How to disassemble the Xiaomi Mi phone yourself: from preparation to assembly

Disassembling the Xiaomi Mi is a challenge that every owner who decides to replace the battery, screen or other components will face sooner or later. Despite the apparent complexity, even a beginner can do the procedure if approached with the right instructions and toolkit, but the wrong actions can lead to damage to the plumes, rupture of flexible cables or even complete failure of the device.

In this article, we will discuss the process of disassembly Step-by-step, from the preparation of the workplace to the reverse assembly, taking into account the design features of different generations of the Mi-series. Particular attention will be paid to the critical moments where most users make mistakes: disconnecting the battery, working with the adhesive layer and fixing the plumes.

Before you start, consider that disassembling a smartphone is not warranty if it is still in effect. The manufacturer does not recommend self-repair, but for devices older than 2-3 years, this is often the only economically viable option.

Preparation for disassembly: tools and security measures

The first step is to assemble the tools you need, and you can't make out the Xiaomi Mi without them, because most models are glued together, and the internal components are fixed with screws with custom heads.

• 🔧 Set of screwdrivers (cross-haul) PH00, flat 1.5 mm, five-pointed Y00 for some).
• 📱 Plastic mediators or blades for the separation of the body (metallic can scratch the frame).
• 🔥 Hair dryer or thermal air station for softening glue (temperature 60-80)°C).
• 🧲 Magnetic mat or screw container (so as not to lose small details).
• 🔋 Screen lifting suction cup (optional, but simplifies the process).
• 🛠️ Tweezers with thin ends for working with plumes.

Also, prepare the workspace: it should be well lit, free of dust and static electricity. Use an antistatic bracelet or periodically touch a grounded metal object to avoid damage to the chips by a discharge. If you're disassembling the phone for the first time, take a picture of each step, which will help with the reverse assembly.

⚠️ Warning: Don't use a knife or other sharp objects to separate the back cover! this can damage antenna lines or plumes under the screen.The glue in Xiaomi Mi softens with heat rather than force.

Power outage and retracting the back cover

Before disassembling completely turn off the phone and remove SIM-Even when it's off, there's still a residual charge on the board, so the first step is to disconnect the battery, but you can only get to it after the back cover is removed.

The process of removing the cover depends on the model:

• 📱 Xiaomi Mi 8/Mi 9/Mi 10: The body is glued around the perimeter. Heat the edges with a hair dryer (don't direct air flow to the screen!) and gently apply the lid with a plastic mediator starting at the bottom edge.
• 📱 Xiaomi Mi A2/A3: Here, the lid is attached to the latches. + The heat is minimal, but it requires a uniform force all around the perimeter.
• 📱 Xiaomi Mi Mix: ceramic cover brittle! Use suction cup and heat no more than 60°C.

Once the lid is separated, you'll see the battery, motherboard and plumes. Don't pull the lid abruptly, it can be connected to antenna contacts or a fingerprint scanner plume (in models with a rear sensor).

💡

If the glue is too strong, put the phone on a warm battery or in a bag of rice heated in a microwave (50-60 °C), which is safer than a hair dryer and reduces the risk of overheating components.

Disconnection of the battery and work with plumes

The battery in Xiaomi Mi is the most dangerous component in disassembly, and it must be turned off before any manipulation of the board.

1. Find the battery connector on the motherboard (usually black with an orange or red label).
2. Carefully slap the connector with a plastic spatula, pulling up. Don't use metal tools!
3. Check with a multimeter that there is no voltage on the board contacts (optional, but recommended).

Once the battery is turned off, you can start detaching the plumes. Xiaomi Mi usually has three:

• 📺 Screen plume (the widest, goes to the top of the board).
• 🔊 Dynamic/microphone plume (thin, often taped).
• 👆 Power/volume button plume (in models with side buttons).

⚠️ Warning: The plumes in the Mi 9 and Mi 10 are fixed with latches that are easy to break! Open them with tweezers, pressing the side ledges, rather than pulling the plume itself.

Extraction of motherboard and other components

The motherboard in Xiaomi Mi is mounted on 8-12 different sizes. Remember the location of each - when assembling the PH00 and Y00 head screws are not interchangeable! Unscrew them diagonally to avoid skewing the board.

After the charge is withdrawn, you will have access to the remaining components:

• 📞 Speakers and microphones are attached to glue or latches. In the Mi 8, the bottom speaker is glued to the body, in the Mi 10, on the screws.
• 📷 Cameras -- modules are fixed by a metal frame. Don't touch the lenses with your fingers!
• 🔋 Battery - glued to the body. It will require special glue to replace it (for example, B-7000) double-sided.

When removing the battery, be especially careful: it should not be bent or pierced. If the battery is swelling, do not try to disassemble it - dispose of it according to local regulations.

Screen replacement: nuances for different models

Replacing the display in the Xiaomi Mi is one of the most difficult procedures. Most models have a touchscreen and frame glued together, so if the glass is damaged, the entire module needs to be replaced, except for the Mi Mix 2S and Mi 9 SE, where the glass can be separated from the matrix (but this requires professional equipment).

Replacement algorithm:

1. Remove the back cover and disconnect the battery.
2. Unscrew the screws that fix the metal frame of the screen (in Mi 10 there are 6, in Mi 8 – 4).
3. Heat the screen with a hair dryer (temperature 70-80 ° C) and gently tuck it with a plastic mediator.
4. Disconnect the display and touchscreen plumes (they can be combined into one connector).

When installing a new screen:

• 🔧 Check model compatibility (for example, the screen from Mi 9 will not work for Mi). 9T due to different cutouts under the camera).
• 🧴 Use a new adhesive layer (for example, 3M 9448A sealable).
• 🔋 Connect the battery only after the screen is fixed to avoid short circuit.

💡

In the models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Mi 10 Pro) require the original memory chip plume to be moved when the display is replaced.

Building a phone: reverse order and testing

Assembly is as important as disassembly. Start by checking all the components:

• 🔍 Make sure there is no dust or metal shavings from screws on the board.
• 🔌 Check the integrity of plumes and connectors (especially the battery).
• 📏 Lay all cables so that they do not overflex or touch the metal parts of the case.

Rotate the screws in reverse order, starting with the longest. In the Mi 8 and newer models, there is a thermal paste on the CPU - if you erase it, apply a new one (for example, the Arctic MX-4).

1. Connect the charger and check if charging is underway.
2. Turn on your phone and test the sensor, cameras, speakers.
3. Check the operation of sensors (gyroscope, accelerometer) using the Sensor Test application.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone doesn't turn on after assembly, but the charging indicator is on, the problem may be an incorrectly connected screen plume or battery.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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

• 🔥 Overheating of components by a hairdryer → Use a thermometer or heat in short intervals (10-15 seconds) intermittently.
• 🔧 Loss of screws → Sort them by size on a magnetic mat or label them with scotch.
• 📱 Damage to the screen plume → Open the latches of the connectors with tweezers, not with your fingers.
• 🔋 Short circuit when connecting the battery → Check the multimeter voltage on the board before assembly.
• 🧲 Magnetic interference → Do not use powerful magnets near the board (they can damage the compass or speaker).

If you break a latch of the plume or rip the screw, don't panic. Xiaomi Mi parts are widely available on AliExpress or in local service centers. For example, the Mi 9 screen plume connector costs about 100-150 rubles, and a set of screws - 200-300 rubles.

💡

In 80% of self-disassembly failures are due to damage to plumes or improper battery installation. Always check connections before final assembly!

FAQ: Answers to popular questions