Disassembly Xiaomi Mi A1: a complete guide with photos, schemes and life hacks

Why Xiaomi Mi A1 Removes a Special Approach

The Xiaomi Mi A1 (codenamed tissot), the company’s first Android One smartphone, launched in 2017, combines elements of classic Xiaomi and Google’s Android One program, which has left a mark on the internal device, such as no removable battery (unlike earlier Redmi models), and the back cover is glued around the perimeter, making it difficult for beginners to disassemble.

The main reasons why users decide to disassemble the Mi A1:

• 🔋 Replacement of a bloated battery (typical problem after 3-4 years of operation).
• 📱 Repair of the charging connector or speaker.
• 🔧 Replace a broken display or touch glass.
• 🔄 Cleaning from dust or recovery after moisture.

But improper disassembly can cause plumes to break off, or even short circuit, and this article offers unique nuances for the Mi A1 that are not found in the general guides for disassembling smartphones, including screw mounting schemes and the sequence of disconnection of the plumes.

Preparation: security tools and measures

Before disassembling the Mi A1, prepare the workspace and tools.

• 🔧 Screwdriver kit: Phillips #00 (for screws of the body), Y00 (motherboard), T3 and T5 (torx-propeller).
• 📱 Plastic mediators or guitar plectra (2-3 pieces) for separation of the cover.
• 🔥 Hair dryer or thermo-air station (for softening glue).
• 🧲 Magnetic mat or screw container (so as not to lose small details).
• 🔌 Antistatic bracelet (optional but recommended for chip protection).

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi Mi A1 It has an aluminum frame that conducts current. If you're working without an antistatic bracelet, touch a grounded metal object every 5 to 10 minutes to remove static electricity.

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If you don't have a hair dryer, use hot water: pour it into a sealed bag and apply it to the back cover for 2-3 minutes. The glue will soften, but avoid moisture entering the body!

Step 1: Removing the back cover - how not to damage the glue and latches

The back cover of the Mi A1 is attached to a two-piece glue (around the perimeter) and plastic latches (around the camera and connectors) to remove it without damage:

1. Turn off your smartphone and remove the tray for SIM-cards (use a paper clip or tool to extract the).
2. Heat the back cover with a hair dryer for 1-2 minutes, keeping it at a distance of 5-7 cm Do not overheat - temperatures above 80 ° C can damage the battery.
3. Insert a plastic mediator into the gap between the lid and the frame (start with the lower left corner where the antenna is located).
4. Carefully drive the mediator around the perimeter, separating the glue, in the area of the camera and the upper speaker will be latches — apply the force strictly perpendicular to the body.

⚠️ Warning: If the lid fails, don't use force -- most likely, the glue hasn't softened enough. Reheat for another 1-2 minutes. A sharp compartment of the lid can tear the fingerprint scanner plume that goes from the power button to the motherboard.

Step 2: Shutting off the battery – why do you need to do it first?

When the lid is removed, first turn off the battery, which will prevent short circuits from accidentally touching the motherboard contacts. In the Mi A1, the battery connector is located on the lower left side of the board (when you look at the smartphone face up).

Instructions for unsetting:

1. Weaken the 4 screws that attach the metal plate over the battery (Phillips screws #00).
2. Carefully tuck the plate with tweezers and remove it.
3. Under the plate, you'll see a black connector with an orange tongue, and you'll pick up the tongue with tweezers and pull it up to disconnect the plume.

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Never unplug the battery plume, pull the wires, it can take the contacts off the board, use only a plastic tool or tweezers to tweez the connector.

⚠️ Attention: If the battery is swelling (as seen by the deformation of the lid or the characteristic "slamming" sound when pressed), do not try to remove it yourself. Bloated lithium-ion batteries can ignite when punctured:

• 🛑 Stop the disassembly immediately.
• 📞 Contact the service center marked "bloated battery».
• 🔥 Do not leave your smartphone unattended or store it near flammable objects.

Step 3: Removal of the motherboard - screw arrangement schemes

The Mi A1 motherboard is mounted on 12 different types of screws, and it's important to remember their location, because the screws differ in length and diameter. Below is a diagram of their location (top view, face down):

Charge recovery procedure:

1. Unscrew all the screws following the scheme. Stack them in groups (for example, in a container with cells or on a magnetic mat with marks).
2. Disconnect all plumes: 📱 Display plume (at the top of the board, under the metal plate). 🔊 Lower speaker plume (right of charging connector). 📷 Main and front camera plumes (upper, under the screen). 👆 Footprint scanner plume (thin, comes from the power button).

Carefully tuck the board with a plastic mediator on either side and raise it. If the fee is not coming, check if all the plumes are disconnected.

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If the plume doesn't detach, don't pull it by force! In the Mi A1, many connectors have latch-locks. Try to gently lift the latch with tweezers and then pull the plume out.

Step 4: Dismantling the display and touch module

The Mi A1 display consists of three layers:

1. Protective glass (if installed by the user).
2. Touch module (touch-panel, glued to the display).
3. LCD matrix (main display).

In most cases, when replacing, it is enough to remove the sensor + matrix as a single unit, but if only the sensor is damaged, it can be separated from the display using a hairdryer and a mediator.

Instructions for removing the display:

1. Heat the front panel with a hair dryer (temperature 70–80°C) for 2-3 minutes to soften the adhesive around the perimeter.
2. Stick the suction cup to the bottom of the display (above the Home button) and pull up. If the display fails, repeat heating.
3. Insert a plastic mediator into the resulting gap and lead it around the edges, separating the glue. Do not insert the mediator deeper than 2 mm - you can damage the plumes!
4. After separation of the display, disconnect the plumes: 📺 Main display plume (wide, in the center). 👆 Sensor plume (thin, right of main).

⚠️ Attention: In Mi A1 The fingerprint scanner plume runs under the display module. If you pull the display too sharply, you can pull that plume off. Separate the display slowly, checking resistance.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced craftsmen sometimes make mistakes when disassembling the Mi A1, and here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:

FAQ: Frequent questions about the dismantling of Xiaomi Mi A1