DIY Google Pixel 3a XL Headphone Jack Replacement Guide
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 26 Steps
Hey there, repair guru! This guide was put together by the talented folks at Salvation Repair. Want to learn more about how we rock these repair guides? Check it out here. And heads up, the Pixel 3a XL’s display is a little delicate. Treat it with care, champ! If you need a hand, you can always schedule a repair with us.
This guide, crafted by the talented folks at Salvation Repair, is your go-to for swapping out the headphone jack on your Google Pixel 3a XL. Just a heads up: the display panel on your Pixel 3a XL is a bit delicate! So, if you plan to keep your screen in action after this repair, make sure to pay close attention to the warnings during the opening steps. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
– Alright, cool cat, take a peek at the back of your screen. It’s like lookin’ at a map of your phone’s internal world.
– Now, spot those two seams along the edge of your phone. One where the screen meets the phone’s body, and the other where the midframe meets the body. It’s like a double seam party!
– Hey, you’ll notice a little space between the screen’s edge and the OLED panel under the glass. That’s where the magic happens, so be careful. We want this screen to be lookin’ sharp, right?
– The seam where the screen meets the rest of the phone is the ‘screen seam’ – that’s where we’ll be pryin’. Think of it like gently untying a knot. Just take your time.
– And that seam where the midframe meets the body? Don’t even think about prying there. Those screws are keepin’ things in place, and we don’t want to mess with them. You can always schedule a repair if you need help. But hey, you got this!
Step 2
– Alright, let’s get this party started! Grab a suction cup and place it right on the edge of your screen, just below that volume button. We’re gonna be lifting this screen up in a sec, so get ready to rock! If you need help with this, you can always schedule a repair
Step 3
Alright, let’s get this party started! You’ll be sliding an opening pick between the screen and the plastic body of your phone. It’s like a little dance, see? If you get stuck, don’t worry, you can always schedule a repair
– Hey there! Just a heads up: if you’re not super careful, that plastic opening tool might accidentally poke a hole in your delicate OLED display lurking beneath the glass. Yikes!
– Want to keep your phone’s screen intact? Make sure to slide your pick in at a downward angle—just like in the second photo of this step. You’ve got this!
– This little trick will help your opening pick glide right under the OLED panel instead of squeezing between the glass and the panel, which could be a total screen disaster.
Step 4
Now that the opening pick is in place, you can go ahead and take off that suction cup. You’re doing great!
– Alright, champ, let’s get this screen separated! Pull up on the suction cup with some serious oomph to make a little gap between the screen and the phone.
– Now, slide your opening pick into that gap you just made. Careful, though! Don’t go too far.
– If you feel the pick hitting something, it might be the edge of the OLED panel. Just angle the pick down a bit and try again. You got this!
Step 6
– Before you start, take a minute to prep your phone’s top edge. Use an iOpener, heat gun, or hair dryer to warm it up and loosen the adhesive. This will make the repair process a whole lot smoother. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Tools Used
Step 7
– Gently work your opening pick around the upper-right corner of the screen – take your time, you got this!
– If you’re planning to reuse your screen, be extra careful here. To avoid damaging the display, either keep your pick deep under the OLED display, or just insert it about 5 mm into the device. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Step 8
As you glide along this edge, keep an eye out for the camera and proximity sensor hanging out nearby. No need to force it—just dance around them gently.
Step 9
– Let’s get this party started! Slide your opening pick down the left side of the phone to separate the adhesive. It’s like a little dance, and we’re just getting warmed up.
Step 10
That bottom edge is holding on tight! It’s like super glue for screens. The sides are a bit more chill, so don’t worry, you’ve got this!
– Thinking about reusing that screen? No problem! Just warm up the bottom edge of your phone with an iOpener, a heat gun, or even a hair dryer. This little trick will help loosen the adhesive nicely before you start slicing away.
Tools Used
Step 11
As noted in step one, you’ll see that the gap between the display and the screen’s edge is a bit more pronounced here compared to the sides. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– Gently slide your opening pick along the bottom edge of the phone to break free that last bit of adhesive keeping the screen snug. You’re almost there!
– Hold your horses! Don’t yank the screen off just yet; it’s still attached to the phone with a display cable.
– Planning to give your screen a second life? Be extra careful here! Keep your pick nicely tucked away under the OLED display (as shown in the photos for this step), or just slide it in about 5 mm to avoid bumping into the display underneath the glass.
Step 12
Step 13
– Grab your trusty tweezers and gently peel off that black sticker covering the display cable bracket. It’s like giving the bracket a little makeover!
– If the sticker’s still looking sharp, go ahead and use it again when you’re putting everything back together. If it’s a bit worse for wear, just grab a piece of electrical tape and give it a new life. No worries!
Tools Used
Step 14
Thanks to those crafty manufacturing quirks, a T4 Torx driver might just slide into these T3 screws like a glove.
– Take out the two 4.3mm T3 screws keeping the display cable bracket secure.
– Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure they go back exactly where they came from. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Step 15
When you’re unplugging connectors like these, be careful not to bump any of the tiny parts around the socket. It’s like a mini-city in there, and we don’t want to accidentally knock anything over! If you’re feeling unsure, you can always schedule a repair.
– First things first, let’s pop off that display cable bracket.
– Next up, grab your trusty spudger and gently pry up on the cable connector to disconnect the screen from the phone. Easy peasy!
– When it’s time to reconnect, make sure to line up those connectors just right. Press down on one side until you hear that satisfying click, then do the same on the other side. Remember, don’t push down in the middle! If things get misaligned, the pins might bend, and that’s a no-go for your device.
Tools Used
Step 16
– Time to get that screen out! Carefully remove it from your phone.
– Now, let’s compare the new part to the old one. You might need to move some of the goodies, like the speaker grill and the camera bracket, to the new part. No worries, it’s like a little puzzle!
Step 17
– Let’s get that screen back on:
– After you put everything back together, your device will go through a calibration sequence during boot-up. Just let it do its thing – don’t touch the screen until it’s done, or you might end up with some wonky touch calibration.
– Time to get out the tweezers or an opening tool and remove any leftover adhesive from the phone frame. A little high-concentration isopropyl alcohol can help with the cleaning process.
– If you’re planning to reuse the screen, make sure to remove all the adhesive residue. Be gentle, though – you don’t want to scratch that screen with any metal tools.
– Now it’s time to attach the screen to the frame again. Apply some pre-cut adhesive or double-sided tape (like Tesa tape), and you’ll be good to go. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Tools Used
Step 18
A handy tip: a T4 Torx driver might actually fit these T3 screws a bit better, thanks to those tiny manufacturing variations. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
– Let’s start by taking out those 4.3mm screws:
– As you work through this repair, make sure to keep an eye on each screw and remember where it belongs when it’s time to put everything back together.
– You’ll need to find 14 shiny silver T3 Torx screws
– and 2 sleek black T3 Torx screws.
Step 19
Those plastic clips are holding on tight, but we can handle it! Let’s loosen them up and get that midframe out.
– Gently slide an opening pick into the gap at the bottom of your phone. It’s like getting a secret key into a treasure chest!
– Now, slide that pick along the seam to pop those clips free that keep the midframe snugly attached. You’ve got this!
Step 20
Now that you’ve got the clips along the bottom of the phone loosened up, you can use the flat edge of the opening pick to gently pry the rest of the clips apart. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
– Slide your trusty opening pick along the left and right edges of the phone. Think of it as a little dance for those midframe clips.
– Now, gently lift up the bottom edge of the midframe. Don’t go all the way just yet! We’ve got a delicate cable holding it in place.
Step 21
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift up to free the proximity sensor cable from the motherboard. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 22
– Let’s get started by removing the midframe from your phone. This is a crucial step, and we’re here to guide you through it. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Step 23
– As you put everything back together, make sure to line up the top edge of the midframe with the top of your phone. Grab a spudger and gently nudge the proximity sensor cable connector into its socket. You’ve got this!
– Take your time with this part; a little patience goes a long way. Once the connector is in the right spot, feel free to use your finger to give it a gentle push into the socket. You’re doing great!
Tools Used
Step 25
– Grab that trusty spudger and use its sharp end to gently lift and unplug the headphone jack’s motherboard connector. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 26
If the headphone jack is stuck and won’t come out of its slot, don’t worry – we’ve got a trick for you. Try inserting the pointy end of a spudger into the jack, just like you’re plugging in your favorite headphones, and gently pry it up from the inside. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
– Say goodbye to the headphone jack!
– Next up, grab the replacement jack and align its hole with the one on your phone. Give it a gentle slide into place, and voilà!
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