Use this guide to replace the screen on your Nintendo Switch Lite. The screen consists of the LCD and digitizer. If you're only replacing the LCD, [guide|137376|follow this guide|new_window=true]. If you're only replacing the digitizer, [guide|137500|follow this guide|new_window=true].
''The'' ''Nintendo Switch Lite uses JIS screws, which are slightly different than Phillips. We don’t recommend using Phillips drivers for JIS screws; however, iFixit Phillips bits are specifically designed to be compatible with JIS screws. If you use a non-iFixit Phillips driver, you risk stripping the screws.''
''Replacement adhesive is required to complete this guide.''
Note: Although removing the joysticks and buttons isn’t required, it makes this repair much easier.
Remove the back panel screws
⚠️ Caution: Before beginning this repair, make sure that the device is completely turned off.
Use a Y00 screwdriver to remove the four 6.3 mm-long screws securing the back panel.
💡 Note: Throughout this repair, [https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Magnetic-Project-Mat/IF145-167-4|keep track of each screw|new_window=true] and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from.
Remove the top and bottom back panel screws
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following screws securing the back panel:
Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the top of the device
Two 3.6 mm-long screws on the bottom of the device
💡 Note: To prevent these tight screws from [link|https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Remove+a+Stripped+Screw/13213|stripping], apply firm downward force, work slowly and try a different screwdriver if the screws won't come out.
Release the clips securing the back panel
Insert an opening tool into the left speaker grille on the bottom of the device.
Twist the opening tool to release the clips securing the back panel.
⚠️ Caution: Avoid inserting the opening tool further than required to prevent damage to the speaker module.
Continue releasing the clips around the device
Slide the opening tool around the bottom-left corner to release the clips on the left side of the device.
Twist to release the clips
Insert an opening tool into the right speaker grille on the bottom of the device.
Twist the opening tool to release the clips.
⚠️ Caution: Avoid inserting the opening tool further than required to prevent damage to the speaker module.
Slide and pry around the corners
Slide and pry the opening tool around the bottom-right corner to release the clips on the right side of the device.
Continue sliding and prying the opening tool along the gap on the top of the device to release the clips.
Remove the back panel
Lift the bottom edge of the back panel, opening it like a book.
Remove the back panel.
Remove the shield plate
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:
Three 3.1 mm screws
One 4.5 mm screw
Use a spudger or your fingers to lift the shield plate up and out of the device.
💡 Note: You may feel a bit of resistance. This is normal, since the shield plate is slightly bonded to the heat sink with thermal paste.
Remove the shield plate.
💡 Note: Clean off the old thermal paste from the shield plate and heat sink using isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. [https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Apply+Thermal+Paste/744|Apply new thermal paste|new_window=true] to the heat sink before reassembly.
Disconnect the battery
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the motherboard interconnect cable's [https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Recognizing+&+Disconnecting+Cable+Connectors/25629#s64969|ZIF connector|new_window=true].
⚠️ Caution: Do Not Use Metal Tweezers! Some fixers state that metallic tweezers can short circuit the ribbon cable/connector. It might be safer to just use nylon-tipped or ceramic-tipped tweezers.
Use a pair of tweezers to slide the interconnect cable out of its connector on the motherboard.
Use the point of a spudger to pry the battery connector straight up and out of its socket on the motherboard.
Remove the heat sink
Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingers to carefully peel up the foam that's lightly adhered to the fan.
💡 Note: The foam only needs to be peeled back enough to clear the fan.
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the three 3 mm screws securing the heat sink to the motherboard.
Use a spudger or your fingers to lift the heatsink up and off of the motherboard to remove it.
💡 Note: You may feel a bit of resistance. This is normal, since the heat sink is slightly bonded to the CPU with thermal paste.
💡 Note: Clean off the old thermal paste from the heat sink and CPU using isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. [https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Apply+Thermal+Paste/744|Apply new thermal paste|new_window=true] to the CPU before reassembly.
Remove the game card reader and headphone jack
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the game card reader cable's ZIF connector.
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the seven 3.1 mm screws securing the game card reader and headphone jack.
Use a pair of [product|IF145-020|tweezers] or your fingers to carefully lift the game card reader and maneuver it to the left to slide the cable out of its connector.
Remove the game card reader and headphone jack.
Remove the right trigger button assembly
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 4.5 mm screws securing the right trigger button assembly to the motherboard.
Remove the right trigger button assembly.
Use a pair of [product|IF145-020|tweezers] or your fingers to remove the right trigger button assembly's rubber pad if it didn't stay attached to the button assembly.
Disconnect the antenna cables
Use the point of a spudger to pry the black antenna cable straight up out of its socket on the motherboard.
Repeat the same process for the white antenna cable.
Disconnect the fan cable
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the fan cable's ZIF connector.
Use a pair of tweezers to slide out the fan cable from its connector on the motherboard.
Disconnect the screen cable
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the screen cable's ZIF connector.
Use a pair of tweezers to slide the screen cable out of its connector on the motherboard.
Disconnect the digitizer cable
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the digitizer cable's ZIF connector.
Use a pair of tweezers to slide the digitizer cable out of its connector on the motherboard.
Disconnect the right joystick cable
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the right joystick cable's ZIF connector.
Use a pair of tweezers to slide the right joystick cable out of its connector on the motherboard.
Remove the motherboard assembly
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following six screws securing the motherboard:
Three 3.1 mm screws
Three 4.5 mm screws
Insert a spudger in the gap between the frame and the motherboard and lift the motherboard up and out of its recess.
Remove the motherboard assembly.
Remove the right joystick
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 3.5 mm screws securing the joystick.
Use your fingers to remove the joystick.
💡 Note: There is a thin black gasket around the hole where the joystick pokes through the frame. Try not to disturb this gasket as you remove the joystick.
Remove the left speaker module
Use a pair of [product|IF145-020|tweezers] or your fingers to pull the left speaker cable straight up and out of its socket on the daughterboard.
⚠️ Caution: Do not pull from the wires, or else you risk ripping the wires off the connector.
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the 4.5 mm screw securing the left speaker module.
Use your fingers to lift the speaker module up and out of its recess to remove it.
⚠️ Caution: Part of the speaker module sits underneath a delicate ribbon cable. Take care not to snag the speaker module on the cable as you remove it.
Disconnect the motherboard interconnect cable
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the motherboard interconnect cable's ZIF connector.
Use a pair of tweezers to slide the motherboard interconnect cable out of its connector on the daughterboard.
Disconnect the screen and volume button cables
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flaps on the two ribbon cable ZIF connectors.
Use a pair of tweezers to slide the daughterboard screen cable out of its connector on the motherboard.
Repeat this procedure for the volume buttons cable.
Remove the volume buttons
Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to remove the volume buttons.
Disconnect the joystick cable
Use an opening tool or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the left joystick cable's ZIF connector.
Use a pair of tweezers to slide the left joystick cable out of its connector on the daughterboard.
Remove the left trigger button assembly
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 4.5 mm screws securing the left trigger button assembly.
Remove the left trigger button assembly.
Remove the daughterboard
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following four screws:
Two 4.5 mm screws
Two 6 mm screws
Use your fingers to lift the daughterboard up and out of its recess to remove it.
Remove the left joystick
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 3.5 mm screws securing the left joystick.
Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the joystick up and out of its recess.
Use your fingers to remove the joystick.
💡 Note: There is a thin black gasket around the hole where the joystick pokes through the frame. Try not to disturb this gasket as you remove the joystick.
Unfasten the midframe assembly
Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH000 driver to remove the four screws securing the midframe assembly:
Three 2.5 mm screws
One 6 mm screw
Remove the midframe assembly
Use a spudger to pry the midframe assembly up until you can grip it with your fingers.
Grip the midframe assembly and pull up to remove it.
Remove the remaining buttons
Remove any remaining buttons that are loose in the frame.
Heat the left edge
Flip the frame over so the screen is facing up.
[guide|25705|Heat an iOpener|new_window=true] and apply it to the left edge of the screen for two minutes.
💡 Note: Alternatively, you can [guide|157348|use a hair dryer|new_window=true] on the Low heat setting.
⚠️ Caution: If you're using a hair dryer, only heat the screen a few seconds at a time or you may warp the plastic shell.
Insert an opening pick
Lightly bend the left side of the frame away from the screen to create a gap in the bottom left corner.
💡 Note: If you're having difficulty creating a gap, reapply a heated iOpener for two minutes and try again.
Insert an opening pick in the gap.
⚠️ Caution: Don't insert your pick more than 3 mm to avoid damaging the screen.
Slice the left adhesive
⚠️ Caution: Throughout this repair, don't insert your pick more than 3 mm to avoid damaging the screen.
Slide the opening pick along the left edge.
Leave the pick inserted in the top left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
Heat the top edge
Apply a heated iOpener to the top edge of the screen for two minutes.
💡 Note: You can also use a hair dryer, but remember not to heat the screen more than a few seconds at a time.
Slice the top adhesive
Rotate the opening pick around the top left corner.
Slide the opening pick along the top edge.
Leave the opening pick inserted in the top right corner.
Heat the right edge
Apply a heated iOpener to the right edge of the screen for two minutes.
💡 Note: You can also use a hair dryer, but remember not to heat the screen more than a few seconds at a time.
Slice the right adhesive
Rotate the opening pick around the top right corner.
Slide the opening pick along the right edge.
Leave the opening pick inserted in the bottom right corner.
Heat the bottom edge
Apply a heated iOpener to the bottom edge of the screen for two minutes.
💡 Note: You can also use a hair dryer, but remember not to heat the screen more than a few seconds at a time.
Slice the bottom adhesive
Rotate the opening pick around the bottom right corner.
Slide the opening pick along the bottom edge.
Separate the adhesive
Grip the frame and push up on the underside of the screen's left edge to separate the adhesive securing it.
Remove the screen
💡 Note: The [link|https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/SD1q3YoSxGHZPOD4.full|new_window=true|digitizer cables] prevent the screen from being lifted straight up from the frame.
Lift the left side of the screen to a 45-degree angle and remove it.
💡 Note: If the screen is still stuck to the frame, slide an opening pick around the perimeter and try again.
💡 Note: During reassembly, follow [link|https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Install+the+Screen+Assembly+on+Your+Switch+Lite/156987|new_window=true|this guide] to replace the screen adhesive.
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 you install it.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an [[E-Waste|R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler|new_window=true]].
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some [[Troubleshooting Problems After a Repair|basic troubleshooting]], or ask our [link|http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/Device/Nintendo%20Switch%20Lite)|Nintendo Switch Lite Answers community] for help.