Steam Deck OLED Battery Replacement

Written By: Clay Eickemeyer

Comments: 3

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

2 - 3 hours

Introduction

Use this guide to safely remove and replace a worn out or dead battery in a Steam Deck OLED.

For your safety, turn on your Steam Deck and allow the battery to discharge below 5% before starting this procedure. A charged lithium-ion polymer battery can be very dangerous if accidentally punctured. If your battery looks puffy or swollen, take extra precautions.

Remember to follow general electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety procedures while repairing your device.

Don't reuse the battery after it's been removed, as doing so is a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.

You'll need replacement battery adhesive to complete this repair.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Unplug any cables from your Steam Deck OLED.
Turn on your Steam Deck and allow the battery to discharge below 5%, as a charged lithium-ion polymer battery can be dangerous if accidentally punctured.
Put your Steam Deck OLED into battery storage mode within the BIOS. Read how to do that here.
If you have a microSD card installed, make sure to remove it before opening the Steam Deck. If you attempt to remove the back cover with it still installed, it could snap right in half.
Pro tip: it can be helpful to lay your Steam Deck OLED screen-side-down in its case if you find it wobbles around during your repair.

Step 2

Use a T6 Torx driver to remove the eight 5.8 mm‑long screws securing the back cover.
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

Step 3

Insert an opening pick at an upward angle between the back cover and the front shell near one of the triggers.
If you can't insert your pick here, try along the top or bottom edges of the Steam Deck OLED before sliding it toward the handle.
Slide your pick along the edge of the handle to release the clips securing it to the front shell.

Step 4

Reinsert your pick and slide it along the top and bottom edges until the back cover feels loose.

Step 5

Grip the unclipped handle and pull it away from the front shell to release the remaining clips.
Remove the back cover.

Step 6

Grip the battery cable pull tab, located to the left of the battery.
Firmly pull the battery cable straight away from the motherboard shield (toward the battery) to disconnect it.
This bundled cable is fairly stiff. If you're having trouble, re-grip the pull tab close to the head of the connector and gently walk it side-to-side as you pull.
If the cable pull-tab feels fragile or rips during this process, remove the motherboard shield and disconnect the cable using a spudger.
When the battery cable comes free, it might push up on the motherboard shield. Don't worry, as this won't damage anything.

The pull tab can come off revealing the wires. The instructions should be updated to reflect that catch.

Khurram Tariq -

Step 7

Use a spudger to flip up the small white locking flap on the right button board interconnect cable ZIF connector.
Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's pull tab and slide it straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
The pull tab may be labelled C‑R.

Step 8

The interconnect cable is adhered to the motherboard shield.
Insert an opening pick between the interconnect cable and the motherboard shield.
Be careful not to crease or tear the cable.
If you're having trouble inserting a pick, lightly heat the cable using an iOpener or a hair dryer.
Slide your pick along the shield to separate the cable.

The adhesive is quite strong and it causes the cable to bend. Don't separate the cable from the shield and instead unscrew the shield and lift it towards the right gently to create space to access the SSD.

Khurram Tariq -

Step 9

During the rest of the repair, it may be helpful to move the interconnect cable over the battery and out of the way of the motherboard shield.
Be careful not to crease or strain the cable, as it's still adhered to the battery.
Tape the cable in place away from the motherboard shield.

Step 10

Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the two 3.8 mm‑long screws securing the top left and bottom left corners of the motherboard shield.

Step 11

If the speaker cable is taped to the bottom edge of the motherboard shield, gently peel it off.
Remove the motherboard shield.

Step 12

During reassembly, use the flat end of a spudger to slide the battery connector into its socket on the motherboard.

This step should come after the SSD is installed.

Khurram Tariq -

Step 13

Peel the interconnect cable from the battery.
If you taped the cable in place, remove the tape.

Step 14

Grip one end of the interconnect cable and peel it at a low angle off the battery.
Be careful not to crease the cable.

Step 15

Two slots along the bottom edge of the midframe allow you to insert cards underneath the battery.
In the remaining steps, you'll clear these slots, create cards to insert under the battery, and separate its adhesive.

Step 16

The antenna cables block the slots in the midframe. In this step, you'll shift them down to make room for the cards to slide underneath the battery.
Use tweezers to grip the black antenna cable in front of the right slot in the midframe.
Gently pull the antenna cable to the right and use a spudger to press the cable down and out of the way of the slot.
Repeat for the white antenna cable in front of the left slot in the midframe.

Step 17

Four long strips of strong adhesive secure the battery to the midframe. Use this picture as a reference as you slice through the adhesive in the remaining steps.

Step 18

You'll need two thin cards to fit through the slots in the midframe and slide under the battery.
Use scissors to cut a plastic card in half, longways.
It's okay if the two pieces of card aren't the same width—one of the slots in the midframe is wider than the other.
Cut the corners of the cards to be round, as sharp edges can scrape or puncture the battery, potentially causing a fire hazard.

Step 19

Wrap a layer of aluminum foil around the frame so that just the battery is exposed.
This is to protect the plastic frame from heat damage during the next step.

Step 20

Use a hair dryer or heat gun on a "low" setting to slowly heat the battery and soften the adhesive underneath.
Do not overheat the battery or surrounding components, including the soft plastic frame. Take your time and keep the battery warm for one to three minutes to allow the adhesive to soften.
Remove the aluminum foil.

Step 21

Insert the tip of one of the plastic cards into the right slot in the midframe and under the battery.
If one of your cards is wider than the other, use it for this slot.
Insert the tip of the other card into the left slot in the midframe and under the battery.

Step 22

Inserting the cards under the battery takes significant force. Take your time and work carefully.
Grip the left card and slide it fully underneath the battery.
If the card becomes stuck, wiggle or rotate it to help slice the adhesive.

Step 23

Grip the right card and fully insert it underneath the battery to separate the adhesive.
If the card becomes stuck, wiggle or rotate it to help slice the adhesive.
If you can't insert the card any farther, remove it and coat the tip with a single drop of highly-concentrated isopropyl alcohol (over 90%) or adhesive remover.
Don't use more than a single drop at a time, as excess liquid will damage the screen.

Step 24

Insert the flat edge of another, uncut plastic card between the bottom edge of the battery and the midframe.
Pry up the battery with a steady force to loosen the remaining adhesive along the bottom edge.
The bottom edge of the battery might not release right away. Keep a steady force on the plastic card for 30 seconds at a time before trying again.

Step 25

Pry up the battery until you can grab it with your fingers.
If the battery still feels stuck, twist and pry the two halves of the first plastic card to help separate the remaining adhesive.
Be careful not to pry up the larger section of the battery much farther than the smaller section, as the pouch may rip at the seam.

Step 26

Remove the battery.

Step 27

Don't reuse the battery after it's been removed, as doing so is a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.
To install a replacement battery:
Remove the old adhesive from the midframe by rolling chunks up with your fingers and peeling them off.
Dampen a microfiber or lint-free cloth with a few drops of isopropyl alcohol (over 90%) and wipe the midframe clean. Don't let any liquid drip through the circular cutouts in the battery recess.
Remove the protective liner from one side of each replacement adhesive strip. Apply each strip to the battery, using the old battery as reference for where it should go.
Press the new battery firmly into place.