Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Assembly Replacement

Written By: Craig Lloyd

Comments: 33

Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Assembly Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

This is a prerequisite-only guide! This guide is part of another procedure and is not meant to be used alone.

Tools

Step 1

Before beginning this repair, make sure that the device is completely turned off.
Use a Y00 screwdriver to remove the four 6.3 mm-long screws securing the back panel.
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

All my screws got stripped any ideas on how to remove?

Almost A Mammal -

A Y0 screwdriver seemed to work better for me.

Tommy Morrill -

What type of screw driver do I use to un screw the screws and which way

Luca Capito -

Step 2

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following screws securing the back panel:
Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the top of the device
Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the bottom of the device
To prevent these tight screws from stripping, apply firm downward force, work slowly and try a different screwdriver if the screws won't come out.

Step 3

Insert an opening tool into the left speaker grille on the bottom of the device.
Twist the opening tool to release the clips securing the back panel.
Avoid inserting the opening tool further than required to prevent damage to the speaker module.

Step 4

Slide the opening tool around the bottom-left corner to release the clips on the left side of the device.

Step 5

Insert an opening tool into the right speaker grille on the bottom of the device.
Twist the opening tool to release the clips.
Avoid inserting the opening tool further than required to prevent damage to the speaker module.

Step 6

Slide and pry the opening tool around the bottom-right corner to release the clips on the right side of the device.

Step 7

Continue sliding and prying the opening tool along the gap on the top of the device to release the clips.

Step 8

Lift the bottom edge of the back panel, opening it like a book.
Remove the back panel.

Step 9

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:
Three 3.1 mm screws
One 4.5 mm screw

There are four screws instead of three mentioned

Khurram Chaudry -

it doesnt mention 3 anywhere, and it labels all four

Ezi -

With how easy it seems to be to do serious damage with the next few steps, I figured I'd say that realistically you can skip steps 9-13 when doing this repair. While they provide a bit of extra security by disconnecting the battery, the left stick is completely accessible and replaceable without touching the heat shield or anything underneath (And steps 17 and 18 disconnect power from the daughter board regardless).

Nate -

Step 10

Use a spudger or your fingers to lift the shield plate up and out of the device.
You may feel a bit of resistance. This is normal, since the shield plate is slightly bonded to the heat sink with thermal paste.
Remove the shield plate.
Clean off the old thermal paste from the shield plate and heat sink using isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Apply new thermal paste to the heat sink before reassembly.

You may need to replace the thermal paste on the heat sink.

ahoz28 -

Step 11

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the motherboard interconnect cable's ZIF connector.

Step 12

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the interconnect cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

I turned the unit off beforehand, I used tweezers just like the instructions said (ifixit branded) , my device sparked and now it won’t turn back on

User Service -

The flap came off is it important or is there a way t fix it?

Jose Cruz R Rangel Cordero -

We're you able to get it working without the white flap? My screen is not working after putting it back together and i noticed this white flap was falling off

Jimmy “Ghost” Trost -

Step 13

Use the point of a spudger to pry the battery connector straight up and out of its socket on the motherboard.

Caution the connector may not be properly soldered onto the motherboard. For me it snapped off the pins and now have to find a place to get that fixed if even possible. may have bricked it.

Craig Osman - 30/01/21

Yup, broke the connector right off the motherboard. Thanks, ifixit -_-

Justin Kerr - 14/04/21

I backed out when I reached this point. I couldn't risk damaging it. Do u just need to pull it up? Did you mean that it might have been soldered shut below?

Jannalyzer -

You should just need to pull straight up, but make sure you’re pulling on the wires or the gray plug—do not pull on the black socket or it can snap off of the motherboard.

Adam O'Camb -

I pulled straight up from the south side on under 2 or three wires and held down the device as I pulled and the gray connector disconnected from the black connector on the Switch. Just be careful at this part.

Jon -

With how easy it seems to be to do serious damage at this point, I figured I'd say that realistically you can skip steps 9-13 when doing this repair. While they provide a bit of extra security by disconnecting the battery, the left stick is completely accessible and replaceable without touching the heat shield or anything underneath (And steps 17 and 18 disconnect power from the daughter board regardless).

Nate -

Step 14

Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingers to carefully peel up the foam that's lightly adhered to the fan.
The foam only needs to be peeled back enough to clear the fan.

When reassembling, the foam may fold down between the fan and heatsink, blocking airflow. Gently lift the foam back up on top of the fan. The adhesive film should hold the foam together.

Kean Stump - 25/12/20

Is removing the heat sink absolutely necessary?

Clark Aulden - 15/04/21

It’s not necessary, but it makes it much easier to remove and replace the game card reader, since the heat sink partially covers the connector.

Craig Lloyd - 16/04/21

Not really…….. I never remove it. It slides out quite easily once disconnected.

Alan Sears -

What do you do if these screws are stripped? They strip easily

Whatever -

Step 15

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the three 3 mm screws securing the heat sink to the motherboard.

Step 16

Use a spudger or your fingers to lift the heatsink up and off of the motherboard to remove it.
You may feel a bit of resistance. This is normal, since the heat sink is slightly bonded to the CPU with thermal paste.
Clean off the old thermal paste from the heat sink and CPU using isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Apply new thermal paste to the CPU before reassembly.

16.5 remove cartridge / headphones jack……….

Calvin Martin -

I've read that there are different ways to apply thermal paste, which should I use?

Kai B -

My kit did not come with thermal paste..

Bryan Donovan -

Step 17

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the game card reader cable's ZIF connector.

Step 18

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the seven 3.1 mm screws securing the game card reader and headphone jack.

Step 19

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to carefully lift the game card reader and maneuver it to the left to slide the cable out of its connector.
Remove the game card reader and headphone jack.

Step 20

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 4.5 mm screws securing the right trigger button assembly to the motherboard.

I think a whole step to remove the game card reader and speaker jack was skipped here…

ConfusedAzn Random -

yes, just found that sadly these comments do not show unless we click on the , which is unhelpful

Micheal speed -

also, you need to remove the left trigger button

Micheal speed -

Step 21

Remove the right trigger button assembly.

Step 22

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to remove the right trigger button assembly's rubber pad if it didn't stay attached to the button assembly.

Step 23

Use the point of a spudger to pry the black antenna cable straight up out of its socket on the motherboard.
Repeat the same process for the white antenna cable.

Step 24

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the fan cable's ZIF connector.

Step 25

Use a pair of tweezers to slide out the fan cable from its connector on the motherboard.

There’s a step missing after this to remove the screws that hold the orange game cartridge slot. Those 7 screws have to be undone and the ribbon unclipped first before moving on to the next step.

Heather Thrasher -

Step 26

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the screen cable's ZIF connector.

skipped a step or two about removing the golden piece in the photo above, and the other little board

Eddy Whitaker -

If I broke the clasp on the ZIF connector can I elec tape it down?

kevin miller -

Step 27

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the screen cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

Step 28

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the digitizer cable's ZIF connector.

Can I electrical tape this down if I broke the clasp?

kevin miller -

Step 29

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the digitizer cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

Step 30

Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the right joystick cable's ZIF connector.

Step 31

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the right joystick cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

Step 32

Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following six screws securing the motherboard:
Three 3.1 mm screws
Three 4.5 mm screws