ABXY/D-pad Conductive Sticker Replacement

ID: 160383

Description: If your ABXY buttons or D-Pad have become...

Use a tri‑point Y00 screwdriver to remove the four 6 mm‑long screws located at the four corners of the bottom panel.

Use a spudger to gently pry around the two short edges and front edge (with the stylus cut‑out) to release the clips securing the back cover.
Swing the back cover open from its front edge to release the clips along the hinge edge. Don't remove it fully—three cables are connecting it to the motherboard (two on each side and one in the rear).

Use tweezers to disconnect the two cables that connect the rear buttons on either side to the motherboard by gently pulling them upwards.
Fold the back cover over the hinge edge, keeping the cable connected. Don't strain the cable.

The battery is lightly adhered to its enclosure.
Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry the battery out of its plastic enclosure.

There are 8 ribbon cables that need to be removed as shown in the picture.
2 of connectors (in green) are friction fit, unlike the rest of the connectors. Remove the cable by pulling it out gently flat in the arrow direction. Do not attempt to open or unlatch these connectors in any way. Doing so will break them.
For the remaining 6 (in red), use a pair of tweezers to flip the latches up and pull the ribbon cable out.
Note that the second picture shows a broken ribbon connector next to the joystick ribbon connector (to the right of the red arrow). Do not attempt to unlatch this connector as shown in the picture!

Remove the seven 4.4 mm screws using a J00 (or iFixit's Phillips #00) screwdriver bit.
Remove the motherboard from the device.

Flip the board over so the cartridge slot is on the bottom
Peel off the damaged sticker and replace it with the new one
ABXY buttons
D-pad
If the new sticker doesn't fit properly, you can cut it apart and stick each pad down separately. As long as they're properly aligned and secure, the buttons will still work normally

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