Samsung Galaxy Note9 Battery Replacement

Written By: Sam Omiotek

Comments: 27

Samsung Galaxy Note9 Battery Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

If your Galaxy Note9 battery drains quickly, won’t charge, or won’t power on it may be time for a replacement. Follow this guide to install a fresh battery.

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. If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.

For optimal performance, after completing this guide, calibrate your newly installed battery: Charge it to 100% and keep charging it for at least two more hours. Then use your phone until it shuts off due to low battery. Finally, charge it uninterrupted to 100%.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Power off your phone before beginning disassembly.
Use a hairdryer, a heatgun, or prepare an iOpener and apply it to the right edge of the back of the phone for about a minute to soften the adhesive underneath.

If using an iOpener it will need to be fully heated and set on for at least 5 minutes. You’ll know the phone is hot enough when its almost too hot to touch.

Spencer Barron - 14/12/20

Just came here to say exactly that. The instructions should be amended to state that: "Get it fully hot and leave it there for at least three minutes solid."

Mister Fixer -

Step 2

Apply a suction handle to the back cover.
Lift with a suction handle to create a gap between the back cover and the frame of the phone.
Insert an opening pick into the gap.
If the glass is badly cracked, cover it in packing tape to create a surface for the suction cup to adhere to.
If the adhesive won't budge, apply more heat, not excessive force. Too much force could break the glass.

It takes so much heat that it is concerning that damage might be caused to the internal parts. It is difficult to heat the glue, pull the case apart and insert the pick at same time. May need some more pointers to handle these situations first, to prevent possible damage. Also what about the glue that is heated and then cooled before opening? Does it run inside and cause greater adhesion after it cools? Another thing, the handling may cause the phone to turn back on while working to separate. Don't know that that is of concern.

Lou Smith -

Angle the pick up very slightly so the point goes up into the curve of the glass, not down towards the workings of the phone

Dean Lee -

Step 3

Note that there is more adhesive along the top edge and around the camera bezel than around the rest of the phone.
Cut carefully around the left edge near the fingerprint sensor or you risk damaging the ribbon cable inside.
If, at any point, the adhesive feels stubborn, apply more heat—not more force.

It's extremely easy to crack the back glass when nearing and rounding the corners. It's probably a good idea to soften the adhesive with heat as you go.

Aaron Peterson -

Step 5 is NOT "cut through the adhesive", that's steps 5-10. Step 5 is "Begin the careful process of cutting through the adhesive, starting at the right side where you already softened it. Proceed carefully, slowly, and warmly through the following steps."

Aaron Peterson - 08/01/23

These comments are spot-on. I never break a phone, and I cracked the back glass following the instructions without seeing these comments first. Heat the back much more than you think you need and go super, super slow.

Mister Fixer -

Step 4

Starting from the center, cut the adhesive up and down the right side with an opening pick.
Do not insert the pick more than halfway into the phone when cutting near the fingerprint sensor or cameras, or you risk damaging internal components.

Step 5

Be careful near the corner, as the glass is very weak. Apply more heat at any time if the adhesive becomes stuck.
Leave an opening pick in the upper-right corner.
Use another opening pick to cut the adhesive around the bottom-right corner.
Leave that opening pick in the phone.

There seems to be a lot of glue at the bottom, I broke the glass as I was cutting past the charging port - not sure if it was already fractured or just not enough heat (I used Sellotape so it didn't break up into pieces!)

I think LOTS of heat & patience is the key!

Be very careful around the corners and bottom (probably top too, but I didn't have a problem there). Make sure you've cut in far enough down the side first (go in about 1cm) but less round the corners and work in slowly.

Dean Lee -

Step 6

Use a heat gun or hair dryer or apply a heated iOpener to the left side of the rear panel for at three minutes to soften the adhesive underneath.

If using an iOpener it will need to be fully heated and set on for at least 5 minutes. You’ll know the phone is hot enough when its almost too hot to touch.

Spencer Barron - 14/12/20

Step 7

Be careful near the corners, as the glass is weakest there.
Insert an opening pick into the lower-left corner of the rear panel.
Using another opening pick, cut the adhesive along the left edge of the rear panel.
Don't insert an opening pick in more than halfway on the left edge near the fingerprint sensor or you may damage the ribbon cable inside.
It is fine if opening picks fall out as the back cover becomes separated.

Step 8

Using the inserted opening pick, carefully cut the adhesive around the upper-left corner of the rear panel.
Finally, cut the last of the adhesive along the top of the phone.
Use an iOpener, hair dryer, or heat gun to apply more heat as needed where you are cutting the adhesive.

Be VERY patient as you slide the opening picks around the periphery of the glass, and use heat very liberally. Make sure the smooth, clear aspect of the iOpener is against the glass, not the rough black portion.

David Gitlitz -

Step 9

Separate the right side of the rear cover first.
Tilt the cover up along the left edge to expose the fingerprint sensor ribbon cable.
Do not pull out the fingerprint sensor ribbon cable yet.
The fingerprint sensor cover might stay attached to the midframe.

Thought I'd done something wrong here as there wasn't a cable attached to the back - the fingerprint reader hadn't come away with the back, but had stayed with the phone.

Dean Lee -

Exactly the same experience. Made life a little easier.

Mister Fixer -

Happened to me as well.

David Gitlitz -

Step 10

Use the tip of a spudger to pry the fingerprint sensor ribbon cable up and out of its socket.

On my phone the fingerprint sensor did not come off with the back cover but stayed on the phone!

Dean Lee -

Step 11

Remove the back cover.
To re-install the back cover:
Use tweezers to peel away any remaining adhesive from the phone's chassis. Then clean the adhesion areas with high concentration isopropyl alcohol (at least 90%) and a lint-free cloth to prep the surface for the new adhesive. You don't have to clear out adhesive down to the plastic but larger pieces should be removed.
Turn on your phone and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing the phone.
Carefully apply the new adhesive to the back cover, then line up one edge of the glass against the phone chassis and firmly press the glass into the phone.

I am installing a new backplate (this is my first repair; I was CERTAIN that I would crack the back glass, and I was NOT wrong) but I’m not sure how tweezers are meant to remove gooey adhesive! I simply used the blue plastic pry tool as a scraper and gently rolled up the goo. Maybe the glue is different because I have a refurbished phone? That may also explain why I had so much trouble with Step 1. Hope that this helps!

Christopher Yarlott -

Step 12

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the nine 4 mm screws securing the upper midframe.

There are two more screws on the bottom right corner of the little side frame that the Qi plate is glued to. I took those out as it put less stress on it.

John Stone -

It helps to hold the fine tweezers with your non-dominant hand to support the screw heads and ensure they come straight out; you can also gently lift as you unscrew.

David Gitlitz -

Step 13

Insert the tip of a spudger into the upper-left corner of the upper midframe.
Pry the upper midframe out of the phone.
The upper midframe snaps into and out of place.

Step 14

Peel the wireless charging coil off the battery starting with the left side.
The adhesive is weak but you can use an opening pick to cut it if necessary.
During reassembly start by snapping the midframe into place first before adhering the wireless charging coil.

Be careful not to tear it as it comes off - especially the side bits that stick out a bit

Dean Lee -

Step 15

Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the orange ribbon cable connecting the battery to the motherboard.

Step 16

Apply a few drops of 90% isopropyl alcohol in the battery well along the bottom and in the upper-left corner of the battery.
Wait a couple of minutes for the alcohol to soften the adhesive under the battery.
Tilt the phone at various angles to help the alcohol flow under the battery.

Step 17

Apply a suction cup to the battery.
It may take multiple attempts to get the suction cup to adhere. Apply is as close to the center of the battery as possible and avoid the white sticker at the bottom of the battery.
Lift the battery straight up until there is a gap large enough to insert the opening pick.
Insert an opening pick underneath the bottom edge of the battery and twist to loosen the battery adhesive.
If the battery won’t pry out easily, apply a little more alcohol and repeat the last step to further weaken the adhesive.
Remove the battery.
Do not bend the battery. Do not reuse the battery.

Zero chance of the iFixIt suction cup sticking to the battery as it is too big so hangs over the side and doesn't get a seal.

I used loads of IPA, waited, tilted phone about, more IPA, more tilting, more IPA and prised the battery a bit at the bottom with a spudger, more IPA, prised a bit more at the bottom then (gently) prised it from the top left and it came out.

Dean Lee -

Der Saugheber hat gar nicht gehalten. Den Akku damit anzuheben war unmöglich. Stattdessen habe ich den Akku durch seitliches hebeln mit dem "Jimmy" Werkzeug heraus bekommen.

Johann Stefan Weigand -

Conclusion

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? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting 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 installing.