OnePlus 5 Back Cover Replacement

Written By: Arthur Shi

Comments: 17

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

20 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

This guide shows how to remove the back cover to access the OnePlus 5’s internals. The hardest part is getting the frame clips free. Once that is done, the cover comes off easily.

Tools

Step 1

Insert a SIM card eject tool, bit, or a straightened paperclip into the small hole below the SIM card tray, located near the rear cameras on the edge of the phone.
Press firmly to eject the tray.
During reassembly, be sure to properly orient the SIM tray you you insert it.

Step 2

Remove the two 2.6 mm T2 screws straddling the USB-C port on the bottom edge of the phone.

What are the reference of the screws ? They are missing in the one I bought !

Yôken Asakura - 01/05/19

Hi Yôken,

They help hold the back cover on. Most of the time, the clips are enough to hold the phone together.

Arthur Shi - 01/05/19

Just FYI, for whatever reason my brand new OnePlus 5 had 0,8 mm stars screws instead of T2 Torx.

strixaluco - 21/04/20

Same here, T2 doesn’t fit the screws on my Oneplus 5. More like T1’s

Shaze An - 09/06/20

Definitely T2 for me. Do watch out during assembly. I have a feeling that it’s easy to strip these.

Juno Grégoire - 21/07/20

T2 for me too. It was missing in my kit and iFixit sent it later when I asked them about it.

Gitanshu Sardana - 29/11/20

Step 3

There is a high risk of damaging the display panel if this opening procedure is improperly followed.
The following four steps show how to pry the rear case from the plastic frame. Read through the steps first before attempting the procedure.
There are two different seams between the body and the screen of the phone:
Display panel seam: This seam is part of the display assembly. Do not pry at this seam, or you will separate and damage the display panel.
Frame seam: This is where the plastic frame meets the back cover. Only pry at this seam.
There are twelve clips that hold the frame against the rear case. Be aware of their location as you pry the back cover off in the following steps.

Step 4

As you work, try not to accidentally power on the phone. If you do, turn the phone off before resuming disassembly.
Place a suction cup near the bottom edge of the display.
Pull on the suction cup with strong steady force.
Press the edge of an opening tool straight into the frame seam near the suction cup until the edge wedges between the plastic frame and the back cover's lip.
Due to tight tolerances, this will take substantial force. Using a new opening tool with an unmarred edge will help with this step.

I found pushing open the frame seam at the corner works better than pushing from the middle like it is shown in the pictures

Mark - 10/08/20

I found the suction cup to be more of a hindrance and kept hitting the power button, making it necessary to stop and turn the phone off again. I watched a youtube video where the person didn't use a suction cup at all and decided to try that. I also found that a guitar pick type spudger worked far better than the one shown in the picture. If you're having trouble getting it started, I suggest trying those two things.

Brett Gersekowski -

Step 5

Once the opening tool's edge is wedged in position, carefully slide the tool along the bottom edge of the phone.
Carefully guide the opening tool around the left corner of the phone while keeping the tool's edge within the seam.

This was extremely difficult & took a lot of force. I needed a thin flat metal spudger and wrecked a couple of plastic ones in the process. I left a few scratches along the join in the process. It would be easier if I had something to hold the phone, in my hand I kept turning it on by accident.

David Hoffman -

what was the metal spudger did you use? I am having trouble as well. I cannot seem to pry the back cover and it feels like it is shut tightly, there are no crevices I can pry into. What was your strategy may I ask?

Azure Shoti -

At first, I slightly opened the body with a plastic tool, but it was not enough to actually open the back cover. Then I used a thin metal screwdriver for this. It was difficult but nothing special. Just be sure that you are opening the correct seam between the body and the screen and don’t make sudden moves. I bent nothing, everything came back in place when reassembled.

ivan -

Same as David here: the plastic opening tools/guitar picks were doing nothing (not even creating the first "crack") . In the end I managed to open it using Jimmy (the metal knife/spudger), but not without scratching the whole metal cover.

Nessuno Nessuno -

Step 6

Lever the opening tool to release the first clip from the frame.

Step 7

Continue sliding the opening tool along the long edge, releasing the clips along the way.
The last clip in the top-left corner near the front-facing camera is recessed and can be difficult to release. Take your time and use the flat end of a spudger or an opening pick to help.

If you have difficulties with the last clip on the upper left. Try to go round the other side (right side), beginning at the bottom. This worked very well for me after having some difficulties with the clip near the front camera.

Sebastian - 10/04/20

Step 8

With the bottom and left edge of the phone freed, gently wiggle the frame to release the top and right edge clips.
The frame is still connected to the back cover by a long flex cable. Do not remove the back cover.
During reassembly, pause here to test your phone's functionality before securing the back cover.
To reinstall the back cover:
Align the top edge of the frame to the back cover and ensure that the top clips slip into place.
Squeeze along the long edges of the phone to snap the remaining clips into place.

Reinstalling the back cover stumped me for a second… If you’re struggling with aligning the top edge of the frame, remember that the camera is going to look off/pointed a bit too low until you actually clip the frame back in.

Really stupid but it was the only thing that tripped me up in this guide.

Roger - 25/07/20

Step 9

With all the clips released, flip the phone over so that the display is face-down.
Swing the back cover around and rest it on top of the exposed frame.
Be careful not to stress the flex cable connecting the back cover and the frame.

Step 10

Remove the 2.6 mm Phillips screw holding the cable bracket above the battery in place.
Lift up and remove the cable bracket.
To reinstall the bracket, position one end into place, and bend the bracket slightly to spring the other end into place.

Step 11

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the back cover flex cable from its 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.

If it is damaged permanently is there a solution for it?

Run River -

If the flex cable pins are damaged, the flex cable can be replaced.

If the connecter pins (on the motherboard) are damaged, you might need to do microsoldering (or contact a microsoldering company) to replace the damaged connector.

Brendan - 24/05/23

Step 12

Remove the back cover.

Conclusion

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

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our OnePlus 5 Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Author

Arthur Shi

Member since: 03/01/18

248651 Reputation

One comment

This is a useless guide, I need help with replacing the backcover entirely to a new backcover, I need to remove and attach components from the old backcover to the new one.

Niko - 12/03/21