Introduction
Use this guide to replace the motherboard in your Steam Deck OLED.
Remember to follow general electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety procedures while repairing your device.
These steps only describe how to physically remove and replace your console’s motherboard. You may need additional software tools and calibration procedures to get the replacement motherboard to function as intended.
You'll need replacement thermal paste to complete this repair.
What you need
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Power down your Steam Deck and unplug any cables.
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Use a T6 Torx driver to remove the eight 5.8 mm‑long screws securing the back cover.
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Insert an opening pick at an upward angle between the back cover and the front shell near one of the triggers.
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Slide your pick along the edge of the handle to release the clips securing it to the front shell.
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Reinsert your pick and slide it along the top and bottom edges until the back cover feels loose.
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Grip the unclipped handle and pull it away from the front shell to release the remaining clips.
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Remove the back cover.
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Grip the battery cable pull tab, located to the left of the battery.
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Firmly pull the battery cable straight away from the motherboard shield (toward the battery) to disconnect it.
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Use a spudger to flip up the small white locking flap on the right button board interconnect cable ZIF connector.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's pull tab and slide it straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Insert an opening pick between the interconnect cable and the motherboard shield.
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Slide your pick along the shield to separate the cable.
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Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the two 3.8 mm‑long screws securing the top left and bottom left corners of the motherboard shield.
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If the speaker cable is taped to the bottom edge of the motherboard shield, gently peel it off.
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Remove the motherboard shield.
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Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the 3.3 mm‑long screw securing the SSD.
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Grip the end of the SSD and pull it away from its M.2 board connector to remove it.
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Remove the SSD.
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Use an iOpener or hair dryer to soften the adhesive on the black sticker connecting the heat sink to the fan.
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Slide the tip of an opening pick under one edge of the heat sink sticker.
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Peel the sticker up until you can grab it with your fingers.
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Gently remove the sticker from the heat sink and fan.
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Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the three 3.3 mm‑long screws securing the heat sink.
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Use the point of your spudger to flip up the small black locking flap on the right button board ZIF connector in the bottom left corner of the board.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the pull tab and slide the cable straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Slide an opening pick between the left side of the cable and the speaker.
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Slide your pick toward the motherboard to separate the adhesive securing the cable.
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Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the edges of the fan connector and walk it side-to-side out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Use the point of your spudger to flip up the small locking flap on the audio board ZIF connector in the upper right corner of the motherboard.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's pull tab and pull it straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Slide one arm of angled tweezers under the metal neck of the gray antenna cable connector in the bottom right corner of the motherboard.
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Gently lift the connector to disconnect it.
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Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the edges of the speakers connector and walk it side-to-side out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the three 3.7 mm‑long screws securing the motherboard.
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Lift the top edge of the motherboard and flip it over the bottom edge of the frame to access the screen cable underneath.
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Use the point of your spudger to flip up the locking flap on the outside edge of the screen ZIF connector.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the screen cable pull tab and slide the cable straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to peel and remove the protective tape covering the motherboard cable ZIF connector.
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Use the point of your spudger to flip up the small white locking flap on the interconnect cable ZIF connector.
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Pull the cable straight out of its socket to remove it.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Steam Deck OLED answers community for help.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Steam Deck OLED answers community for help.
