, save the screw and guard

4. Remove the old adhesive

5. Clean

6. Place the custom adhesive ( line it up with the front cam), align and attach

7. Remove the front part of the custom adhesive

8. Connect the new screen ( remove any needless taping) and test.

9. Put the guard and screw back

10. Close project

hema v -

I didn't spot the protector on the camera. So now I have no selfie camera. I don't even see this step in their guides. 😟

Brit inCali -

All the tips here were great.

Peeling off the old glue and cleaning was more difficult than expected. I needed to use about 7 q-tips with alcohol and scrubbing.

No issues reconnecting the display after reading the tips here.

One thing: when peeling off the old glue, there was a small part made of plastic that came with it. I think it is part of the phone (but maybe not?).

Anyone know what this is: https://imgur.com/a/PxRaPwa

repair-dude -

I had this problem in a different way - after attaching the new screen and trying to put it in place, i found a spot where the new screen refused to get re-seated. Thankfully, I was doing things very gingerly, so I didn't crack the screen trying to force it closed. Turned out this same piece of plastic was in the way, and it just fell out. I suspect its part of one of the screen holding clips that broke while removing the damaged screen. Once I removed it, the new screen seated itself without a problem.

Learning - be careful while seating the new screen - if something isn't going back in, don't try to force it, just check if there is a small piece of plastic in the way.

In general - great guide for fixing the screen.

Only caveat - the iOpener method didn't work for me. Used a hairblower instead. One side at a time - first right side, then top, then bottom (no particular reason for order of top vs bottom), then the left side.

Vinay Pydah -

Step 16

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove six of the screws securing the midframe to the motherboard:
Four 4.6 mm screws
One 4.0 mm screw
One 2.0 mm screw
Since a few of these screws have different lengths, keep track of each screw and be sure to reinstall them in their proper places.

One of the 4.6mm screws in this step is different. The one closest to the graphite sheet has a different color head and is smaller.

John Peterson -

Step 17

Use the pointed end of a spudger to pry up on the black plastic cover at the bottom left of the phone.

Step 18

Slide the pointed end of the spudger left until the plastic cover is completely separated from the midframe.
Remove the plastic cover from the midframe.

Step 19

Use a pair of tweezers to slightly peel back the tape concealing the two screws securing the charging port bracket.

Step 20

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the remaining four screws securing the midframe to the motherboard:
Three 4.6 mm screws
One 4.0 mm screw

Step 21

Use a spudger or a pair of tweezers to peel back the tape securing the charging port bracket to the speaker assembly.
Take care not to puncture or bend the battery with your tool—a punctured or bent battery may leak dangerous chemicals or cause a fire.

Step 22

Use a blunt pair of tweezers, or your fingers, to carefully peel back the graphite sheet covering the battery.
Be careful not to accidentally puncture or otherwise damage the battery when gripping the graphite sheet.

Step 23

Insert the pointed end of a spudger under the top right corner of the midframe.
There is a black plastic clip at the top of the midframe that secures it to the top of the frame. To detach it, use the spudger to pull the midframe down and then pry up.

Step 24

Remove the midframe.

Step 25

There are two small plastic bits that help hold the midframe in place. Take care not to misplace them, as without the midframe to hold them in place, they are very easy to lose.
Be sure to place these back into their respective corners before replacing the midframe when reassembling your device.

Step 26

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up on the battery connector to disconnect it.

Step 27

If you are using adhesive remover, follow these preparation steps first.
Apply 2-3 drops of high concentration (90% or higher) isopropyl alcohol under each corner of the battery and allow it to penetrate for 2-3 minutes to help weaken the adhesive.

Step 28

Insert a pick into the gap to the right of the battery and slide its tip underneath the battery.
Take care not to puncture or bend the battery with your tool—a punctured or bent battery may leak dangerous chemicals or cause a fire.
Slide the pick along the right side of the battery to slice through the adhesive securing it to the midframe.
Once the right side of the battery begins to separate from the midframe, leave an opening pick in the gap to keep the battery slightly raised.
Apply a few drops of isopropyl alcohol directly to the adhesive securing the battery to the midframe. Let the isopropyl penetrate the adhesive for 2-3 minutes.

Step 29

Repeat the last step with an opening card to slice through the remaining adhesive under the right side of the battery.
Remove the battery.
Do not reuse the battery after it has been removed. The stress of removal can cause hidden damage to the battery cell, creating a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.
To install a new battery:
Remove any remaining adhesive from the phone, and clean the entire area under the battery with isopropyl alcohol. 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 new battery.
Apply a few new strips of pre-cut adhesive or Tesa tape.
If you are attaching the battery with a custom-cut adhesive, follow this guide.
Press the new battery firmly into place for 5-10 seconds.

Make sure to align the battery close to the bottom, so that the connector is not crumpled. Once the glue takes hold, you will not be able to move the battery.

Replacement batteries may be smaller than the original.

Geoff Gunner - 10/02/24

Conclusion

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 Google Pixel 5a Answers community for help.

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 you install it.

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

Author

Clay Kim

Member since: 16/02/21

9619 Reputation

3 comments

Merci pour ce tutoriel mais ou trouver une batterie neuve?

mido -

Hi, would you happen to have a copy of the msds sheet for the pixel 5a battery?

Puv -

Yes Puv, I own the master msds sheet for the pixel 5a battery

NAJMA YAHYA -