How to replace broken protective glass on a Xiaomi smartphone with your own hands

Xiaomi’s screen is covered in a web of cracks after an accidental fall, familiar to many owners of Android devices. Despite the claims of manufacturers about the strength of the materials used, modern displays remain a vulnerable site of construction, especially when hitting hard surfaces. Self-replacement of the protective glass (touchscreen) without replacing the matrix is a complex but technically possible process that allows you to save money.

But it's important to understand the difference between the outside glass and the display itself, and if the image on the screen is clear, the colors are not distorted, and the touchscreen responds to touch in all areas, then the matrix is intact, in which case the separation of the layers makes sense, and if you see black spots, stripes or the screen is not turned on, you will need a complete replacement of the module.

Before you start disassembling, you need to understand the risks: opening the case automatically deprives the device of warranty service. In addition, inept actions can lead to permanent failure of the matrix or damage to the plumes. But if you are determined to act on your own, this article will be your detailed guide.

Essential tools and supplies

For quality glass separation, you need a specialized set of tools that cannot be completely replaced by household items. The main element is a separator or, in the more budgetary version, a temperature-controlled heating element, since the adhesive layer between the glass and the matrix is very strong. The use of open fire or a conventional gas stove is strictly prohibited because of the risk of overheating.

The second critical component is Liquid Optical Clear Adhesive (LOCA), which provides no air and high transparency of the display, and you'll need an ultraviolet lamp to polymerize the adhesive, without which the composition will remain liquid and the screen will float.

• 🔧 A set of precision screwdrivers (Torx stars and cross) for dismantling the screws of the case.
• 🔥 Hair dryer (construction or household with a narrow nozzle) for heating the screen perimeter.
• 🧵 Thin string or specialized line for cutting old glass.
• 🧴 Isopropyl Alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) liquid to remove residues of old glue.

Don't forget to prepare a clean workspace with good lighting, and the dust and villi that fall under the new glass during the gluing process will remain there forever, creating visible image defects.

💡

Use isopropyl alcohol of high concentration (99%), as it evaporates quickly and leaves no stains, unlike vodka or ordinary alcohol.

Damage diagnosis and risk assessment

Before you start, you need to do a thorough diagnostic, turn on your smartphone and look carefully at the display in different backgrounds, if you see bright spots, stripes or areas with altered color reproduction, these are signs of damage to the matrix, in which case replacing only the glass will not solve the problem, and you will only waste time and materials.

Special attention should be paid to the edges of the screen. Often cracks go around the perimeter, but do not affect the work area. However, even a small crack on the edge can eventually disperse under pressure when glued. Also check the multi-touch: test in the "engineering menu" or using special applications to make sure that all areas respond to touch.

⚠️ Note: If the cracks are deep and the glass "walks" when pressed, there is a high risk of damaging the matrix during the removal of fragments. + matrix).

It is important to consider the model of your device. Flagship models Xiaomi and Redmi often have curved edges (2.5D or 3D glass), which greatly complicates the separation process. For beginners, working with curved screens can be a fatal mistake, leading to the breakdown of an expensive matrix.

Dismantling process of the display module

Start with a complete shutdown of the device. Turn off the smartphone and remove the tray for SIM-Next, you need to remove the back cover. In modern Xiaomi models, it is often glued, so you need to preheat the perimeter of the body with a hairdryer to a temperature of about 60-70 degree.

Use a suction cup and a thin plastic spatula (mediator) to gently snap the lid. Move around the perimeter, trying not to damage the plume of the fingerprint scanner or main camera if they are attached to the lid. Once the lid is removed, access to the insides will open, where you need to immediately turn off the battery plume.

Next, you have to unscrew all the screws that fix the middle frame or the display module itself, and the number can vary from 6 to 12 pieces depending on the model. Be careful: the screws can be of different lengths, so it is recommended to unscrew them in order on a magnetic mat or a sheet of paper with markup.

Once the display and touchscreen plumes are disconnected from the motherboard, the module can be removed. Do this slowly, making sure that any plume has caught on the body elements. Put the module on a flat, clean surface for further work.

Separation technology: Removing old glass

This is the most critical stage, where the most frequent breakages occur: the module must be fixed to a separator or heating pad. The heating temperature is usually 80-90 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the glue between the glass and the matrix softens, but the matrix itself (especially OLED) is not damaged.

Using a thin string or a line, start cutting the glass neatly. The movements should be smooth, without jerking, strictly parallel to the plane of the screen. The string should pass through the adhesive layer without touching the matrix itself. If you feel strong resistance, add a little alcohol to the cutting area for better slip.

Once the main piece of glass is removed, the OCA glue will remain on the matrix, which must be removed mechanically using a rubber scraper and a glue removal fluid, and must be treated with extreme caution, as the polarizing layer of the matrix is very delicate and easily scratched.

Applying LOCA glue and assembly

After thoroughly cleaning the matrix of dust and glue residues (check the surface under bright light for the presence of villi), you can apply a new glue LOCA. the glue is squeezed from the tube to the center of the screen or around the perimeter (depending on the type of glue and the manufacturer's recommendation), then evenly distributed by a plastic card or spatula.

It is important to prevent glue from entering the speaker connectors or plumes. The layer should be thin and uniform; excess glue that protrudes at the edges after installing the glass should be removed immediately with a napkin dipped in alcohol. Then carefully applied a new protective glass.

To remove air bubbles, the module is placed in a vacuum chamber or pressed tightly by hand (if the bubbles are small), then exposed to an ultraviolet lamp. The exposure time is usually 2-3 minutes on each side. Full polymerization can take up to 24 hours, but primary grasping occurs immediately.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t use too much glue.The excess can leak into the smartphone body when assembled and damage the motherboard or other components, causing a short circuit.

The final step is to assemble the phone in reverse order, plug the plumes, check the touchscreen until the screws are finally twisted, and make sure the image is clean, without the rainbow stains that may indicate an uneven distribution of glue.

💡

The quality of the final work depends on 90% of the surface of the matrix before applying the glue, one speck of dust will ruin the whole result.

Frequent errors and troubleshooting

One of the most common mistakes is that the module is not warm enough, and the glass is jerked off, often causing damage to the matrix, and the other extreme is overheating, which can cause yellow spots to appear on the surface. OLED-screens or detachment of polarization film.

Also, craftsmen often forget to degrease the surface before applying LOCA glue, which leads to poor adhesion: glass can peel off after a week of use or air pockets will appear. Always use special wipes and degreaser.

• 🚫 Attempting to remove glass without heating - a guarantee of a broken matrix.
• 🚫 Using conventional superglue instead LOCA — The screen will become cloudy and opaque.
• 🚫 Build a phone without checking the touch screen – you will have to disassemble everything again.

If you notice that the touchscreen is not working properly after assembly (the cursor is floating, the corners are not working), try restarting the device. If the problem remains, perhaps the plume is damaged or the touchscreen itself is factory defective. In rare cases, calibrating the touchscreen through the Xiaomi engineering menu helps.

Replacing the safety glass is a time-consuming process that requires patience and care, and the success of the operation depends on having a vacuum chamber to remove the bubbles, because manually removing the air is almost impossible, and if you have no confidence in yourself, you should leave it to professionals with the right equipment.