Step-by-step

1. 1

   Power off the phone

   1 min

   Press and hold the Power button, then tap Power Off on the screen. Do not attempt to charge or use a wet phone.

2. 2

   Eject the SIM card tray

   1 min

   Insert a SIM eject tool into the hole at the bottom of the device to pop out the tray. Remove the SIM card and tray completely.

3. 3

   Heat the rear glass panel

   3 min

   Use a heat gun or hair dryer on low heat to warm the outer edges of the rear cover for 2 to 3 minutes. This softens the adhesive holding the back cover to the frame.

4. 4

   Slice the back cover adhesive

   5 min

   Attach a suction cup near the bottom edge of the back panel and pull up gently to create a gap. Insert a plastic opening pick into the gap and slide it along the edges to slice through the adhesive.

5. 5

   Remove the rear glass

   2 min

   Carefully lift the rear glass cover away from the phone chassis. Set it aside on a clean workspace.

6. 6

   Unscrew the upper motherboard bracket

   4 min

   Use a Phillips #000 screwdriver to remove all visible screws securing the plastic upper motherboard shield and wireless charging pad. Keep the screws organized for reassembly.

7. 7

   Disconnect the battery flex cable

   2 min

   Use the flat end of a plastic spudger to gently pry up and disconnect the battery connector from the motherboard. Disconnecting power immediately prevents further short circuits.

8. 8

   Unscrew the lower speaker housing

   3 min

   Remove the Phillips #000 screws holding the loudspeaker module at the bottom of the phone. Pry up the housing with a spudger and set it aside.

9. 9

   Disconnect remaining motherboard connectors

   3 min

   Carefully pop open the display flex cable, front camera, and interconnect ribbon cables attached to the mainboard using a spudger. Never use metal tools on live press connectors.

10. 10

    Remove the main motherboard

    3 min

    Remove any remaining board retaining screws and gently lift the motherboard out of the frame using tweezers. Handle the board only by its edges.

11. 11

    Extract the bottom daughterboard

    3 min

    Disconnect the coaxial antenna cables and interconnect cable from the lower daughterboard. Lift the daughterboard containing the USB-C port out of the chassis.

12. 12

    Clean the motherboard with alcohol

    10 min

    Submerge a soft-bristle ESD brush in 99% isopropyl alcohol and scrub away visible liquid corrosion, mineral deposits, and residue from both sides of the motherboard. Pay close attention to board connectors and IC chips.

13. 13

    Clean the daughterboard and internal connectors

    8 min

    Scrub the lower daughterboard, USB port, and ribbon cable ends with 99% isopropyl alcohol to clear any remaining corrosion.

14. 14

    Dry all internal components

    10 min

    Use short bursts of compressed air to blast away remaining alcohol and loosened debris from the circuit boards. Allow the boards to air dry in a warm area for at least 30 minutes before reassembly.

15. 15

    Reinstall internal printed circuit boards

    8 min

    Place the dried mainboard and lower daughterboard back into their housing slots in the frame. Reattach all ribbon cables, antenna leads, and board mounting screws.

16. 16

    Reconnect the battery and secure brackets

    5 min

    Snap the battery press connector firmly back onto the motherboard. Reinstall the upper shield, lower speaker module, and all Phillips screws.

17. 17

    Reseal the back panel

    5 min

    Clean remaining old adhesive off the frame edges, apply fresh custom adhesive strips, and press the rear glass back into place. Apply firm pressure along the perimeter to secure the seal.