Phone · Samsung · Galaxy S21 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Fingerprint Sensor Repair
Fingerprint Sensor Repair guide for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
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
Step-by-step
- 1
Power down the device
1 minPress 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
Heat the rear glass edges
3 minApply a heat gun or hair dryer around the outer edges of the back cover for two minutes to soften the adhesive underneath.
- 3
Attach suction cup to back glass
1 minPlace a suction cup near the bottom edge of the glass back cover and pull upward firmly to create a small gap.
- 4
Slice through rear glass adhesive
4 minInsert a plastic opening pick into the gap and slowly slide it along the perimeter to slice the back cover adhesive.
- 5
Lift off the back cover
2 minGently lift the back panel straight off the chassis and set it aside on a clean surface.
- 6
Unscrew the upper motherboard bracket
3 minUse a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the five screws securing the upper wireless charging coil and motherboard bracket.
- 7
Remove the wireless charging coil
2 minPry up the edges of the wireless charging assembly with a spudger and remove it from the frame.
- 8
Disconnect the battery flex cable
1 minUse the flat end of a plastic spudger to pop the battery connector straight up from the motherboard.
- 9
Unscrew the lower speaker assembly
2 minRemove the seven Phillips #00 screws holding down the lower loudspeaker module at the bottom of the device.
- 10
Remove the speaker module
1 minInsert a spudger under the edge of the speaker housing and carefully pop it out of the chassis.
- 11
Disconnect the fingerprint sensor ribbon
2 minLocate the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor flex cable connector on the motherboard or sub-board and detach it with a spudger.
- 12
Heat the screen over the sensor
2 minWarm the front glass lower display area for 60 seconds to loosen the adhesive securing the sensor underneath.
- 13
Peel out the faulty fingerprint sensor
3 minUse fine tweezers to gently lift and detach the thin fingerprint sensor chip and ribbon cable from behind the screen frame.
- 14
Position the new fingerprint sensor
2 minAlign the replacement sensor into the recessed frame cavity and press down gently to set the adhesive.
- 15
Reconnect all internal ribbon cables
3 minSnap the fingerprint sensor, display, and battery flex connectors firmly back onto their sockets.
- 16
Reinstall loudspeaker and coil brackets
3 minPlace the bottom speaker and wireless charging coil back in position, then tighten all Phillips #00 screws.
- 17
Apply new back cover adhesive
3 minClean remaining adhesive residue with isopropyl alcohol, then stick new pre-cut adhesive strips around the inner frame perimeter.
- 18
Press the back cover into place
2 minAlign 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.

