Introduction

Follow this guide to remove and replace the motherboard for the Galaxy S10. This includes the USB-C charging port, which is now soldered to the board.

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    • Insert a SIM card eject tool, SIM eject bit, or a straightened paperclip into the hole on the SIM tray, located at the top edge of the phone next to the plastic antenna band.

    • If you inserted the tool into the other hole, don't worry—the microphone and the ingress seal are mounted out of harm's way.

    • Press firmly to eject the tray.

    • Remove the SIM card tray.

    • When reinserting the SIM card, ensure that it is in the proper orientation relative to the tray.

    Mais dans quel compartiment faut-il mettre la carte sim ? Le petit ou le grand ? Je ne sais pas si “Nano” c’est le plus petit format. Merci.

    Bernard LEROY -

    Bonjour Bernard,

    La carte SIM doit aller dans le petit compartiment.

    Arthur Shi -

    Be very careful to ensure that the SIM card does not fall out of the carrier while you are sliding it into the phone.

    If it does fall out of the carrier while being inserted, you will find it nearly impossible to retrieve without damaging the phone circuitry.

    You've been warned.

    Patsy Hetzel -

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    • Unplug and power off your phone before you begin.

    • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the back cover's right edge for two minutes.

    • A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

    • As you wait, take a look at the image of the removed back cover and take note of where the adhesive is located.

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    • Rest the heated right edge of the phone on something that is about 0.5 inches (13 mm) thick. This angles the phone for the opening tool.

    • Brace the left edge of the phone with your fingers so that the phone won't slide. Pull on the suction cup with firm pressure.

    • Press the edge of an opening tool into the seam between the back cover and the frame.

    • With the opening tool in place in the seam, slide it back and forth along the seam to loosen the back cover.

    Will the Suction Cup work with a cracked back?

    Red Royal -

    Might be hard with the suction cup on a cracked back. I'd rather break it off and buy a new back (it's super cheap, around 10$ online).

    Guenter -

    Yes! Apply a layer of packing tape to the cracked back cover first, and the suction cup will adhere to the smooth tape surface.

    Arthur Shi -

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    • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the same edge of the phone for two minutes.

    • Apply a suction cup to the back of the phone, as close to the center of the right edge as possible (where the adhesive is narrowest).

    • Pull on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap between the back cover and the frame.

    • Insert the point of an opening pick into the gap.

    • Due to tight tolerances, this may take multiple attempts.

    • If you are having trouble creating a gap, your best bet is to apply more heat to the edge and try the previous step again. The glass is heated enough when it is barely too hot to touch.

    • You can try applying a few drops of high concentration (over 90%) isopropyl alcohol into the seam to help loosen the adhesive.

    • Do not apply excessive force with the pick, or you will risk cracking the back cover glass.

    I had trouble lifting up to create a gap. What I did is watch Jerry rig everything's teardown and he said the back glass must be barely too hot to touch in order for the adhesive to weaken.

    So I heated the iOpener till it was too hot to touch, but not so long that it would burst. Put on right edge for a few minutes. Then I lift with the suction cup, using my middle finger and thumb to grip the sides of the phone and my pointer finger to pull up on the suction cup .

    I cleaned the glass with an alcohol wipe beforehand to make the suction cup stick better, though I'm sure any cleaning method that removes fingerprints will help.

    I couldn't make as big a gap as shown in the picture, but I was able to stick my metal jimmy tool carefully into the crack between the glass and the metal frame and it was just enough to slide the tool a little. And I was very careful since it's a metal tool. After that I could stick the plastic pick in and slice the adhesive and then that gets you started removing the back cover. Reheat often to weaken and slice adhesive. STOP and reheat if it even gets a little harder to slice. DON'T risk cracking the glass.

    A X -

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    • Slide the opening pick along the edge of the phone, slicing through the adhesive.

    • Do not attempt to slice the adhesive holding the corners down before applying heat. If you do, you may crack the back cover.

    • Leave a pick in the seam to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

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    • Apply a heated iOpener to the bottom edge of the phone for two minutes.

    • Insert an opening pick into the right edge near the bottom right corner.

    • Carefully slide the pick around the corner. Continue cutting along the bottom edge and around the bottom left corner.

    • If the cutting feels difficult, re-apply heat to the edge before continuing.

    • Leave an opening pick in the seam to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

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    • Continue heating and slicing around the remaining edges of the phone.

    • When cutting around corners, be sure that the corner is thoroughly heated.

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    • Once you have sliced around the phone, twist an opening pick in one of the edges to help separate the back cover from the frame.

    • Lift the back cover slowly. Use opening picks to slice any remaining adhesive.

    • Remove the back cover.

    • During reassembly, this is a good point to power on your phone and test all functions before you seal the back cover in place. Be sure to power your phone back down completely before you continue working.

    • Follow this guide to reinstall the back cover, transfer and install the camera bezel, and replace the adhesive.

    • If desired, you may reinstall the back cover without replacing the adhesive. Remove any large chunks of adhesive that might prevent the back cover from sitting down flush. After installation, heat the back cover and apply pressure to secure it.

    Thank's for the help I will try to repair my phone with a new battery all on my

    ron hayes -

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    • Remove the eight 4 mm Phillips screws securing the top midframe to the phone.

    ネジが堅くて回らず、緩める方法はありますか?

    win1683 -

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    • The midframe is still held in place by a few plastic clips around the edge.

    • Insert the point of a spudger into the notch on the right edge of the midframe, near the volume up button.

    • Pry up to loosen the midframe from the phone.

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    • Insert the flat end of a spudger underneath the battery connector, which is attached to the motherboard below the rear-facing camera.

    • Pry upwards to disconnect the connector from its socket.

    • When you disconnect connectors like these, be careful not to dislodge the small surface-mounted components surrounding the socket.

    • Gently push the battery's flex cable away from the motherboard socket to prevent accidental contact.

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    • Remove the seven 4 mm Phillips screws securing the lower midframe.

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    • The midframe is still held in place by a few plastic clips around the edge.

    • Insert the point of a spudger underneath the top right corner of the lower midframe.

    • Pry up to release the midframe from the phone.

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    • Grasp the loosened end of the midframe with your fingers and lift upwards slowly.

    • Wiggle the midframe slightly to help release the remaining edge clips.

    • Remove the lower midframe. The loudspeaker is built into the lower midframe.

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    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the display connector from its motherboard socket, located near the bottom right corner of the phone.

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    • Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the headphone jack's connector from its motherboard socket.

    It's a good idea to take out the headphone jack at this point.
    It eases the process of taking out the motherboard.

    When reinstalling a new motherboard, the advantage of pushing in the jack AFTER sitting the motherboard is even greater

    Tal Glazer -

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    • Remove the three 3.7 mm Phillips screws securing the motherboard to the phone.

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    • Insert the point of a spudger underneath the right edge of the motherboard, near the volume down button.

    • Pry up gently to loosen the motherboard from its recess.

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    • Insert the point of a spudger under bottom left corner of the motherboard.

    • Pry up gently to loosen the motherboard from its recess.

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    • Using your fingers, grasp the motherboard by the top corners.

    • Swing the motherboard slightly out of its recess. Be careful not to snag any cables along the way.

    • Pull the motherboard towards the top edge of the phone while wiggling the board slightly. This will loosen the charging port from its socket.

    • Once the charging port is freed from its socket, remove the motherboard.

    • To reinstall the motherboard:

    • Align the motherboard's charging port with the bottom edge of the phone.

    • Gently push the motherboard against the bottom edge of the phone until the charging port is completely seated.

    • Lower the motherboard and press into place. Be careful not to trap any cables underneath the motherboard. The board should sit flush against the frame.

    It's a better idea to take out the headphone jack before taking out the motherboard and reattaching the jack after you sit the new motherboard in

    Trust me...

    Tal Glazer -

    where can you get replacement motherboard?

    Christopher Martinez -

Conclusion

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

After you've completed the repair, follow this guide to test your repair.

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

Arthur Shi

Member since: 03/01/18

225807 Reputation

14 comments

Hallo ich hab seit kurzem ein galaxy s10 und habe versehentlich statt dem eigentlichen Sim-slot in das untere Mikrofon neben den Lautsprechern “gestochen”. Ist dort direkt das Mikrofon dahinter oder ist dieses seitlich von dem Loch angebracht?

Dominique -

Hi Dominique,

The microphone hole is angled. You did not damage your microphone.

Arthur Shi -

I have the same problem, with the S10 open, I mixed up the microphone slot and the SIM card, I definitely did not damage the microphone?

Zorro1 -

Correct. You cannot damage the microphone by pressing anything into the hole. For more details, see here.

Arthur Shi -

where can i get the board to buy?

Byjaun Mckenzie -

Hi!, it seems that they’re sold out in most of the sites, you could try to buy a broken Samsung Galaxy S10+ with the motherboard fine, so you can replace it to yours.

I hope the repairings go well. If you have any more question let us know!

MemoryOverflow -

So I did the same, pushed a needle into the bottom mic hole thinking it was the sim eject tray.

If it is safe for the microphone, what did I hit? Did I ruin the waterproof seal? Any way to fix this?

Thank you!

albert einstein -

Don’t worry! You cannot damage the microphone or the waterproof seal by pressing anything into the hole. For more details, see here.

Arthur Shi -

Samsung s10 shut off during charging, has a black screen and won’t turn on; could this be a main board issue? The phone was not even used for a full two weeks after purchased.

Phillip Electro-Pennant -

How do I remove the headphone jack?

eldredn -

Hi Arthur,

thanks for your post! I find it very useful.

Currently Im planning to exchange the motherboard of my Samsung Galaxy S10 SM-G973U1 for the motherboard of a samsung galaxy s10 SM-G973F. Is possible to do this?

I would like to do so because the SM-G973U1 only allows to insert one sim card.

Many thanks!

Best,

Jared

Moisés Negrín -

Hi Moisés!

I haven't worked with the G973F international model, so I don't know if there are any physical incompatibilities. If it fits, it should theoretically work. Please drop an update when you're done!

Arthur Shi -

Hello,

I was told that I have a dead power IC and ordered a replacement motherboard online for my S10+ G975U. My goal is to not lose any data. Is it possible to swap the NAND storage with the one that has my data on it? Also, was it an overkill to order the whole motherboard (they didn't tell me which IC is dead in particular)?

Lachezar Dimov -

where can i get a motherboard for my s10

isaiahtami -