Step-by-step dismantling of Xiaomi Redmi 8A: from the back cover to the motherboard

Why to Disassemble the Redmi 8A and What to Know Before You Start

The Xiaomi Redmi 8A, launched in 2019, is still a popular budget device due to its robust build and maintainability, but even these models have problems over time: battery drains, speaker breaks, the charging plume or display fails, and in most cases, these problems can be fixed on their own — if you know how to properly disassemble the device without risking damage to fragile components.

This guide will help you disassemble the Redmi 8A at home without having to resort to service centers. We will describe in detail each step, from removing the back cover to removing the motherboard, and also point out the critical moments where errors are most often made. Importantly, disassembling the smartphone is warranty-free (if it is still valid) and requires accuracy. If you have never held an electronic screwdriver, practice on an old device or watch video disassembly before you start.

Before you start, answer two questions:

1. Are you sure the hardware is the problem? (For example, if the phone doesn’t turn on, check the charging and cable first.)
2. Do you have the right tools? (A regular screwdriver or knife won't work here!)

If at least one of them answers “no”, it is better to consult a specialist.

Tools required: what will be needed for disassembly

You’ll need a minimal set of tools to disassemble the Xiaomi Redmi 8A, but each is important. Using the wrong tools (like metal blades instead of plastic mediators) is almost guaranteed to cause scratches on the body or damage to the plumes.

Here is a complete list of what needs to be prepared:

• 🔧 A set of screwdrivers with Phillips bits #00 Torx T3/T4 (board-pin).
• 📱 Plastic mediators or suction cups to remove the back cover (metal tools are prohibited!).
• 🔥 Hair dryer or thermo-air station (if the cover is glued too tightly; temperature not above 60)°C!).
• 🧲 Magnetic mat or screw container (so as not to lose small details).
• 📸 Smartphone for photography (fix the location of plumes and screws before disconnecting!).
• 🧴 Isopropyl alcohol (90%+) and a slender napkin (for cleaning contacts).

⚠️ Warning: Do not use a household hair dryer at maximum power, this can melt the plastic elements of the case. The optimal temperature for softening the adhesive is 50-60°C. Also avoid Chinese soft metal screwdriver sets: they quickly “lick” and spoil the screws’ slime.

If you are planning to replace the battery, prepare:

• 🔋 New battery (original or high-quality analogue with a capacity of 5000 mAh).
• 🛠️ Double-sided tape or glue B-7000 (fixing).

Step 1: Removing the back cover is the most important moment

The back cover of the Redmi 8A is glued, so it takes patience to remove it, and the main mistake of beginners is to try to fit the cover with a knife or a screwdriver, which leads to chipped plastic, and we recommend using a plastic mediator and heating the case a little if necessary.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone and remove the tray for SIM-cards (use a paper clip or special key).
2. If the cover is glued strongly, evenly warm the back part with a hairdryer for 1-2 minutes (keep at a distance of 10 cm!).
3. Put a plastic mediator in the gap between the lid and the body at the headphone jack, carefully drive the instrument along the perimeter, separating the glue.
4. As soon as the lid begins to move away, do not pull it sharply - under it pass the plumes of the fingerprint and antenna.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 8A The fingerprint scanner plume is very fragile! If you tear the lid, it's easy to pull it off. It's better to lift the lid at the top edge first (from the camera side), and then slowly lead the mediator down.

After removing the cover, you will see:

• 🔋 Battery (stick to the body).
• 📶 Antenna modules (do not touch them unnecessarily!).
• 🔧 10-12 screws, fastening a metal plate over the motherboard.

Stage 2: Shutting down the battery – why do you need to do it first?

Before you touch any components inside your smartphone, be sure to turn off the battery. This will prevent short circuits that could disable the motherboard or other modules. On the Redmi 8A, the battery is connected via a latch connector — easy to disconnect, but it's important to do it correctly.

How to turn off the battery:

1. Find an orange power connector (located next to the battery, under a metal plate).
2. Carefully tuck the latch with a plastic shoulder blade or nail (do not use metal!).
3. Disconnect the plume by pulling it upwards perpendicular to the board (not to the side!).

⚠️ Warning: If the connector doesn't lend itself, don't force it! It may be glue-locked. In this case, drop some isopropyl alcohol on the contacts and wait 10 seconds.

After the battery is turned off, check with the multimeter that there is no residual voltage on the board (optional, but recommended for safety).

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If you plan to work with a disassembled phone for a long time, seal the disconnected battery connector with tape - this will prevent accidental circuiting.

Step 3: Removal of the metal plate and access to the motherboard

Under the back cover, you'll see a metal plate that's attached to 10 to 12 screws (depending on the Redmi 8A version), which are of different lengths, so remember or photograph where it was twisted, and if you confuse them, you risk damaging the board when you build them.

Procedure:

1. Unscrew all screws with a screwdriver Phillips #00 (do not apply excessive force!).
2. Take the metal plate off. Underneath it, you'll see the motherboard, the camera, the speaker, and other modules.
3. Disconnect all the plumes that are attached to the board (display, camera, power button). To do this, carefully lift the latches of the connectors with a plastic blade.

⚠️ Attention: Display plume on Redmi 8A If you damage it, the screen will stop working and it will cost half the cost of the phone!

Now the motherboard is free and can be removed, but before that, we recommend taking a picture of all the plumes and screws, which will make it much easier to reverse assemble.

Stage 4: Removal of the motherboard and other modules

The Redmi 8A motherboard is mounted on 4-6 screws (including one under the sticker!) and multiple latches to extract it:

1. Unscrew all screws, including the one hidden under the phone information sticker (take it carefully with your nail).
2. Disconnect the remaining plumes (power button, vibrator, antenna cables).
3. Put a plastic blade on the side of the charging connector and gently lift it.

⚠️ Warning: The board has a microphone and a proximity sensor - don't touch them with your fingers so as not to damage them. If you're replacing the board, transfer these modules to a new one from the old one (they are soldered!).

After the charge is retrieved, you will have access to:

• 🔊 Dynamics (attached to 2 screws and bilateral scotch).
• 📷 Camera (the plume is easy to tear off - be careful!).
• 🔄 Vibromotor (often fails in falls).
• 📶 Antenna modules (do not touch unless necessary).

If you want to replace the display, you can now flip the phone over and start taking the screen off, which requires you to heat up the perimeter glue (similar to the back cover) and gently tamper with plastic mediators.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced craftsmen sometimes make mistakes when disassembling Xiaomi Redmi 8A. Here are the most common of them and ways to prevent them:

• 🔋 Damage to battery plume when you shut down. Always pull the connector on the side instead of pulling the wires!
• 📱 Metal tools chips on the case. Use only plastic mediators.
• 🔧 Loss of screws. Put them in order on a magnetic mat.
• 📷 Separate camera plume.Don't raise the fee too sharply - first make sure all plumes are disconnected.
• 🔥 Overheating of the body with a hair dryer. Maximum temperature is 60.°C, no more!

Another common problem is that you don't build the phone properly when you're repairing it, and 90 percent of the time, it's because of:

• Unconnected battery plume or display.
• Tangled screws (for example, a long screw is screwed into a place for a short one and closes the contacts).
• A damaged antenna (if there is no network after assembly).

⚠️ Warning: If the phone does not respond to the power button after assembly, check:

1. Is the power button plume connected to the motherboard?
2. Are the contacts of the battery closed (check with a multimeter).
3. Are there any screws on the metal plate mixed up?

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The most vulnerable part of the Redmi 8A is the fingerprint scanner plume, which will cost almost a third of the phone’s cost to replace, so work as carefully as possible!

What to do after disassembly: diagnosis and repair

Now that the phone is unplugged, you can:

• 🔋 Replace the battery (the most common reason for disassembly) The new battery must be original or from a proven manufacturer (e.g., a manufacturer, ZMI or Baseus).
• 📱 Clean the motherboard of dust and oxidation with isopropyl alcohol and soft brush.
• 🔊 Replace the speaker or microphone (if the sound is distorted or missing).
• 📷 Change the camera (if the photos are blurred or with artifacts).
• 🔄 Check the charging plume (if the phone is not charging or is defined as a "charger»).

If you have disassembled the phone for fault diagnosis, check the charge for:

• 🔥 Blackened or bloated capacitors (a sign of overheating).
• 💧 Traces of oxidation (green coating on contacts).
• 🕳️ Cracks on the board (often occur after falls).

Replacing components (such as a charging connector) will require a soldering station and experience with microelectronics, and if you don’t have that experience, you’d better contact the service — soldering yourself without skills often leads to even more serious breakdowns.

Once the repair is complete, collect the phone in reverse order, making sure that:

• All the sleeves are tightly connected (but without effort!).
• The screws are screwed into their places.
• The battery is securely fixed (use a new two-way scotch).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi 8A disassembly