The situation when your favorite smartphone falls down the screen is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi Redmi.Cracked glass or the appearance of colored stripes on the matrix instantly turn the device into a source of irritation, requiring immediate intervention.Replacement of the display is the most common type of repair that users of budget and medium-budget smartphones face.
There are two ways to restore the gadget: contacting an authorized service center or trying to replace it yourself at home. If you choose the second option, you will need not only a new module, but also the exact compatibility of the plume with the motherboard of your particular revision, since Xiaomi often changes components suppliers within the same model.
Before you start disassembling, you need to evaluate your skills and tools. Poorly performed procedures can damage the plumes, break plastic latches of the case or even fail the motherboard. In this article, we will discuss all the steps in detail to minimize the risks and return your device to its original appearance.
Diagnosis and selection of components
The first step is to determine exactly what the damage is, and users often confuse broken glass with matrix damage. If the image is clear, the colors are saturated, and the sensor responds to touch despite cracks, you're lucky, it's a torn touchscreen or an external glass. However, in modern Redmi assemblies, glass and matrix are glued together in the factory, so they usually change them in assembly.
When choosing a new module, you will encounter three main quality categories: Original is the most expensive, but guarantees perfect color reproduction and fingerprint scanner performance. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) quality copies may be slightly inferior in brightness but remain reliable. Cheap copies (Copy/Refurbished) often have a backlash frame, poor color calibration and may not work properly with the Always On Display function.
⚠️ Note: When buying a module, pay attention to the presence of a frame. Replacing the display with a frame greatly simplifies the process, since you do not have to reglue the old speaker and button plumes, which reduces the risk of damage to them.
It's also worth checking the integrity of the plumes on the new module before work begins. Even a microscopic tear of the conductor can cause a touchscreen to fail or no backlight to work. Make sure that the protective films on the contacts are intact and the matrix itself has no lights when turned off.
Tools and workplace preparation required
You can't do a good job without specialized tools. Trying to open the case with a credit card or knife is almost guaranteed to damage the back cover or frame. You'll need a minimal but professional set to work with Xiaomi Redmi.
- 🔥 A hair dryer or thermostole for heating the adhesive layer (temperature) 80-100°C).
- 🔧 Set of screwdrivers (cross-crosses) PH000, PH00 and flat) for screw boards.
- 💳 Plastic blades and mediators for neat opening of the body without scratches.
- 🧪 Isopropyl alcohol and suction cup for separation of display from frame.
Organize the workplace so that all tools are at hand. The lights should be bright and directed to see small screws and plumes. Be sure to use an antistatic bracelet or regularly touch a grounded metal object so that static electricity does not damage the sensitive electronics of the smartphone.
☑️ Ready for repair
Remember to pre-discharge the battery to 20-25%, working with a fully charged battery increases the risk of fire or swelling in case of accidental damage to the battery body during disassembly, this is a critical safety item.
The process of disassembling the Xiaomi smartphone
Start disassembling any modern Redmi should be with the extraction SIM-After that, you have to unscrew all the visible screws, depending on the model, they can be located on the lower end near the charging connector or hidden under decorative plugs. Often the two screws are directly next to the port. USB Type-C.
Next comes the most delicate step: heating the back cover. Warm up the device perimeter with a hairdryer evenly for 2-3 minutes. Don't hold the hairdryer at one point for too long to not overheat the matrix or battery. After heating, insert the suction cup into the top or bottom of the lid, pull slightly and insert a thin plastic blade into the resulting gap.
Drive the blade along the perimeter, gradually releasing the lid from the glue. Inside, there may be plumes connecting the main board to the auxiliary board (buttons, speakers), so sudden movements are prohibited. In some models, the fingerprint scanner can be glued to the back cover, and its plume requires special care when disconnected.
What to do if the lid does not open?
Once you remove the back cover, you'll have access to the insides, and the first thing you need to do is turn off the battery, find the battery connector on the board, and gently disconnect it with a plastic blade, and only after it's turned off, you can continue disassembling.
Dismantling old display and transferring components
To get to the display mounts, it is often necessary to remove the middle bezel or plastic lining covering the motherboard. Unscrew all the screws holding this structure. Note the length of the screws: they may differ, so it is recommended to use a magnetic mat or layout scheme so as not to confuse them when Assembly.
Once you remove the safety plates, you'll see the main plumes of the display, which are usually covered with metal clipping slats, carefully twist the screws of the slats, remove them, and disconnect the plumes of the display and touch screen, and now the module is free and can be removed.
If you buy a bezelless display, it's a time-consuming process to move components from the old module.
- 🔊 Main speaker (right or bottom).
- 🎤 The headphone jack (if not on a separate plume).
- 🔘 Volume button plume and switching on.
- 📷 Front camera module and proximity sensor.
When you move the speaker and the speaker grids, make sure they're clean. Often, dust accumulates in the grids that muffle the sound. Use a toothbrush and alcohol to clean. When you install components on a new display, make sure that the positions are correct so that the holes match the cutouts in the frame.
⚠️ Warning: The button and front camera plumes are extremely thin and fragile. When unstick, heat the base carefully, and pull strictly along the plane, not up, so as not to break the conductors.
Assembly and testing of the device
Before the final assembly and lid is glued, you need to do an initial test: connect the new display plumes to the motherboard, temporarily connect the battery and turn on the device, check the touchscreen in all corners, the presence of broken pixels and the proximity sensor.
If all functions are working correctly, you can start the final assembly. Put all screws in their places, making sure that the plumes are not clamped with metal elements of the case. Then apply a new glue (B-7000 or special double-sided tape) on the frame or back cover.
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Use rubber harnesses or stationery gums to tightly press the back cover against the case while the glue is drying (about 1-2 hours), which will ensure tightness and no gaps.
Once assembled, run the engineering menu to check the sensor in detail. Enter ##6484## in the dial box. Select Touchpanel and test the lines. Make sure the multi-touch works correctly and there are no dead zones.
Comparison of cost and complexity of repairs
When deciding to repair yourself, it is important to objectively assess costs, and here is a table comparing the cost of self-replacement and the need to go to a service center for popular models.
| Model | Module price (framed) | Cost in SC (work + spare parts) | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10 | ~ 2,500 rubles. | ~4,500 rubles. | Medium |
| Redmi Note 11 | ~2800 rubles. | ~5000 rubles. | Tall (thin body) |
| Redmi 9 / 9A | ~1,500 rubles. | ~3000 rubles. | Low. |
| Redmi Note 12 | ~3200 rubles. | ~5,500 rubles. | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, the savings for self-repair are between 30 and 50 percent, but the risks are that unskillful disassembly can cause other parts to break down, which will ultimately cost more. AMOLED-screens and thin frames the risk of damage during disassembly is much higher.
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Replacing the display yourself is justified if you have experience with electronics and are willing to spend 1-2 hours of time, otherwise the service guarantee can be a more reliable investment.
Do not forget that after replacing the display, the smartphone may lose moisture protection (if it was declared by the manufacturer), since it is almost impossible to restore factory tightness at home.