Featured

Featured Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

14

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

3

  • Back Cover
  • 7 steps
  • Battery Disconnect
  • 3 steps
  • Battery
  • 4 steps

Flags

1

This guide has been found to be exceptionally cool by the iFixit staff.

  • BackSony Xperia Z4

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

Opening the Sony Xperia Z4 will damage the waterproof seals on the device. If you do not replace the adhesive seals, your phone will function normally but will lose its water protection.

If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions. For your safety, discharge your battery below 25% before disassembling your phone. This reduces the risk of a dangerous thermal event if the battery is accidentally damaged during the repair.

You’ll need replacement adhesive to reattach components when reassembling the device.

What you need

Step 1

              Back Cover
  • Before you begin, switch off your phone.
  • Apply a heated iOpener to the back of the phone to loosen the adhesive beneath the back cover. Apply the iOpener for at least two minutes.

Before you begin, switch off your phone.

Apply a heated iOpener to the back of the phone to loosen the adhesive beneath the back cover. Apply the iOpener for at least two minutes.

1024

Step 2

  • Secure a suction handle to the bottom of the back cover, as close to the edge as possible.
  • Lift the back cover with the suction handle to create a small gap between the cover and the frame.
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap.
  • If you have trouble, apply more heat to further soften the adhesive. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.
  • Slide the opening pick to the bottom left corner.

Secure a suction handle to the bottom of the back cover, as close to the edge as possible.

Lift the back cover with the suction handle to create a small gap between the cover and the frame.

Insert an opening pick into the gap.

If you have trouble, apply more heat to further soften the adhesive. Follow the iOpener instructions to avoid overheating.

Slide the opening pick to the bottom left corner.

Step 3

  • Insert a second opening pick and slide it to the bottom right corner to cut the adhesive.
  • Leave the opening picks in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Insert a second opening pick and slide it to the bottom right corner to cut the adhesive.

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

Step 4

  • Insert a third opening pick at the bottom left corner.
  • In the next few steps whilst cutting around the rear camera make sure you only use the tip of the opening pick to avoid smearing the lens or damaging the camera.
  • Start to slide the tip of the opening pick from the bottom left corner along the side of the phone to cut the adhesive.
  • Leave the opening pick in its place at the top left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Insert a third opening pick at the bottom left corner.

In the next few steps whilst cutting around the rear camera make sure you only use the tip of the opening pick to avoid smearing the lens or damaging the camera.

Start to slide the tip of the opening pick from the bottom left corner along the side of the phone to cut the adhesive.

Leave the opening pick in its place at the top left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 5

  • If the adhesive becomes hard to cut it most likely cooled down. Use your iOpener to reheat it.
  • Insert a fourth opening pick under the top left corner of the back cover.
  • Slide the opening pick along the top edge of the phone to cut the adhesive.
  • Leave the opening pick in the top right corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

If the adhesive becomes hard to cut it most likely cooled down. Use your iOpener to reheat it.

Insert a fourth opening pick under the top left corner of the back cover.

Slide the opening pick along the top edge of the phone to cut the adhesive.

Leave the opening pick in the top right corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 6

  • Insert a fifth opening pick at the top right corner of the phone.
  • Slide the opening pick along the right side to cut the remaining adhesive.

Insert a fifth opening pick at the top right corner of the phone.

Slide the opening pick along the right side to cut the remaining adhesive.

Step 7

  • Lift and remove the back cover.
  • After installing the back cover, apply strong, steady pressure to your phone for several minutes to help the adhesive form a good bond, such as by placing it under a stack of heavy books.

Lift and remove the back cover.

After installing the back cover, apply strong, steady pressure to your phone for several minutes to help the adhesive form a good bond, such as by placing it under a stack of heavy books.

Step 8

              Battery Disconnect
  • Use a pair of tweezers to carefully peel the adhesive strip off the mother board and the battery and remove it.

Use a pair of tweezers to carefully peel the adhesive strip off the mother board and the battery and remove it.

Step 9

  • Use a pair of tweezers to peel the black adhesive strip off the battery connector and fold it out of the way.

Use a pair of tweezers to peel the black adhesive strip off the battery connector and fold it out of the way.

Step 10

  • Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery connector.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery connector.

Step 11

              Battery
  • Use a pair of tweezers and grab the pull tab at the top right corner of the battery.
  • Pull out the adhesive strip with a pair of tweezers.
  • Make sure you pull out the strip in a slow and steady motion and in a flat angle. To prevent the adhesive strip from ripping, it is helpful to twist the strip around the tweezers.
  • In case one of the adhesive strips rips and it’s not possible to pull it out completely, you can use high isopropyl alcohol (>90%) and/or a heated iOpener to loosen the adhesive. After the adhesive is soft enough use a prying tool such as an opening pick, a plastic/playing card or a spudger to carefully pry out the battery.

Use a pair of tweezers and grab the pull tab at the top right corner of the battery.

Pull out the adhesive strip with a pair of tweezers.

Make sure you pull out the strip in a slow and steady motion and in a flat angle. To prevent the adhesive strip from ripping, it is helpful to twist the strip around the tweezers.

In case one of the adhesive strips rips and it’s not possible to pull it out completely, you can use high isopropyl alcohol (>90%) and/or a heated iOpener to loosen the adhesive. After the adhesive is soft enough use a prying tool such as an opening pick, a plastic/playing card or a spudger to carefully pry out the battery.

Step 12

  • Repeat the previous process with the adhesive tab next to the battery flex cable.

Repeat the previous process with the adhesive tab next to the battery flex cable.

Step 13

  • Use an opening pick to pry the battery out of its recess until you can get a good grip.

Use an opening pick to pry the battery out of its recess until you can get a good grip.

Step 14

  • Remove the battery.
  • Do not reinstall a damaged or deformed battery, as doing so is a potential safety hazard.
  • Remove any remaining adhesive from the midframe, and clean the glued areas with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth before applying new adhesive.

Remove the battery.

Do not reinstall a damaged or deformed battery, as doing so is a potential safety hazard.

Remove any remaining adhesive from the midframe, and clean the glued areas with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth before applying new adhesive.

If possible, turn on your phone and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing the phone.

Secure the new battery with pre-cut adhesive or double-sided adhesive tape. In order to position it correctly, apply the new adhesive into the phone at the places where the old adhesive was located, not directly onto the battery. Press the new battery firmly into place.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order. Apply new adhesive where necessary after cleaning the relevant areas with isopropyl alcohol (+90%).

For optimal performance, calibrate your newly installed battery: Charge it to 100%, and keep charging it for at least two more hours. Then, use it until it shuts off due to low battery. Finally, charge it uninterrupted to 100%

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 Answers community for help.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      2 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 1 other contributor 


                    Dominik Schnabelrauch

Member since: 11/23/2016

158,135 Reputation

                                      649 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       40







                                                        +37 more badges

Team

                       iFixit                        

                                                  Member of iFixit 



                    Community                     


                                            141 Members                     


                                            15,769 Guides authored