Samsung Galaxy S III Front Panel Assembly Replacement

Careful not to break any clips along the perimeter.

• Insert a plastic opening tool or your fingernail into the notch at the top gap between the rear case and the rest of the phone.
• Gently twist the tool to disconnect the clips holding the top of the rear case in place.

Use a plastic opening tool to slide along the top edge of the rear case.

• Twist the tool to apply pressure, widening the gap between the rear case and phone.
• Repeat this twisting motion until the desired gap is achieved.

Move the plastic opening tool around the top left corner, prying up along the rear case.

Use a pry tool to pry along the top right edge of the device.

• Continue prying down the right side of the rear case until it is loose.

Remove the rear case by lifting it off the phone.

• Pry the case loose at the clips on the phone's bottom if necessary.
• Peel the case upwards to separate it completely from the phone.

Use your finger or a plastic opening tool to pry the battery.

• Insert the tool into the notch above the battery.
• Pry the battery up out of its recess.

Disconnect and remove the battery.

Use your fingernail to push the SIM card deeper into its slot.

• Stop when you hear a click.
• Release the card and it will pop out of its slot.

For reassembly, risk of damaging the card if forced too hard.

• Push the SIM card into the slot until it clicks in place.

Slide the SIM card partially out with your thumb.

• Grab the exposed portion of the SIM card.
• Remove the SIM card away from the phone.

• Push the deeper with your fingernail until you hear a click.
• Release the card and it will pop out of its slot.
• For reassembly, push the microSD card into the slot until it clicks in place.

• Slide the microSD card out of its slot using your thumb.
• Remove the microSD card from the phone.

Remove the 10 x 4.0 mm Phillips screws from the midframe.

Hold the plastic midframe on the left side with your thumb and forefinger.

Lift it gently, using very little force to release its snap-fit connection.

Careful: avoid damaging the motherboard.

• Pry the rear-facing camera connector up from its socket with a plastic opening tool.
• Aim to pry the connector itself, not the socket on the motherboard.

Insert a plastic opening tool outboard of the speaker portion of the headphone jack/speaker assembly.

• Pry the headphone jack/speaker assembly gently upwards from the front assembly.

Remove the headphone jack/speaker assembly from the Galaxy S III.

• Lift the assembly up and out of its connector slot.

Disconnect the front-facing camera connector using a plastic opening tool.

Do not attempt to remove the front-facing camera at this time as its cable remains routed beneath the motherboard assembly.

Disconnect the digitizer cable by carefully lifting its connector away from the motherboard.

Disconnect the display data cable from the motherboard.

Disconnect the Wi-Fi antenna cable by prying its connector upwards.

• Gently lift the cable away from the motherboard.

Remove the 3.0 mm Phillips screw securing the motherboard to the front panel assembly.

Careful to avoid damaging cables or components.

• Lift the motherboard assembly off the front panel assembly.
• Gently remove the motherboard assembly, noting any cables that may be attached.

Remove the 2.0 mm Phillips screw holding the front-facing camera bracket to the front panel.

Use a pair of tweezers to carefully lift the front-facing camera, ambient light sensor, and rear microphone assembly from its socket in the front panel assembly.

Peel the antenna cable away from its channel.

Leave the cable attached to the antenna board, as complete removal is not necessary.

Insert the spudger tip under the earpiece speaker and gently pry it out.

• The recess is located on the front panel assembly.

Peel the ribbon cable away from the front panel assembly using the flat edge of a spudger.

Wedge the flat edge of a spudger under the ambient light sensor.

• Continue peeling the earpiece/volume buttons/ambient light sensor ribbon cable up off the front panel assembly.

Locate the earpiece/volume buttons/ambient light sensor ribbon cable connector.

• Insert the flat edge of a spudger underneath the connector.
• Gently run the spudger across to peel the ribbon cable away from the front panel assembly.

• Insert a plastic opening tool between the buttons ribbon cable and volume button.
• Push the volume button out of its recess in the front panel assembly.
• Lift and remove the volume button from the phone.

Insert the plastic opening tool into the gap between the earpiece/buttons/ambient light sensor ribbon cable.

• Guide the tool downward to gently loosen the adhesive holding the ribbon cable in place.

Remove the earpiece/buttons/ambient light sensor ribbon cable by grasping it firmly and pulling it out of the phone.

• Peel the antenna board away from the front panel assembly using a metal spudger.
• Lift the antenna board out of the phone.

Release the power button from its recess.

• Press down on the button and gently rock it back and forth.
• The power button should now come free.

Be careful not to damage the surrounding components.

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully dislodge the vibrator from its housing on the front panel assembly.

Peel the vibrator assembly off the front panel assembly using the tip of a spudger.

Remove the vibrator from the front panel assembly.

When installing a new front panel assembly, ensure to transfer all components from the old assembly.

• Securely attach the new front panel assembly in place.
• Verify that all parts are correctly transferred and properly seated.