Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

25

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 2 hours

Sections

7

  • Rear Case
  • 2 steps
  • MicroSD Card
  • 1 step
  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • SIM Card
  • 1 step
  • Midframe
  • 6 steps
  • Motherboard Assembly
  • 4 steps
  • Bare Screen
  • 10 steps

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Introduction

This process is difficult and there is a high chance your old screen will be completely destroyed in the removal process.

For a simpler repair, purchase a replacement part with the display pre-installed onto the frame, and follow our Samsung Galaxy S4 display assembly replacement guide.

What you need

Step 1

              Rear Case
  • Pry with a plastic opening tool, or your fingernail, in the divot to the left of the rear-facing camera, near the power button.

Pry with a plastic opening tool, or your fingernail, in the divot to the left of the rear-facing camera, near the power button.

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Step 2

  • Lift the rear case by the corner nearest the divot and remove it from the phone.

Lift the rear case by the corner nearest the divot and remove it from the phone.

Step 3

              MicroSD Card
  • Use the flat end of a spudger, or your fingernail, to press 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.
  • Remove the microSD card.
  • For reassembly, push the microSD card into the slot until it clicks in place.

Use the flat end of a spudger, or your fingernail, to press 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.

Remove the microSD card.

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

Step 4

              Battery
  • Insert a plastic opening tool, or your finger, into the notch of the battery compartment and lift the battery upward.
  • Remove the battery from your phone.

Insert a plastic opening tool, or your finger, into the notch of the battery compartment and lift the battery upward.

Remove the battery from your phone.

Step 5

              SIM Card
  • Use a plastic opening tool, or your fingernail, to press 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.
  • Remove the SIM card.
  • During reassembly, push the SIM card into the slot until it clicks in place.

Use a plastic opening tool, or your fingernail, to press the SIM card slightly deeper into its slot until you hear a click.

Remove the SIM card.

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

Step 6

              Midframe
  • Remove the nine 4.0 mm Phillips #00 screws securing the midframe to the display assembly.

Remove the nine 4.0 mm Phillips #00 screws securing the midframe to the display assembly.

Step 7

  • The midframe is secured to the display assembly by several plastic clips behind the chrome bezel of the midframe. The next few steps will guide you through separating the clips to free the midframe.
  • Starting on the volume button side of the phone, insert your plastic opening tool between the chrome bezel around the display glass and the larger chrome border piece. Look for the seam between the two.
  • Slide the opening tool along the seam, separating the plastic clips as you go.
  • Be very gentle whilst prying, and pry only enough to separate the plastic clips—there are several thin points in the midframe bezel that may crack if you bend them too much.

The midframe is secured to the display assembly by several plastic clips behind the chrome bezel of the midframe. The next few steps will guide you through separating the clips to free the midframe.

Starting on the volume button side of the phone, insert your plastic opening tool between the chrome bezel around the display glass and the larger chrome border piece. Look for the seam between the two.

Slide the opening tool along the seam, separating the plastic clips as you go.

Be very gentle whilst prying, and pry only enough to separate the plastic clips—there are several thin points in the midframe bezel that may crack if you bend them too much.

Step 8

  • Continue prying around the corner of the phone.
  • Slide your opening tool along the seam between the midframe and display along the bottom of the device, releasing more of the plastic clips.

Continue prying around the corner of the phone.

Slide your opening tool along the seam between the midframe and display along the bottom of the device, releasing more of the plastic clips.

Step 9

  • Again, pry around the corner, to the power button side.
  • Slide the opening tool along the seam.

Again, pry around the corner, to the power button side.

Slide the opening tool along the seam.

Step 10

  • Continue sliding the opening tool around the top of the phone, releasing the last of the clips and freeing the midframe from the display assembly.
  • At this point, you may want to run your plastic opening tool along the entire perimeter of the device again, to make sure you’ve released all of the plastic clips.

Continue sliding the opening tool around the top of the phone, releasing the last of the clips and freeing the midframe from the display assembly.

At this point, you may want to run your plastic opening tool along the entire perimeter of the device again, to make sure you’ve released all of the plastic clips.

Step 11

  • Remove the midframe from the display assembly.

Remove the midframe from the display assembly.

Step 12

              Motherboard Assembly
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the USB board connector.
  • Disconnect the front-facing camera cable connector.
  • Disconnect the earpiece speaker assembly cable connector.

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the USB board connector.

Disconnect the front-facing camera cable connector.

Disconnect the earpiece speaker assembly cable connector.

Step 13

  • Disconnect the headphone jack assembly cable connector.
  • Disconnect the display/digitizer cable connector.
  • Disconnect the antenna cable connector.

Disconnect the headphone jack assembly cable connector.

Disconnect the display/digitizer cable connector.

Disconnect the antenna cable connector.

Step 14

  • Remove the single 2.4 mm Phillips #00 screw from the motherboard assembly.

Remove the single 2.4 mm Phillips #00 screw from the motherboard assembly.

Step 15

  • Gently remove the motherboard.
  • Hold the motherboard by its edges to prevent ESD damage. Be careful not to snag it on any cables as you extract it from the display assembly.

Gently remove the motherboard.

Hold the motherboard by its edges to prevent ESD damage. Be careful not to snag it on any cables as you extract it from the display assembly.

Step 16

              Remove the speaker assembly
  • Use an opening tool to unclip the speaker assembly on the bottom of the phone.
  • Remove the speaker assembly.

Use an opening tool to unclip the speaker assembly on the bottom of the phone.

Remove the speaker assembly.

Step 17

              Remove the antenna cable
  • Use tweezers to lift and de-route the antenna cable from the edge of the case.

Use tweezers to lift and de-route the antenna cable from the edge of the case.

Step 18

  • Lift directly up on the antenna connection to remove it from the speaker daughter board.
  • Completely remove the antenna cable.

Lift directly up on the antenna connection to remove it from the speaker daughter board.

Completely remove the antenna cable.

Step 19

              Remove the screen glass
  • Prepare an iOpener (or use a hair dryer or heat gun) and heat the screen side of the phone to loosen the display adhesive.
  • Leave the iOpener on the phone for at least two minutes to fully heat the screen and soften the adhesive holding it to the case.
  • You may need to reheat the iOpener and repeat this procedure several times until the display adhesive gets loose enough.

Prepare an iOpener (or use a hair dryer or heat gun) and heat the screen side of the phone to loosen the display adhesive.

Leave the iOpener on the phone for at least two minutes to fully heat the screen and soften the adhesive holding it to the case.

You may need to reheat the iOpener and repeat this procedure several times until the display adhesive gets loose enough.

Step 20

  • Because the gap between the screen and phone frame is so thin, a Jimmy is needed to separate the two. Read the following warnings carefully before proceeding.
  • Even though the metal blade is mostly dull, be careful not to apply too much pressure, as this might cause the Jimmy to slip and cut you or damage the phone.
  • Wear eye protection. The glass may break, sending pieces flying.

Because the gap between the screen and phone frame is so thin, a Jimmy is needed to separate the two. Read the following warnings carefully before proceeding.

Even though the metal blade is mostly dull, be careful not to apply too much pressure, as this might cause the Jimmy to slip and cut you or damage the phone.

Wear eye protection. The glass may break, sending pieces flying.

Step 21

  • With the adhesive lose, insert the blade into the small gap between the frame and the screen, near the volume rocker.
  • Slowly slide the blade down the length of the phone towards the charge port to release the screen glass from the LCD.
  • The glass will most likely develop hairline fractures as you bend it during this step. Make sure you have proper eye protection.

With the adhesive lose, insert the blade into the small gap between the frame and the screen, near the volume rocker.

Slowly slide the blade down the length of the phone towards the charge port to release the screen glass from the LCD.

The glass will most likely develop hairline fractures as you bend it during this step. Make sure you have proper eye protection.

Step 22

  • The next three steps involve removing extremely fragile components. Consider working on a surface that will be easy to clean up afterwards.
  • With the screen glass completely loosened around the edges, remove it from the phone.
  • The fragile LCD display underneath the glass has a tendency to shatter into small pieces. If in doubt, protect your hands with gloves.
  • Cover the LCD with tape to prevent the broken glass from spreading or falling out during removal.

The next three steps involve removing extremely fragile components. Consider working on a surface that will be easy to clean up afterwards.

With the screen glass completely loosened around the edges, remove it from the phone.

The fragile LCD display underneath the glass has a tendency to shatter into small pieces. If in doubt, protect your hands with gloves.

Cover the LCD with tape to prevent the broken glass from spreading or falling out during removal.

Step 23

              Remove the LCD
  • Carefully peel the cracked LCD away from the frame.
  • If necessary, push the Jimmy between the LCD and the frame to loosen it from the adhesive.
  • Remove the LCD.

Carefully peel the cracked LCD away from the frame.

If necessary, push the Jimmy between the LCD and the frame to loosen it from the adhesive.

Remove the LCD.

Step 24

  • Grab the foil liner underneath the LCD and peel it away from the case.
  • You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener to help loosen the adhesive.

Grab the foil liner underneath the LCD and peel it away from the case.

You may need to reheat and reapply the iOpener to help loosen the adhesive.

Step 25

              Clean off old adhesive
  • Use tweezers to remove all old adhesive from the phone case before installing the new display.
  • When you install the replacement display, feed the display cable through the hole on the rear of the case.

Use tweezers to remove all old adhesive from the phone case before installing the new display.

When you install the replacement display, feed the display cable through the hole on the rear of the case.

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

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

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Samsung Galaxy S4 Answers community for help.

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                    Carsten Frauenheim

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