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Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the audio board in your Steam Deck OLED.

The audio board consists of the headphone jack and volume buttons.

Remember to follow general electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety procedures while repairing your device.

What you need

  1. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Prepare your Steam Deck for disassembly: step 1, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Prepare your Steam Deck for disassembly: step 1, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Prepare your Steam Deck for disassembly: step 1, image 3 of 3

    • Turn on your Steam Deck and allow the battery to discharge below 25% before starting your repairs, as a charged lithium-ion polymer battery can be dangerous if accidentally punctured.

    • As an extra precaution, Valve recommends putting your Steam Deck into battery storage mode within the BIOS before starting any internal repairs. Read how to do that here.

    • Power down your Steam Deck and unplug any cables.

    • If you have a microSD card installed, make sure to remove it before opening the Steam Deck. If you attempt to remove the back cover with it still installed, it could snap right in half.

    • During your repair, it can be helpful at times to lay the Steam Deck face-down in its case to protect the thumbsticks and prevent wobble.

    Edit

  2. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the back cover screws: step 2, image 1 of 2 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the back cover screws: step 2, image 2 of 2
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    • Use a T6 Torx driver to remove the eight 5.8 mm‑long screws securing the back cover.

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

    Edit

  3. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unclip a handle: step 3, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unclip a handle: step 3, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unclip a handle: step 3, image 3 of 3

    • Insert an opening pick at an upward angle between the back cover and the front shell near one of the triggers.

    • If you can't insert your pick here, try along the top or bottom edges of the Steam Deck OLED before sliding it toward the handle.

    • Slide your pick along the edge of the handle to release the clips securing it to the front shell.

    Edit

  4. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unclip the top and bottom edges: step 4, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unclip the top and bottom edges: step 4, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unclip the top and bottom edges: step 4, image 3 of 3

    • Reinsert your pick and slide it along the top and bottom edges until the back cover feels loose.

    Edit

  5. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the back cover: step 5, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the back cover: step 5, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the back cover: step 5, image 3 of 3

    • Grip the unclipped handle and pull it away from the front shell to release the remaining clips.

    • Remove the back cover.

    Edit

  7. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Disconnect the battery: step 6, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Disconnect the battery: step 6, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Disconnect the battery: step 6, image 3 of 3

    • Grip the battery cable pull tab, located to the left of the battery.

    • Firmly pull the battery cable straight away from the motherboard shield (toward the battery) to disconnect it.

    • This bundled cable is fairly stiff. If you're having trouble, re-grip the pull tab close to the head of the connector and gently walk it side-to-side as you pull.

    • If the cable pull-tab feels fragile or rips during this process, remove the motherboard shield and disconnect the cable using a spudger.

    • When the battery cable comes free, it might push up on the motherboard shield. Don't worry, as this won't damage anything.

    Edit

  8. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 7, image 1 of 2 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 7, image 2 of 2

    • During disassembly, skip the next four steps.

    • During reassembly:

    • Reinstall the two 3.8 mm‑long screws to secure the motherboard shield.

    • Reconnect the interconnect cable ZIF connector.

    Edit

  9. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 8, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 8, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 8, image 3 of 3

    • During reassembly:

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to slide the battery connector into its socket on the motherboard.

    Edit

  10. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 9, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 9, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 9, image 3 of 3

    • During reassembly:

    • Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the two 3.8 mm‑long screws securing the motherboard shield.

    • Lift the top edge of the motherboard shield up and flip it over the bottom edge of the frame, away from the motherboard.

    • Be careful not to crease or strain the cable.

    Edit

  11. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 10, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 10, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Reassembly instructions: step 10, image 3 of 3

    • During reassembly, follow this step and the above four steps to reconnect the battery.

    • In this reassembly step, you'll disconnect the interconnect cable to free the motherboard shield.

    • Use a spudger to flip up the small white locking flap on the right button board interconnect cable ZIF connector.

    • Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's pull tab and slide it straight out of its socket to disconnect it.

    • The pull tab may be labelled C‑R.

    Edit

  12. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unlock the audio board connector: step 11, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unlock the audio board connector: step 11, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Unlock the audio board connector: step 11, image 3 of 3

    • Use your fingers or a spudger to gently push on alternating sides of the white locking tab to lift it and release the cable.

    • Be careful not to bend the connector.

    • During reassembly, gently press down on the locking tab to secure the cable.

    Edit

  13. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Disconnect the audio board: step 12, image 1 of 2 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Disconnect the audio board: step 12, image 2 of 2

    • Use tweezers or your fingers to pull the audio board cable out of its socket to disconnect it.

    • With the locking tab released, the cable will slide out with little to no resistance. If it doesn't, check that the white locking tab is fully released.

    • During reassembly, ensure that the locking tab is in its unlocked, lifted position before inserting the cable.

    Edit

  14. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the audio board screws: step 13, image 1 of 1

    • Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the three 3.7 mm‑long screws securing the audio board.

    Edit

  15. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Move the antenna: step 14, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Move the antenna: step 14, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Move the antenna: step 14, image 3 of 3

    • Adhesive secures the metal bracket and antenna to the midframe, just to the left of the audio board.

    • Insert the flat end of a spudger between the right edge of the metal bracket and the midframe.

    • Pry up with a steady force to separate the bracket from the midframe.

    • Depending on the age of your device, this may take more or less force. If it feels stubborn, lightly heat it with a hair dryer or heat gun.

    • Grab the bracket and antenna and move them to the left, out of the way of the audio board.

    Edit

  16. Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the audio board: step 15, image 1 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the audio board: step 15, image 2 of 3 Steam Deck OLED Audio Board Replacement, Remove the audio board: step 15, image 3 of 3

    • Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the audio board by the headphone jack.

    • Pivot the audio board up and away from the edge of the frame.

    • Remove the audio board.

    Edit
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 Steam Deck OLED answers community for help.

One other person completed this guide.

Author

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Clay Eickemeyer

Member since: 09/19/22

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