Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

20

Time Required

                          2 - 4 hours

Sections

3

  • Steam Deck Back Cover Removal for Battery
  • 3 steps
  • Steam Deck Battery Disconnection
  • 4 steps
  • Battery
  • 13 steps

Flags

1

Provided Hardware

A manufacturer provided iFixit with this device or component.

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Introduction

To minimize risk of damage, turn on your Steam Deck and allow the battery to fully discharge before starting this procedure. A charged lithium-ion battery can be very dangerous if accidentally punctured. Heating a charged battery is a fire hazard. If your battery looks puffy or swollen, take extra precautions.

Note: The battery is strongly adhered to the Steam Deck, requiring repeated heating and prying cycles. The heat produced by an iOpener may not be sufficient to loosen the adhesive, so a heat gun (or, alternatively, a hair dryer) is recommended for this procedure.

Before you begin, unplug all cables from your Steam Deck. Remember to follow general electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety procedures while repairing the device.

Don’t reuse the battery after it’s been removed, as doing so is a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.

What you need

Step 1

              Remove the back cover screws
  • To minimize risk of damage, turn on your Steam Deck and allow the battery to discharge completely before starting your repairs. A charged lithium-ion battery can be very dangerous if accidentally punctured.
  • Before starting this guide, power down your Steam Deck and unplug any cables.
  • As an extra precaution, Valve recommends putting your Steam Deck into battery storage mode within the BIOS before starting any internal repairs. Read how to do that here.
  • If you have a microSD card installed, make sure to remove it before opening the Steam Deck.
  • Use a Phillips driver to remove the eight screws securing the back cover:
  • Four 9.5 mm screws
  • Four 5.8 mm screws
  • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your Steam Deck.

To minimize risk of damage, turn on your Steam Deck and allow the battery to discharge completely before starting your repairs. A charged lithium-ion battery can be very dangerous if accidentally punctured.

Before starting this guide, power down your Steam Deck and unplug any cables.

As an extra precaution, Valve recommends putting your Steam Deck into battery storage mode within the BIOS before starting any internal repairs. Read how to do that here.

If you have a microSD card installed, make sure to remove it before opening the Steam Deck.

Use a Phillips driver to remove the eight screws securing the back cover:

Four 9.5 mm screws

Four 5.8 mm screws

Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your Steam Deck.

1024

Step 2

              Unclip the back cover
  • Insert an opening pick into the thin gap between the back cover and the front shell, along the edge of the right grip.
  • Pry up on the back cover to release it from the locking clips.

Insert an opening pick into the thin gap between the back cover and the front shell, along the edge of the right grip.

Pry up on the back cover to release it from the locking clips.

Step 3

              Remove the back cover
  • Once the clips are disconnected from one edge, the rest disconnect easily.
  • Grip the back cover at the opening you just created and pull it up and away from the device to unclip the long edges.
  • Remove the back cover.

Once the clips are disconnected from one edge, the rest disconnect easily.

Grip the back cover at the opening you just created and pull it up and away from the device to unclip the long edges.

Remove the back cover.

Step 4

              Uncover the hidden shield screw
  • Use a pair of tweezers to remove the piece of foil tape covering the hidden screw on the board shield.
  • If possible, try not to rip or tear this tape so it can be reused. If necessary, you can fashion a replacement by cutting a piece of aluminum foil tape to fit.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the piece of foil tape covering the hidden screw on the board shield.

If possible, try not to rip or tear this tape so it can be reused. If necessary, you can fashion a replacement by cutting a piece of aluminum foil tape to fit.

Step 5

              Remove the shield screws
  • Use a Phillips driver to remove the three screws securing the board shield:
  • One 3.4 mm screw
  • Two 3.7 mm screws

Use a Phillips driver to remove the three screws securing the board shield:

One 3.4 mm screw

Two 3.7 mm screws

Step 6

              Remove the shield
  • Remove the board shield.
  • During reassembly, ensure that the fan cable lays on the side of the board shield and isn’t pinched underneath.

Remove the board shield.

During reassembly, ensure that the fan cable lays on the side of the board shield and isn’t pinched underneath.

Step 7

              Disconnect the battery
  • Grip the battery cable by its pull tab and pull it directly away from the motherboard to disconnect it.
  • Alternatively, use the flat end of a spudger to gently push the connector out of its socket, then disconnect it completely by hand.

Grip the battery cable by its pull tab and pull it directly away from the motherboard to disconnect it.

Alternatively, use the flat end of a spudger to gently push the connector out of its socket, then disconnect it completely by hand.

Step 8

              Disconnect the audio cable
  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the audio cable’s ZIF connector.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the audio cable’s ZIF connector.

Step 9

  • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the cable out of its connector.
  • Grip the cable by its pull tab, not by the cable itself.

Use a pair of tweezers to slide the cable out of its connector.

Grip the cable by its pull tab, not by the cable itself.

Step 10

              Peel back the audio cable
  • Carefully peel the audio cable off of the battery.
  • The audio cable is secured to the battery with some light adhesive.
  • If the adhesive is stubborn, don’t force the cable. Lightly heat the audio cable using an iOpener or a hair dryer to soften the adhesive.

Carefully peel the audio cable off of the battery.

The audio cable is secured to the battery with some light adhesive.

If the adhesive is stubborn, don’t force the cable. Lightly heat the audio cable using an iOpener or a hair dryer to soften the adhesive.

Step 11

              Disconnect the button board cable
  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the button board cable’s ZIF connector.
  • Use a pair of tweezers to slide the cable out of its connector.
  • Grip the cable by the blue pull tab, not by the cable itself.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the button board cable’s ZIF connector.

Grip the cable by the blue pull tab, not by the cable itself.

Step 12

              Peel back the button board cable
  • Carefully peel the button board cable off of the battery.
  • The button board cable is secured to the battery with some light adhesive.
  • If the adhesive is stubborn, don’t force the cable. Lightly heat the button board cable using an iOpener or a hair dryer to soften the adhesive.
  • You may want to tape the audio and button board cables out of the way as you remove the battery.

Carefully peel the button board cable off of the battery.

The button board cable is secured to the battery with some light adhesive.

If the adhesive is stubborn, don’t force the cable. Lightly heat the button board cable using an iOpener or a hair dryer to soften the adhesive.

You may want to tape the audio and button board cables out of the way as you remove the battery.

Step 13

              Cut a plastic card in half
  • In order to slice the battery adhesive through two small slits near the bottom of the Steam Deck’s frame, two thin cards are needed.
  • Use a pair of scissors to cut a plastic card in half, longways.
  • Round over any sharp corners, as they could scrape or puncture the battery.

In order to slice the battery adhesive through two small slits near the bottom of the Steam Deck’s frame, two thin cards are needed.

Use a pair of scissors to cut a plastic card in half, longways.

Round over any sharp corners, as they could scrape or puncture the battery.

Step 14

              Heat the battery adhesive
  • The battery is strongly adhered to the Steam Deck. The adhesive loosens with constant, steady force, and it will require repeated heating and prying cycles.
  • Heating a charged battery is a fire hazard. Make sure you’ve completely discharged your battery before starting this step.
  • Don’t reuse the battery after it’s been removed, as doing so is a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.
  • Use a heat gun to heat the adhesive underneath the battery for 1-2 minutes.
  • Alternatively, a hair dryer may also be used.
  • Try your best to not overheat the battery. Keep the heat gun or hair dryer ~2 inches above the battery and constantly moving at all times—don’t keep it heating one place for too long.

The battery is strongly adhered to the Steam Deck. The adhesive loosens with constant, steady force, and it will require repeated heating and prying cycles.

Heating a charged battery is a fire hazard. Make sure you’ve completely discharged your battery before starting this step.

Use a heat gun to heat the adhesive underneath the battery for 1-2 minutes.

Alternatively, a hair dryer may also be used.

Try your best to not overheat the battery. Keep the heat gun or hair dryer ~2 inches above the battery and constantly moving at all times—don’t keep it heating one place for too long.

Step 15

              Begin to pry up the battery
  • Insert an uncut plastic card between the top edge of the battery and the frame.
  • Insert a second plastic card between the right edge of the battery and the frame.
  • Don’t use excessive force or pry at the battery with metal tools.
  • Try your best not to deform the battery during this process. Soft-shell lithium-polymer batteries can leak dangerous chemicals, catch fire, or even explode if damaged.
  • The battery most likely won’t budge at this step, but these cards will be helpful as leverage as you continue.

Insert an uncut plastic card between the top edge of the battery and the frame.

Insert a second plastic card between the right edge of the battery and the frame.

Don’t use excessive force or pry at the battery with metal tools.

Try your best not to deform the battery during this process. Soft-shell lithium-polymer batteries can leak dangerous chemicals, catch fire, or even explode if damaged.

The battery most likely won’t budge at this step, but these cards will be helpful as leverage as you continue.

Step 16

              Reheat the battery adhesive
  • You’ll need to repeatedly reheat the adhesive to further soften it. The adhesive is tough and it may take a few tries to get a card started under the battery.
  • Try your best to not overheat the battery. Keep the heat gun or hair dryer ~2 inches above the battery and constantly moving at all times—don’t keep it heating one place for too long.

You’ll need to repeatedly reheat the adhesive to further soften it. The adhesive is tough and it may take a few tries to get a card started under the battery.

Step 17

              Slice the battery adhesive
  • Insert one of the cut plastic cards under the battery near its bottom right edge.
  • Push the card in to slice the battery adhesive, wiggling it side-to-side as you go.
  • If this is overly difficult, you may need more heat.

Insert one of the cut plastic cards under the battery near its bottom right edge.

Push the card in to slice the battery adhesive, wiggling it side-to-side as you go.

If this is overly difficult, you may need more heat.

Step 18

  • Insert the second cut plastic card under the battery near its bottom left edge.
  • Push the card in to slice the battery adhesive, wiggling it side-to-side as you go.

Insert the second cut plastic card under the battery near its bottom left edge.

Step 19

              Pry out the battery
  • Insert a plastic card along the bottom edge of the battery to pry the battery away from the frame.
  • Lift the battery up, away from the Steam Deck to fully separate it from all adhesive.
  • Don’t use excessive force—try your best not to deform the battery during this process.
  • If you’re having trouble, repeat the heating and prying process around all edges until the battery becomes loose.

Insert a plastic card along the bottom edge of the battery to pry the battery away from the frame.

Lift the battery up, away from the Steam Deck to fully separate it from all adhesive.

Don’t use excessive force—try your best not to deform the battery during this process.

If you’re having trouble, repeat the heating and prying process around all edges until the battery becomes loose.

Step 20

              Remove the battery
  • Remove the battery.
  • Don’t reuse the battery after it’s been removed, as doing so is a potential safety hazard. Replace it with a new battery.
  • To install a replacement battery:
  • Dampen a lint-free cloth with some isopropyl alcohol (>90%) and use it to remove any remaining adhesive from the battery well.
  • Peel and discard one side of protective liners on the new adhesives and apply them to the new battery, using your old battery as a reference for where they should adhere.
  • Peel and discard the remaining side of adhesive liners. Lay the battery in place and press firmly.
  • Remember: Don’t reconnect the battery connector until you’ve finished reassembly!

Remove the battery.

To install a replacement battery:

Dampen a lint-free cloth with some isopropyl alcohol (>90%) and use it to remove any remaining adhesive from the battery well.

Peel and discard one side of protective liners on the new adhesives and apply them to the new battery, using your old battery as a reference for where they should adhere.

Peel and discard the remaining side of adhesive liners. Lay the battery in place and press firmly.

Remember: Don’t reconnect the battery connector until you’ve finished reassembly!

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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 Steam Deck answers community for help.

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                                                                                      11 other people completed this guide.

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                    Carsten Frauenheim

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RikiGuitarist - May 25, 2022

Reply

Is it safe to apply small amounts of >90% isopropyl alcohol under the battery to loosen the adhesive bond? Or would that drip into the screen or other components and potentially cause damage?

Carsten Frauenheim - Jun 2, 2022

Your mileage may vary. Isopropyl alcohol may be an effective method to loosen the adhesive, but you run the risk of excess leaking onto or into the display or other components, due to the cutouts on the battery tray. Your second sentence is spot-on, hence the recommendation to carefully use heat instead.

Joshua Marram - Jul 8, 2022

Reply

Why couldn’t they of used pull tabs for the adhesive so this process would not be so difficult and tedious. It would also be less risk of over heating the battery/steam deck or puncturing the battery. This is really the only design choice I can criticize of the steam deck. Pull tabs would of made this a repair the average person could achieve.

Marc Johnson - Aug 4, 2022

Reply

It seems crazy to me that they made this process so difficult, surely battery is one of (if not THE) most common things that you’ll need to eventually replace? I suppose they must have been limited by what they could achieve?

Robert Crawford - Dec 9, 2022

Reply

Having just done a Battery Replacement on the Steam Deck the amount of adhesive is a bit high the use of Pull Tabs would have been wonderful. Thanks iFixit and Valve for making the process easier.