How to reglaze the protective glass on Xiaomi Redmi 9T: the complete guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to replace the protective coating of the screen, especially after a fall or mechanical damage. Redmi 9T model is famous for its reliability, but its display, like any modern gadget, requires careful handling. If the matrix is intact and the image is displayed without distortion, then a complete replacement of the module is not required - it is enough to carefully reglaze the top layer.

The process of restoring transparency and tactile properties of the screen requires a certain skill and specialized tools. Glass separation is a delicate procedure that is performed at home with the risk of damaging the matrix, but if you follow the technology, success is guaranteed. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the steps of work, from the dismantling of old glass to the final polymerization of the glue.

Before we start to act, we need to be clear about the difference between a safety glass and a display module. The Redmi 9T uses in-cell technology or IPS LCD, where the touchscreen is integrated into the matrix, and on top of it is a separate layer of tempered glass, and that's what we're going to replace by keeping the original matrix.

Diagnostics of the state of the display and preparation of the workplace

The first step is to carefully check the functionality of the smartphone. Turn on the device and carefully examine the screen in different lighting. If the image is missing spots, stripes, broken pixels or dim areas, then the Xiaomi Redmi 9T matrix is intact. Any artifacts of the image may indicate damage to the inner layers, making the process of gluing the glass meaningless.

The organization of the workspace is critical to the success of the operation. You'll need a table with good, uniform lighting, devoid of the fluffy surfaces that can get under the glue. Dust is the main enemy when working with optical surfaces, so it's ideal to do a wet cleaning before you start work. Also prepare an antistatic mat or clean cotton fabric.

To work with the display module will require a specific toolkit, without which it is impossible to guarantee the quality of the result. Do not try to use improvised tools like knives or needles, as they will inevitably lead to scratches on the frame or damage to the plumes.

• 🔧 A set of precision screwdrivers (cross and flat) for screws of the body.
• 🌡️ Thermotable or hair dryer for softening the adhesive layer (B-7000 or OCA).
• 💳 Plastic blades and mediators for safe opening of the body.
• 🧴 Liquid for glue removal (isopropyl alcohol) and lilac-free wipes.

⚠️ Warning: Before starting any work, be sure to completely discharge the smartphone battery or disconnect the battery plume from the motherboard. Working with the battery on when the screen is removed increases the risk of short circuit and fire.

Make sure you have access to a compressed air source or a dust-blowing pear. Even a microscopic speck of dust caught between the new glass and the matrix will be visible as a dark spot.

Dismantling old protective glass and cleaning the matrix

The process of removing broken glass begins with heating the perimeter of the case. The glue holding the glass on the Redmi 9T frame becomes elastic when heated to 80-90 degrees Celsius. Use the thermophene, evenly warming the edges of the display for 2-3 minutes, constantly moving the nozzle to avoid overheating one point.

After warming up, carefully insert a plastic card or a thin spatula into the junction between the glass and the frame. Move around the perimeter, gradually cutting through the adhesive layer. Don't put too much effort into preventing the frame or, worse, the matrix itself from cracking. If the glass is broken, put transparent tape on it so that the fragments don't fly apart and scratch the matrix deeper.

The most important step is to clean the optical adhesive residue (OCA) matrix, which requires maximum concentration and patience, and the glue residue is removed mechanically with a special scraper or plastic card dipped in alcohol, and the movements must be smooth, without heavy pressure.

For the final cleaning, use a lilac-free napkin and a high-purity isopropyl alcohol. The surface should be perfectly smooth and clean. Any irregularities on the old glue layer will result in air pockets after installing the new glass. Visually inspect the matrix at an angle in bright light.

⚠️ Warning: Never use acetone or aggressive solvents to clean the Xiaomi matrix.They can dissolve the polarization film or the plastic base of the screen, making the image cloudy or yellow.

Selection of consumables: glass and glue

The quality of the final result depends on the materials chosen. For the Redmi 9T, it is important to choose glass with the right thickness and oleophobic coating. Cheap counterparts are often less hard and quickly covered with scratches, and can distort color reproduction.

The main consumable is optical adhesive. There are two main types: Liquid Optical Clear Adhesive (LOCA) and Optical Clear Adhesive (OCA) hard films. For home use, OCA films are preferred because they do not require a UV lamp for primary fixation and are less prone to leaking into the speaker or buttons.

When choosing glass, note the presence of a frame. Glass with a black frame installed makes it much easier to build, since you do not have to align it by a millimeter relative to the body of the smartphone, which reduces the risk of distortion and gaps.

Check the compatibility of the adhesive with the screen materials. Some types of adhesive can chemically react with the plastic elements of the matrix of budget smartphones, causing iridescent divorces ("oil film") over time. Xiaomi is recommended to use neutral adhesives.

Technology of gluing new glass

The process of installing new glass on the Redmi 9T requires sterile conditions. If you use a solid OCA film, first stick it on the glass itself, carefully expelling the bubbles with a rackel (plastic card), this is done on a clean surface protected from dust.

Then remove the protective layer from the adhesive side and carefully combine the glass with the matrix of the smartphone. It is better to start gluing on one side, gradually lowering the glass to squeeze out air. Using special guide frames (mold) ensures perfect positioning.

If you use LOCA, the technology is different, so you put a drop of glue in the center of the matrix, you put the glass on top, you put it neatly, and you spread the glue over the area under pressure, and you have to remove the glue that's out at the edges immediately with a napkin before you polymerize.

• 🧼 Carefully degrease the edges of the smartphone frame before the final installation.
• 💨 Blow the matrix with compressed air immediately before contact with the glass.
• 🖐️ Use suction cups to manipulate glass so as not to leave fingerprints on the glue.

Once the glass is installed, you need to ensure uniform pressure throughout the screen area, using special clips or placing the smartphone under a heavy book (through soft fabric) for several hours, which will provide perfect adhesion of the glue.

⚠️ Attention: When working with liquid glue LOCA It is strictly forbidden to let it get into the charging connectors, speaker and microphone. The glue can freeze inside the components and disrupt their work, and it is almost impossible to remove it from there.

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Use a 36W ultraviolet lamp to final polymerize the LOCA glue. Warm up the screen for 2-3 minutes on each side to make the glue fully solidified and gain maximum strength.

Fixing defects: bubbles and dust

Even skilled craftsmen sometimes have air bubbles or dust falling under glass. Small air bubbles often disappear on their own during the course of a lifetime. 24-48 You can try to squeeze the big bubbles out to the edge of the screen.

If a motley is hit by a glass, the situation is more complicated, and in some cases the lifting method helps: the edge of the glass is gently raised with a thin needle in the defect area, the dust is removed, and the glass is glued back, but this method is risky and can damage the new glass.

To remove the bubbles, use a plastic card wrapped in a soft cloth, the movement must go from the center to the edges, and if the bubble does not go away, perhaps there is a layer of old glue or a defect in the glass itself.

When a large villus is hit, sometimes it helps to use scotch, so the villus is gently put over the edge with a needle, and then pulled with a sticky tape, while pressing the glass, and this requires jewelry precision.

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Small air inclusions with a diameter of up to 1 mm are often the norm in the first day after gluing and disappear in the process of complete polymerization of the glue under the influence of screen temperature when the smartphone is working.

Final assembly and performance check

Once the glue has been fully polymerized, you need to assemble your smartphone. Set the battery, plug in the display and touchscreen. Before you twist the screws of the case, be sure to check the operability of the touchscreen throughout the area.

Use Xiaomi's built-in engineering test. To do this, type ##6484## in the dialer. Select the display checkpoint and swipe through all the cells. They should all light up in green. Also check the multi-touch.

Turn on the white background of the image and carefully examine the screen for oil spots or iridescents, which may indicate poor quality glue or uneven distribution, and if all tests are successful, you can fix the body with screws.

The final chord will be the installation of a protective film or a new sunset.