Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Rear Camera Bezel Replacement

Written By: Adam O'Camb

Comments: 2

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Rear Camera Bezel Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

40 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the rear camera bezel, including the glass camera lens cover, in your Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.

If your replacement part does not come with adhesive mounted on it, you will also need to purchase adhesive for the rear camera bezel. You can buy pre-cut adhesive, or thin high-bond tape.

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.
Prepare an iOpener and heat the back of the phone along its left 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.

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 outside the phone, you'll be slicing through the adhesive in the areas shown:
Thick portions of adhesive
Thin areas of adhesive
Avoid prying or slicing in this area, to protect the fingerprint sensor flex cable.

Step 3

Secure a suction cup to the back cover, as close to the heated edge as possible.
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.
Lift the back cover's left edge with your suction cup, opening a slight gap between the back cover and the frame.
This may require a significant amount of force, but you only need to open a very slight gap with the suction cup to insert your tool.
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 instructions to avoid overheating it, or the gel pack may burst.

Step 4

Insert an opening pick into the gap.
The rear glass can break if you use too much force or attempt to pry with metal tools.
Optionally, once the pick is inserted, you can add a few drops of isopropyl alcohol into the gap to help weaken the adhesive in the following steps.

I strongly advise using a modeling knife to cut the adhesive when you get a sufficient gap otherwise you may easily break the corners of the extremely thin back glass on the phone (as I did).

Michael De Angelis - 29/07/19

There are NO "Opening Picks" in the repair kit!!!!!

CA Winters -

Step 5

Slide your opening pick along the left edge of the phone to slice through the adhesive securing the back cover.
Afterward, it may help to leave the pick in place and grab a second pick as you proceed to the next step. Leaving the pick inserted can help prevent the glue you just separated from re-adhering.

Step 6

Continue slicing through the adhesive along the bottom edge of the phone.
Re-heat the back cover as needed to prevent the glue from cooling and hardening.
The glued area is larger here, so you'll need to insert your pick farther into the phone to fully separate it.
Again, it may help to leave the opening pick in place and grab another one for the following step.

Step 7

Slice through the remaining adhesive along the top edge and right side.
You can damage the fingerprint sensor's flex cable if you insert your pick too far in this step. Work carefully and use the diagram in step 2 for guidance.

Step 8

Don't try to fully remove the back cover yet.
Lift the back cover from its left edge and hinge it open slightly.

Step 9

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the fingerprint sensor flex cable.

Step 10

During reassembly, in order to reconnect the fingerprint sensor cable, first angle the back cover into position until the cable connector lines up perfectly over its socket.
Then, use the flat end of your spudger to gently snap the connector into place by pressing it straight down.
If you have slender hands, you may be able to press the connector into place with your finger. Just be careful not to strain the cable.
This takes patience and a bit of practice. Don't rush it or attempt to force the connector into place.

Step 11

Remove the back cover.
To install a new 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.
Peel the adhesive backing off of the new rear glass, carefully line up one edge of the glass against the phone chassis, and firmly press the glass onto the phone.
To reinstall the back cover, or to install a back cover without pre-installed adhesive, follow this guide.
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 glue is usually more than strong enough to hold.
You may also need to transfer the camera bezel to your new part. If that's the case, follow our camera bezel replacement guide.

Step 12

Prepare an iOpener and apply it to the rear camera bezel at the top of the rear glass for at least two minutes.
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 and melt any plastic components.

Step 13

Insert an opening pick under top edge of the rear camera bezel.
Slide the opening pick around the edges of the camera bezel to separate the adhesive securing it to the rear glass.
Do not pry on the side that sits against the fingerprint sensor.

Step 14

Use an opening pick to pry the camera bezel away from the rear glass.
Take care to avoid catching the camera bezel on the fingerprint cable as you remove it.
If you encounter resistance, use an opening pick to cut any remaining adhesive.
Remove the camera bezel.

Step 15

Use tweezers to peel away the adhesive left by the rear camera bezel.
Use a spudger to scrape away any remaining adhesive where the camera bezel adheres to the rear glass.
Clean the adhesion area with high concentration isopropyl alcohol (at least 90%) and a lint-free cloth. Swipe in one direction only, not back and forth. This will help prep the surface for the new adhesive.

Step 16

If your part did not come with pre-cut adhesive, use high-bond double-sided tape, such as Tesa 61395, or pieces of a pre-cut adhesive sheet to secure the camera bezel.
Cut pieces of tape to the appropriate size so they fit along the edges of the camera bezel. When in doubt, use a narrower size tape than you think you might need.
Use tweezers to apply the tape to the metal surface of the bezel, on the side where the camera lens cover protrudes.
Try to cover most of the metal surface of the bezel with tape. Avoid overlapping tape onto any plastic or glass areas.

Step 17

Use tweezers to peel the backing off all the adhesive on the rear camera bezel.

Step 18

Carefully line up the rear camera bezel with the cutouts on the rear glass. With the bezel's adhesive side facing the glass, set the bezel down on the glass so that the camera lens cover sits in its cutout in the glass.
Make sure the camera lens cover is completely seated in the rear glass' camera cutout so that the bezel lays flat against the glass.
Use your fingers to apply even pressure to the bezel for 30 seconds to make sure the adhesive bonds properly.
Right before you install the rear glass and seal the phone, peel off the blue backing covering the camera glass.