Introduction
Follow this guide to replace a faulty or damaged LCD on the Nintendo Switch Lite.
The Switch Lite uses JIS screws, but you can use a Phillips screwdriver in a pinch. Be very careful not to strip the screws. iFixit's Phillips bits are designed to be cross-compatible with JIS-style screws.
Note: This guide is for the LCD only. If you're replacing the screen (the LCD attached to the digitizer) follow this guide. If the display glass is cracked or shattered, but the LCD still works, you’ll need to replace the digitizer instead.
Note: Removing the joysticks and buttons isn’t required, but it makes this repair much easier.
Note: This procedure requires removing the shield plate and heat sink. The thermal paste will need to be cleaned off of both components—as well as the CPU—and reapplied before reinstalling the shield plate and heat sink.
What you need
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Use a Y00 screwdriver to remove the four 6.3 mm-long screws securing the back panel.
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following screws securing the back panel:
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Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the top of the device
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Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the bottom of the device
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Insert an opening tool into the left speaker grille on the bottom of the device.
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Twist the opening tool to release the clips securing the back panel.
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Slide the opening tool around the bottom-left corner to release the clips on the left side of the device.
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Insert an opening tool into the right speaker grille on the bottom of the device.
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Twist the opening tool to release the clips.
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Slide and pry the opening tool around the bottom-right corner to release the clips on the right side of the device.
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Lift the bottom edge of the back panel, opening it like a book.
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Remove the back panel.
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:
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Three 3.1 mm screws
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One 4.5 mm screw
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the motherboard interconnect cable's ZIF connector.
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Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingers to carefully peel up the foam that's lightly adhered to the fan.
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the game card reader cable's ZIF connector.
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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.
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Use the point of a spudger to pry the black antenna cable straight up out of its socket on the motherboard.
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Repeat the same process for the white antenna cable.
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the fan cable's ZIF connector.
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the screen cable's ZIF connector.
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the digitizer cable's ZIF connector.
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the right joystick cable's ZIF connector.
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following six screws securing the motherboard:
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Three 3.1 mm screws
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Three 4.5 mm screws
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 3.5 mm screws securing the joystick.
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Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to pull the left speaker cable straight up and out of its socket on the daughterboard.
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the motherboard interconnect cable's ZIF connector.
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flaps on the two ribbon cable ZIF connectors.
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Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to remove the volume buttons.
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Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the left joystick cable's ZIF connector.
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 4.5 mm screws securing the left trigger button assembly.
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:
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Two 4.5 mm screws
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Two 6 mm screws
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 3.5 mm screws securing the left joystick.
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:
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Three 2.5 mm screws
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One 6 mm screw
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At this point in the repair, remove all of the buttons if you haven't done so already, to prevent them from falling out and getting lost.
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Heat an iOpener and apply it to the back side of the LCD along the top edge for 2 minutes.
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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 Nintendo Switch Lite 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 Nintendo Switch Lite Answers community for help.
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20 Comments
Followed the guide to replaced a cracked screen on a Switch Lite, all good, guide was easy to follow and refitting wasn't too hard either, just a reversal of the disassembly
Fantastic guide, exactly what I was looking for! Unfortunately I managed to make the tape unusable and I need tape to connect the lcd to the digitizer and the digitizer to the case. I will likely use 2-3mm tape for the lcd to digitizer but I'm unsure what to use to connect the digitizer to the case. Any suggestions?
Thanks for taking the time to type this up. Really appreciate the effort that went in to this guide.
Great guide, I wish it would mention some of the procedures to tape the screen back in. After that, reversing the process was easy.
For gluing the screen and digitizer back in, I would strongly recommend liquid glue, like Zhanlida T-8000 for example. You can apply it very precisely and you can also correct/remove it if needed pretty easily. I used this stuff to repair around 200 phones and tablets in the last couple of years and were never disappointed.
Also I would remove the digitizer AND the screen together, before removing the screen first from the digitizer… This will make the process of removing the screen from the digitizer a lot easier and safer.
I have ordered a crystal replacement case and a used lite with a scratched digitizer.. Have glued in the replacement digitizer so far, the console should arrive tomorrow.
Gluing in the digitizer was a breeze, just applied some glue all around (be careful not to use too much) and then just pressed down the digitizer all around and put a book on the top… Let the glue harden for around 24 hours and you are good to go.
Will leave some feedback how the screen removal went tomorrow. ;)
