Disassembling Xiaomi phone with your own hands: from the back cover to the motherboard

Disassembling a Xiaomi smartphone on your own is a challenge that scares many users. Fear of damaging fragile components, breaking plumes or losing warranties often stops even those willing to fix the device with their own hands. However, with the right tools, patience and step-by-step instructions, the disassembly process becomes predictable and safe. This article will help you understand how to carefully dismantle the back cover, remove the battery, get to the motherboard and other key nodes without risk to the phone.

We’ll look at the universal methods that are suitable for most Redmi, POCO and Mi/Xiaomi flagship lines (from Redmi Note 8 Pro to Xiaomi 13 Ultra), focus on the typical beginner errors that lead to breakdowns, and give tips on how to choose tools. If you plan to replace the screen, battery or diagnose a malfunction, this guide will become your navigation map.

Preparation for disassembly: tools and security measures

Before you start a screwdriver, make sure you have everything you need. Inappropriate tools are the main cause of damage to the body and internal components.

• 🔧 Plastic mediators (or guitar mediators) - for careful liding.
• 🔨 Set of screwdrivers (cross-cross-haul) PH00, PH0 and stars T3, T4).
• 🔋 Suction – will help remove the lid on models with adhesive attachment (for example, Xiaomi) 12T).
• 🧲 Magnetic mat or screw tray – so as not to lose small details.
• 🔥 Dryer or thermoair station - for softening the glue (relevant for waterproof models).

Important: Xiaomi actively uses glue to seal the case, especially in flagships (Mi). 11, 12 Pro, 13). If you have a model with protection IP53/IP68, It's almost impossible to remove the lid without heating. 80°C to avoid damaging the screen or battery.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use metal blades or knives to lid the lid! They scratch the body and can puncture the battery, which will lead to fire or explosion. Plastic mediators with rounded edges are the only safe option.

Also prepare the workplace:

• 📱 Work on a clean table with good lighting.
• 📸 Take a picture of each stage of the disassembly – this will help to collect the phone back.
• ⚡ Turn off the device and completely discharge the battery (up to 0%) before starting work.

Removal of the back cover: methods for different models

Xiaomi’s rear cover design varies depending on the series. Budget Redmis (like Redmi 9A or 10C) have it mounted on latches and unheated; flagships (Xiaomi 13 Pro, Mix Fold 2) have a combination of glue and latches; and some models (POCO F4 GT) have the lid glued around the perimeter.

Universal algorithm:

1. Heat the edges of the cover with a hairdryer (keep at a distance of 5-7 cm so as not to overheat).
2. Suction the top of the suction (near the camera) and pull up.
3. Insert a plastic mediator into the resulting gap and carefully conduct them around the perimeter, snapping the mounts.

If the lid doesn't lend itself, don't force it -- you probably haven't warmed up enough. Reheat for another 1-2 minutes. On IP68 models (like the Xiaomi 12S Ultra), the adhesive is particularly strong -- you might need a special solvent (isopropyl alcohol) to soften it.

Battery Removal: Risks and Safety Rules

The battery is the most dangerous component in disassembly. Damage to the lithium polymer battery can lead to fire or chemical burn. In Xiaomi models, the batteries are glued to the body, and it takes care to remove them. Here's how to do it correctly:

Steps to remove the battery:

1. Disconnect the battery plume from the motherboard (usually located at the top of the phone).
2. Put the battery on the side with a plastic blade where there are no components.
3. If the battery is not going away, heat it with a hair dryer (not higher than 60 ° C!) or use isopropyl alcohol to dissolve the glue.
4. Don't pull the plume! He could be off the board.

⚠️ Warning: If the battery is swelling (the phone lid is bulging), don't try to disassemble it yourself. The bulging batteries are extremely unstable and can ignite if the slightest damage occurs!

On some models (POCO F3 GT, Redmi K50 Gaming) the battery is divided into two parts (double battery), in which case remove them alternately, starting with the one closest to the motherboard.

Battery plume off the board|Tools are not metal.|The battery won't go up.|I wear gloves (optional)|Fire extinguisher (for emergency cases)-->

Dismantling the motherboard and other components

Once you take off the battery, you get access to the heart of the phone, the motherboard, and it's where all the key chips are concentrated: the processor, RAM, communication modules, and the wrong handling of the board can knock the phone out of order without any recovery.

Procedure:

1. Unscrew all the screws that hold the board (usually 6-8 pieces). The screws can vary in length - remember which one from where.
2. Carefully disconnect all the plumes: the display, the cameras, the speakers. Pull by the connectors, not the wires!
3. If you can't take it out, check if all the screws are unscrewed.

On liquid-cooled models (Black Shark 4/5, POCO F4 GT), there is a heat tube under the board, which cannot be bent or damaged, which will disrupt the cooling system.

If you’re disassembling a Type-C replacement phone, note that many models (Redmi Note 11, POCO X4 Pro) have it soldered to the board, requiring a soldering station and microelectronics experience.

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Before you take out the motherboard, take a picture of its position relative to the body. On some Xiaomi models, small parts (such as a vibrator or antenna modules) are hidden under the board that are easy to lose.

Disassembly of the screen module: when it is necessary

Replacing the screen is one of the most difficult operations in the repair of Xiaomi. In most models, the display is glued with a touchscreen and glass, so if you damage one element, you have to change the entire module. The cost of the original screen for flagships (Xiaomi 13) can reach 15-20 thousand rubles, so accuracy is critical here.

How to take the screen off:

1. Warm up the display with a hair dryer (temperature 70-80 ° C) around the perimeter.
2. Push the glass with a plastic mediator, starting at the corner where there are no plumes.
3. Carefully separate the display from the body, trying not to damage the plumes.

In the models with AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi 12 Pro, POCO F4) And underneath the display is a layer of optical glue that's hard to remove without special tools. UV-glue LOCA-solvent.

⚠️ Warning: If there are white spots or stains after the screen is replaced, it means that there are air bubbles between the display and the glass.

On some budget models (Redmi 9A, 10A), the screen is mounted on double-sided tape, in which case it can be removed without heating, but the risk of damage to the plumes remains high.

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Replacing the screen with Xiaomi almost always requires flashing the touchscreen through software (such as QFil or Mi Flash), without which the new display may not respond to touch or malfunction.

Building a phone: how to avoid mistakes

Getting the phone back together is often more difficult than disassembling, and the main problem is that the plumes are not connected correctly or the screws that are forgotten, which lead to the modules that are not working (camera, speaker, sensor).

All plumes are connected before the click.|Screwed into the right holes|The battery will not swell and fit tightly.|The back cover is clean (no dust/splitting)|All functions (camera, sound, sensor) checked)-->

Pay particular attention to:

• 🔌 Battery plume – if it is not fully inserted, the phone will not turn on.
• 📷 Camera module – even microscopic dust on the lens will spoil the quality of the photo.
• 🔊 Speakers – check if their plumes are clamped with a lid.

After assembly, turn on the phone and immediately check:

• 📶 Network operation (SIM-map, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth).
• 🎥 Camera (front and main).
• 🔋 Charging (connect the charger).

If something doesn't work, take the phone apart again and check to connect the problem module. On NFC models (like the Xiaomi 13), the antenna is often attached to the back cover - make sure it doesn't come off when assembled.

Frequent problems after disassembly and their solution

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have problems after you disassemble yourself, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

If the phone overheats after disassembling, chances are you forgot to apply the heat paste to the processor (relevant to active-cooled models like the Black Shark), buy a high-quality thermal paste (like the Arctic MX-4) and apply it in a thin layer.

Another common mistake is that you get antenna lines damaged when you sloppyly remove the cover, and that leads to a bad signal, and that's when you change the antenna module or the cover.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions