Replace Google Pixel 2 Screen: Step-by-Step Guide
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 18 Steps
Authored by the amazing iFixit crew, this guide isn’t endorsed by Google. Want more of our repair wisdom? Check out our other guides! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
This repair guide comes straight from the talented folks at Salvation Repair, and while it hasn’t received a thumbs up from Google, it’s packed with helpful tips! Ready to tackle that cracked or malfunctioning screen on your Google Pixel 2? You’ve got this! Just remember, you might need to transfer a few tiny parts from the old display to the new one. So, take a good look at both displays to ensure all the important bits make the journey to their new home. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
The curved part of the glass can be a bit tricky – the suction cup might not get a good grip.
– Let’s keep those shattered shards from getting out of hand, and protect your fingers while you’re at it! Tape up the broken glass to keep it from spreading, and you’ll have a nice smooth surface for the suction cup to grab hold of.
– Now, get that suction cup as close as you can to the volume button edge of the phone. Just make sure you avoid that curved edge, ok?
Step 2
Be gentle with that display panel – it’s fragile. When you’re using your tool to separate the adhesive, only insert it as far as you need to. Going too far can damage the OLED panel underneath, and we want to avoid that.
Keep your pick shallow, about 1.5 mm or less. Any deeper and you risk damaging the OLED panel. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
This might take a little muscle and some patience, but you’ve got this! If you’re struggling, try gently rocking the suction cup and screen to loosen the adhesive, or give it a little warmth with an iOpener, heat gun, or hairdryer. And hey, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– Lift the suction cup with steady, firm pressure and slide an opening pick between the front panel and rear case.
Step 3
Hey there! Just a friendly heads-up: during the next steps, it’s super important to be careful in certain spots to keep your device safe and sound.
Avoid inserting your opening tool more than 1.5 mm into the sides of the device or over 9 mm into the top and bottom. Going too deep can harm your display for good!
– Keep your pick at a safe distance! Don’t go deeper than 9 mm into the bottom edge of your phone. If you happen to poke the folded part of the OLED panel, it could lead to some screen drama.
– When you’re working in the upper left corner, remember to take it easy! Just a light touch is all you need; going too deep might put your front-facing camera in a tough spot.
Step 4
Be gentle with those side bezels! They’re just 1.5 mm deep, so treat them like the delicate little champs they are.
When working through these steps, use the flat edge of the opening pick to pry here, rather than the corner. This technique will help you avoid inserting the pick too far and making things more complicated than they need to be. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
– Now it’s time to get this phone opened up. Slide the opening pick up the right side to loosen the display adhesive and get ready to take a peek inside. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Step 5
Be careful not to damage or lose the mesh covering the earpiece speaker on the top edge of the screen. If you’re missing a replacement mesh, take extra precautions to keep this tiny component safe. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
– Now it’s time to get this repair started – gently slide the opening pick around the upper-right corner and along the top edge of the phone. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Step 6
– Let’s get this phone open! Slide that pick around the upper-left corner and down the left side. You got this!
Step 7
Be sure to keep that opening pick under 9 mm deep—it’s like a secret handshake with the OLED panel! Go too far, and you might ruin the magic. Stay safe and happy repairing!
– Gently slide the pick around the bottom-left corner and along the bottom edge of the phone. Keep that pick angled slightly away from the screen to protect those delicate OLED corners from any mishaps.
Step 8
Hold up, cowboy! Don’t go ripping that display off just yet. There’s a delicate little ribbon cable holding it to the phone’s brain (the motherboard). Let’s be gentle, alright? If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
If the display doesn’t want to budge, give it a little extra encouragement with your tool to gently pry it free. Remember, the adhesive near the top speaker is a little tougher than the rest, so don’t be afraid to give it a little extra TLC! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– Now, slip that pick back up at the top of your phone and gently pry up the display. You’ve got this!
Step 9
– Gently place the display right on top of the rear case just like in the picture, and remember to treat that display ribbon cable with care—no creases or tears allowed!
– Grab your trusty T5 Torx screwdriver and remove those two 4.0 mm screws holding the display cable bracket in place.
– As you navigate through this repair adventure, keep an eye on each screw and make sure it finds its way back to its original home.
Step 10
– Time to give that display cable bracket the boot! Let’s remove it.
Step 11
Keep your spudger away from the motherboard! The little components around the socket are delicate and need some extra love.
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift the display cable connector out of its cozy spot on the motherboard. Easy peasy!
– When it’s time to reattach connectors like this one, just align them carefully and press down on one side until you hear that satisfying click. Then, do the same on the other side. Remember, no pressing down in the middle! Misalignment can lead to bent pins, and nobody wants that.
– If your screen is playing hard to get and doesn’t respond to touch after your repair, simply re-seat this connector. Make sure it clicks into place and check for any dust or debris that might be crashing the party in the socket.
– As you put everything back together, take a moment to replace the adhesive around the edges of the display. It’s like giving your device a nice little hug!
Tools Used
Step 12
If your shiny new display didn’t come with the speaker grilles or the front-facing camera bracket already attached, no worries! Just gently take those parts off your old display and get ready to install them on the new one. Keep following the guide for a smooth installation.
