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Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement

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    1. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the back panel screws: step 1, image 1 of 1
      Tool used on this step:
      Magnetic Project Mat
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      • 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.

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    2. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the top and bottom back panel screws: step 2, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the top and bottom back panel screws: step 2, image 2 of 2
      • Use a JIS 000 driver or an iFixit Phillips 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.

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    3. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Release the clips securing the back panel: step 3, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Release the clips securing the back panel: step 3, image 2 of 2
      • 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.

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    4. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Continue releasing the clips around the device: step 4, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Continue releasing the clips around the device: step 4, image 2 of 2
      • Slide the opening tool around the bottom-left corner to release the clips on the left side of the device.

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    5. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Twist to release the clips: step 5, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Twist to release the clips: step 5, image 2 of 2
      • 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.

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    6. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Slide and pry around the corners: step 6, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Slide and pry around the corners: step 6, image 2 of 2
      • 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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    7. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 7, image 2 of 2
      • Continue sliding and prying the opening tool along the gap on the top of the device to release the clips.

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    8. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the back panel: step 8, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the back panel: step 8, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the back panel: step 8, image 3 of 3
      • Lift the bottom edge of the back panel, opening it like a book.

      • Remove the back panel.

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    1. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the shield plate: step 9, image 1 of 1
      • Use a JIS 000 driver or an iFixit Phillips driver to remove the four screws securing the shield plate:

      • Three 3.1 mm screws

      • One 4.5 mm screw

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    2. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 10, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 10, image 3 of 3
      • 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 putty.

      • Remove the shield plate.

      • Clean off the old thermal putty from the shield plate and heat sink using isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Apply new thermal putty to the heat sink before reassembly.

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    1. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the interconnect cable: step 11, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the interconnect cable: step 11, image 2 of 2
      • 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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    2. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 12, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 12, image 2 of 2
      • Do Not Use Metal Tweezers! Metallic tweezers can short-circuit the ribbon cable/connector and damage your device.

      • Use a spudger or a pair of non-conductive (nylon or ceramic) tweezers to slide the interconnect cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

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    3. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the battery: step 13, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the battery: step 13, image 2 of 2
      • Use the point of a spudger to pry the battery connector straight up and out of its socket on the motherboard.

      • During reassembly, wait until after you connect the interconnect cable (above) before connecting the battery.

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    1. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the heat sink: step 14, image 1 of 1
      • 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.

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    2. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 15, image 1 of 1
      • Use a JIS 000 driver or an iFixit Phillips driver to remove the three 3 mm screws securing the heat sink to the motherboard.

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    3. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 16, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 16, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 16, image 3 of 3
      • 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.

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    1. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the game card reader and headphone jack: step 17, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the game card reader and headphone jack: step 17, image 2 of 2
      • 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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    2. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 18, image 1 of 1
      • Use a JIS 000 driver or an iFixit Phillips driver to remove the seven 3.1 mm screws securing the game card reader and headphone jack.

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    3. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 19, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 19, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 19, image 3 of 3
      Tool used on this step:
      Tweezers
      $4.99
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      • 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.

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    1. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the right trigger button assembly: step 20, image 1 of 1
      • Use a JIS 000 driver or an iFixit Phillips driver to remove the two 4.5 mm screws securing the right trigger button assembly to the motherboard.

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    2. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 21, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 21, image 2 of 2
      • Remove the right trigger button assembly.

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    3. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 22, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 22, image 2 of 2
      Tool used on this step:
      Tweezers
      $4.99
      Buy
      • 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.

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    4. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the antenna cables: step 23, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the antenna cables: step 23, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the antenna cables: step 23, image 3 of 3
      • Use the point of a spudger to pry the black antenna cable coaxial connector straight up off its socket on the motherboard.

      • Repeat the same process for the white antenna cable.

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    5. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the fan cable: step 24, image 1 of 1
      • 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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    6. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 25, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 25, image 2 of 2
      • Use a pair of tweezers to slide out the fan cable from its connector on the motherboard.

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    7. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the screen cable: step 26, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the screen cable: step 26, image 2 of 2
      • 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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    8. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 27, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 27, image 2 of 2
      • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the screen cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

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    9. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the digitizer cable: step 28, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the digitizer cable: step 28, image 2 of 2
      • 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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    10. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 29, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 29, image 2 of 2
      • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the digitizer cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

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    11. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the right joystick cable: step 30, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Disconnect the right joystick cable: step 30, image 2 of 2
      • 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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    12. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 31, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 31, image 2 of 2
      • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the right joystick cable out of its connector on the motherboard.

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    13. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the motherboard assembly: step 32, image 1 of 1
      • Use a JIS 000 driver or an iFixit Phillips driver to remove the following six screws securing the motherboard:

      • Three 3.1 mm screws

      • Three 4.5 mm screws

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    14. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 33, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 33, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 33, image 3 of 3
      • Insert a spudger in the gap between the frame and the motherboard and lift the motherboard up and out of its recess.

      • Remove the motherboard assembly.

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    1. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the right speaker module: step 34, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement, Remove the right speaker module: step 34, image 2 of 2
      Tool used on this step:
      Tweezers
      $4.99
      Buy
      • Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to pull the right speaker cable straight up and out of its socket on the motherboard.

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    2. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 35, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 35, image 2 of 2
      • Remove the right speaker module from the motherboard.

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    3. Nintendo Switch Lite Motherboard Replacement: step 36, image 1 of 1
      • Only the motherboard remains.

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Conclusion

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.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

29 other people completed this guide.

Craig Lloyd

Member since: 02/10/16

43,064 Reputation

82 Guides authored

10 Guide Comments

Great guide, helped me fix charge port replacement, did notice between 16-17 the card reader magically disappeared, but help me tear down and repair and rebuild with a little bit of head scratching.

Sean Topp - Reply Share

La guida è molto chiara.. ma dove si può acquistare una scheda madre di ricambio ?

Walter - Reply Share

It stops at motherboard removal, is there a section for replacing the USB charging port on the switch lite?

Christian Knight - Reply Share

No, you can not replace the port without soldering it. If you aren't good at soldering I would highly advise looking into costs at local repair shops.

Nova - Reply Share

Where can i get the motherboard from, i cant replace the charging port, cause it is soldered to the motherboard. So if you could please let me know onto where i can get the mother board from. 😊

JoyBoy - Reply Share

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