How to gently open the back cover Xiaomi Redmi 4: instructions with photos and warnings

The Xiaomi Redmi 4 is one of the most popular budget smartphones of 2017, but even after years, owners are faced with the need to disassemble the device, most often it is required to replace the battery, clean the dust or repair connectors. However, the back cover of the Redmi 4 is not only attached to the latches, but also on the adhesive layer, which complicates the process.

It's important to understand that the design of the non-shattered body involves the risk of damage when you open it, and even experienced craftsmen sometimes break latches or tear plumes. We'll tell you how to minimize these risks, what tools are really needed (and which are a waste of money), and what to do if the lid doesn't lend itself. SIM-A card that is often forgotten by newcomers.

Preparation: tools and modalities

Before you start, make sure you have everything you need, and some "gurus" advise you to use a knife or a credit card, but it's a guaranteed way to damage the case or the display, and here's the minimum kit that actually works:

• 🔧 Plastic mediator (0.5-0.7 mm) is the best choice for detaching latches. Metal tools scratch the frame.
• 🔥 Hair dryer or thermo-air station (not necessary, but highly desirable) Heating to 60-70°C softens the glue.
• 🧲 Suction cup (diameter 3-5 cm) - helps to evenly lift the cover after heating.
• 📏 Thin screwdriver T3 or T4 — squirt SIM-The cards (some people forget about them!).
• 🧴 Isopropyl alcohol (90%+) — cleaning up the glue after opening.

Also prepare the workplace:

• 🪑 Table with flat surface covered with soft cloth (towel or microfibra).
• 💡 Bright lamp or flashlight – to see the latches at an angle.
• 📦 Small containers for screws and parts (covers from plastic bottles will do).

⚠️ Attention: Don't work on a carpet or a sofa! Static electricity can damage the motherboard. Also avoid direct sunlight - they overheat the screen.

Step 1: Turn off and heat the body

The first and most important step is to shut down the power completely, and even if the battery is dead, it can store a residual charge that will short-circuit when disassembled.

1. Press the power button for 10-15 seconds to make sure the device is turned off.
2. If the phone doesn’t respond, plug it into charging – if the indicator doesn’t light up, you can continue.
3. Remove the tray. SIM-cards (use a paper clip or special key).

Now, to warm up, the glue that's glued to the lid becomes plastic at 60 to 70.°C. The best way:

• 🔥 Turn on the dryer at medium power (not maximum!) and keep at a distance of 10-15 cm from the back cover.
• 🕒 Heat in a circle for 2-3 minutes, paying special attention to the corners (there is more glue there).
• 👆 Check the temperature with your hand – the body should be hot, but not burning.

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If you don't have a hair dryer, you can use a heating pad or put your phone in a bag of warm (not hot!) water for 5-7 minutes, the main thing is to avoid direct contact with moisture.

Keep the device warm! A temperature above 80°C can damage the battery or melt plastic latches. If the lid doesn't lend itself, repeat the heat again.

Step 2: Unlocking the latches - the fish bone technique

Once you warm up, you get to the most critical stage, where many people make the mistake of trying to plug the lid on one end, which causes the latches to break, and the right technique is called fishbone (similar to scales), and it involves gradually disconnecting around the perimeter.

Here's a step-by-step algorithm:

1. Apply the suction cup closer to the lower edge (where the charging connector is) and pull up slightly. The lid should rise 1-2 mm.
2. Insert the plastic mediator into the resulting gap and carefully conduct them along the lower edge, disconnecting the latches.
3. Repeat the same for the left and right edges, moving from bottom to top.
4. The top edge (where the camera) disconnect the last - there are the most fragile latches.

Make sure all latches are snapped around the perimeter|Check if the fingerprint is clinging (if any)|Check the cover for hidden screws (sometimes hidden under stickers)|Keep the lid open without making any effort.-->

If the lid doesn't lend itself in some place, don't push harder! Go back to the heat or check if there's any unconnected area left. A common problem is hidden screws under the tray. SIM-They're easy to miss if you don't know they exist.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 4 Pro and Redmi 4 Prime models, there may be an additional metal screen screwed under the lid!

Step 3: Removing the lid and working with plumes

When the lid finally detached, don't rush to remove it completely. It can still be connected to the plumes.

• 📶 Antenna plume (thin black wire, goes from the upper edge to the motherboard).
• 👆 Fingerprint scanner plume (if your model is equipped with it).
• 🔋 Battery connector – it is better to disconnect it first to avoid short circuit.

Carefully lift the lid and look at the insides. If you see white or orange connectors, these are plume connectors, and you have to unplug them with plastic tweezers or a nail, pulling the black latch (not by the wires!). Here's how to do it safely:

If you do not plan to replace the battery or board, it is better not to disconnect all the plumes - just lift the lid and fix it in this position (for example, putting matchboxes under it).

Typical Problems and How to Avoid Them

Even with a careful disassembly, there can be unexpected difficulties, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

• 🔧 The cover does not detach after heating → Repeat the heating by paying attention to the corners. The glue may not have softened enough. Also check if all screws are twisted (especially under the tray). SIM).
• 💥 The lid cracked when it was taken off. → If the crack is small, you can glue it with cyanoacrylate glue (superglue), but the aesthetic will suffer. 3M inside.
• 🔋 The battery is swelling. → Do not try to puncture it! Gently disconnect the connector and remove the battery using a plastic blade.
• 📵 After assembly, the sensor or display does not work. → The display plume probably got damaged, see if it's sitting tight in the connector, and if the problem persists, you'll need to replace the plume (~1000-1500 rubles.).

One of the most insidious problems is the hidden latches under the volume buttons, which are often broken when they open the lid from the side, always start at the bottom edge (where the charging connector is) and move up!

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If the phone doesn't turn on after you disassemble, the first thing you do is check the battery connector, and 80 percent of the time, it's the connector, not the board.

Alternative methods: when the standard method does not work

Sometimes the Redmi 4 lid is so tight that neither the heat nor the mediators help, and in such cases alternative methods can be tried, but they require caution:

Method 1: Use of thread or line

This is a good way to do this if the glue is very strong.

• 🧵 Capron thread or line thickness of 0.3-0.5 mm.
• 🔥 Hair dryer.
• 🧲 Two suction cups (or one) + tape-stick).

Process:

1. Warm the body with a hair dryer.
2. Lift the lid with a suction cup by 1-2 mm.
3. Push the thread into the gap and carefully "saw" it along the edge, like a string.
4. Periodically heat the body so that the glue does not have time to freeze.

Method 2: Disassembly through the screen

This is an extreme case where the lid is damaged or you can't remove it otherwise.

• 🔧 Setting screwdrivers (T3, T4, cross-section).
• 🔥 Hair dryer and plastic mediator.
• 🧤 Gloves (to avoid leaving fingerprints on the display).

Algorithm:

1. Heat the front of the phone (where the screen is).
2. Carefully tuck the display module from the bottom edge (where the Home button is).
3. Disconnect the display and sensor plumes, then remove the motherboard.
4. Now the lid is removed without obstacles, since all mounts were under the board.

⚠️ Warning: This method is risky, it is likely to damage the plume of the display or sensor, use it only if other methods have not worked, and you are ready for possible screen repairs (~2000–3000 rubles.).

Building: How to Avoid Mistakes

Getting your phone back together is often harder than disassembling, and here are some key points to avoid problems:

• 🧲 Check all the plumes before fixing the lid, make sure they are not bent and sit tightly in the connectors.
• 🔧 Wrap the screws cross-cross to avoid skewing the board. Don't pull over, easy enough.
• 🧴 Clean the glue residues with isopropyl alcohol. New glue (e.g, B-7000) apply a thin layer only on the edges.
• 🔋 Put the battery on last when all the plumes are in place, and that'll keep you from shorting.

If you have replaced the battery, check its operation before assembly:

1. Connect the charging and make sure that the charging is underway (the indicator should burn).
2. Turn on the phone and check that it holds a charge (you can use the AccuBattery app for diagnosis).
3. Make sure there's no bloating -- put your phone on a flat surface and spin it. If it's swinging, the battery is crooked or bloated.

After assembly, turn on the phone and check:

• 📶 Network operation (calls, mobile Internet).
• 🔊 Sound (dynamic, microphone).
• 👆 Sensor and buttons.
• 📷 Camera (main and frontal).

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If the phone gets warmer than usual after assembly, check if the glue hits the processor or memory chips. Clean the board with alcohol and let it dry for 10-15 minutes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi 4 disassembly