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Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

13

Time Required

                          10 - 30 minutes

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1

  • Screen
  • 13 steps

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Introduction

Does your Pixel have a broken or cracked screen? Follow this guide to replace it!

The Pixel 3a’s unreinforced display panel is fragile. If you are reusing the screen, be sure to pay special attention to the warnings in the opening procedure.

What you need

Step 1

              Screen
  • Take note of the two seams on the phone:
  • Screen seam: This seam separates the screen from the rest of the phone. This is where you should pry.
  • Frame seam: This is where the plastic frame meets the back cover. It is held in place by screws. Do not pry at this seam.
  • Before you begin prying, note the following areas on the screen:
  • Screen flex cable: Do not pry deeper than instructed, or you risk damaging this cable.
  • Adhesive perimeter: Prying beyond the narrow perimeter without angling the pick will damage the display panel.

Take note of the two seams on the phone:

Screen seam: This seam separates the screen from the rest of the phone. This is where you should pry.

Frame seam: This is where the plastic frame meets the back cover. It is held in place by screws. Do not pry at this seam.

Before you begin prying, note the following areas on the screen:

Screen flex cable: Do not pry deeper than instructed, or you risk damaging this cable.

Adhesive perimeter: Prying beyond the narrow perimeter without angling the pick will damage the display panel.

1024

Step 2

  • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the right edge of the display for a minute.
  • You can choose to skip this step since the Pixel 3a’s screen adhesive is not very strong. Heating it, however, will decrease the chance of cracking the screen.

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the right edge of the display for a minute.

You can choose to skip this step since the Pixel 3a’s screen adhesive is not very strong. Heating it, however, will decrease the chance of cracking the screen.

Step 3

  • Place a suction cup near the right edge of the screen.
  • Pull on the suction cup with strong steady force.
  • Insert the pick into the gap, no more than 1 mm.

Place a suction cup near the right edge of the screen.

Pull on the suction cup with strong steady force.

Insert the pick into the gap, no more than 1 mm.

Step 4

  • This step shows how to insert the pick without damaging the OLED panel. Do this before you slice either long edges of the phone.
  • With the pick 1 mm in the gap, pivot the pick upwards to a steep angle.
  • At this angle, carefully push the pick into the gap about 1/4" (6 mm). The pick should slide in below the OLED panel.
  • Stop if you feel the point of the pick hitting a ridge. The pick may be pressing against the edge of the OLED panel. Angle the pick and try again.

This step shows how to insert the pick without damaging the OLED panel. Do this before you slice either long edges of the phone.

With the pick 1 mm in the gap, pivot the pick upwards to a steep angle.

At this angle, carefully push the pick into the gap about 1/4" (6 mm). The pick should slide in below the OLED panel.

Stop if you feel the point of the pick hitting a ridge. The pick may be pressing against the edge of the OLED panel. Angle the pick and try again.

Step 5

  • Slide the pick along the right edge, slicing through the adhesive.
  • Do not insert the pick more than 1/4" (6 mm), or you may damage the screen’s flex cable.
  • Leave a pick in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Slide the pick along the right edge, slicing through the adhesive.

Do not insert the pick more than 1/4" (6 mm), or you may damage the screen’s flex cable.

Leave a pick in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 6

  • As you slice around the bottom edge of the phone, do not insert the pick more than 1/4" (6 mm).
  • Slide the pick around the bottom right corner to slice through the adhesive.
  • If the corner feels hard to slice, apply a heated iOpener to the corner for a minute and try again.
  • Continue slicing along the bottom edge of the phone and around the left corner.

As you slice around the bottom edge of the phone, do not insert the pick more than 1/4" (6 mm).

Slide the pick around the bottom right corner to slice through the adhesive.

If the corner feels hard to slice, apply a heated iOpener to the corner for a minute and try again.

Continue slicing along the bottom edge of the phone and around the left corner.

Step 7

  • Slice through the left edge of the phone, making sure to properly angle the pick below the OLED panel and insert it in no more than 1/4" (6 mm).
  • To angle the pick below the OLED panel, insert the point of the pick no more than 1 mm in, angle the pick upwards, and then slowly push the pick in 1/4".

Slice through the left edge of the phone, making sure to properly angle the pick below the OLED panel and insert it in no more than 1/4" (6 mm).

To angle the pick below the OLED panel, insert the point of the pick no more than 1 mm in, angle the pick upwards, and then slowly push the pick in 1/4".

Step 8

  • Slice along the top edge while keeping the pick no more than 5/16" (8 mm) in.

Slice along the top edge while keeping the pick no more than 5/16" (8 mm) in.

Step 9

  • With all of the edges cut, carefully hinge open the right edge of the screen.
  • Do not remove the screen. It is still attached to the phone by a flex cable near the left edge.
  • Use an opening pick to carefully cut through any remaining adhesive.

With all of the edges cut, carefully hinge open the right edge of the screen.

Do not remove the screen. It is still attached to the phone by a flex cable near the left edge.

Use an opening pick to carefully cut through any remaining adhesive.

Step 10

  • With all of the adhesives cut, flip the attached screen glass side down and rest it on top of the phone. The screen flex cable should be loosely arched.

With all of the adhesives cut, flip the attached screen glass side down and rest it on top of the phone. The screen flex cable should be loosely arched.

Step 11

  • Carefully peel the black tape covering the screen connector bracket.
  • If it is in good condition, you can re-use this tape during reassembly. Otherwise, replace it with a piece of electrical tape.
  • Remove the two 4.4 mm long T3 screws securing the screen connector bracket.
  • Remove the screen connector bracket.

Carefully peel the black tape covering the screen connector bracket.

If it is in good condition, you can re-use this tape during reassembly. Otherwise, replace it with a piece of electrical tape.

Remove the two 4.4 mm long T3 screws securing the screen connector bracket.

Remove the screen connector bracket.

Step 12

  • Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the screen flex cable.
  • 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 screen flex cable.

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 13

  • Remove the screen.
  • Carefully compare your replacement screen with your original part. You may need to transfer additional components (such as the speaker mesh) to the new part.
  • To reinstall the screen:
  • Follow this guide if you are using custom-cut adhesives.
  • If you are using double-sided tape such as Tesa tape, follow this guide.
  • During the boot-up process after reassembly, the screen will go through a calibration sequence. Do not touch the screen during this process, as it could result in improper touch calibration and create touch issues.

Remove the screen.

Carefully compare your replacement screen with your original part. You may need to transfer additional components (such as the speaker mesh) to the new part.

To reinstall the screen:

Follow this guide if you are using custom-cut adhesives.

If you are using double-sided tape such as Tesa tape, follow this guide.

During the boot-up process after reassembly, the screen will go through a calibration sequence. Do not touch the screen during this process, as it could result in improper touch calibration and create touch issues.

If your Pixel won’t turn on after replacing the screen, there is a chance that the phone has silently turned on when the battery is re-connected. Hold the power button for a few seconds until the phone vibrates off. Afterwards, re-connect the screen, and try again.

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

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

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

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                    Arthur Shi

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annebfsl - Jul 22, 2019

Reply

Olá! Vocês sabem onde posso achar essa tela pra comprar? Obrigada!

Ernest Zamelczyk - Jul 29, 2019

Reply

Any word on the replacement screens?

Arthur Shi - Jul 29, 2019

We should have replacement screens in stock in the next month or two! Thanks for your patience.

Mark Waring - Sep 3, 2019

Reply

I’ve cracked not only my LCD screen, but also the frame seam (shown with orange line in step 1 above). Will you be posting a guide to replace this also, or could you incorporate into this guide? Also interested if this will be available as a spare? Thanks.

Arthur Shi - Sep 3, 2019

Hi Mark,

I’m sorry to hear that! The frame seam is part of the plastic midframe—you would need to replace the midframe to replace the cracked seam. Instructions on how to do so can be found in this guide.

Because the Pixel 3a is a relatively new phone, replacement parts are harder to find for it. You can always buy a broken phone and transfer the part over, or use some adhesive to hold the cracked frame seam in place.