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Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Fingerprint Sensor Repair

Fingerprint Sensor Repair guide for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

Difficult
~40 min
18 steps

Before you begin

Tools

  • Heat gun or hair dryer
  • Phillips #00 screwdriver
  • Suction cup tool
  • Plastic prying tools
  • Spudger tool
  • Tweezers
  • Clean workspace mat

Parts / materials

  • Replacement fingerprint sensor
  • Galaxy S21 Plus back cover adhesive tape
  • Isopropyl alcohol (99%)

Safety

  • Wear safety glasses to protect against potential glass fragments.
  • Disconnect the battery immediately after opening the device to prevent short circuits.
  • Do not puncture or bend the internal lithium-ion battery.

Overview

# Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Fingerprint Sensor Repair Repair Guide Action-specific fingerprint sensor repair walkthrough for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus. About 40 minutes across 18 steps. This DIY guide walks through fingerprint sensor repair on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus (Galaxy S series phone). Before you open the device, confirm the exact model number on the Samsung settings screen or rear housing so your replacement part matches the Galaxy S21 Plus specifically—not a similar Galaxy S sibling. Most DIY techs finish this Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus fingerprint sensor repair in about 40 minutes when parts and tools are ready. Difficulty is rated advanced for this model. Recommended tools for this Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus job: Heat gun or hair dryer, Phillips #00 screwdriver, Suction cup tool, Plastic prying tools, Spudger tool, Tweezers, Clean workspace mat. Parts and supplies: Replacement fingerprint sensor, Galaxy S21 Plus back cover adhesive tape, Isopropyl alcohol (99%). Power the Galaxy S21 Plus off completely, remove SIMs/SD cards if present, and work on a clean, well-lit surface with a magnetic mat for screws. If a step feels wrong for your Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus, stop and compare the connector layout to the photos in this guide. When you prefer a same-day pro repair in Seattle instead, LML Repair can handle fingerprint sensor repair for this model with tested parts and a workmanship warranty.

Step-by-step

  1. 1

    Power down the device

    1 min

    Press and hold the side key and volume down button, then tap Power Off on the screen. Ensure the device is fully shut down before proceeding.

  2. 2

    Heat the rear glass edges

    3 min

    Apply a heat gun or hair dryer around the outer edges of the back cover for two minutes to soften the adhesive underneath.

  3. 3

    Attach suction cup to back glass

    1 min

    Place a suction cup near the bottom edge of the glass back cover and pull upward firmly to create a small gap.

  4. 4

    Slice through rear glass adhesive

    4 min

    Insert a plastic opening pick into the gap and slowly slide it along the perimeter to slice the back cover adhesive.

  5. 5

    Lift off the back cover

    2 min

    Gently lift the back panel straight off the chassis and set it aside on a clean surface.

  6. 6

    Unscrew the upper motherboard bracket

    3 min

    Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the five screws securing the upper wireless charging coil and motherboard bracket.

  7. 7

    Remove the wireless charging coil

    2 min

    Pry up the edges of the wireless charging assembly with a spudger and remove it from the frame.

  8. 8

    Disconnect the battery flex cable

    1 min

    Use the flat end of a plastic spudger to pop the battery connector straight up from the motherboard.

  9. 9

    Unscrew the lower speaker assembly

    2 min

    Remove the seven Phillips #00 screws holding down the lower loudspeaker module at the bottom of the device.

  10. 10

    Remove the speaker module

    1 min

    Insert a spudger under the edge of the speaker housing and carefully pop it out of the chassis.

  11. 11

    Disconnect the fingerprint sensor ribbon

    2 min

    Locate the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor flex cable connector on the motherboard or sub-board and detach it with a spudger.

  12. 12

    Heat the screen over the sensor

    2 min

    Warm the front glass lower display area for 60 seconds to loosen the adhesive securing the sensor underneath.

  13. 13

    Peel out the faulty fingerprint sensor

    3 min

    Use fine tweezers to gently lift and detach the thin fingerprint sensor chip and ribbon cable from behind the screen frame.

  14. 14

    Position the new fingerprint sensor

    2 min

    Align the replacement sensor into the recessed frame cavity and press down gently to set the adhesive.

  15. 15

    Reconnect all internal ribbon cables

    3 min

    Snap the fingerprint sensor, display, and battery flex connectors firmly back onto their sockets.

  16. 16

    Reinstall loudspeaker and coil brackets

    3 min

    Place the bottom speaker and wireless charging coil back in position, then tighten all Phillips #00 screws.

  17. 17

    Apply new back cover adhesive

    3 min

    Clean remaining adhesive residue with isopropyl alcohol, then stick new pre-cut adhesive strips around the inner frame perimeter.

  18. 18

    Press the back cover into place

    2 min

    Align the back glass panel precisely with the phone frame and press firmly along all edges to secure the seal.

After your Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus fingerprint sensor repair

Power the Galaxy S21 Plus back on and test the fingerprint sensor repair function before you put every screw away. Check touch/display response, charging, cameras, buttons, and wireless as relevant to this repair. If something fails after closing the device, reopen carefully and reseat the connectors for this Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus job before assuming the part is defective. Keep leftover adhesive and screws labeled in case you need a second pass.

Keep learning

Explore more Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus repair context in the encyclopedia, or open related DIY guides.

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