How to Replace Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (13.5-inch) Surface Connect Port
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 19 Steps
Get ready to tackle the Surface Connect port replacement in your Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (13.5-inch)! If your battery is looking a bit puffy, make sure to take the necessary precautions. Some of the photos in this guide are from a different model, so they might look a tad different, but don’t worry—they won’t mess with the steps. Let’s get to it!
Step 1
Make sure your laptop’s battery is below 25% before you dive into this repair. A fully charged battery could get a little too feisty if it gets damaged.
– Disconnect all the cables, give your laptop a moment of peace, and shut it down completely.
Step 2
– Flip the screen shut and place your laptop upside down with the back panel facing you, so you can get to those four rubber feet.
Step 3
Each foot has a little groove to lend a hand in prying it away from the laptop!
– The back feet recesses are nestled right up against the rear edge of your laptop.
– The front feet recesses are cozied close to the front edge of your laptop.
Step 4
The feet pop off pretty quickly, so make sure to keep an eye on them—don’t let them disappear on you!
– Slip one arm of your tweezers into the little groove on the side of the foot—like a ninja sliding into action!
– Give your tweezers a twist and gently pry upwards to loosen the sticky adhesive and pop that foot off the laptop, like a pro.
– Take the foot off and set it aside—you’re one step closer to victory!
– Rinse and repeat for the remaining feet until your laptop is foot-free and ready for the next move!
Tools Used
Step 5
– This laptop has two types of feet, so during reassembly, make sure to put them back in their correct spots!
– Pop the feet back into their little homes to secure them to the frame.
– The rear feet have a single center clip.
– The front feet have three clips and can only go in one way.
– If the feet don’t stick anymore, remove the old adhesive and use a bit of Tesa Tape where the old adhesive was.
Step 6
– Time to give those feet some TLC! If they’re damaged or worn out, grab some 8mm rubber furniture pads to get the job done.
– Now, peel one of those pads away from its backing – easy does it!
– Next, align the pad over a foot cavity and press down firmly to secure it. You got this!
Step 7
Be careful with these screws, they strip super easily. Apply steady, firm pressure to avoid stripping.
As you tackle this repair, keep an eye on those screws! Make sure each one finds its way back home to the exact spot it came from.
– Grab your trusty T5 Torx driver and unscrew those four 3mm screws holding down the upper case—you’re in control now!
Step 8
– Flip your laptop upside down and swing that screen wide open like you’re about to dive into greatness.
Step 9
Heads up! Don’t yank off the upper case entirely; it’s still tethered to the laptop by a sneaky cable.
Make sure the upper case fits snug all around. Any gaps between the top and bottom case near the screen could spell trouble as you close it.
The top case is held in place by some sneaky little magnets.
– Take hold of the top edge of the upper case right above the keyboard and gently lift it straight up to pop it free.
– Now, lift the bottom edge of the upper case away from the laptop, being careful not to put any strain on the ribbon cable hiding underneath.
– When it’s time to put everything back together, lower the upper case onto the lower case until you hear those magnets click into place and it sits nice and flat.
Step 10
The keyboard and touchpad cable is what keeps the upper case and laptop working together in perfect harmony.
– Take your trusty spudger and slide the pointed end under one side of the magnet connector. Gently pry up to disconnect it.
– When reconnecting, align the magnet connector over its socket with the cable pointing to the bottom of the laptop. Press down to secure it.
Tools Used
Step 11
– Take off the upper case and gently place it down on a clean surface, keyboard-side facing down. You’ve got this!
Step 12
Your SSD is cozy with thermal paste that creates a snug fit to the upper case.
Alternatively, feel free to add a little dollop of thermal paste directly onto the SSD’s label. Just remember to use the dot method with a bead that’s a smidge larger than the screw head holding the SSD in place.
– As you put everything back together:
– Grab your trusty spudger and gently scrape off that old thermal paste from the top of the SSD and the bottom of the upper case. Out with the old, in with the new!
– Splash a few drops of high-powered isopropyl alcohol (over 90%) onto the SSD and upper case, then give it a good wipe with a lint-free or microfiber cloth to leave everything sparkling clean.
– Time to swap out that thermal pad! Make sure to use one that’s the same size as the SSD sticker for a perfect fit.
Tools Used
Step 13
Once you’ve taken out that screw, the SSD will lift up at a cozy little angle, ready for its next adventure.
– Time to get that SSD loose! Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 2.7mm screw that’s holding it in place.
Step 14
Be careful not to yank it up at a steep angle, or you might end up hurting the SSD and its socket.
Taking out the SSD? Great news! It also takes care of disconnecting the battery. How handy is that?
– Gently wiggle the SSD free from its cozy little home and take it out.
– When it’s time to put everything back together, slide the SSD in at a fun little angle.
Step 15
Keep that tape out of the way for now, if you need to!
– Grab that trusty spudger and gently lift the golden locking arm on the Surface Connect port’s motherboard connector. You’ve got this!
– Now, take hold of the Surface Connect port cable and carefully pull it away from its connector to disconnect it. Easy peasy!
Tools Used
Step 16
– Grab your trusty T3 Torx driver and get ready to unscrew some tiny screws to free the Surface Connect port cover:
– Two 2.0 mm screws—small but mighty!
– Two 2.2 mm screws—just slightly beefier!
Step 17
– Pop off that Surface Connect port cover like a champ!
Step 18
– Grab your trusty T3 Torx driver and go ahead and unscrew those two 3 mm screws holding the Surface Connect port in place. You’ve got this!
Step 19
– Take a moment to compare your shiny new replacement part to the original one—don’t forget to transfer any leftover bits or peel off any sticky backings before you pop the new part in.
– Ready to put your device back together? Just follow these steps in reverse order and you’ll be all set.
– Got some e-waste piling up? Take it to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler. They’ll handle it properly!
– Ran into some trouble along the way? No worries! Try some basic troubleshooting or head over to our Answers community to get some help.
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