Modern smartphones, including the flagship Xiaomi Mi 8, are designed with maximum tightness and compactness, which greatly complicates access to internal components. If you are thinking about how to open the device, most likely it is a replacement for a broken display, a failed battery or cleaning the speakers from dust. Self-intervention requires not only accuracy, but also understanding the architecture of the device, since careless movement can damage the plumes or the motherboard itself.
The process of opening the case begins with risk assessment and workplace preparation. Unlike older models with removable covers, it uses adhesive base that requires heating to soften. It is important to understand that any violation of the integrity of the seals or careless disassembly can lead to the loss of warranty if it is still relevant. However, if the phone is no longer warranty and the services of the service center seem too expensive, self-repair becomes a justified step.
Before any manipulations begin, you need to completely turn off the smartphone, which is critical for the safety of components, since an accidental short circuit when the power plume is turned off can cause the controller to fail, and you should also prepare all the necessary tools in advance so that you do not get distracted by the search for the right screwdriver or mediator during the work.
Tools and workplace preparation required
High-quality disassembly is impossible without a specialized set of tools. Use of improvised tools such as knives or pins is extremely undesirable, as they can easily damage internal cables or scratch the frame. To work with the Xiaomi Mi 8, you will need a set of precision screwdrivers, in particular the cross PH000 and Y000 (triangular), since screws in modern gadgets often have non-standard hats.
Special attention should be paid to heating equipment. The glue that holds the back cover holds very tightly at room temperature. Thermomophen is ideal for softening it, allowing you to control the temperature of the air flow. If you do not have a hair dryer, you can use a regular household heating pad or even an iron wrapped in several layers of fabric, but temperature control in this case will be more difficult.
- 🛠️ A set of precision screwdrivers (cross, triangular, flat).
- 🔥 Thermophone or electric heating pad for heating the body.
- 💳 Plastic card, mediator or thin metal scalpel for opening.
- 🧲 Magnetic mat or organizer for sorting screws.
- 💊 Suction cup for careful pulling back cover.
Space organization is a key success factor. All screws are better placed in the order in which they were twisted, or sign their location. Inside a smartphone, the screws can be of different lengths, and if you screw a long screw into the hole for a short one, you can break the board or damage the thread in the plastic.
Removal of the back cover and primary access
The first step is always to remove the tray for SIM-Not only does this free up space, it also gives you a kind of indication that you're ready to go, and then you need to warm up the device. 80-90 degrees Celsius, so as not to damage OLED-matrix or battery located close to the edges.
⚠️ Warning: Don't heat the area around the camera too intensely.The Xiaomi Mi 8 optical module is sensitive to high temperatures, which can cause nebula on the lenses or disrupt focusing.
After 3-5 minutes of warming up, gently insert the suction cup into the bottom of the back panel and pull up slightly, creating a gap. In the resulting gap, immediately insert a thin metal scalpel or plastic spatula. As you move the tool along the perimeter, you will hear the characteristic crackling of the adhesive coming off. The movements should be smooth, without jerking.
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If the back cover is glass, be extremely careful with the pressure of the suction cup - the glass can crack from a point load. It is better to warm a little longer, but pull softer.
When the perimeter is passed, don't try to open the lid completely right away. There may be stickers or plumes going to the buttons inside. First, turn off the battery if the design allows you to do this right away, or act as carefully as possible, lifting the lid to the lowest possible angle.
Dismantling the protective panel and disconnecting the plumes
When you remove the back cover, you will see an internal metal or plastic frame covering the main components, which is mounted with many screws of different calibers. The Xiaomi Mi 8 is characterized by the use of screws of different lengths in different zones, so sorting them becomes critical.
And if you twist all the visible screws around the perimeter and in the center, you carefully remove the protective pad, and you have the motherboard, the battery, the plumes underneath, and you first have to turn off the battery plume, and you'll shut down the battery, and you'll shut down the device, and you'll keep the rest of the components from accidentally closing when you're working with other connectors.
☑️ Primary dismantling
Then you detach the plumes of the display, touchscreen and other modules, and you use a plastic blade to do that, and you don't want to use metal tools here, so you don't want to damage the connectors on the board, and the plumes are often fixed with additional metal clip plates that you also need to unscrew.
| Component | Type of attachment | Features of withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | Glue base + plume | It requires a careful pulling of the tongue. |
| Display module | Perimeter glue | Heat and string needed to cut glue |
| Maternity fee | Screws + connectors | Removed after disconnecting all the plumes |
| Camera block | Bustle + plume | Sensitive to statics and dust |
Replacement of the battery and work with adhesive base
One of the most common reasons for disassembly is to replace the battery. In the Xiaomi Mi 8, the battery is attached to double-sided tape, which over time bluffs and holds very tightly. You can't just pull it out like that - you can damage the shell, which will lead to fire or bloating.
There's a proven method, using a thin line or a special string, where you wind the line by the end of the battery and you cut the adhesive layer with sawing movements, and before that, you want to warm the battery up a little bit again, so that the glue becomes softer. Don't use metal objects to tamper with the battery!
What to do if the battery is blown?
After removing the old element, the surface inside the housing must be cleared of residues of old glue. For a new battery, be sure to use a special glue-scotch (B-7000 or ready-made stickers) to ensure fixation and prevent chatter inside the housing.
⚠️ Warning: When installing a new battery, make sure the plume is not bent and has no cracks. Damage to the insulation of the plume can lead to a short circuit immediately after turning on.
Removal of display and touch screen
Replacing the screen is the most difficult operation when disassembling the Xiaomi Mi 8. The display module here is glued around the perimeter to the frame. Removing it will require reheating the front of the device. The temperature should be sufficient to soften the glue, but not damage. OLED-matrix.
The ideal tool to separate the glass and the frame is a thin string or line, which is inserted into the gap and led around the perimeter, trying to keep the plane of motion parallel to the screen, and the depth of the instrument should be minimal, so as not to cut the plume of the display that runs along the edge.
- 🌡️ Heat the front panel to 60-70 degree.
- 🪢 Carefully enter the string into the corner of the screen.
- ✂️ Move the string around the perimeter, cutting off the glue.
- 🧼 Clean the frame of the glue residue before installing the new module.
When installing a new module, it's important to check the kit. Often new screens are sold without a bezel, and you'll have to glue the old module to a new frame or move the speaker and sensors, a process that requires jewelry precision and the use of micro-glue.
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Qualitative cleaning of the frame from the old glue is the guarantee that the new screen will lie flat and will not have gaps through which dust and moisture penetrate.
Assembly of the device and verification of functionality
The assembly is done in reverse order, but with one important feature: don't twist all the screws at once to the point. First, make sure that the boards fall into place without skewing, and only then tighten, which will prevent the creaks and backlashes of the case.
Before you finally stick the back cover, make sure you test it, plug the display and battery plume, press the power button. If the image appears, the touchscreen responds, and the cameras are working, you can start the final sealing.
Use a special glue (e.g., B-7000 or T-7000) to stick the back cover, apply it in a thin strip on the low-fat surface of the frame. After gluing the cover, it is advisable to put the smartphone under the press (or pressed with books) for 1-2 hours to polymerize the glue.
The final check should include a test of all sensors, vibrations and sound, and if everything is working correctly, the process can be considered complete, and a successful self-assembly saves significant funds and gives confidence in the quality of the repairs carried out.