Nintendo Switch Left Joy-Con Shell Replacement

ID: 130378

Description: This guide will help you replace the shell of...

Steps:

1. Start by unscrewing the four Tri-wing Y00 screws from the back panel.
2. Keep the screws somewhere safe and organized.

3. Insert an opening pick into the seam at the bottom edge of the controller (opposite the L and ZL buttons).
4. Slowly slide the flat edge of your opening pick up the side of the Joy-Con, opposite from the rail.

5. With the charging rail facing away from you, open the Joy-Con like a laptop.
6. Do not fully remove the back panel yet; there are still two ribbon cables connecting the charging rail to the motherboard.

7. Gently pry the battery connector straight up from its socket on the motherboard using a plastic spudger (avoid metal ones to reduce the risk of shorting components). This will keep the Joy-Con from powering on during the repair.
8. Use caution while working around the rumble module's cable which runs in the vicinity of the battery connector.
9. When handling electronics and/or batteries, it's a good idea to wear at least an anti-static bracelet.

10. Insert a spudger between the battery and the Joy-Con housing.
11. Gently pry out the battery.
12. The battery is lightly taped in place.
13. Be careful not to deform, puncture, or damage the battery.

14. Remove the three 3½mm golden Phillips #00 screws from the mid-frame.

15. Carefully flip the mid-frame over, away from the motherboard, as if you were turning the page of a book.
16. The flex cables are extremely fragile. It is advised to use non-sharp tweezers rather than bare hands.

17. Use tweezers to flip the ZIF connector lock opposite the cable.
18. The ZL button is locked in place by a small ZIF connector on the motherboard.
19. Use tweezers to gently pull the ZL button flex cable out of its ZIF connector socket. The mid-frame is now disconnected and can be removed.

20. Unlock the rail's top ZIF connector and then disconnect the cable.
21. Unlock the rail's bottom ZIF connector and disconnect the cable. You can now remove the rail from the back frame.
22. Remove the L button and its spring.
23. Be careful because the spring tends to fling away.

24. Remove the screw holding the rail in place. Remove the rail from the back frame and set it off to the side.

25. Remove the latch button and set it off to the side.

26. Depress the latch underneath the trigger using tweezers. Gently pry the trigger off.
27. Make sure to note the position of the two springs under the trigger as they will need to go back in the same spot on the new mid-frame.

28. Remove the screw holding the circuit board for the trigger in place.
29. Remove the circuit board.

30. Remove the screws holding the analog stick in place.
31. The top-left screw is covered by the L button's flex cable.
32. Unlock the ZIF connector and remove the flex cable using tweezers.

33. Remove the analog stick.

34. Remove the screws holding the flex circuit (marked by a red circle) for the minus and L buttons.
35. Remove the flex circuit.

36. Remove the minus button.
37. There will be a silicone membrane covering the minus button. Make sure to put it back over the minus button during reassembly.

38. Remove the screws holding the motherboard in place.

39. Using a spudger, gently pry the rumble module out of its housing.
40. Remove the rumble module and the motherboard.

41. Remove the remaining five buttons from the shell.