Google Pixel 9 Motherboard Replacement

ID: 175936

Description: This repair guide was authored by the iFixit...

Let your Pixel's battery drain below 25% before starting this repair. A charged lithium‑ion battery may catch fire if damaged.
Unplug all cables from your phone.
Completely power off your phone.
Press the power and volume up buttons at the same time to bring up the shutdown menu.

Adhesive secures the perimeter of the back glass to the frame.
When separating the adhesive, don't insert your tool more than 3 mm under the back glass to avoid damaging the internal components.
To help, measure and mark 3 mm from the tip of an opening pick with a permanent marker.
If your screen or back glass is badly cracked, a suction cup may not perfectly adhere.
Lay overlapping strips of packing tape over the glass to protect yourself and make disassembly easier. Ensure there's a smooth area near the bottom edge that's large and smooth enough for a suction cup to stick to.

Place a suction handle at the bottom edge of the back glass, as close to the edge as possible.
Push down to attach the suction cup.

Pull up on the suction handle with strong, steady force to create a small gap under the back glass.
Insert the tip of an opening pick into the gap.

Slide the opening pick back and forth along the bottom edge to separate the adhesive securing it.
Remember: don't insert the opening pick deeper than 3 mm.

Slide the opening pick around the perimeter of the phone, slicing the rest of the adhesive.

With most of the adhesive separated, lightly twist the opening pick at the bottom edge to lift the back glass up until you can grip it with your fingers.
Use the opening pick to separate any remaining sections of adhesive securing the back glass.

Remove the back glass.
During reassembly:
Now is a good time to test your phone before sealing it up. Power it on and check that it works. Power it back down before you continue reassembly.
Follow this guide to apply new adhesive and install your back glass.

Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.
While the Pixel 9 uses Torx Plus screws, standard Torx bits also work. Make sure to apply constant, downward force to prevent stripping.
Use a 3IP Torx Plus driver to remove the single 5.4 mm‑long screw securing the upper board cover.

Use a 3IP Torx driver to remove the five screws securing the midframe and wireless charging coil:
Four 5.4 mm-long screws
One 2.2 mm-long screw

Use the tip of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the 5G mmWave antenna's press connector.

Remove the 5G mmWave antenna.
A small flex cable attaches to the back of the antenna with a press connector. You may need to reconnect it if it falls off.
During reassembly, insert the antenna so it's between the frame and the small metal bracket near the top right corner.

Use a 3IP Torx Plus driver to remove the 5.4 mm-long screw securing the antenna board cover.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the autofocus connector from the motherboard.

Insert one arm of a pair of angled tweezers under the metal neck of the antenna board's coaxial antenna cable.
Lift straight up to disconnect the antenna.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the front camera press connector.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the top two interconnect cable press connectors from the bottom edge of the motherboard.

Insert the tip of a spudger underneath the bottom right corner of the motherboard.
Lift up with the spudger to dislodge the motherboard.
Lift the motherboard up until you can grip it with your fingers.

During reassembly:
Check the condition of the logic board thermal pad—it will either be on the bottom of the logic board or on the frame.
If the pad is undamaged, skip the rest of this step.
If the pad is damaged, use the flat end of a spudger to scrape it up and remove it.
Use isopropyl alcohol (greater than 90%) and a microfiber cloth to remove all thermal pad residue from the frame and bottom of the logic board.
Apply a new thermal pad to its spot on the frame.