Steam Deck Quick Access Button Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

Back Cover
3 steps
Steam Deck Battery Disconnection
4 steps
Right Trigger
4 steps
Right Button Board
9 steps
Quick Access Button
2 steps

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Introduction

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

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 below 25% 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 below 25% 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

              Unclip the right trigger

The right trigger will be on your lefthand side when working on the Steam Deck, as it’s laying upside down.
The Steam Deck’s triggers clip into place on two pegs on the trigger bracket, which doubles as the hinge.
Place the flat end of a spudger onto the inside edge of the trigger’s right clip.
Pivot the trigger clip out, away, and up from the peg to unlatch it.
During reassembly, latch the outermost peg first. Once in place, push down on the trigger to latch the innermost peg, producing an audible “click” sound.
Check to make sure that the trigger spring is properly aligned. Test the trigger action before continuing reassembly.

The right trigger will be on your lefthand side when working on the Steam Deck, as it’s laying upside down.

The Steam Deck’s triggers clip into place on two pegs on the trigger bracket, which doubles as the hinge.

Place the flat end of a spudger onto the inside edge of the trigger’s right clip.

Pivot the trigger clip out, away, and up from the peg to unlatch it.

During reassembly, latch the outermost peg first. Once in place, push down on the trigger to latch the innermost peg, producing an audible “click” sound.

Check to make sure that the trigger spring is properly aligned. Test the trigger action before continuing reassembly.

Step 9

              Remove the right trigger

Remove the right trigger.
Take care to not lose the trigger spring. It press-fits onto a peg on the trigger’s underside.

Remove the right trigger.

Take care to not lose the trigger spring. It press-fits onto a peg on the trigger’s underside.

Step 10

              Remove the trigger bracket screws

Use a Phillips driver to remove the three 5.2 mm screws securing the right trigger bracket.

Use a Phillips driver to remove the three 5.2 mm screws securing the right trigger bracket.

Step 11

              Remove the trigger bracket

Remove the right trigger bracket.
Replacement triggers require calibration to work as expected. To calibrate new triggers, follow this calibration guide.

Remove the right trigger bracket.

Replacement triggers require calibration to work as expected. To calibrate new triggers, follow this calibration guide.

Step 12

              Disconnect the right thumbstick

Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the thumbstick 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 thumbstick 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.

Step 13

              Remove the thumbstick screws

Use a Phillips driver to remove the three 5.2 mm screws securing the thumbstick.
During reassembly, you may need to hold the Steam Deck off of the work surface so it isn’t resting on the new thumbstick while you tighten down the screws.

Use a Phillips driver to remove the three 5.2 mm screws securing the thumbstick.

During reassembly, you may need to hold the Steam Deck off of the work surface so it isn’t resting on the new thumbstick while you tighten down the screws.

Step 14

              Remove the right thumbstick

Remove the right thumbstick.

Remove the right thumbstick.

Step 15

              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.

Step 16

              Disconnect the interconnect cable

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

Step 17

              Disconnect the remaining button board cables

Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flaps on the rest of the button board ZIF connectors. Use a pair of tweezers to slide the cables out of their connectors:
Disconnect the action buttons cable.
Disconnect the touchpad board cable.
Disconnect the touchpad cable.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flaps on the rest of the button board ZIF connectors. Use a pair of tweezers to slide the cables out of their connectors:

Disconnect the action buttons cable.

Disconnect the touchpad board cable.

Disconnect the touchpad cable.

Step 18

              Disconnect the right haptics

Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up on the haptics cable to disconnect it.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up on the haptics cable to disconnect it.

Step 19

              Remove the button board screws

Use a Phillips driver to disconnect the four screws securing the right button board:
Three 5.2 mm screws
One 3.9 mm screw

Use a Phillips driver to disconnect the four screws securing the right button board:

Three 5.2 mm screws

One 3.9 mm screw

Step 20

              Remove the button board

Remove the right button board.
Keep track of the quick access button and its membrane, as once the right button board is removed, they’re no longer secured in place.

Remove the right button board.

Keep track of the quick access button and its membrane, as once the right button board is removed, they’re no longer secured in place.

Step 21

              Remove the quick access button membrane

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the quick access button membrane.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the quick access button membrane.

Step 22

              Remove the quick access button

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the quick access button.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the quick access button.

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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Author

                                      with 2 other contributors

                    Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 03/10/2020

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