Introduction
This repair guide was authored by the iFixit staff and hasn’t been endorsed by Google. Learn more about our repair guides here.
Follow this guide to replace the battery on a Google Pixel 4a.
For your safety, discharge your battery below 25% before disassembling your phone.
This reduces the risk of a dangerous thermal event if the battery is accidentally damaged during the repair. If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.
The unreinforced display panel of the Pixel 4a is fragile. Pay special attention to the warnings in the opening procedure if you are reusing the screen.
What you need
-
-
Insert a SIM eject tool, bit, or straightened paper clip into the SIM tray hole.
-
Press directly into the hole to eject the SIM card tray.
-
Remove the SIM card tray.
-
-
-
Take note of the two seams on the edge of the phone:
-
Screen seam: This seam separates the screen from the rest of the phone. This is where you should pry.
-
Frame seam: This is where the plastic frame meets the back cover. It is held in place by screws. Do not pry at this seam.
-
Before you begin, note the following areas on the screen:
-
Screen flex cable: Do not insert the opening pick deeper than instructed or you risk damaging this cable.
-
Adhesive perimeter: Prying beyond this narrow perimeter without angling the pick will damage the OLED panel.
-
-
-
Apply a heated iOpener to the right edge of the display for one minute to soften the adhesive.
-
-
-
Place a suction cup as close to the right edge of the screen as possible.
-
Lift the suction cup with a strong steady force.
-
Insert the tip of an opening pick into the screen seam no more than 1 mm.
-
-
-
With the pick 1 mm into the gap, pivot the pick upwards to a steep angle.
-
At a steep angle, carefully push the pick into the gap about 1/4 inch (6 mm). The pick should slide in below the OLED panel.
-
-
-
Slide the pick along the right edge of the screen to cut the adhesive.
-
Leave the pick in the top right corner to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.
-
-
-
Insert another opening pick into the right edge of the phone at an angle where a gap has already formed to prevent damage to the OLED panel.
-
Slide the opening pick around the bottom of the phone to cut the adhesive.
-
Leave the pick inserted along the bottom edge to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
-
-
-
Insert another opening pick into the bottom edge of the phone at an angle where a gap has already formed to prevent damage to the OLED panel.
-
Use the pick to slice through the left edge of the phone.
-
Leave the pick inserted along the left edge of the phone to prevent the adhesive from re-sealing.
-
-
-
Lift from the top edge and swing the screen over the bottom edge until you can rest it glass-side down.
-
-
-
-
Use a pair of tweezers to carefully peel up the black tape covering the screen connector bracket.
-
-
-
Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 2.1 mm screws securing the screen connector bracket.
-
-
-
Remove the screen.
-
Compare your replacement screen with the original. You may need to transfer additional components (such as speaker mesh) to the new part.
-
Scrape off remaining adhesive from the perimeter of the frame.
-
Follow this guide if you are using custom-cut adhesives.
-
If you are using double-sided tape such as Tesa tape, follow this guide.
-
-
-
Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the eight 4.3 mm screws securing the back cover to the midframe.
-
-
-
Insert an opening pick into the seam between the midframe and the back cover.
-
Slide the opening pick along the bottom edge of the phone to release the plastic clips securing the back cover to the midframe.
-
-
-
Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the seven screws securing the motherboard bracket:
-
Three 2.9 mm-long black screws
-
Three 2 mm-long screws
-
One 4.1 mm-long screw
-
-
-
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery cable.
-
-
-
Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the two flex cables connecting the fingerprint sensor and buttons to the motherboard.
-
-
-
Flip the midframe over.
-
Use a pair of tweezers to remove the two pieces of black tape covering the battery adhesive pull tabs.
-
-
-
Slowly pull one battery adhesive tab away from the battery, towards the bottom of the phone.
-
Pull steadily, maintaining constant tension on the strip until it slips out from between the battery and the midframe. For best results, pull the strip at as low an angle as possible.
-
If the battery adhesive tabs break during the removal process, use your fingers or blunt tweezers to retrieve the remaining length of adhesive, and continue pulling.
-
If any of the adhesive strips broke off underneath the battery and could not be retrieved, apply a few drops of 90% isopropyl alcohol into the opening of the affected tab and tilt the phone towards the top edge so that the alcohol flows toward the remaining adhesive. Wait one minute for the adhesive to soften, then proceed to the next step.
-
To reassemble your device, follow the above steps 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 Answers community for help.
To reassemble your device, follow the above steps 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 Answers community for help.
Cancel: I did not complete this guide.
25 other people completed this guide.
20 Comments
Do you stock the 4A and 4A 5G batteries? my local repair shops will not just sell me the battery.
Tricky. I don't suggest sweating to save the pieces of tape. Just attach new tape for the battery.
T3 Tip on my kit worked, don't know why it didn't for previous commentor.
