Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

21

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Sections

7

  • Rear Case
  • 5 steps
  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • SIM Card
  • 2 steps
  • microSD Card
  • 2 steps
  • Plastic Midframe
  • 2 steps
  • Motherboard Assembly
  • 6 steps
  • Rear-Facing Camera
  • 2 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Rear Case
  • The following four steps can be accomplished without a plastic opening tool. However, it’s recommended to use a tool to best avoid breaking any clips along the perimeter of the rear case.
  • Insert a plastic opening tool or fingernail into the notch in the gap between the rear case and the rest of the phone, located at the top of the device.
  • Gently twist the opening tool to disconnect the clips securing the top of the rear case.

The following four steps can be accomplished without a plastic opening tool. However, it’s recommended to use a tool to best avoid breaking any clips along the perimeter of the rear case.

Insert a plastic opening tool or fingernail into the notch in the gap between the rear case and the rest of the phone, located at the top of the device.

Gently twist the opening tool to disconnect the clips securing the top of the rear case.

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Step 2

  • Slide the plastic opening tool left along the top edge and repeat the twisting motion to widen the gap between the rear case and the phone.

Slide the plastic opening tool left along the top edge and repeat the twisting motion to widen the gap between the rear case and the phone.

Step 3

  • Continue to move the plastic opening tool around the perimeter of the top left corner, gently prying up along the rear case.

Continue to move the plastic opening tool around the perimeter of the top left corner, gently prying up along the rear case.

Step 4

  • Pry along the top right side, and continue prying down the right side of the rear case.

Pry along the top right side, and continue prying down the right side of the rear case.

Step 5

  • Lift up and remove the rear case from the phone.
  • You may need to peel the case up to separate it from any clips still holding it to the bottom of the phone.

Lift up and remove the rear case from the phone.

You may need to peel the case up to separate it from any clips still holding it to the bottom of the phone.

Step 6

              Battery
  • This step can be accomplished without the need of a plastic opening tool. Just use your finger if you want to.
  • Wedge a plastic opening tool into the small notch above the battery.
  • Pry the battery up out of its recess.

This step can be accomplished without the need of a plastic opening tool. Just use your finger if you want to.

Wedge a plastic opening tool into the small notch above the battery.

Pry the battery up out of its recess.

Step 7

  • Remove the battery.

Remove the battery.

Step 8

              SIM Card
  • Using your fingernail, push the SIM card slightly deeper into its slot, until you hear a click.
  • After the click, release the card and it will pop out of its slot.
  • For reassembly, push the SIM card into the slot until it clicks in place.

Using your fingernail, push the SIM card slightly deeper into its slot, until you hear a click.

After the click, release the card and it will pop out of its slot.

For reassembly, push the SIM card into the slot until it clicks in place.

Step 9

  • Use your thumb to slide enough of the SIM card out of its slot to grab ahold of it.
  • Grasp and remove the SIM card away from the phone.

Use your thumb to slide enough of the SIM card out of its slot to grab ahold of it.

Grasp and remove the SIM card away from the phone.

Step 10

              microSD Card
  • Using your fingernail, push the microSD card slightly deeper into its slot, until you hear a click.
  • After the click, release the card and it will pop out of its slot.
  • For reassembly, push the microSD card into the slot until it clicks in place.

Using your fingernail, push the microSD card slightly deeper into its slot, until you hear a click.

For reassembly, push the microSD card into the slot until it clicks in place.

Step 11

  • Use your thumb to slide the microSD card out of the slot.
  • Remove the microSD card from the phone.

Use your thumb to slide the microSD card out of the slot.

Remove the microSD card from the phone.

Step 12

              Plastic Midframe
  • Remove the ten 4.0 mm Phillips screws securing the midframe to the front panel assembly.

Remove the ten 4.0 mm Phillips screws securing the midframe to the front panel assembly.

Step 13

  • Grasp the left side of the plastic midframe with your thumb and forefinger and lift it away from the phone.
  • The midframe lightly snaps in place, and can be removed with very little force.

Grasp the left side of the plastic midframe with your thumb and forefinger and lift it away from the phone.

The midframe lightly snaps in place, and can be removed with very little force.

Step 14

              Motherboard Assembly
  • Use a plastic opening tool to pry the front-facing camera connector from its socket on the motherboard.
  • Do not try to remove the front-facing camera just yet. Its cable is still routed beneath the motherboard assembly to the ambient light sensor.

Use a plastic opening tool to pry the front-facing camera connector from its socket on the motherboard.

Do not try to remove the front-facing camera just yet. Its cable is still routed beneath the motherboard assembly to the ambient light sensor.

Step 15

  • Disconnect the digitizer cable by gently prying its connector up from its socket on the motherboard.

Disconnect the digitizer cable by gently prying its connector up from its socket on the motherboard.

Step 16

  • Disconnect the display data cable from the motherboard.

Disconnect the display data cable from the motherboard.

Step 17

  • Pry the Wi-Fi antenna cable connector up from its socket on the motherboard.
  • Gently move the cable out of the way of the motherboard.

Pry the Wi-Fi antenna cable connector up from its socket on the motherboard.

Gently move the cable out of the way of the motherboard.

Step 18

  • Remove the single 3.0 mm Phillips screw securing the motherboard to the front panel assembly.

Remove the single 3.0 mm Phillips screw securing the motherboard to the front panel assembly.

Step 19

  • Carefully lift the bottom of the motherboard assembly away from the front panel assembly.
  • Remove the motherboard assembly from the front panel assembly, minding any cables that may snag on it.

Carefully lift the bottom of the motherboard assembly away from the front panel assembly.

Remove the motherboard assembly from the front panel assembly, minding any cables that may snag on it.

Step 20

              Rear-Facing Camera
  • Flip the motherboard over. We recommend setting it on a grounded work surface.
  • Use a plastic opening tool to pry the rear-facing camera connector from its socket.

Flip the motherboard over. We recommend setting it on a grounded work surface.

Use a plastic opening tool to pry the rear-facing camera connector from its socket.

Step 21

  • Remove the rear-facing camera off the motherboard.

Remove the rear-facing camera off the motherboard.

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

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                    Walter Galan

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jeremias1711 - Mar 12, 2015

Reply

Hola es muy bueno el tutoril pero yo tengo un problema y es que la camera de mi samsung galaxy s3 no funciona cuando quiero hacer selfie se bloquea me toca ir a aplicaciones borrar todo sus ajustes para poder usar la de nuevo he probado también con app de otros pero a la hora de hacer selfie se bloquea y toca borrar sus ajustes,por lo demás funciona bien

John Williams - Jun 11, 2015

Reply

Is it possible to extend the camera strip for the rear facing camera so it could be taken out of the case and make it forward mounted (as an example)? How would you go about this I have an old s3 and want to adapt it into a hidden spy camera for when I am away to watch the house

tandemstudios - Jan 31, 2017

Reply

I simply followed these instructions and the repair worked perfectly. Many thanks indeed for your help.