Phone · Samsung · Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8 Water Damage Repair
Water Damage Repair guide for the Samsung Galaxy S8
Before you begin
Tools
- Precision Phillips #00 screwdriver
- Plastic opening tools
- Plastic spudger
- Tweezers
- Heat gun or iOpener
- Suction cup
- Soft nylon brush
- Magnifying glass
Parts / materials
- 99% Isopropyl alcohol
- Lint-free microfiber cloth
- Replacement rear cover adhesive
Safety
- Disconnect the battery cable immediately after removing the upper shield to avoid shorting sensitive components.
- Wear safety glasses while cleaning logic boards with isopropyl alcohol.
- Do not heat the rear glass beyond 80°C (176°F) to prevent damage to internal hardware.
Overview
Step-by-step
- 1
Power off the device
1 minTurn off your Samsung Galaxy S8 completely to prevent further electrical shorts.
- 2
Eject the SIM card tray
1 minInsert a SIM eject tool into the hole on the top edge and remove the SIM and microSD tray.
- 3
Heat the rear glass
3 minApply heat around the rear glass edges with a heat gun or iOpener to soften the internal adhesive.
- 4
Slice the rear adhesive
4 minAttach a suction cup to the back cover and insert an opening pick into the seam to cut the adhesive.
- 5
Disconnect the fingerprint sensor
2 minSlightly lift the rear cover and use tweezers to detach the fingerprint reader connector.
- 6
Remove the rear cover
1 minLift the rear glass panel away from the chassis and set it on a clean surface.
- 7
Unscrew the upper housing shield
3 minRemove the eleven Phillips #00 screws securing the upper antenna and wireless charging pad assembly.
- 8
Remove the wireless charging coil
2 minUse a plastic spudger to gently pry up and remove the wireless charging pad.
- 9
Disconnect the battery cable
1 minPry the battery connector straight up from the motherboard to cut power to the device.
- 10
Remove the loudspeaker module
2 minUnscrew the bottom speaker housing screws and pry the module out of the chassis.
- 11
Disconnect motherboard flex cables
3 minUnplug the display cable, front camera, sensor array, and lower daughterboard connectors.
- 12
Extract the motherboard
2 minCarefully pry up the motherboard from the frame using a plastic opening tool.
- 13
Scrub corrosion with isopropyl alcohol
5 minSubmerge the motherboard in high-purity alcohol and gently brush away mineral deposits using a soft brush.
- 14
Dry all internal components
10 minPlace the cleaned components on a lint-free towel and allow them to air-dry completely before reassembly.
After your Samsung Galaxy S8 water damage repair
Power the Galaxy S8 back on and test the water damage 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 S8 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 S8 repair context in the encyclopedia, or open related DIY guides.
