DIY Demo: Replacing a Pixel 5a's Cracked Screen With an iFixit Repair Kit - PCMag

Shattering your phone's surface by dropping it connected a sidewalk similar an idiot doesn't person to invitation gadget shame followed by a screen-repair bill. It tin alternatively output gadget shame followed by DIY redemption astatine a cheaper price.

And portion at-home surface repair kits person traditionally progressive aftermarket parts (with the occasional hazard of a telephone rejecting the transplant), this outpouring saw Apple and Google marque their ain components disposable to tinkering types. 

The latter’s concern with iFixit to merchantability Pixel-phone parts got personally absorbing astatine the extremity of September erstwhile I shattered my Pixel 5a’s surface by dropping it connected a sidewalk(Opens successful a caller window) similar an idiot. 

The tools wrong a Pixel 5a iFixit kit. (Credit: Rob Pegoraro)

Especially since iFixit charges $99.99 for a Pixel 5a screen-repair kit(Opens successful a caller window), acold beneath the $236.35 terms (after a recognition for returning breached parts) astatine Apple's Self Service Repair Store(Opens successful a caller window) for a surface kit for an iPhone 12 oregon 13 with a somewhat smaller display.

Inconveniently enough, iFixit had sold retired of the 5a screen-fix kit 2 days earlier my losing conflict with gravity. “Sales person exceeded forecasts,” CEO Kyle Wiens wrote apologetically erstwhile I emailed him for comment. But helium was capable to find 1 to vessel my mode astir a week later, and the kit is present erstwhile again successful stock.

The container that arrived contained 2 smaller boxes of repair tools and 1 of replacement parts, but nary printed instructions beyond a “Repair is noble” admonition. Instead, iFixit offers instructions online: an illustrated, 15-step guide(Opens successful a caller window) connected which you truly should work the comments.

The archetypal steps, softening the adhesive holding down the surface and past mildly pulling it loose, were by acold the hardest. You’re expected to vigor the kit’s “iOpener”(Opens successful a caller window) gel-filled container by microwaving it for 30 seconds, laic it on the phone’s close borderline for a infinitesimal truthful the vigor weakens the glue, past usage the kit’s suction cupful to tug the surface ajar. 

But the suction cupful kept popping disconnected a stuck-in-place screen, adjacent aft repeated iOpener vigor treatments and my employing a comment-suggested hole of covering the surface cracks with packing portion to lend the cupful a smoother surface. One effort to liberate the surface alternatively shook escaped a fleck of solid that grazed a knuckle and added “slight humor loss” to my costs.

A opening prime shoved into the spread betwixt a Pixel 5a's surface and the remainder of the phone. (Credit: Rob Pegoraro)

Finally, I tried utilizing the kit’s exceedingly crisp tweezers to probe for immoderate spread betwixt the surface and phone—and felt a small give. I poked 1 of its integrative “opening picks” into the aforesaid spot, heard a faint popular and was capable to descent the prime down the borderline of the telephone to easiness it open. 

The instructions had maine insert the different 5 surface picks astir the phone’s edges, leaving it looking similar a bizarre cybernetic beast that had grown bluish fins. After slicing done the remaining adhesive with the kit’s “spudger,” a pointy carbon-fiber stylus, I yet flipped unfastened the screen, leaving it tethered to a ribbon cable.

The remainder was easy—certainly compared to my escapade replacing an aged iMac's hard thrust with a coagulated authorities drive(Opens successful a caller window) oregon adjacent replacing the battery(Opens successful a caller window) successful my HP laptop. A fewer turns of a T3 Torx screwdriver spot (the kit included that and 2 different Torx bits) removed the bracket holding down that cable, aft which I popped it escaped with the spudger.

The results of a palmy conflict with the repair kit's suction cup, opening picks, and spudger. (Credit: Rob Pegoraro)

That’s wherever the usher inexplicably stopped, leaving it to customers specified arsenic “Lisa McManis,”(Opens successful a caller window) “craig potts”(Opens successful a caller window) and "barely_diy"(Opens successful a caller window) to measurement successful with informative comments beneath Step 15(Opens successful a caller window) astir however to connect the caller screen. 

First I utilized that ever-handy spudger to steer an intoxicant hitch on the transmission astir the borderline of the telephone to scour retired immoderate remaining adhesive. Then I attached the caller adhesive, which comes sandwiched betwixt layers of protective plastic. I removed the little layer, draped the remainder truthful it snuggled conscionable wrong the phone, and peeled disconnected a apical furniture of bluish integrative to permission that sticky strip. 

Attaching the caller screen’s ribbon cablegram required aligning connectors that I couldn’t see. I mildly pressed 1 extremity down with the spudger until I felt the pins click into the underlying socket, aft which I tapped the remainder into spot and replaced the strap and screw to unafraid that connector. 

The repair process lone required messing with a azygous tiny screw. (Credit: Rob Pegoraro)

After a last cheque of the caller screen—the guide’s comments reminded maine to region a tiny integrative screen from its selfie-camera opening—and removal of a past portion of integrative covering the apical of the adhesive strip, I popped the caller surface into spot and pressed it firmly each astir the edges. It reminded maine of completing a large measurement successful model-airplane assembly, conscionable without the glue smell. 

I person ne'er been truthful relieved to spot a Google logo arsenic I was erstwhile 1 flashed connected the 5a’s caller surface aft I powered it backmost on, aft which the telephone started arsenic if thing had happened. 

Two hours and alteration had passed since I’d archetypal microwaved the iOpener. I astir apt would person saved clip taking the 5a to the nearest uBreakiFix location, which besides carries genuine Pixel parts and estimates $159.99 for a 5a surface replacement(Opens successful a caller window). 

But the payoff of this workout wasn’t truthful overmuch the travel and wealth I saved—after valuing my clip astatine zero, a caput instrumentality worthy playing connected oneself successful DIY endeavors—but the psychic reward of fixing my mistake with my ain hands.