Google Pixel 6a Motherboard Replacement Guide: DIY Step-by-Step
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 38 Steps
Hey there! Just a heads-up: this guide was put together by the awesome folks at Salvation Repair, and it’s not officially backed by Google. Want to dive deeper into our repair wisdom? Check out our other guides!
For your own safety, remember to get that battery down to under 25% before you start taking your phone apart. Safety first!
Verizon GB62Z
Alright, techie, let’s get this phone motherboard swap done! This is your go-to guide for replacing the motherboard in your Google Pixel 6a. Heads up, for safety’s sake, make sure your battery is under 25% charge before you start tinkering. This helps keep things cool (and safe!) if anything happens. If your battery looks a little puffy, be careful, and check out schedule a repair for some tips. Heads up! This guide is based on the Verizon GB62Z model with its fancy 5G mmWave antenna. If you’ve got a different model, just skip the steps that mention the mmWave antenna – the rest of the process is the same. You’ll need some fresh adhesive to get this job done. If you need a hand, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
Before you start, make sure your battery is below 25% charged. We want to avoid any accidents, like a damaged battery catching fire. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
– Alright, let’s get this party started! First things first, make sure your phone is completely powered down and all those pesky cables are unplugged. You’re doing great!
Step 2
– Grab your trusty SIM eject tool, a nifty bit, or even a straightened paper clip and gently slide it into the SIM card tray hole.
– Give that SIM eject tool a little push to pop out the SIM card tray like a champ!
– Now, carefully pull out the SIM card tray and you’re all set!
Step 3
Before you dive into repairing your gadget, just take a moment to jot down these handy tips and tricks!
– Screen seam: This is the line where the screen meets the rest of your phone. Remember, don’t pry at this seam—it’s a no-go zone!
– Bezel seam: Here’s where the plastic bezel, which is there to keep your screen safe, meets the frame. It’s secured with some nifty plastic clips. This is the spot where you should gently pry!
Step 4
Alright, let’s get this party started! The next three steps are going to show you how to use the Anti-Clamp tool, which we designed to make this opening procedure super smooth. If you’re not using the Anti-Clamp, just skip down three steps and you’ll find an alternate method. No sweat!
Hey, if your screen is cracked, you’re going to want to cover it with some clear packing tape. This’ll help the suction cup stick like glue and prevent any unwanted surprises.
Need a little more guidance on using the Anti-Clamp? Check out this handy guide! It’s packed with tips and tricks.
If you’re feeling like your phone is a little too slippery for the Anti-Clamp to hang onto, no worries! Just use some tape to create a grippier surface. We’ve got your back!
– Give that blue handle a gentle tug back to free the Anti-Clamp’s arms!
– Slide those arms right over the edge of your phone—perfect fit!
– Place the suction cups about halfway down the right edge of your phone—one on the front and one on the back.
– Now, give those cups a squeeze to create some mighty suction!
Step 5
– Give that blue handle a gentle tug forward to secure those arms in place.
– Spin that handle to the right a full 360 degrees or until you see those suction cups start to stretch – you got this!
– Keep those suction cups aligned, like best buds on a team! If they start to stray, just loosen them a bit and guide those arms back together.
Step 6
Turn it gently, no more than a half turn each time, and give it a minute between turns. Let the Anti-Clamp and time work their magic!
Feeling a little crafty? You can also grab a hair dryer or heat gun for some warmth! Just be cautious with the heat—too much can mess with your display or internal battery, so keep it chill.
If the Anti-Clamp isn’t doing its magic and you still don’t see enough of a gap, no worries! Just apply a bit more heat to the area and give the handle a good clockwise twist for about half a turn.
– Warm up your iOpener and slide it carefully through the arms of the Anti-Clamp, making sure it’s positioned right along the edge of your phone.
– Take a breather for about a minute to let the adhesive loosen up and create a tiny gap.
– Once the Anti-Clamp has done its job and opened up a good space, gently slide an opening pick underneath the screen frame.
– Feel free to skip the next two steps.
Tools Used
Step 7
You can use a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate to get things warmed up, but watch out! We don’t want to turn your phone into a sauna—the display and internal battery are pretty sensitive to heat. Keep it cool to keep your tech happy!
– Warm up that iOpener and gently place it on the right edge of your screen for a cozy two minutes. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 8
Got a cracked display? No worries! A simple layer of clear packing tape can help your suction cup stick like a champ. If that doesn’t do the trick, some strong tape can step in for the suction cup. And if you’re really in a bind, a little superglue might just save the day by keeping that suction cup right where you need it!
Depending on how vintage your phone is, you might face a bit of a challenge. If things get tricky, just heat up the edges a little more and give it another go!
– First, attach a suction cup to the screen, positioning it as close to the center of the right edge as you can.
– Now, pull up on the suction cup with a firm, steady force to create a gap between the bezel and the frame – you’re making progress!
– Next, take an opening pick and carefully insert it into the gap you just created.
Step 9
Just a friendly heads-up: only slide the pick in about 3.5 mm to keep those delicate internals happy and safe.
– Stay with it, buddy! Pivot that pick upward at a sharp angle while still applying suction. Now, gently push it in as you reposition the opening pick into the bezel seam. You’re doing great! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 10
– Gently glide the pick down the right edge to pop off those pesky plastic clips holding the bezel in place.
– Get that pick ready at the top-right corner before you dive into the next step!
Step 11
Don’t worry, just slide it in gently, like your favorite vintage record – no jams, just a smooth dance to about 4mm depth. Can’t hurt that, right?
– Let’s get this party started! Gently slide that opening pick around the top-right corner of the phone. You’re gonna hear those clips pop loose, like a happy little dance!
– Keep that opening pick right there in the top-right corner. That’ll keep those clips from locking back up and messing up our groove.
Step 12
When slicing around the front camera, go easy with the pick! Just slide it in up to 3mm to keep that lens safe and sound. You got this! 😉 If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
– Hey, let’s rock and roll! Slide that pick along the top edge and start a celebration as you release those clips.
Step 13
– Give that opening pick a little twirl around the top-left corner of your phone to pop those clips loose.
– Keep the opening pick snug in the top-left corner to avoid having those clips snap back into place.
Step 14
Be careful and only slide that pick in up to 3 mm—let’s keep those internals happy and safe!
Alright, you should see that screen starting to pop right off the frame. If you’re still feeling a little resistance around the edges, grab your handy-dandy opening pick and gently work those clips loose. You’re almost there!
– Alright, let’s get this party started! Slide your trusty opening pick into that gap you just made. We’re gonna make it a smooth move!
– Now, let’s slide that pick along the left edge, gently releasing those little clips. You got this!
– Repeat the twisting and sliding moves along the rest of the edge. You’re almost there! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 15
Hold your horses! Don’t go yanking that screen off just yet. It’s still attached to the frame by a sneaky flex cable.
And remember, no twisting or yanking! Keep the screen close to the frame so that flex cable stays safe and sound.
Step 16
The display cable bracket is held in place with metal clips.
– Time to get a little handy! Use your trusty tweezers to gently bend the bottom side of the bracket upwards, and you’ll be releasing that metal clip in no time.
– Next up, carefully remove the display cable bracket – it’s an easy step, but an important one!
– When you’re putting everything back together, remember to insert the top side of the bracket first, then press down the other side. This will save you from any potential sparks or logic board damage, and trust us, you want to avoid that! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair with the pros at Salvation Repair.
Tools Used
Step 17
Take it easy while you tackle this step; those tiny components around the press connector can be a bit delicate, and we don’t want any mishaps!
– Alrighty, let’s crack open that tech treasure! Gently slide your trusty opening pick under the display cable connector at the bottom-right corner, right above the handy-dandy little screw hole. Carefully pry it up to disconnect the cable. When it’s time to reattach, align the connector and press down on each side – the middle’s a no-go zone for all the pins, we wouldn’t want any damage, now would we? Once it’s securely in place, your device will be back to its speedy self! If you need help, check out our repair services!
Step 18
– Let’s get this party started! First up, gently remove the screen.
– Now, get ready to put everything back together! But before we get too excited, let’s do a quick check:
– If you switched out that screen, make sure the camera and sensor cutouts on your new screen are looking good. And ditch any leftover liners.
– Hey, while you’re at it, check if the rubber gasket on the proximity sensor is still there – it might be chilling on the back of your old screen. If it’s missing, give it a little swap.
– Alright, time for a quick test drive! Connect your screen for a sec, power on the phone, and make sure everything’s working like a charm. Before putting everything back together, power it down.
– Let’s get that adhesive back on! Follow these steps to replace the screen adhesive.
– And if you’ve got a new screen installed, follow this guide to calibrate the fingerprint sensor! You’ll be good to go in no time.
– Need a little help? You can always schedule a repair.
Step 19
Hold up! Don’t go ripping that tape off completely. Just gently peel back the part that’s holding the midframe and top speaker together. You’ll see what we mean. 😉 If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– Grab those tweezers and gently peel back that silver tape holding the midframe and top speaker together. It’s like giving them a little hug, but in a way that lets them part ways!
Tools Used
Step 20
– Grab those tweezers and peel back the tape that’s hiding the screws on either side of the USB-C port. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Tools Used
Step 21
– Grab your trusty T3 Torx screwdriver and let’s get those 16 screws out of the way! We’re securing the midframe to the frame, and here’s how it’s done:
– Start with the eight robust 4.3 mm screws.
– Next up, the five slightly smaller 2.9 mm screws—easy peasy!
– Then, tackle the two 4.9 mm screws, they’ll pop right out.
– Finally, finish strong with the solo 4.6 mm screw. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 24
Feeling a bit of resistance? That’s totally normal! The midframe is just having a cozy moment with the heat sink thanks to some thermal paste. Keep going, you’ve got this!
– Take off that midframe with confidence!
– Now, before you close everything up, it’s a smart idea to power on your device and give it a quick test run to ensure all functions are working like a charm. Just remember to turn it back off completely before you dive back into the repair. You’ve got this!
Step 25
– Grab the flat end of a spudger and gently scrape away that old thermal paste. It’s time for a fresh start!
– Next up, let’s tidy up! Use some isopropyl alcohol along with a coffee filter or a lint-free cloth to wipe away any stubborn remnants of thermal paste.
– Don’t forget the midframe! Give it a good cleaning too, just like you did before.
– And as you put everything back together, remember to check out this guide for applying thermal paste to your device once more.
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Step 27
Whoa there, if your device isn’t equipped with 5G mmWave antenna action, you can totally skip the next four steps. We got your back and wanna make this process a breeze! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
– Grab your trusty T3 Torx screwdriver and get ready to tackle that 2.9 mm screw holding the 5G mmWave antenna bracket in place. You’ve got this! Just remember, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
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Step 31
– Time to give that ultrawide rear camera a little nudge! Grab your spudger and carefully pry up the connector, disconnecting it.
– Now, gently remove the ultrawide rear camera. You’re doing great!
Tools Used
Step 32
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently lift up to disconnect that wide rear camera’s press connector. You’ve got this!
– Now, it’s time to say goodbye to the wide rear camera. Just remove it carefully.
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Step 33
– Let’s get that volume and power button press connector off! Using the flat end of a spudger, carefully pry it up near the top left corner of the motherboard. Take your time, and if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Tools Used
Step 34
– Time to loosen things up! Grab your trusty T3 Torx screwdriver and give that 2.9mm screw holding the motherboard in place a gentle twist. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 35
– Let’s get that motherboard out! Take your spudger and gently slide it between the top of the motherboard and the frame, near the front camera.
– Now, carefully pry upwards to lift the motherboard. Once you have a good grip, you can pull it free!
Tools Used
Step 36
– Now, it’s time to give that motherboard a little lift! Gently tilt the top of the motherboard upwards to free those plastic clips holding it in place.
– Once those clips are happy, you can safely remove the motherboard. If you’re feeling a little unsure about any of these steps, you can always schedule a repair with our expert team at Salvation Repair.
Step 37
– Grab your spudger and gently pry up the front camera’s press connector located at the bottom of the logic board. Remember, a little finesse goes a long way!
– Now it’s time to take out the front camera. You’ve got this!
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