Samsung Galaxy S21 Earpiece Speaker Replacement

Power off your phone completely before starting.

Excessive heat can cause damage; take care when using external heat sources (hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate).

• Apply an iOpener to the back cover's bottom edge for 2 minutes.
• Use a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate if preferred, but be cautious not to overheat your phone (display, internal battery, and plastic back cover are sensitive to excessive heat).

Apply a suction cup to the back of the phone, near the center bottom edge.

• Pull up on the suction cup with strong force to create a gap between the back cover and frame.
• If you encounter resistance, try applying more heat to the edge before continuing.

Only insert an opening pick 5 mm or less into the gap to avoid damaging internal components.

• Slide the pick back and forth along the bottom edge to cut through the adhesive.
• Leave the pick in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Apply a iOpener preheated according to manufacturer's instructions to the left edge of the back cover for 2 minutes.

Apply a suction cup to the back of the phone near the left edge.

• Pull up on the suction cup with strong force to create a gap between the back cover and frame.
• Insert an opening pick into the gap, but only push it in up to 5 mm to avoid damaging internal components.

Do not cut the adhesive near the camera shell.

• Slide an opening pick along the left edge towards the bottom left corner.
• Stop cutting before reaching the area where the camera shell meets the back cover.

Leave the pick in to prevent resealing of the adhesive.

Heat a iOpener and apply it to the back cover's right edge for 2 minutes.

Apply a suction cup to the back of the phone, centered on the right edge.

Pull with strong force to create a gap between the back cover and frame, taking care not to damage any internal components.

• Insert an opening pick into the gap, but only up to 3 mm to avoid damaging the secondary interconnect cable.

Insert an opening pick into the right edge of the back cover and move it back and forth to loosen the adhesive.

Do not remove the pick until you are ready to proceed further with repair.

Insert a right-edge opening pick into the top-right corner of the phone.

• Limit insertion depth to 5 mm, as deeper insertion may damage internal components.
• This technique can be repeated for each corner, excluding the top-left corner near the rear-facing camera.

• Insert the top-most pick close to the camera and slide it down.
• Repeat by inserting the left-edge pick and sliding it down also.

Apply heat from an iOpenterminal to the camera shell for two minutes.

Rotate the back cover counterclockwise until a gap forms between the camera shell and frame.

• Insert an opening pick up to 5 mm only, to avoid camera scratching.
• Insert the opening pick into the gap created in step one.

If this method fails, proceed with the next alternative method; otherwise, skip it.

Careful: cracking of the plastic back cover is possible.

• Slide the picks toward the camera shell to position them under the corners of the back cover.
• Moving the picks back and forth, create a gap between the camera shell and the frame along their bridge.

Insert an opening pick between the camera shell and frame.

• Cut the adhesive.
• Possible to require multiple heat sessions due to strong adhesive bond.

Locate and carefully remove additional adhesive to the right of the camera.

• Avoid getting your pick stuck on the plate surrounding the phone's flash on the back cover.
• To prevent damage, angle the pick downward when working in this area.

Align the opening pick's tip with your phone's flash.

• Insert the pick slowly, avoiding the flash's plate.
• Angle the pick downward to prevent it from sliding into the plate.
• Slice the adhesive to the right of the camera.

Remove the back cover.

• If stuck, slide a pick around edges until it separates.
• During reassembly: power on and test functions before sealing.
• Power down phone completely before continuing.
• Clean up adhesive residue with:
• A pair of tweezers or fingers to remove chunks.
• High concentration (over 90%) isopropyl alcohol for remaining residue.

If using Samsung custom-cut adhesives, follow separate guide. For double-sided tape, refer to dedicated guide.

Remove the five 4 mm screws using a Phillips screwdriver.

• Label each screw to ensure correct reinstallation.
• Store the removed screws in a secure location for later use.

Remove the motherboard bracket using tweezers.

• Gently lift the bracket from its attachment point.
• Do not detach the bracket fully, as it remains connected to the wireless charging coil.

Prying under the edge only prevents damaging the socket and surrounding components.

• Hold the motherboard bracket out of the way using tweezers or your fingers.
• Pry up the battery press connector using a spudger, carefully targeting the edge only.

Do not press down on the middle for re-attachment.

• To reattach, align and press one side until it clicks into place.
• Repeat on the other side; do not press down on the middle.

Misaligned pins can bend and cause permanent damage if not properly aligned.

Hold the motherboard bracket aside with one hand.

• Use a spudger to pry up the wireless charging coil's press connector.
• Disconnect the press connector once it is free.

Locate the wireless charging coil and its adhesive.

• Gently peel the wireless charging coil away from the phone using your fingers.

During reassembly, refasten motherboard bracket screws first to align the charging coil correctly.

• Firmly press the rest of the coil down to secure it in place.

Use the point of a spudger to carefully pry up and disconnect the earpiece speaker cable's press connector.

Remove the earpiece speaker by unscrewing the 7 4 mm Phillips screws.

• Insert a spudger into the gap between the earpiece speaker and phone's edge.
• Pry up with the spudger to release the clips holding the earpiece speaker in place.
• Use tweezers or fingers to remove the earpiece speaker.