How to Disassemble Galaxy Note 5 for Repair!

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Whether you need to replace the screen/digitizer, faulty USB module, battery, camera, or even a stuck S-Pen, disassembling the Galaxy Note 5 can be done with simple tools.

For disassembling the Galaxy Note 5, you will need:

– Heat Gun or Hair Dryer

– Gel Suction Cup Car Mount – see review of the ones I have, cheap and works also well for your car.

– #00 Screwdriver – Link

– Guitar picks or any thin plastic tool – Link

– More plastic tools like JerryRigEverything Green Spudger – Link

– Patience and plenty of time

– Steady hands, avoid caffeine the day of disassembly (seriously).

Step 1. Use the heat gun or hair dryer to get the edges of the Note 5 hot.  Get it hot enough so it feel hot to touch but not burn your fingers.

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Step 2. “After heating”, put the suction cup car mount on the glass back.  While pulling the suction cup towards you, push in with a guitar pick on the center right (or left) edge of the glass in the opposite direction.

If you do this right, it will make just enough gap in and  your guitar pick will be able to get in-between the glass and the frame.  Now, don’t force this issue if you can’t do it the first time.  It took me about 5 times of repeating Steps 1 & 2 to get my guitar pick inserted.

But this is the best way to do it as the weak point of the adhesives are in the “center” of the phone, not on top of bottom.   Just take your time and repeat Steps 1 & 2 until you can get the guitar pick in-between.

*Note – This step is the HARDEST step in the whole disassembly because you can easily break the glass back if you apply too much force.  Just take your time and take as much time as possible while you do this so you won’t have broken glass.  Also, glass back is usually easily replaceable (maybe $10 on eBay) so if you break it, don’t worry and keep going.

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Step 3. Once you have tip of the guitar pick inserted, the rest is easy.  Simply slide the guitar pick all the way around the edges.  If you get stuck, apply some more heat and keep going.

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Step 4. That should get your glass back off away from the main frame assembly.

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Step 5. Unscrew all the screws then push on the bottom right part of the phone like shown below and the frame should come off.

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Step 6. To get the motherboard separated, simply undue all the flex cables and 2 antenna cables.

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Pull from the top of the phone and the motherboard should slip out easily, there’s also one more flex cable to undue before the motherboard can be free.

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Step 7. That’s pretty much it.  If you want to replace the screen, you can buy the LCD digitizer + frame assembly, which comes with the LCD digitizer and frame assembly so you don’t have to manually replace the LCD itself.

I’ve done screen repair for most of the Note phones and it’s not recommended to replace the LCD only by yourself as you have a good chance of ruining the touchscreen and S-Pen stylus LCD sensors.  If you are professional then do it but otherwise I recommend paying $30-40 extra for the LCD digitizer with frame assembly.

To replace the LCD digitizer with frame assembly, you only need to pull stuff like your ear speakers, vibrator, battery, and the USB module then put in on your new LCD digitizer with frame assembly.

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Re-assembly is pretty much the reverse of disassembly but you can watch my full video tutorial above and follow along.

 

 

 

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Max Lee

Max Lee is the founder of HighOnAndroid.com. Max makes Android tutorials and review videos for people who want to get high on Android over at his YouTube channel and Korean YouTube channel.