Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

20

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour            

Sections

3

  • Back Cover
  • 11 steps
  • Google Pixel 3 Battery Disconnect
  • 3 steps
  • Loudspeaker
  • 6 steps

Flags

0

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Introduction

Follow this guide to remove the bottom loudspeaker for the Pixel 3. Due to the phone’s ingress design, removing the loudspeaker will compromise the phone’s water resistance capability.

What you need

Step 1

              Weaken the back cover's adhesive               
  • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the bottom of the phone for one minute.

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the bottom of the phone for one minute.

1024

Step 2

              Create a gap in the seam               
  • Apply a suction cup to the heated bottom edge of the back cover.
  • Make sure you did not mistake the screen side for the back cover side.
  • If your back cover is badly cracked, covering it with a layer of clear packing tape may allow the suction cup to adhere.
  • Lift on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap.
  • Depending on how aged your phone is, this may take significant force. If you are having trouble, apply more heat and try again.
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap.
  • Don’t use metal tools to pry, or you’ll mar or shatter the glass back cover. If the panel won’t budge, apply more heat, either with a hair dryer or heat gun.

Apply a suction cup to the heated bottom edge of the back cover.

Make sure you did not mistake the screen side for the back cover side.

If your back cover is badly cracked, covering it with a layer of clear packing tape may allow the suction cup to adhere.

Lift on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap.

Depending on how aged your phone is, this may take significant force. If you are having trouble, apply more heat and try again.

Insert an opening pick into the gap.

Don’t use metal tools to pry, or you’ll mar or shatter the glass back cover. If the panel won’t budge, apply more heat, either with a hair dryer or heat gun.

Step 3

  • When inserting an opening pick above the power button, be careful not to insert the pick too deeply, or you will damage the fingerprint sensor cable.

When inserting an opening pick above the power button, be careful not to insert the pick too deeply, or you will damage the fingerprint sensor cable.

Step 4

              Cut through the adhesive               
  • Slice the adhesive along the bottom edge of the phone and around the right corner.
  • Leave a pick in the bottom edge to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

Slice the adhesive along the bottom edge of the phone and around the right corner.

Leave a pick in the bottom edge to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.

Step 5

  • Heat the right edge with an iOpener and continue slicing the adhesive with an opening pick.
  • The adhesive can be very gummy. Push the pick in and out in a sawing motion to help with slicing.

Heat the right edge with an iOpener and continue slicing the adhesive with an opening pick.

The adhesive can be very gummy. Push the pick in and out in a sawing motion to help with slicing.

Step 6

  • Continue heating and slicing through the rest of the phone perimeter. Leave a pick in each edge to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
  • When slicing above the power button, do not insert the pick more than halfway in to avoid damaging the fingerprint sensor cable.

Continue heating and slicing through the rest of the phone perimeter. Leave a pick in each edge to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

When slicing above the power button, do not insert the pick more than halfway in to avoid damaging the fingerprint sensor cable.

Step 7

              Lift the left edge of the back cover               
  • Once you have sliced around the perimeter of the phone, carefully lift the left edge of the back cover.
  • Do not attempt to remove the back cover. It is still attached to the phone by the fingerprint sensor cable.
  • Flip the back cover along its long axis and rest it so that the fingerprint sensor cable is not strained.

Once you have sliced around the perimeter of the phone, carefully lift the left edge of the back cover.

Do not attempt to remove the back cover. It is still attached to the phone by the fingerprint sensor cable.

Flip the back cover along its long axis and rest it so that the fingerprint sensor cable is not strained.

Step 8

              Remove the screws               
  • Remove the two 4.1 mm-long Phillips screws securing the fingerprint connector bracket.
  • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.
  • During reassembly, be careful not to over-tighten these screws, or you may damage your display.

Remove the two 4.1 mm-long Phillips screws securing the fingerprint connector bracket.

Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

During reassembly, be careful not to over-tighten these screws, or you may damage your display.

Step 9

              Remove the fingerprint connector bracket               
  • Use the point of a spudger to slide the fingerprint connector bracket out from under the NFC coil.
  • Remove the fingerprint connector bracket.

Use the point of a spudger to slide the fingerprint connector bracket out from under the NFC coil.

Remove the fingerprint connector bracket.

Step 10

              Disconnect the fingerprint connector               
  • Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the fingerprint connector from its socket.
  • When you disconnect connectors like these, be careful not to dislodge the small surface-mounted components surrounding the socket.
  • To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the fingerprint connector from its socket.

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

To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

Step 11

              Remove the back cover               
  • Remove the back cover.
  • Before you install a replacement back cover, be sure to remove all adhesive residue from the phone frame. Use an opening tool to scrape and high concentration isopropyl alcohol to clean the surface.
  • If you are re-using the back cover, be sure to clean off any adhesive, and apply new back cover adhesive.
  • If you are installing a replacement back cover, be sure to compare it with the original part. Transfer any remaining parts (such as the flash diffuser) over to your replacement part.
  • Follow this guide to correctly apply new back cover adhesive.

Remove the back cover.

Before you install a replacement back cover, be sure to remove all adhesive residue from the phone frame. Use an opening tool to scrape and high concentration isopropyl alcohol to clean the surface.

If you are re-using the back cover, be sure to clean off any adhesive, and apply new back cover adhesive.

If you are installing a replacement back cover, be sure to compare it with the original part. Transfer any remaining parts (such as the flash diffuser) over to your replacement part.

Follow this guide to correctly apply new back cover adhesive.

Step 12

              Remove the screws               
  • Remove the five Phillips screws securing the wireless charging coil:
  • Two 1.9 mm screws
  • Two 4.2 mm screws
  • One 4.3 mm screw

Remove the five Phillips screws securing the wireless charging coil:

Two 1.9 mm screws

Two 4.2 mm screws

One 4.3 mm screw

Step 13

              Remove the charging coil               
  • Lift up and remove the wireless charging coil.

Lift up and remove the wireless charging coil.

Step 14

              Disconnect the battery cable               
  • Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery press connector from its socket near the right edge of the phone.

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery press connector from its socket near the right edge of the phone.

Step 15

              Disconnect the loudspeaker               
  • Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the loudspeaker connector from its motherboard socket near the right edge of the phone.
  • Be careful not to puncture the battery with the spudger.

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the loudspeaker connector from its motherboard socket near the right edge of the phone.

Be careful not to puncture the battery with the spudger.

Step 16

              Remove the screws               
  • Remove the following four Phillips screws:
  • One 1.9 mm screw
  • One 4.3 mm screw
  • Two 4.3 mm screws with thinner shanks
  • Remove the tiny grounding clip from the left screw hole. Be careful not to lose it.
  • The grounding clip installs such that the contoured edge faces the left side of the phone.
  • Remove the small plastic insert from the right side of the USB-C port.
  • Be sure to reinstall this insert before you screw down the daughterboard.

Remove the following four Phillips screws:

One 1.9 mm screw

Two 4.3 mm screws with thinner shanks

Remove the tiny grounding clip from the left screw hole. Be careful not to lose it.

The grounding clip installs such that the contoured edge faces the left side of the phone.

Remove the small plastic insert from the right side of the USB-C port.

Be sure to reinstall this insert before you screw down the daughterboard.

Step 17

              Loosen the loudspeaker               
  • The loudspeaker is still held in place by a strong adhesive gasket. Before attempting to remove it, pry it up in a few different places to break the adhesive seal.
  • Insert the point of a spudger under the bottom right corner of the loudspeaker.
  • Pry up to loosen the loudspeaker from the phone.

The loudspeaker is still held in place by a strong adhesive gasket. Before attempting to remove it, pry it up in a few different places to break the adhesive seal.

Insert the point of a spudger under the bottom right corner of the loudspeaker.

Pry up to loosen the loudspeaker from the phone.

Step 18

  • Insert the point of a spudger under the top left corner of the loudspeaker.
  • Be careful not to puncture the battery with the spudger.
  • Pry up to loosen the loudspeaker.

Insert the point of a spudger under the top left corner of the loudspeaker.

Pry up to loosen the loudspeaker.

Step 19

  • Insert the flat end of the spudger under the top edge of the loudspeaker, towards the left edge.
  • Pry up to loosen the loudspeaker.

Insert the flat end of the spudger under the top edge of the loudspeaker, towards the left edge.

Step 20

              Remove the loudspeaker               
  • Remove the loudspeaker.
  • Before you install a replacement loudspeaker, check the adhesive gasket.
  • If it is in good condition, you can re-use the gasket. Make sure that the gasket does not cover the exit hole.
  • If the gasket is pulled out of place, remove it and replace the adhesive with a pre-cut strip or Tesa tape.

Remove the loudspeaker.

Before you install a replacement loudspeaker, check the adhesive gasket.

If it is in good condition, you can re-use the gasket. Make sure that the gasket does not cover the exit hole.

If the gasket is pulled out of place, remove it and replace the adhesive with a pre-cut strip or Tesa tape.

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

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Google Pixel 3 Answers community for troubleshooting help.

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                    Arthur Shi                     

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