Step-by-step

1. 1

   Power off the phone

   1 min

   Press and hold the Power and Volume Up buttons simultaneously, then tap Power Off. Do not attempt to turn on or charge a water-damaged device.

2. 2

   Eject the SIM tray

   1 min

   Insert a SIM eject tool into the small hole on the left edge of the phone. Push inward firmly until the tray ejects, then remove it.

3. 3

   Heat the back cover

   2 min

   Use a heat gun or hair dryer on low heat for 2 minutes around the outer edges of the rear panel. This softens the adhesive sealing the back cover.

4. 4

   Slice back cover adhesive

   4 min

   Attach a suction cup near the bottom edge and pull upward to create a small gap. Insert a plastic opening pick and slide it around the perimeter to release the adhesive.

5. 5

   Remove the back cover

   1 min

   Lift the rear plastic panel away from the frame once all adhesive is sliced. Set the back cover aside in a dry area.

6. 6

   Unscrew the midframe

   3 min

   Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the 16 screws securing the inner plastic midframe bezel. Keep the screws organized for reassembly.

7. 7

   Pry off the midframe

   3 min

   Insert a plastic spudger between the plastic midframe and the screen frame near the SIM slot. Pry around the edges to unclip the midframe and remove it.

8. 8

   Disconnect the battery cable

   1 min

   Use a plastic spudger to gently pop the battery flex connector straight up off its motherboard socket. This disconnects power and prevents further short circuits.

9. 9

   Disconnect board flex cables

   2 min

   Unplug the main interconnect flex, display flex, and antenna coaxial cables from the motherboard using your plastic spudger.

10. 10

    Remove the motherboard

    3 min

    Carefully lift the mainboard out of the phone chassis using tweezers on an outer edge. Unclip and remove all camera modules from the board before cleaning.

11. 11

    Soak motherboard in isopropyl alcohol

    5 min

    Submerge the motherboard in a shallow container of 99% isopropyl alcohol for 5 minutes. The alcohol displaces liquid and dissolves corrosion deposits.

12. 12

    Scrub corrosion with a soft brush

    4 min

    Gently scrub white, green, or black mineral corrosion off the board connectors and surface components using an anti-static soft brush.

13. 13

    Clean the daughterboard

    4 min

    Unscrew and remove the bottom speaker housing, then extract the lower daughterboard containing the USB-C port. Soak and scrub it with isopropyl alcohol.

14. 14

    Dry components thoroughly

    15 min

    Allow all cleaned circuit boards to air dry completely on a lint-free wipe for at least 30 minutes. Inspect under a magnifying glass for remaining moisture.

15. 15

    Reassemble boards and test

    10 min

    Reinstall the mainboard, cameras, and lower board into the frame, then reconnect all flex cables ending with the battery. Reattach the midframe and seal the back cover with fresh adhesive.