Upper Board Removal

Written By: Alex Diaz-Kokaisl
  • Comments: 0
Upper Board Removal

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

31

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

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    • Allow your battery to drain below 25% before starting this repair. A charged battery may catch fire if damaged.

    • Fully power off your phone and unplug any cables.

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    • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the bottom edge of the screen for two minutes.

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    • While you're waiting for the adhesive to soften, note the following:

    • The adhesive is under the dark black border surrounding the screen.

    • During the screen removal procedure, you only need to insert your opening pick as deep as the border.

    • Don't insert your pick any deeper, as you risk damaging the screen and internal components.

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    • Apply a suction cup to the screen, as close to the center of the bottom edge as possible.

    • Pull up on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap between the screen and the frame.

    • Insert an opening pick into the gap.

    • Depending on the age of your phone, this may be difficult. If you're having trouble, apply more heat to the edge and try again.

    • If your screen is badly cracked, covering it with a layer of clear packing tape may allow the suction cup to adhere. Alternatively, very strong tape may be used instead of the suction cup. If all else fails, you can superglue the suction cup to the screen.

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    • Slide the opening pick along the bottom edge to separate the adhesive.

    • Leave the opening pick in the bottom right corner before continuing.

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    • Apply a heated iOpener to the right edge of the screen for two minutes.

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    • Rotate the opening pick around the bottom right corner to separate the adhesive.

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    • Insert a new opening pick in the bottom right corner.

    • Slide the opening pick toward the top right corner to separate the adhesive.

    • Leave the opening pick in the top right corner before continuing.

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

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    • Rotate the opening pick around the top right corner to separate its adhesive.

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    • Insert a new opening pick in the top right corner.

    • Slide the opening pick toward the top left corner to separate its adhesive.

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

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    • The sharp corner is very fragile. Use plenty of heat and be very gentle around the corner during this step.

    • Angle your pick so it's as flat as possible to the screen.

    • Rotate the opening pick around the top left corner to separate the adhesive.

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    • Insert a new opening pick in the top left corner.

    • Slide the opening pick toward the bottom left corner to separate the adhesive.

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    • The sharp corner is very fragile. Use plenty of heat and be very gentle around the corner during this step.

    • Angle your pick so it's as flat as possible to the screen.

    • Rotate the opening pick around the bottom left corner to separate the adhesive.

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    • There's a small adhesive strip that secures the screen near the top right corner of the phone.

    • The next three steps will show you how to separate this adhesive.

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    • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the top right corner of the screen for two minutes.

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    • Insert an opening pick under the right edge of the screen, near the top right corner.

    • Push the opening pick under the screen as far you can go without losing your grip.

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    • Be very careful during this step, as you risk breaking the screen. Work slowly and apply more heat if necessary.

    • Twist the opening pick back and forth to separate the adhesive.

    • If you don't feel the adhesive separating, apply more heat or insert the pick at a different angle.

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    • At this point, the screen should be separated from the frame. If there's still resistance around the edges, use an opening pick to separate any remaining adhesive.

    • Don't remove the screen yet, as it's still connected to the phone by a cable.

    • Swing the left edge of the screen up and over the right edge of the phone.

    • Let the screen rest next to the phone before continuing.

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    • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

    • While the Pixel Fold uses Torx Plus screws, standard Torx bits also work. Use the same size or one size larger (T3 Torx or T4 bits with 3IP Torx Plus screws) and apply constant, downward force to prevent stripping.

    • Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the five 2.5 mm‑long screws securing the bottom bracket.

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    • Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the bottom bracket.

    • During reassembly, make sure the bottom bracket is sitting in its two alignment pegs before refastening it.

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    • Don't pry against the battery during this step. Angle your spudger under the left or right edges of the press connector.

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the flip battery press connector.

    • 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. Don't press down in the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend and cause permanent damage.

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    • Insert the point of a spudger under the short edge of the screen press connector facing the bottom of the phone.

    • Don't insert your spudger anywhere else, as you risk damaging surface-mounted components on the logic board.

    • Pry up to disconnect the screen press connector.

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    • Remove the screen.

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    • During reassembly, perform the following:

    • If you're reusing your screen, use tweezers to remove big chunks of adhesive from the perimeter of the screen.

    • Repeat for any adhesive on the frame, including the small adhesive at the top right of the phone.

    • If your top right adhesive is still intact and sticky, you can reuse it.

    • Use isopropyl alcohol (>90%) and a lint-free cloth to remove any remaining adhesive residue.

    • Follow this guide to replace your screen adhesive.

    • If you don't have custom cut adhesive strips, use double-sided tape, like Tesa Tape, to secure the screen to the frame.

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    • Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the three 2.5 mm‑long screws securing the top bracket.

    • There's a magnet at the top right corner of phone. As you remove nearby screws, they might stick the magnet.

    • If you're having trouble inserting these screws, use tweezers to hold it in place while you screw in the first few threads.

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    • The flip vibrator is attached to the underside of the top bracket.

    • Pull the top bracket toward the left edge of the phone to separate it from its recess in the frame.

    • Remove the top bracket.

    • During reassembly, insert the right edge of the top bracket under its lip in the frame before aligning the screw holes.

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    • Don't pry against the battery with the spudger, as you risk damaging it.

    • The top speaker is lightly adhered to the frame.

    • Insert the flat end of a spudger between the battery and the bottom edge of the top speaker.

    • Twist the spudger to separate the adhesive securing the bottom speaker.

    • Remove the top speaker.

    • During reassembly, if your adhesive is still intact and sticky, you can reuse it. Otherwise, follow this guide to replace the adhesive.

    • If you don't have custom cut adhesive strips, use double-sided tape, like Tesa Tape, to secure the speaker to the frame.

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    • Use the flat end of spudger to pry up and disconnect the top interconnect cable press connector.

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    • Pull the upper board toward the bottom of the phone to separate it from its recess in the frame

    • Remove the upper board.

    • During reassembly, make sure the upper board sits in its alignment peg before securing anything to it.

Conclusion

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

Author

Alex Diaz-Kokaisl

Member since: 16/01/22

117875 Reputation

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