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How to replace Nexus Digitizier/Glass

So last week I cracked the glass on my poor Nexus. It took a horrible drop. Well I can't afford another Nexus and I can imagine having any other phone so I figured I'd repair this one. Read up alot on it and watched a video on Youtube. Ordered all the parts I needed I tackled it today.
Well I decided to do a How-To for any other Nexus owner with broken screens.
New digitizer - $40
Torx screwdriver -$5
Philips screwdriver -$5
Plastic tools - Free
Total - $50
Sure beats the $125 some online sites charge.
I would like to thank ifixit and slickromeo.
1. Gather all your tools and replacement glass (known as a digitizer).
Note: Needed tools are a Philips #00, a Torx T4, and a plastic pry tool (Mine was included with the new screen)
2. Set up a clean comfortable area to work in. You may be here for awhile and you're going to want to reduce the amount of dust that could potentially get on the new glass.
Note: I used a folded over microfiber towel to keep the area clean and also add some padding to the hard counter top to prevent even more damage while working with the phone.
3. Power phone off and remove battery cover, battery, SIM card, and Micro SD card. Set aside in a safe place.
4.Our first obstacle is going to be the antennae cover at the bottom of the phone. There are three plastic clips holding it in place (Circled in red). Use a combination of the pry tool, a guitar pick, butter knife, and any other instrument you need to shove in there. It is a pain in the ass... the video I watched online made it seem like it was going to be alot harder than it was, but if you work from left to right, or right to left, and get the outside one unclipped the other two come off pretty easy. Once you get it off set it aside with the battery cover and other things.
Note: Be careful not to break these tiny, fragile clips as they are the only things holding this cover in place.
5. Scream profanities and wipe the sweat off your brow from the previous step. I know it was frustrating and nerve racking trying not to break your precious Nexus.
6. Ok good job now to start the real deconstruction. I'm going to start with the battery tray and then move down to the antennae. There are three screws holding the tray down, but before we start on those there is this tiny ridiculous little "VOID" sticker covering up one of them. I wasn't able to remove it intake, partly because I don't really care about my warranty, but I'm sure with alot of patience and tweezers one could take it off intake and put it back. But screw that just get it off to get to the screw underneath.
7. Now two of these screws is a Torx and the third is a Philips (All in green). Remove them and put them somewhere very safe.
Note: I have four plastic cups set up to place my screws into. These are going into the first one.
8.Next you need to remove the battery tray. There are seven tabs (yellow circles) around it that you need to release using your plastic pry tool. Once those are released gently pull away form the bottom of the phone to remove the tray. Set the tray aside.
9. Now for the antennae cover. There are two more screws to remove, a Torx and a Philips (Orange circles). These screws are going in the second bowl. After the screws are out, gently lift up on the bottom of that cover and it should remove easily. Be very careful not to damage the circuit board during removal.
10. Next to come out is the logic board. there are two more very tiny screws to remove (White circles). Into the third bowl with those. Next you need to disconnect three connections (purple circles). Then carefully go around the perimeter of it with your pry tool and VERY CAREFULLY remove all the little tabs holding it in place. Then simply push up form the bottom of the logic board and slide it out. Set it somewhere very safe.
11. Now onto the actual case of the Nexus. Remove the six Philips screws, 1 at the top and 5 at the bottom . Again there are a series of little clips, five of em, around the perimeter that need to be undone and then the case very easily separates from the screen. Set the case aside.
12. Very simply pry the LCD screen away form the glass digitizer. There it is... the broken glass.
13. Now take your pry tool and from the back of the glass (not the side you would touch if you were using the phone) wedge it between the frame and the glass to separate to adhesive. Once the pry tool is in you can just slide it around the edge of the glass to separate the whole thing. TA-DA your broken glass is forever gone.
Note: The glass is broken and very sharp. Take extreme caution not to cut yourself.
14. Now we just have to put the whole thing back together. Start with the new glass/digitizer. Peel off the plastic protector to expose the adhesive and very carefully put it in place.
15. Wrap the connector that is part of the digitizer around and secure it in place with its adhesive.
16. Take the whole screen assembly and slide it back into the case. Push to secure the clips then replace the six screws that you removed.
17. Slide the logic board carefully back into place. You may have to hold down/more out of the way a few of the connectors. Take it a little at a time and see where it is getting caught up. You got this far don't lose your patience.
18. Snap the back antennae cover back in and replace its screws.
19. Slide the battery tray into place and replace its screws.
20. Snap the gray antennae cover back on.
21. Replace Micro SD card, battery, and battery cover.
22. Enjoy the beauty of your Nexus without a broken screen.
23. Place Nexus in Otterbox Defender case so this never happens again.
I have pictures that document each step but need to be approved by a moderator before it lets me post em... sorry guys

Hey, awesome job on fixing your screen. I would love to see them, my Nexus just went through the same thing 30 min ago. I had it on my lap, and upon stepping out of the car, SMACK, is all I heard. It landed face down and this is the aftermath. It's much worse than it looks in the picture.

Man, that sucks. I know that feeling.
I'll try to put the pictures up to help you out. Or at least a link to my photobucket.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

thanks! I just cracked mine yesterday after the phone fell out of my pocket onto a concrete floor. Ouch. I'm giving this a whirl.

Nice, I'll keep this in mind for the day I accidentally break my n1.
I just wish we could somehow jury-rig the Incredible digitizer to our phones =/

I just recently converted to the n1, bought the phone for cheap off craigslists, but notice burn in on the screen, will changing the digitizier also fix the burn in?

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this write up. I just dropped my phone and smashed the screen on concrete 30 mins ago. All is working but the glass is cracked. I've ordered a new Digitizer/Glass from ebay for £30, I just hope it comes by tomorrow.

you can post picture after 5 posts so it should be good now you have 8 posts

I've just completed the work of replacing the broken glass.
I used your guide throughout, it's a shame you haven't been able to post the pictures as it definitely would have helped. I managed to google some dismantling pictures to help with your talk through as it was hard going some times.
Many thanks again.

Another useful tip: run an air purifier aimed at your work station to minimize the risk of getting dust in the glass.

blueboymj: Any chance you can edit your original post and add your pictures so others can use them? I searched quite a lot for a specific procedure to change the digitizer on my poor N1; This was the best, most accurate guide I found. I've done digitizers on a few iPhones (sorry for the profanity) using the ifixit guides, but alas, the ifixit guides were better for them than they are for the N1.
On a side note: The end cap that gives people so much trouble fell off of my N1 in the initial drop. I pushed it back on, and continued using the phone even though the glass was shattered. Removing it the first time was not so hard, I think it was not back on as well as it should have been. Removing it the second time (another story) was much harder. There are two little plastic "bars" on the end cap (step 4 above) that fit into small grooves on the "antenna cover". (step 7) I think the trick may be to possibly pinch the edges of the end cap, while sliding it toward the bottom of the phone. I looked at it after it was open, to see why it was so hard to remove, and realized I had been inadvertently helping it hold itself closed while trying to pry it open. Maybe one of the videos addresses this; I did not watch them.
Thank you to the OP and the responders for this post!

So where exactly did u order the new digitizier and parts from?
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

This thread should be added to the N1 wiki. Thanks for the instructions.

DrewOntheMYT said:
I just recently converted to the n1, bought the phone for cheap off craigslists, but notice burn in on the screen, will changing the digitizier also fix the burn in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Burn in? Like shadowing on the LCD? Nope.
Thats the LCD, and is completely different than the digitizer. The digitizer is just a clear plastic/glass layer that goes OVER the lcd to detect touch.

I had the digitizer and a new case and was going to have a local phone store replace this for me. However, they just gave me some BS story about how you cannot replace the digitizer without also replacing the LCD screen, which I did not provide.
So I've been without a phone (since they have it) for no reason and have to drive out of my way to retrieve it.
Hey crappy phone store, if you're too scared to do the job just say so, don't try to make up a bunch of manure and say it can't be done.
Anyway, I just ordered the required tools that I don't have and am going to give this a whirl.
OP, if you can't post your pics, can you email them to me?

does it fix the multitouch problem?

Take Apart

Anyone know how to get the front bezel off this thing?
It's begging for a paint job.
Thx!

and perhaps a generous application of rubber cement. I had ONE creek point when i bought it - annoying but livable enough (plus the fact all the bad hours of xmas I was working I never had time to return it in the 30 day period to best buy). now almost 2 months latter theres three...
theres a teardown thread or two on here somewhere but the search button seems to be failing (or my browser....)
- Will.

It must pop off, but I don't want to be the guy to try it...

In the tear down I remember seeing roughly 10 small philips screws holding it from the inside to the metal sub structure. To tighten it you need to remove the back of the device then you will see the screws running around the perimeter. I also remember the screen is held to the bezel with a form of double faced tape.

waremaster said:
In the tear down I remember seeing roughly 10 small philips screws holding it from the inside to the metal sub structure. To tighten it you need to remove the back of the device then you will see the screws running around the perimeter. I also remember the screen is held to the bezel with a form of double faced tape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its funny because the guy at Best Buy was trying to pull the back off of the one I returned... No idea why he was trying to yank the back off of it...
I guess if he had succeeded I would have seen the screws..

Funny enough the display model NookColor at my local best buy was practically falling off. When I first looked at the device I nearly did not buy one because of that but then getting one in my hands at B&N changed my mind.

The front bezel is a "tape and cover" paint job. The screen is glued to the frame pretty solid. I had mine apart to fiddle around and to get the back off for a mold. Most of the screws are Torx #5 or #6. Tape it off good and you should be ok as far as the front bezel. The rear and metal frame you can easily get to by proper disassembly.

Here's the zdnet guide,
http://www.zdnet.com/photos/nookcolor-teardown/487636?seq=21
Here's what I did.
You'll need a torx 5. After you unscrews the 2 screws by the sd slot, use your nail along the chamfer corner to lift the back siding up. Then use a credit card to lift the back up and run along the edge to unhinged the back.

techboydino, are you going to make a new front bezel? might be a small after market for such things. I'd pick up a more solid one if the price was right.
actually metal front and back pieces would rock...
- Will.

I would like to see a silicon back cover case that has a kickstand..

WillCameron said:
techboydino, are you going to make a new front bezel? might be a small after market for such things. I'd pick up a more solid one if the price was right.
actually metal front and back pieces would rock...
- Will.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was really considering metal but the fact that most would have to really take special care to actually seperate the bezel from the screen really kind of set me off that. making a case for this is rediculously hard. (compared to my attempts at other devices. if you ever seperated a screen for a cell phone from the glass then you know what I mean. I am trying to replace the back with aluminum and wanted to do a carbon fiber front. so far everything is too thick or just plain looks bad.

Ever heard of masking tape?
3M BLUE painters tape FTW

Glad to find this post!!!
This maybe a little off the subject but does any know where I can purchase a replacement faceplate frame cover.
I accidentally drop my nook color and now it has a nasty crack...
Thank you all in advance!

i took the kickstand off a picture frame...white glued it and had one. Then took it off to fit my new cover...replacement kickstand not put on yet..

nookme said:
This maybe a little off the subject but does any know where I can purchase a replacement faceplate frame cover.
I accidentally drop my nook color and now it has a nasty crack...
Thank you all in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best bet is probably to pick up a smoked one off EBay or one with a cracked screen and a good bezel.
Actually post up WTB (want to buy) dead Nook Color in the XDA market and link to it in this thread. I seem to recall a couple readers here who have more than "gently used" Nooks....

Raplacing the digitizer

Ok so i have a cracked digitizer...
I am going to replace it myself, however this phone is obviously not a straight forward repair.
Anyone have any personal experience replacing the digitizer on this phone? I have seen the youtube videos and read the xda.cn chinese breakdown, just looking for some personal input on the process if someone has one.
Also what will i need to rebuilt it? Do i need double sided tape etc. Thanks

80 views and no ones ever had experience with this?

i replaced it on 2 hd7 phones.
its a real pain to get it off because the glue tape they use goes all the way around, and its strong stuff.
you need to take apart the entire phone to get to the ribbon cable where the digitizer plugs in, so just look for some youtube videos of a tear down and watch carefully.
honestly the hardest part for me was getting the screen and digitizer clean of fingerprints and tiny broken glass pieces without messing up the screen, while keeping the double sided tape i put on in place and intact.
just take your time and everything will go smoothly.
-edit- yes you will need some double sided tape because when you take the digitizer off the sticky layer of the tape goes with it, the rest of the tape stays on the screen and is impossible to get off without damaging your screen so you have to apply new tape over it.
i used some thin scotch brand double sided tape and i cut it into long narrow strips with a razor using my old digitizer as a cutting board, the same width as the original tape.

Hi mate appreciate the advice in my thread on the HD7 replacement.
I managed to get the digitizer out, however on replacing the new one i have a problem..
You know the old digitizer has three plastic prongs, on the buttons at the bottom, search etc.
Am i rigth in saying they need to be transferred to the new digitizer? As i can't see how they fit on the LCD when stuck to the digitizer? It raises the digitizer a little, unless they hand off the edge of the lcd?
Thanks

CraiGDaniel said:
Hi mate appreciate the advice in my thread on the HD7 replacement.
I managed to get the digitizer out, however on replacing the new one i have a problem..
You know the old digitizer has three plastic prongs, on the buttons at the bottom, search etc.
Am i rigth in saying they need to be transferred to the new digitizer? As i can't see how they fit on the LCD when stuck to the digitizer? It raises the digitizer a little, unless they hand off the edge of the lcd?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are nothing more than spacers. I have replaced two digitizers without them. As long as you get some good 3M double sided in that area there is no problems.

StevetotheH said:
Those are nothing more than spacers. I have replaced two digitizers without them. As long as you get some good 3M double sided in that area there is no problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
um no they arent spacers...they are what directs the light to the 3 bottom keys. they are there for a reason so i recommend using them... ... now you are spot on with the 3m tape as it is the tape needed to do this whole job properly... the scotch crap is not made for this and WILL NOT HOLD UP NOR SEAL PROPERLY>>>
and for the person who said to put the tape over the old.... not a good idea... it can be removed and new should be used to replace the old..
sorry but i do this daily for a living so i do have a clue about this... just trying to help make it a successful repair and not one that ends up in my shop after the home repair failed and it damaged more than just the screen.....

[Q] [SOLVED] Broken Back Bottom Shield Socket

Hi XDA Community,
due to changing the micro sd card of my hd7 it happens (because of a little bit to strong pulled) that one of the tiny stock clips is broken. Now my bottom back shield is not anymore clipped in on the left top side of the bottom shield.
Is there a way to get a new back bottom shield?
Or has anyone an idea to fix this on my own?
I thought of any industrial glue like 2 component resin. Just a tiny drop and let it dry. But i dont know if i need to get there in anytime in the future. And after fixing it with 2 component resin i will never be able to remove the shield without total destruction.
So guys if anyone has an good idea, i would be really thankful fo rur advice.
nice regards Synergi

you get the back cover anywhere online....but bottom back is not available in the market....:/
I guess u have to use the glue
Or else buy a hard case and don't put the bottom back cover at all....
If you are not going to remove the bottom back cover just seal it with the glue

Ok thx mate, i will stick with the glue.

Broken front glass (& usb port) - replacement?

Hi guys,
has anyone of you tried changing the front glass without digitizer and display?
In disassembly videos I can only see people changing the whole thing.
Also, do you think I can manage to repair the front glas as well as the USB port with just an iron instead of a hot air blower (and the usual tools made of plastic)?
Thanks in advance!

kadofl said:
Hi guys,
has anyone of you tried changing the front glass without digitizer and display?
In disassembly videos I can only see people changing the whole thing.
Also, do you think I can manage to repair the front glas as well as the USB port with just an iron instead of a hot air blower (and the usual tools made of plastic)?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't done the front glass on mine yet, but my understanding is that in general you're really better off replacing front glass as an entire unit with digitizer and display. An iron on pretty low through a cloth/towel might well work. It's not just glue that melts, it's a thin strip of rubber gasket material with adhesive (okay, maybe it's thick glue, but it looked pre-formed to me) holding the glass back cover on.
Heating probably helps a bit with softening the stuff, but after the first time you peel it up you won't really need to do that again. I'd recommend picking a corner (say, bottom left as you're looking at the back) and just plan on prying from there every time, so you only have one spot where the plastic gets marred.
Don't spend too much time heating, worry more about having a suction cup tool that you can lift with while you try to work a guitar pick or hobby knife or something in under the corner. Have at least two ready, so you can wedge one in, and work your way around without it just dropping back down on you. You'll probably tear the material a bit but that's okay, just spread it back out evenly around the edge on the glass before you put the cover back on. Also, you definitely should be using a case to make sure it doesn't just fall off in your pocket once you've opened it up a couple times.
USB cable replacement isn't awful, just time consuming. The biggest gotcha is to keep all three of the little gold clips on the plastic "mid frame" ring (that's the first thing you remove that requires screws after getting the back glass up) from fallling and getting lost.
You can PM me if you have any questions about this, I've replaced my USB cable/port assembly a couple times (first replacement was defective). And I'm about to attempt replacing the screen as a whole unit with glass & digitizer on my wife's Z2 Plus, so I'll let you know how that goes.