Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Screen Replacement

Written By: Jeff Suovanen

Comments: 5

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Screen Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

2 - 3 hours

Introduction

Prerequisite-only screen repair guide.

This guide instructs you to replace only the display while leaving the original frame, logic board, and battery in place. Note: some replacement screens for this phone come pre-installed in a new frame (a.k.a. chassis), which requires you to transplant all of your phone's internals and install a new battery. This procedure is very different, so make sure you have the correct part before starting this guide.

If the frame is damaged or bent, it's important to replace it, or else the new screen may not mount correctly and can suffer damage from uneven pressure.

The process of separating the display from the frame usually destroys the display, so don't follow this guide unless you intend to replace the display.

Tools

Parts

Tesa 61395 Double-Sided Tape

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

Remove the eleven 3.7 mm Phillips screws securing the wireless charging coil + antenna assembly.
If any screws are difficult to remove even when fully loosened, you can pull them out with tweezers.

Step 13

The wireless charging coil + antenna assembly is also secured with small plastic clips.
Use a spudger to gently pry up the plastic in the marked areas to pop the clips free.

The spudger tool has a pointy end and a flat end, it’s not clear which end should be used. Furthermore, the flat end is too wide to insert into the area shown, so the pointy end would seem obvious, but there is no clear indication whether it should be used to push any tabs in the area referenced, which I couldn’t find any, or if you’re meant to just sort of pry it in there until the area pops up, which is what I had to do. Then use the flat end of the spudger to lift it up gently after releasing, or popping the opposite side up as well.

Mark Velasco -

Step 14

Remove the wireless charging coil + antenna assembly.
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.

Step 15

Use a spudger to disconnect the battery by prying the connector straight up from its socket.

Step 16

Using a spudger, disconnect the display by carefully prying up its flex cable connector from the socket on the motherboard.
Optionally, temporarily press the phone's back cover into place to protect the motherboard and battery from accidental damage in the following steps.

Step 17

Heat the bottom edge of the display to soften the adhesive securing it to the phone.
The glue securing the display can be significantly stronger than the glue that secures the back cover. If necessary, switch to a hair dryer or heat gun in order to apply enough heat to weaken the adhesive.

Step 18

If possible, press a suction cup into place near the bottom edge of the display.
If your display is badly cracked, the suction cup may not stick. Try lifting the display with strong tape, or superglue the suction cup in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.

Step 19

Pull up on the suction cup to lift the display's lower edge, opening a slight gap between the display and the frame.
Insert an opening pick into the gap.
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.

Step 20

Slide your opening pick along the lower edge of the display to separate the adhesive underneath.

Step 21

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 22

Reheat the iOpener and apply heat to the left edge of the display for at least two minutes.

Step 23

Use your opening pick to separate the adhesive under the left side of the display.

Step 24

Apply heat to the right side of the screen for at least two minutes.
If you're using an iOpener, you can re-heat it as needed, but follow the instructions to avoid overheating or the gel pack may rupture.

Step 25

Use your opening pick to separate the adhesive under the right edge of the display.
The display's flex cable is located just below the midpoint on this side, and may interfere with your pick if you pry too deeply.

Step 26

Apply heat to the top edge of the screen for at least two minutes.
If you're using an iOpener, you can re-heat it as needed, but follow the instructions to avoid overheating or the gel pack may rupture.

Step 27

Gently work your opening pick under the top edge of the display to separate the adhesive underneath.
Don't pry too aggressively or you may damage the front-facing sensors and speaker assembly. You can come back to finish separating this section after the rest of the display is loose.

Step 28

Use your picks as needed to finish separating the adhesive beneath all areas of the display.
Remember that the display's flex cable is located just below the midpoint on the right edge, and may interfere with your pick.
Use a little extra caution when prying near the top edge so as not to damage the front-facing sensors and earpiece speaker.

Step 29

Lift and fully separate the left edge of the display from the frame.
The opposite edge will take a bit of a extra care to separate due to the display flex cable.

Step 30

Route the display's flex cable through its hole in the frame in order to fully separate the right edge of the display.

Step 31

Remove the display.
Follow this link for a detailed screen adhesive application guide.
Before installing a new display, it's very important to remove all traces of the old adhesive from the frame, while taking special care to remove any small glass fragments.
After removing all traces of glue and glass from the frame, clean the adhesion areas with 90% (or higher) isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth or coffee filter. Swipe in one direction only, not back and forth.
This helps remove any remaining adhesive residue and preps the surface for the new adhesive.
If the frame is bent, or if any glue or glass remnants are left behind, the new display will not mount correctly and may be damaged. If necessary, replace the frame.
The best way to secure the new screen is with a sheet of custom-cut double-sided tape. Apply the tape to the back of the screen, then carefully feed the display cable through the frame. Align the screen and press it into place.