Xiaomi Redmi 5 is one of the most popular budget smartphones of 2017-2018, but even it is not immune to breakdowns. Does the screen react to touch? Is the battery swollen? The speaker stopped working? In most cases, repair is possible on its own - if you know how to properly disassemble the device without damaging the plumes and mounts.
This article is not just a list of steps, but practical recommendations for typical beginner mistakes, which tools are really needed (and can be replaced with improvised tools), how to avoid a battery plume break, and why the Redmi 5 is more difficult to disassemble than later models of the series, and you will also learn which screws in this smartphone are of different lengths - and what will happen if they are confused.
Preparation for disassembly: tools and security measures
Before you start screwdriver, make sure you have everything you need. Redmi 5 is not the most difficult to disassemble smartphone, but it is not the easiest: there is no removable back cover, and the body is glued around the perimeter. Without the right tools, the risk of damage to the device increases significantly.
Here is the minimum set you will need:
- 🔧 Plastic blade (or mediator) to separate the back panel. Metal tools scratch the body!
- ⚡ Screwdriver cross (PH00) — The usual cross can break the slats.
- 🔋 Suction cup – helps to raise the screen after heating (if you plan to remove it).
- 🔥 Hair dryer or thermo-air station - for softening the glue (temperature not higher than 70)°C!).
- 📦 Container for screws - in Redmi 5 there are 12 pieces, and all of different lengths.
If you're taking your first smartphone apart, make sure to take a picture of each step, which will help you get it back together without any problems, and also prepare the workplace: the desk should be clean and the lights bright. Dust and small debris can get inside the case and cause a short circuit.
⚠️ Warning: If your Redmi 5 has been in water or has been hit hard, disassembly can be dangerous! corrosion on the board or cracks in the battery increase the risk of fire.
Step 1: Removing the back cover - how not to break the latches
The Redmi 5's back panel is mounted on latches and glue, and the first mistake that newcomers make is to try to hit it with a knife or a screwdriver, almost guaranteed to cause plastic chips or damage to antenna lines (they are located on the edges of the case).
The correct algorithm:
- Turn off your smartphone and remove it. SIM-scatter-card.
- Put a scotch on the back (this will protect it from scratches).
- Heat the edge of the body with a hair dryer around the perimeter (no longer than 1-2 minutes per seat!).
- Insert a plastic blade into the gap between the lid and the body (start at the bottom corner where the charging connector is).
- Carefully drive the blade along the edge, alternately snapping the mounts. Don't force it -- if the lid doesn't lend itself, warm it up again.
If the lid is lifted but not fully removed, check to see if the clamps at the top (near the camera) remain unclicked.
💡
If you don't have a hair dryer, you can use hot water in a plastic bag. Put your smartphone in a water bag (temperature ~60 ° C) for 3-5 minutes - the glue will soften without the risk of overheating.
Step 2: Unscrew the screws – why they should not be confused
Once you remove the back cover, you'll see 12 screws that attach the metal plate to the body, and here lies the main trap: the screws in Redmi 5 are of different lengths (3 to 5 mm). If you confuse them in places, you can damage the board or the screen!
Spin distribution (top down, left to right):
| Position | Length (mm) | Number of | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper corners (near the camera) | 5 | 2 | The longest, fasten the antenna module |
| Side (centre) | 4 | 6 | Standard, fasten the metal plate |
| Lower (near the charging connector) | 3 | 4 | Short, fasten battery plume. |
Tip: spread the screws out on a piece of paper, mapping them out, or use a magnetic mat with cells, and if you lose the screw, you can only replace it with a similar size, or you risk damaging the board.
⚠️ Warning: Don't use an electric screwdriver! The screws in Redmi 5 are very soft, and the excessive force will rip the slats. Only spin by hand, without pressing.
Step 3: Battery Disconnection – Why You Should Do It First
When you take off the metal plate, you'll see the battery glued to the body, and many newcomers try to remove the motherboard right away, which is a big mistake. The battery in Redmi 5 is connected to the board with two plumes (power and thermistor), and if you hit them with a tool, you can short circuit.
Procedure:
- 🔌 Carefully tuck the black plume of power (it is wide) with a plastic blade and disconnect it from the connector on the board.
- 🌡️ Do the same with the white plume of the thermistor (thin, next to the first one).
- ⚠️ Check with a multimeter that the voltage at the contacts of the battery is 0 V (if there is doubt about disconnection).
Only then can you start removing the battery, and it's glued to double-sided tape, so pull on a special black tape at the top, and if you don't have tape, put a plastic card on the battery, and then heat the body with a hairdryer.
What to do if the battery is swelling?
Step 4: Motherboard Removal – Where the Fragile Items Are Located
The Redmi 5 motherboard is attached to the body with 4 more screws (all of the same length - 3 mm).
- 📱 Screen plume (wide, at the bottom of the board).
- 🔊 Dynamic plume (thin, next to the charging connector).
- 📷 Camera plume (black, top of the camera).
- 🌐 The antenna plume (gold color, glued to the board).
Disconnect the plumes with a plastic blade, putting them on the side. Don't pull the wires, you can tear the contacts off! Especially careful with the plume of the screen: it is the widest and most fragile.
Once all the plumes are disconnected, gently raise the board by the edges. Don't pull it up sharply, there's a flexible power button plume underneath the board that's easy to break, and you have to pre-decouple it (it's attached with a small connector to the right of the battery).
☑️ Check before charge is withdrawn
Step 5: Disassemble the front panel - screen, speaker, buttons
If you need to replace a screen, speaker or button, you have to take the front side apart, and the main challenge is to separate the display from the frame. In Redmi 5, the screen is glued around the perimeter, and you can't remove it without heating it.
Algorithm:
- Heat the screen edge with a dryer (the temperature is 60-70 ° C, not higher!).
- Stick the suction cup to the bottom of the screen (where the Home button is located).
- Carefully pull the suction cup up, while simultaneously putting up the screen with a plastic spatula.
- As soon as the gap appears, insert a spatula into it and lead along the edge, separating the glue.
After removing the screen, you will have access to:
- 🔈 Dynamics (attached to 2 screws under the screen).
- 🔘 Volume and power buttons (stick to the frame, the train goes under the charge).
- 📶 Antenna modules (thin metal plates on the sides).
If you are replacing the screen, make sure that the new display is compatible with your Redmi 5 modification (there were several: m1803e7sg, m1803e7si, etc.).
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Even experienced craftsmen sometimes make mistakes when disassembling Redmi 5, and here are the most common ones – and how to prevent them:
1. Damage to battery plume
Many people forget that Redmi 5 has two plumes (power + thermistor), and pull on the first without disconnecting the second one. The result is a break in contacts or a short circuit. Always check with a multimeter that the voltage on the board is 0 V after switching off!
2. Mixed screws
The different length screws in this smartphone are not a whim of engineers, but a necessity. The long screws (5 mm) at the bottom can break through the board if you screw them into the top holes. Use the layout scheme or sign the screws with a marker.
3. Damage to antenna lines
The antenna modules in Redmi 5 are glued to the back cover, if you shoot it too sharply, you can tear off the thin copper tracks, heat the body evenly and do not apply force to the top (where the camera is located).
4. Dust hitting the screen
When replacing the display, many forget to clean the inner surface of the frame of dust.Later this leads to "luminous dots" on the screen or uneven backlighting. Use an antistatic brush or a spray of compressed air.
(1) Correct connection of the battery plume.
(2) All screws (especially long ones at the top) are present.
(3) Integrity of antenna contacts on the back cover.-->