Game Boy Screen Replacement

Written By: Andrew Tramposch

Comments: 11

Difficulty

Very difficult

Steps

Time Required

30 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

How to access and replace the black and white LCD screen in your original Game Boy. This is an advanced repair. You'll need to know how to solder to complete this repair, so be sure to check out iFixit's soldering technique guide.

Note: If your Game Boy’s display has the classic “vertical lines” problem, it’s actually easier to fix the old screen than to replace it with a new one. Follow this guide for help repairing the old screen.

Tools

Parts

Game Boy Screen

Step 1

Switch your Game Boy off and remove the cartridge.

Step 2

Use a fingernail (or small coin) to push down on the battery door latch and remove the battery door.
The release latch is a plastic spring clip. If your Game Boy is getting on in years, be careful as the plastic may be brittle.
When you're replacing the cover, be sure to get its two plastic tabs into the slots in the bottom of the battery compartment before pushing the cover back in place.

Step 3

Use a fingernail to pry each battery outward from the positive (+) terminal to remove them.
Dispose of used batteries properly!
Remove the batteries from your Game Boy before storing it for more than a month or so.

Step 4

Remove the six Triwing screws from the back of the device.

Step 5

Gently separate the device's front casing from the back casing after you remove the screws.
Be careful not to completely separate the casing halves, as they are still joined by a large ribbon cable that may be damaged.

Step 6

Slide the front side of the casing down to expose the ribbon cable connector.

Step 7

Grip the ribbon connector with your thumb and forefinger. Pull down gently until the connector, not the ribbon itself, comes out of its socket.
Separate the front and back casings.

Step 8

Remove the ten screws that connect the circuit board to the outer case.

Step 9

Remove the circuit board from the outer case using a plastic opening tool.
Take care to gently pry around the entire outside edge of the circuit board until you can easily remove the board without force.

Step 10

Disengage the the three plastic clips that secure the screen to the circuit board.

I didn’t find this step necessary as the plastic screen holding unit is separate from the screen.

skrolikowski - 05/09/18

Step 11

Flip the circuit board over revealing the device screen.
Remove the two screws connecting the screen and the circuit board.

Step 12

External content

Follow the video instructions to desolder the display connectors and replace your screen.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

Andrew Tramposch

Member since: 24/06/10

2132 Reputation

10 comments

What kind of lcd screen or where can I find one that isn't off of another dmg-01 gameboy?

Floyd Odom - 17/04/15

I was wondering the same. Maybe ebay or Amazon.

Joshua Graham - 03/06/21

What about the new display? Where to get it?

No spare part necessary should be replaced with a link where to buy a new one.

Helmut Kohli - 19/11/17

You can’t buy a new replacement screen unfortunately. Not only is it very difficult to remove the screen, it’s impossible to buy a replacement. They’d be better showing us how to fix a screen. There’s plenty of videos on YT showing how to fix blank vertical line but hardly any on how to fix horizontal lines, and the ones that do don’t work very well.

Firegoose - 30/07/19

Where do I buy a replacement screen for a 1989 game boy?

Nathan Thurston - 14/09/19

i suggest maybe going on ebay and finding a gameboy thats either just for parts or has a working screen and desoldering it

Ethan Amos - 21/11/19

Habt ihr einen guten Tipp, wo man ein neues LCD herbekommt?

Car W - 10/03/21

I tried following the video and ended up with burned tabs and melted plastic. Basically it’s all ruined. OP does a terrible job.

Daniel Powers -

will this guide work to install a backlit LCD for the Game Boy? I have this Rips v4 backlit IPS LCD, and I figured I might as well install it.
if not, that's alright. I'll just find another guide.

Bella Marie - 26/12/22

AFAIK you can follow through the disassembly guide up to step 10 no problem, then it depends if you bought the full kit you simply swap the old screen and big PCB with the new ones; if you're planning to use the original GB case, notice you'll have to do some mods in order to fit in the new screen. Also, you might have to solder the speaker on the PCB. Here's a video you may want to check out when you're done disassembling the GB and will be ready to start installing the screen upgrade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMIJTbPe...

Simone - 28/12/22