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Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement

What you need

  1. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Release the Joy Con controller locking tabs: step 1, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Release the Joy Con controller locking tabs: step 1, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Release the Joy Con controller locking tabs: step 1, image 3 of 3
    • Before you begin this repair, make sure the device is completely powered off.

    • Press and hold down the small round button on the back of the Joy Con controller.

    • While you hold down the button, slide the controller upward.

  2. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the Joy Con controllers: step 2, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the Joy Con controllers: step 2, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the Joy Con controllers: step 2, image 3 of 3
    • Continue sliding the Joy Con upward until it's completely removed from the console.

    • Repeat this same process for the other Joy Con.

  3. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the back-side screws: step 3, image 1 of 1
    Tool used on this step:
    Magnetic Project Mat
    $19.95
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    • Use a Y00 screwdriver to remove the four 6.3 mm-long screws securing the rear panel.

    • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.

  4. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the top and bottom screws: step 4, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the top and bottom screws: step 4, image 2 of 2
    • Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following screws securing the rear panel:

    • One 2.5 mm-long screw on the top edge of the device

    • Two 2.5 mm-long screws on the bottom edge of the device

    • To prevent these tight screws from stripping, apply firm downward force, work slowly and try another JIS 000 or PH 000 driver if the screws won't come out.

  5. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 5, image 2 of 2
    • Use a JIS 000 screwdriver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 3.8 mm center screws on the sides of the device (one on each side).

  6. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 6, image 2 of 2
    • Use your finger to flip up the kickstand on the back of the device.

    • If there's a microSD card in the microSD card slot, remove it now before you continue to the next step.

  7. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1
    • Use a JIS 000 screwdriver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the 1.6 mm screw in the kickstand well.

    • Close the kickstand.

  8. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 8, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 8, image 3 of 3
    • Open the game card cartridge flap.

    • The game card cartridge flap attaches to the other half of the plastic shell, preventing you from completely lifting up the rear panel if it's closed.

    • Lift the rear panel up from the bottom of the device and remove it.

  9. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the microSD card reader: step 9, image 1 of 1
    • Use a JIS 000 screwdriver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the 3.1 mm screw securing the microSD card reader to the device.

  10. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 10, image 2 of 2
    • Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to lift the microSD card reader straight up from the device to disconnect and remove it.

    • During reassembly, make sure the press connector underneath the foam pad is firmly connected to the motherboard. It may help to remove the foam pad before reinstalling the card reader.

  11. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the shield plate: step 11, image 1 of 1
    • Use a JIS 000 screwdriver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the six 3 mm screws securing the shield plate to the device.

  12. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 12, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 12, image 2 of 2
    • Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to peel back the piece of foam on the top edge of the device near the fan exhaust port.

    • If the foam doesn't easily peel away, don't force it as it might end up tearing. Carefully peel at different spots to pull back the foam.

  13. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 13, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 13, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 13, image 3 of 3
    • Insert a spudger underneath the shield plate along the edge of the device.

    • Pry up to lift the shield plate and remove it from 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.

    • A thick pink thermal compound bridges the gap between the shield plate and the copper heat sink underneath. This helps prevent the Switch from overheating.

    • You can reuse the pink thermal compound if you're careful. Keep the compound clean and make sure it makes solid contact between the heat sink and the shield during reassembly.

    • If you need to replace it, refer to our thermal paste guide to remove the old thermal compound and replace it with an appropriate compound, such as K5 Pro, during reassembly.

  14. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Disconnect the battery: step 14, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Disconnect the battery: step 14, 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.

  15. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the right speaker: step 15, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the right speaker: step 15, image 2 of 2
    • If you're replacing just the left speaker, skip the next two steps.

    • Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to pull the speaker connector straight out of its socket on the motherboard.

    • Do not pull on the connector by the speaker wires. They're very thin and can easily snap off the connector.

  16. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 16, image 1 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 16, image 2 of 3 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 16, image 3 of 3
    • Use the point of a spudger to pry the speaker up.

    • The speaker is adhered with light adhesive inside the speaker well, so a bit of force is required.

    • Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to remove the right speaker.

  17. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the left speaker: step 17, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement, Remove the left speaker: step 17, image 2 of 2
    • Follow the next three steps if you're replacing the left speaker.

    • Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to pull the speaker connector straight out of its socket on the motherboard.

    • Do not pull on the connector by the speaker wires. They're very thin and can easily snap off the connector.

  18. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 18, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 18, image 2 of 2
    • Use the point of a spudger to pry up the speaker to loosen it from the speaker well.

    • The speaker is adhered with light adhesive inside the speaker well, so a bit of force is required.

  19. Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 19, image 1 of 2 Nintendo Switch Speaker Replacement: step 19, image 2 of 2
    • Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to carefully remove the speaker from the speaker well.

Conclusion

Compare your new replacement part to the original part. You may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

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 Answers community for help.

18 other people completed this guide.

Craig Lloyd

Member since: 02/10/16

35,237 Reputation

82 Guides authored

6 Comments

Will typical PC thermal paste work? I have a lot of that lying around and I don’t want extra cost (already spending the price of the speakers for the tools alone).

Nico Robin - Reply

Has anyone tried to change the speakers for better ones? And how would that be done?

James Guzman - Reply

I just completed this as my first repair to anything, and it was surprisingly simple & easy! I was worried about the connections not working, but everything worked like a charm!

Braeden Migay - Reply

What do you do if the white connector on the motherboard, where you would connect the speaker, has snapped off? Is there any way to reconnect it?

whitneymcparland - Reply

It sounds like the part that you use to connect the speakers to the motherboard has seperated. This would require microsautering, which is very complicated and difficult to do. I would take it to someone with microsautering experience, or just not use that speaker if it doesn’t bother you. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else you can do about it.

Hope this helped.

Ember -

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