Samsung Galaxy S21 Secondary Interconnect Cable Replacement

Power off your phone completely.

Be cautious of overheating: use a iOpener, hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate on the phone's back cover edge for 2 minutes.

Apply a suction cup near the center of the bottom edge.

• Pull up on the suction cup with strong force to create a gap.
• If necessary, apply heat and try again due to varying phone ages.
• Be cautious: only insert an opening pick 5mm deep to avoid internal damage.

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 to the left edge of the back cover and heat for 2 minutes.

Apply a suction cup to the phone's back, near its left edge.

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

Insert an opening pick at the top left edge of the device and slide it down towards the bottom left corner to separate the adhesive.

Avoid cutting past where the camera shell meets the back cover, as this may cause the plastic to crack.

Leave the opening pick in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Apply a iOpener to the right edge of the back cover and heat it for 2 minutes.

• Attach a suction cup to the phone's back near the right edge, centered.

• Apply strong, steady force upward on the suction cup to create a gap between the cover and frame.

• Insert an opening pick into the gap. Limit insertion depth to 3 mm to avoid damaging the secondary interconnect cable.

• Use a precision opening tool or credit card to gently pry the adhesive on the device's right edge.
• Slide the tool back and forth along this edge to loosen the adhesive.

Leave the tool in place to prevent the adhesive from reforming.

Insert right-edge opening pick into top-right phone corner.

• Limit insertion depth to 5 mm to avoid internal component damage.
• Repeat procedure for remaining corners, except the top-left (rear-facing camera area).

Slide the top-most opening pick as close to the camera shell as possible.

• Repeat for the left-edge pick.

Heat an iOpener until warm, then apply it to the camera shell for exactly 2 minutes.

Rotate the back cover counterclockwise to create a gap between the camera shell and frame.

• Insert the opening pick up to 5 mm only, avoiding scratches on the camera.
• Place an opening pick in the created gap.

If this method is unsuccessful, proceed with alternative methods; otherwise, skip the next step.

Risk of damaging the plastic back cover if not done carefully.

• Slide two picks under the corners of the back cover adjacent to the camera shell.
• Movethe picks back and forth along the bridge until a gap forms between the camera shell and frame.

Insert an opening pick between the camera shell and the frame.

Multiple rounds of heating may be required to loosen the strong adhesive securing the frame.

Use the pick to carefully cut through the additional adhesive located to the right of the camera.

Be cautious not to let the pick get stuck on the plate surrounding the phone's flash, as this can cause damage.

Angle the pick downward when navigating near the plate to avoid any potential issues.

Position the opening pick so its tip aligns with your phone's flash.

• Slowly insert the pick, avoiding the flash's metal plate.
• The plate's surface can feel like adhesive; angle the pick downward to prevent slipping.
• Slice the adhesive to the right of the camera lens.

Remove the back cover.

• If the back cover is still attached, use a pick to slide it around the edges of the phone until it separates completely.

Power on your phone and test all functions before reassembly. Power it down completely after testing.

Remove any adhesive chunks with tweezers or your fingers, then wipe away any residue with high concentration (over 90%) isopropyl alcohol.

• If using Samsung custom-cut adhesives, follow the relevant guide.
• If using double-sided tape, follow the relevant guide.

Remove the 5 x 4 mm screws holding the motherboard bracket in place using a Phillips screwdriver.

• Keep track of each screw's location for reassembly.
• Ensure screws are returned to their original positions.

Hold the motherboard in place with one hand.

• Use a pair of tweezers to gently pull up and unclip the motherboard bracket from the frame.
• The bracket will still be attached to the wireless charging coil — do not remove it yet.

Careful prying required to avoid 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 with a spudger, under the edge only.

Never press down on the middle of the connector.

• Re-attach by aligning and pressing down on one side until it clicks, then repeat on the other.
• Be cautious to avoid misalignment, which can bend pins and cause permanent damage.

Use a spudger to pry up the wireless charging coil's press connector while keeping the motherboard bracket held aside.

Remove the wireless charging coil using your fingers.

• Peel the coil away from the phone, taking care not to damage the adhesive.

During reassembly, align the charging coil first by refastening the motherboard bracket screws, then firmly press the coil into place.

Remove the six 4 mm Phillips screws using a Phillips screwdriver.

• Insert the point of a spudger into the notch in the top-left corner of the loudspeaker.
• Pry up to release the clips holding it in place.
• Remove the loudspeaker.

Insert the flat end of a spudger under the secondary interconnect cable's connector, prying it upward to release.

Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry up and release the top press connector on the secondary interconnect cable.

Remove the secondary interconnect cable using tweezers or your fingers.