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Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

27

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

5

  • Rear Glass
  • 8 steps
  • Motherboard Cover with NFC
  • 3 steps
  • Battery Disconnect
  • 1 step
  • Battery
  • 6 steps
  • AMOLED Screen & Digitizer
  • 9 steps

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Introduction

Due to the phone’s design, you must remove the lithium-ion battery to access the display cables. Reusing a deformed battery after it has forcefully been removed, is a potential safety hazard. In this case, replace it with a new battery.

Before disassembling your phone, discharge the battery below 25%. The battery can catch fire and/or explode if accidentally punctured, but the chances of that happening are much lower if discharged.

Note: This guide instructs you to replace only the screen while leaving the original frame and motherboard in place. However, some replacement screens for this phone come pre-installed in a new frame (a.k.a. chassis), which requires a very different procedure. Make sure you have the correct part before starting this guide.

You’ll need replacement adhesive to reattach components when reassembling the device.

What you need

Step 1

              Rear Glass
  • Apply a heated iOpener to the rear glass to loosen the adhesive beneath the edges. Apply the iOpener for at least two minutes.

Apply a heated iOpener to the rear glass to loosen the adhesive beneath the edges. Apply the iOpener for at least two minutes.

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Step 2

  • Secure a suction handle to the lower edge of the rear glass, as close to the edge as possible.
  • If the phone’s rear glass is cracked, the suction handle may not stick. Try lifting it with strong tape, or superglue the suction handle in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.
  • Lift the rear glass with the suction handle to create a gap between the glass and the frame.
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap.
  • If the glass wont budge, apply more heat to further soften the adhesive. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
  • Slide the opening pick to the bottom right corner of the phone.

Secure a suction handle to the lower edge of the rear glass, as close to the edge as possible.

If the phone’s rear glass is cracked, the suction handle may not stick. Try lifting it with strong tape, or superglue the suction handle in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.

Lift the rear glass with the suction handle to create a gap between the glass and the frame.

Insert an opening pick into the gap.

If the glass wont budge, apply more heat to further soften the adhesive. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.

Slide the opening pick to the bottom right corner of the phone.

Step 3

  • Insert a second opening pick and slide it to the bottom left corner to cut the adhesive.
  • Leave the opening picks in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Insert a second opening pick and slide it to the bottom left corner to cut the adhesive.

Leave the opening picks in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 4

  • Insert a third opening pick at the bottom left corner.
  • Start to slide the opening pick from the bottom left corner along the side of the Xiaomi Mi 8 to cut the adhesive.
  • Be aware of the fingerprint flex cable and only insert the tip of the opening pick. If insert to deep, you can cut the cable by accident.
  • As the adhesive cools down it gets harder to cut. If necessary use your iOpener to reheat it.
  • Leave the opening pick in the top left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Insert a third opening pick at the bottom left corner.

Start to slide the opening pick from the bottom left corner along the side of the Xiaomi Mi 8 to cut the adhesive.

Be aware of the fingerprint flex cable and only insert the tip of the opening pick. If insert to deep, you can cut the cable by accident.

As the adhesive cools down it gets harder to cut. If necessary use your iOpener to reheat it.

Leave the opening pick in the top left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 5

  • Insert a fourth opening pick under the top left corner of the rear glass.
  • Slide the opening pick along the top to cut the adhesive.
  • Leave the opening pick in the top right corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Insert a fourth opening pick under the top left corner of the rear glass.

Slide the opening pick along the top to cut the adhesive.

Leave the opening pick in the top right corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 6

  • Insert a fifth opening pick at the top right corner of the phone.
  • Slide the opening pick along the right edge to cut the remaining adhesive.
  • Don’t try to remove the rear glass all the way yet. The fingerprint flex cable is still connected to the motherboard.

Insert a fifth opening pick at the top right corner of the phone.

Slide the opening pick along the right edge to cut the remaining adhesive.

Don’t try to remove the rear glass all the way yet. The fingerprint flex cable is still connected to the motherboard.

Step 7

  • Carefully lift the rear glass and fold it to the left side to access the fingerprint flex connector.

Carefully lift the rear glass and fold it to the left side to access the fingerprint flex connector.

Step 8

  • Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the fingerprint flex cable.
  • Remove the rear glass.
  • Before installing new adhesive for reassembly, remove any remaining adhesive from the phone, and clean the glued areas with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
  • After installing the rear glass, apply pressure for several minutes to help the adhesive form a good bond. A stack of heavy books on top of the phone works well.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the fingerprint flex cable.

Remove the rear glass.

Before installing new adhesive for reassembly, remove any remaining adhesive from the phone, and clean the glued areas with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.

After installing the rear glass, apply pressure for several minutes to help the adhesive form a good bond. A stack of heavy books on top of the phone works well.

Step 9

              Motherboard Cover with NFC
  • Remove the ten screws that secure the motherboard cover.
  • Eight Phillips #00 screws (3.4 mm length)
  • Two Phillips #00 screws (3.5 mm length)

Remove the ten screws that secure the motherboard cover.

Eight Phillips #00 screws (3.4 mm length)

Two Phillips #00 screws (3.5 mm length)

Step 10

  • Slide an opening pick under the right side of the motherboard cover.
  • Twist the opening pick sideways to pry up and slightly lift the motherboard cover.

Slide an opening pick under the right side of the motherboard cover.

Twist the opening pick sideways to pry up and slightly lift the motherboard cover.

Step 11

  • Carefully remove the motherboard cover including the NFC antenna.

Carefully remove the motherboard cover including the NFC antenna.

Step 12

              Battery Disconnect
  • Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery flex cable located at the bottom of the motherboard.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery flex cable located at the bottom of the motherboard.

Step 13

              Battery
  • Use a pair of tweezers to peel the black ends of the adhesive tabs off the battery.

Use a pair of tweezers to peel the black ends of the adhesive tabs off the battery.

Step 14

  • For the following steps:
  • The adhesive tab underneath the battery can rip very easily. Make sure you pull out the tab in a slow and steady motion and at a flat angle. To prevent the adhesive tab from ripping, it’s helpful to twist it around the tweezers.

For the following steps:

The adhesive tab underneath the battery can rip very easily. Make sure you pull out the tab in a slow and steady motion and at a flat angle. To prevent the adhesive tab from ripping, it’s helpful to twist it around the tweezers.

Step 15

  • Pull out the first adhesive tab from underneath the battery.

Pull out the first adhesive tab from underneath the battery.

Step 16

  • Use a pair of tweezers to pull out the second adhesive tab from underneath the battery.
  • In case one of the adhesive tabs rips and it‘s not possible to pull it out completely, you can use isopropyl alcohol or a heated iOpener to loosen the adhesive. After the adhesive is soft enough use a prying tool such as an opening pick or a plastic card to pry out the battery.

Use a pair of tweezers to pull out the second adhesive tab from underneath the battery.

In case one of the adhesive tabs rips and it‘s not possible to pull it out completely, you can use isopropyl alcohol or a heated iOpener to loosen the adhesive. After the adhesive is soft enough use a prying tool such as an opening pick or a plastic card to pry out the battery.

Step 17

  • Use an opening pick or plastic card to pry the battery out of its recess until you can get a good grip.

Use an opening pick or plastic card to pry the battery out of its recess until you can get a good grip.

Step 18

  • Remove the battery.
  • Reusing a deformed or bent battery after it has forcefully been removed, is a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.
  • Remove any remaining adhesive from the midframe, and clean the glued areas with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth before applying new adhesive.

Remove the battery.

Reusing a deformed or bent battery after it has forcefully been removed, is a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.

Remove any remaining adhesive from the midframe, and clean the glued areas with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth before applying new adhesive.

Step 19

              AMOLED & Digitizer
  • Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the display flex cable.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the display flex cable.

Step 20

  • Use a pair of tweezers to peel the display flex cable off the midframe. It is attached with mild adhesive.

Use a pair of tweezers to peel the display flex cable off the midframe. It is attached with mild adhesive.

Step 21

  • Apply a heated iOpener to the display for two minutes to loosen the adhesive beneath.
  • The adhesive that holds down the screen is fairly strong. You might need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the adhesive warm enough.

Apply a heated iOpener to the display for two minutes to loosen the adhesive beneath.

The adhesive that holds down the screen is fairly strong. You might need to reheat and reapply the iOpener several times to get the adhesive warm enough.

Step 22

  • Apply a suction handle near the bottom edge of the phone.
  • If the phone’s screen is cracked, the suction handle may not stick. Try lifting it with strong tape, or superglue the suction handle in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.
  • Use the suction handle to pull up the screen and insert just the tip of an opening pick under the bottom edge of the screen.
  • In case you can’t manage to lift the screen to insert an opening pick you can try to insert a thinner cutting tool such as a razor blade or a playing card. Insert an opening tool afterwards.
  • Protect your eyes from loose glass shards.
  • Slide the tip of the opening pick to the bottom right corner. Leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Apply a suction handle near the bottom edge of the phone.

If the phone’s screen is cracked, the suction handle may not stick. Try lifting it with strong tape, or superglue the suction handle in place and allow it to cure so you can proceed.

Use the suction handle to pull up the screen and insert just the tip of an opening pick under the bottom edge of the screen.

In case you can’t manage to lift the screen to insert an opening pick you can try to insert a thinner cutting tool such as a razor blade or a playing card. Insert an opening tool afterwards.

Protect your eyes from loose glass shards.

Slide the tip of the opening pick to the bottom right corner. Leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 23

  • Insert the tip of a second opening pick and slide it to the bottom left corner of the Xiaomi Mi 8 to cut the adhesive. Leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Insert the tip of a second opening pick and slide it to the bottom left corner of the Xiaomi Mi 8 to cut the adhesive. Leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 24

  • Insert a third opening pick at the bottom left corner of the phone.
  • To cut the adhesive at the long edges of the Xiaomi Mi 8 only use the tip of an opening pick (about 2 mm). Don’t try to insert the opening pick deeper to avoid separating the AMOLED from the display glass.
  • Slide the tip of the opening pick to the top left corner to cut the adhesive. Leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Insert a third opening pick at the bottom left corner of the phone.

To cut the adhesive at the long edges of the Xiaomi Mi 8 only use the tip of an opening pick (about 2 mm). Don’t try to insert the opening pick deeper to avoid separating the AMOLED from the display glass.

Slide the tip of the opening pick to the top left corner to cut the adhesive. Leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 25

  • Apply more heat if the adhesive becomes hard to cut.
  • Insert the tip of a fourth opening pick at the upper left corner of the phone and slide it along the top edge to cut the adhesive. Leave it in the top right corner.

Apply more heat if the adhesive becomes hard to cut.

Insert the tip of a fourth opening pick at the upper left corner of the phone and slide it along the top edge to cut the adhesive. Leave it in the top right corner.

Step 26

  • Insert the tip of a fifth opening pick at the top right corner of the phone and slide it along the right edge to cut the adhesive.
  • Try not to remove the display all the way yet. The display flex cable is still threaded through the midframe.

Insert the tip of a fifth opening pick at the top right corner of the phone and slide it along the right edge to cut the adhesive.

Try not to remove the display all the way yet. The display flex cable is still threaded through the midframe.

Step 27

  • Slowly separate the screen from the frame and cut any remaining adhesive. Make sure the flex cable is no longer stuck to the frame and carefully thread it through its gap.
  • Remove the screen.
  • Remove any remaining adhesive from the midframe, and clean the glued areas with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.

Slowly separate the screen from the frame and cut any remaining adhesive. Make sure the flex cable is no longer stuck to the frame and carefully thread it through its gap.

Remove the screen.

Remove any remaining adhesive from the midframe, and clean the glued areas with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.

If possible, turn on your phone and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing the phone.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

The best way to secure the new screen is with a sheet of custom-cut double-sided tape. Apply the tape to the back of the screen, then carefully feed the display cable through the frame. Align the screen and press it into place.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

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