Samsung Galaxy S10e Screen Replacement

Written By: Arthur Shi

Comments: 36

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

Follow this guide to remove and replace a broken screen for your Samsung Galaxy S10e. This involves removing the back cover in order to disconnect the screen from the motherboard.

This guide destructively removes the screen panel while retaining the original frame. The screen consists of the top glass and the display panel. Even though the procedure will remove the top glass separately from the panel, you will not be able to reuse the screen.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Opening your phone will compromise its waterproof seals. Have replacement adhesive ready before you proceed, or take care to avoid liquid exposure if you reassemble your phone without replacing the adhesive.
Turn your phone off completely before you begin this repair.
Prepare an iOpener and heat the back of the phone along the right edge for about two minutes. This will help soften the adhesive securing the back cover.
You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the phone warm enough. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the OLED display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

L'écran OLED et la la batterie

Isidore LECHAT -

My s10e is 4 years old now and I found glue had weakend and heating was uneccissary.

ervan.hady -

I purchased my S10e refurbished, so the exact age and prior repairs are unknown. I believe it had ~200 charge cycles. After 2.5 years, the side adhesive started to fail and there was a noticeable slit under the rear cover. It was unclear if the lithium battery was starting to swell, which would have been a more dangerous thing. As such, 3 out of the 4 sides were easy to open just with sliding the pick.

I heated the iOpeners for 30s in my 1000W microwave and it reached a temp of 180oF. I placed this on the final corner and it released fairly easily.

WL1 -

Is 180 degrees a good temperature to set the air temperature to if a heat gun is used?

Gee Foe -

Mine released without heat, just caught the edge with a fingernail and was able to work it free without any tools.

Gee Foe -

I would definitely NOT use a heat gun; the iOpener is the right thing to use. I've repaired many devices and I have lots of heat guns, but a heat gun puts out a tremendous amount of heat, and spreads it everywhere instead of in a controlled manner. The iOpener is about 150 F -- just getting uncomfortable to touch -- and the heat is all in a thin strip. You want to gently heat the edges of the cover, not cook the battery and electronics. Smart phones are expensive and the iFixit tools are cheap. Don't risk your phone to save a few bucks.

MikeT-NYC -

Step 2

In the following steps, you'll be cutting through the adhesive securing the back cover.
The adhesive is laid out as seen in the first image, which shows the inside of the cover after it has been removed.
As seen from the outside of the phone, you'll be slicing through the adhesive in the highlighted areas.
The adhesive is the thinnest on the right side of the phone, just below the Bixby button.

glad to see Samsung has improved back glass quality since the tortilla chip on the Note 5. much friendlier to open.

Steve B - 05/09/19

My S10e was two years old so the adhesive was really weak, and it was really simple to open. Still, this guide was totally useful.

Rafael Sánchez Treviño -

That's encouraging, hopefully the older-than-2 years S10e I'm looking to do proves as easy to open-

Gee Foe -

Mine was fairly easy, 3 years old and I was able to just pick it open carefully using only my fingernails. The hard part was the battery, which I did slowly to reuse the original adhesive, getting it off in one continuous strip.

Gee Foe -

Step 3

Secure a suction cup to the back cover, as close to the heated edge as possible, just under the Bixby button where the adhesive is thinnest.
The suction cup will not make a good seal on the curved portion of the glass, so avoid putting it on the very edge.
If the phone's back cover is cracked, the suction cup may not stick. Try lifting it with strong tape, or superglue the suction cup in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.

La ventouse n'adhérera pas correctement sur la partie incurvée de la vitre ,

Sur la partie incurvée de la coque.

Isidore LECHAT -

Step 4

Prop up the heated edge of the phone on something that is about 0.5 inches (13 mm) thick. This will angle the phone so that the opening tool is easier to insert.
Lift the back cover's right edge with your suction cup, opening a slight gap between the back cover and the frame.
This may require a significant amount of force. If you have trouble, apply more heat to further soften the adhesive, and try again. The adhesive cools very fast, so you may need to heat it repeatedly.
If you're using an iOpener, follow the heating instructions to avoid overheating it, or the gel pack may burst.
Press the edge of an opening tool into the gap.
The rear glass can break if you use too much force or attempt to pry with metal tools.

Step 5

Slide the opening tool along the right edge of the phone to slice through the adhesive securing the back cover.

I found that using opening picks for the entire repair was much easier then the pry tool, but that could just be me

Jake Simek - 25/02/21

You are criminals! This "tutorial" is full of destructive instructions. And whenever trying to make a comment, iFixid admin hides behind the bot personality telling: "Your comment was marked as spam"

People, do not trust them! They tell you everything to break your phone so you will need to bring it to service!

Someone fromjapan -

You are criminals! No one ever should use the triangular "mediator" pick for iPhones, or planar connector picks! The back cover is NOT gorilla-glass, and it will crack in multiple places immediately! Only very thin "watchmaker" opening plates(initial pickup) and 0.1mm rigid PP stripes (cut from cheap tool packages, or 7-eleven food packs) may be used there. Before that the side rim - not the cover itself should be heated to boiling point and constantly re-heated while tearing the two-sided scotch. The opening strip may be replaced 2-3 times while reaching the opposite side, because it collects the torn glue. This instruction from iFixit is a pure sabotage for tricking non-expecting users to repair-shops.
The same goes to battery, if you don't risk using solvents, which may damage the screen and the circuit. Only rounded PP strips may tear off the battery scotch. It should be preheated from the screen side, until the battery becomes hot.

Someone fromjapan -

The commenter who keeps saying "you are criminals" over and over may have been using this guide to repair a different phone, so he or she is confused. On the Galaxy S10e, I had no trouble heating and lifting the cover as described (though I had to reheat the iOpener several times). If you heat it gently with the iOpener and long enough, you're not stressing the back cover because the glue will come loose almost immediately. (I could have almost lifted it with a fingernail).

MikeT-NYC - 13/01/24

Step 6

Insert an opening pick into the edge next to the opening tool. Leave the pick here to prevent the separated glue from re-adhering.

Step 7

Apply a heated iOpener to the top edge of the phone for two minutes.

Step 8

Insert an opening pick near the top right corner of the phone and slide it around the corner and across the top edge of the phone.
The glued area is larger here, so you'll need to insert your pick farther into the phone to separate it.
Leave the opening pick in place to prevent the adhesive from re-adhering.

This was the only part on my phone that had viable adhesive after it started to naturally separate.

WL1 -

Step 9

Apply a heated iOpener to the left edge of the phone for two minutes.

Insérez un nouveau médiator à côté du bord

Insérer un autre mediator

Isidore LECHAT -

Step 10

Insert a new opening pick near the top left corner and slide it along the left edge of the phone.
Again, leave the opening pick in place in the left edge of the phone to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 11

Apply a heated iOpener to the bottom edge of the phone for two minutes.

Step 12

Insert an opening pick near a bottom corner of the phone, and slide it along the bottom edge of the phone to separate the adhesive there.
The glued area is larger here, so you'll need to insert your pick farther into the phone to fully separate it.

Step 13

Use the opening picks to very carefully pry up the back cover.
If you encounter any resistance, stop prying and use an opening pick to cut any remaining adhesive.
Remove the back cover.

WARNING: Once the cover is off, protect both the inside of the camera window in the back and the camera lens in the phone itself with pieces of paper held on by masking tape. This will prevent accidentally getting cleaner or fingerprints on them.

MikeT-NYC -

Step 14

Follow this guide to reinstall the back cover and replace the adhesive.
Be sure to turn on your phone and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing the phone.
If desired, you may reinstall the back cover without replacing the adhesive. Remove any large chunks of adhesive that might prevent the back cover from sitting down flush. After installation, heat the back cover and apply pressure to secure it. It won't be waterproof, but the leftover adhesive is usually more than strong enough to hold.

This should be the very last step in the guide, but the edit button seems to only allow editing the content, not the positioning in the guide. Not sure how to fix this.

James Beegle -

The photo seems to show someone lifting the old glue off with tweezers. That certainly wasn't true for my glue! I scrubbed it off with isopropyl alcohol and fabric. (Don't use a paper towel or Kleenex because they fall apart. I used a postage-stamp-size square cut from an old athletic sock. With this and the alcohol I was able to get the cover and the phone as clean as they were at the factory.

When doing this, hold the phone at an angle in your other hand so any alcohol dribble to the outside and not to anywhere important.

MikeT-NYC -

Step 15

Remove the eight 3.9 mm Phillips screws securing the upper midframe to the phone.

Again, criminal lies! These screws have different length! Take notes which are where! There are at least 4 versions of antenna/coil modules, so each time it may be a little different.

Someone fromjapan - 23/08/23

Interesting observation! I did not see this comment until after I reassembled the midframe and closed everything, so I can not confirm. If true, I either got lucky or it didn't matter.

WL1 -

I'll note this and see about maintaining the same order for reinstallation -

Gee Foe -

Mine appeared to be all identical, so it was easy

Gee Foe -

The screws on my SM-G970F/DS were all identical.

James Beegle -

The screws in my phone were also identical. I think the "criminal lies" commenter above was confused and was using these instructions to repair a different phone. Too many of his or her comments are just not relevant to this job.

MikeT-NYC -

Step 16

Slide an opening pick under the bottom right corner of the upper midframe to separate the adhesive holding it to the lower midframe.

I also had to use a little bit of heat here from the iOpener.

MikeT-NYC -

Step 17

Insert the point of a spudger in the small cutout on the right edge of the plastic part of the upper midframe, near the Bixby button.
Use the point of the spudger to pry the midframe up from the phone chassis.

Criminals! These instructions are given for breaking your phone! Never use the puncher-picker! The antenna module, after gently unglued in the single spot, is pulled down! Not up! DOWN, I said! And it comes off without any force. Minimal force will be required to push it back (after putting it flat on place).

Someone fromjapan - 23/08/23

Step 18

Lift the midframe by the plastic section and remove it from the phone.
To reinstall, first insert the top edge of the assembly into the phone's frame, and then gently press down on the rest of the assembly to snap it into place.

In my phone there was a lot of residual adhesive on the top section, so I initially just flapped it over like a hinge while I finished the other steps. For me, I found, and it should be emphasized, for the reinstall, the top edge needs to be placed flat and snapped UP into the chassis for it to fit.

WL1 -

Step 19

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the battery connector straight up from its socket and disconnect it.

This manual is a pure SABOTAGE! Never pick up the connector from the camera side! You risk damaging the camera, and the connector itself. Pick it up gently in two steps from left first, then from right, if it does not jump up immediately.

Someone fromjapan - 23/08/23

Going from the sides also avoids shorting the battery contacts if you use anything other than a non conductive tool. So the side is best.

Gee Foe -

Step 20

Use a Phillips driver to remove the seven 3.9 mm screws securing the loudspeaker.

Step 21

Insert the point of a spudger into the notch on the right edge of the loudspeaker.
Pry up with the spudger to loosen the loudspeaker.

Step 22

Lift the loudspeaker up and remove it.
To reassemble, press the loudspeaker edges until it snaps into place.

Step 23

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the screen connector from its motherboard 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.

The blue L-pick is there for picking up the connectors! Not the black glue-scratcher/puncher! Follow this manual if you want to destroy your phone.

Someone fromjapan -

Step 24

Flip the phone over so that the display is facing up.
Apply a heated iOpener to the right edge of the screen for two minutes.
A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the internal battery is susceptible to heat damage.
As you wait, note the following seams:
Display seam—this seam sits above the thin plastic bezel. You need to pry along this seam to separate the display.
Frame seam—this seam sits below the thin plastic bezel. Do not pry along this seam or you will damage the plastic bezel.

Absolutely useless -this otolaryngological warm-pad is made for treating sinusitis and ear inflammation. It will never heat up the phone frame to 90C. Use the hot-plate and hot-air gun. At least a good hairdrier may work.

Someone fromjapan -

Step 25

Apply a suction cup to the heated edge of the display.
Pull up on the suction up with strong, steady force to create a gap.
Depending on the age of your device, this may be difficult. If you have trouble, apply more heat and try again.
Insert the point of an opening pick into the display seam gap.
Make sure to insert the opening pick into the seam above the plastic bezel.

Step 26

Slide the opening pick along the right edge to slice through the adhesive.
Leave the opening pick in the corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 27

Apply a heated iOpener to the bottom edge of the display for one minute.

Step 28

Slide an opening pick along the bottom edge to slice through the adhesive.
Leave the opening pick in the corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 29

Repeat the heating and slicing procedure for the remaining display sides.

Step 30

Lift up and remove the display glass.
The OLED panel is normally sealed against this glass panel. Once it's exposed to air, the panel will no longer work.

does it mean that you cannot reattach the screen to make it work again?

Carlos -

That's correct. If you were able to detach the screen without separating the layers, you can use it again.

Arthur Shi -

Step 31

Apply a heated iOpener to the OLED panel for a minute to soften up the panel adhesive.

Step 32

Lift the display panel from the right edge and peel it away from the frame.

Step 33

Thread the display panel connector through the frame.
If you are having trouble, you can choose to cut the display panel cable in order to remove the display.

Step 34

Remove the display panel.
If you are using a custom-cut adhesive, follow this guide for instructions on how to remove the old adhesive and attach the replacement screen.
If you are using Tesa tape to reattach the screen, follow this guide.

Conclusion

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

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

After you've completed the repair, follow this guide to test your repair.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.

Author

Arthur Shi

Member since: 03/01/18

248651 Reputation

One comment

Can I use S10e Exynos screen on a snapdragon one?

Ahmad -