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Just like many other phones, the Huawei Mate 10 can end up with display problems that make the device unusable. A broken or cracked LCD screen, an improperly functioning touch panel or a completely black screen are some of the most frequent issues people run into.
Luckily, if you deal with these problems on your Mate 10 series phone, you can replace the screen yourself in order to get the phone fully working again. Today, I will show you exactly how to do this. While it is a technically challenging repair, you will be able to do it by yourself at home with the required tools and the guide below. The entire process takes about 60 minutes.
Let’s see how you can repair your Huawei Mate 10 LCD screen!
Aside from the obvious, repairing a broken or cracked screen, replacing the LCD on a Huawei Mate 10 with the guide below is also likely to fix:
Issues with a black screen.
The touch panel / touch screen digitizer partially working, not working at all or responding slowly. This especially occurs when the screen has many scratches on it.
Other display problems.
Do the steps below also work with other phones?
While the instructions further down the page use a Huawei Mate 10 Lite phone, it is likely that you can also use the same steps for replacing the screen on the ‘regular’ Mate 10 or the Mate 10 Pro. These phones are all constructed similarly enough that there are not many differences between their repair processes.
Just make sure that the replacement touch screen you buy is for the specific phone that you want to repair.
In nearly all cases (and for this guide) you want a replacement LCD screen with frame.
Before starting the screen replacement process, it is important to turn the phone off first. Making a backup of important data on the phone can’t hurt either.
Opening the Mate 10 Lite
After turning the phone off, use a paperclip or similar tool to eject the SIM card drawer. Insert the tool into the small hole and press to eject the small drawer.Take the SIM card drawer out and put it aside.Use a T3 Torx screwdriver to unscrew the two small screws on the underside of the phone. Removing these screws lets us take the phone shell apart.You can now use a spudger pry tool from your electronics repair kit to start detaching the back shell from the Mate 10.Make your way around the edge of the phone with the spudger to fully disengage all the small clips that hold the phone shell together.Once you have unclipped the shell on one or two edges, you should be able to do the rest by hand.It is important to hold the back shell close to the main body of the phone at this point. A small, fragile flex cable still connects the two.Detach the flex cable with a small non-conductive prying tool by nudging it from the underside. You can also use a metal tool, like a screwdriver, for this. However, it is better to use something non-conductive when the phone is still connected to the battery.Unscrew the four circled screws with a small Phillips-head screwdriver.Using a pair of anti-static tweezers, remove the two pieces of shielding that are placed over the flex cable connectors.Unscrew the screw that holds the speaker assembly in place.Remove the speaker assembly.Gently pry the display cable loose.
Testing the replacement screen
Attach the display cable of the replacement LCD screen to the phone.Turn the phone on and check whether the new LCD screen and touch panel are working properly. You can skip this step if you want, but it is a good idea to verify that the new screen does not have any issues before you glue it in place.Turn the phone back off and unclip the display connector and battery connector.Place the rear shell on the back of the phone. There is no need to press it down and engage the clips. We will just use it to cover and protect the electronics during the next steps.Flip the phone over.
Removing the broken screen
To remove the damaged LCD, we must loosen the glue that holds it into place. This is best done with a heat source. I used a Quick 861DW hot air rework station, but you can also use a mini heat gun or even a hair dryer. The glue does not need a lot of heat. It softens around 60-80 °C (140-176 °F).
Use your heat gun (or other heat source) to lightly heat the screen around the edges.After a couple of minutes of heating, run a scalpel or other thin knife around the edge to cut the LCD loose.You can now insert a prying tool to lift the screen up in one spot.
If you are dealing with a broken or cracked screen, it is a good idea to wear safety goggles and cut resistant gloves to protect yourself from any sharp pieces of glass.
Insert a guitar pick or other plastic tool and slide it all around the perimeter of the glass to release the glue. If you encounter resistance, it is likely that the glue has hardened and you need to apply heat again.Once you have loosened the glue around all edges of the glass, the LCD screen should come right off.If you followed all previous steps, the LCD cable should be detached on the other end and come out easily through the hole in the bottom of the phone.Use a small flathead screwdriver to remove any glue residue from the body of the phone. To ensure that our new glue sticks properly, it is important to completely remove the old glue first.After removing the big pieces of glue, clean the surface with a cotton swab and a bit of rubbing alcohol.
Installing the replacement screen
Remove the protective plastic from the back of the new LCD screen.Take the tiny speaker grille from the old LCD frame and place it in the same position in the frame of the replacement LCD.For glueing the phone screen in place we need to use a specialty glue. The one I use for phone and tablet screens is ZHANLIDA T-7000. It is affordable, sticks well, cures quickly and can be removed again with heat. It is important to avoid things like superglue, as it is more permanent and thin enough to leak into the phone’s speakers and sensors.Apply glue around the edges of the phone (the area marked in orange). Avoid placing glue directly on the cameras, speakers and other sensors (here seen on the left).Wait 30 seconds for the glue to slightly dry.Insert the display cable through the hole in the phone.Press the screen onto the phone body and wipe away any glue that squeezed its way to the front.Flip the phone over and reattach the LCD cable, speaker assembly and battery connector.Reattach the fingerprint sensor flex cable and the two metal shielding pieces, then press the back shell onto the phone.
Curing the glue
Before you start using the phone again, it is best to let the glue fully cure. This takes about 24-48 hours.
While the screen glue cures, it is important to lightly press the edges of the phone screen down. This ensures that the new screen is positioned right up against the body and no gaps open up while the glue dries.
The easiest way to hold the screen down is with a set of small spring clamps, but if you do not have access to clamps you can also use the tape method:
Apply a piece of wide tape to the LCD screen. Then, while you lightly press the edge of the screen down, stick the rest of the tape to the back of the phone.Repeat the previous step on the remaining edges of the screen.The back of the phone should now look something like this.The tape prevents the LCD screen from lifting up while the glue cures. After 24-48 hours, simply remove the protective cover of the replacement screen along with the tape.
FAQ
How can you prevent the screen from breaking again?
Being careful goes a long way, but accidents happen, of course. To protect the screen from impacts (like when the phone is dropped), it is best to go with a quality case for the phone. Cases that are made of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) are better at absorbing impacts than those made of simply plastic.
On the other hand, if you expect the phone to endure a lot of scratches (like if you keep it in the same pocket as your keys), it is best to go with a screen protector instead. This will save you from having to replace the screen because of a touch panel that ends up too scratched.
How much does replacing a Huawei Mate 10 screen cost?
If you go the DIY route and replace the screen yourself, the costs are fairly low. A replacement screen costs about $30, whereas the glue you need is priced around $8.
Of course, you might also need to buy some tools, depending on the ones you currently have. Situations like these are part of the reason why I recommend anyone to have a quality electronics repair kit at hand. In our current throwaway society, you will never run out of stuff to repair!
If you choose to have the Huawei Mate 10 screen professionally repaired, it is likely to cost you $50-$100 or even more. The price mainly depends on the salaries in your area. Unfortunately, the professional repair cost is often too high compared to the cost of a brand new phone.
Having a cracked LCD screen, malfunctioning touch panel or completely black display on your Huawei Mate 10 (Lite/Pro) can be frustrating. With this guide, however, you can fix these issues yourself at a low cost by replacing the screen at home.
It is essential to have the right tools, a bit of patience and to follow the steps above from start to finish. Before you know it, your Mate 10 display will be exactly the way it was when it was brand new.
Tim is the founder of clevercreations.org. He is passionate about building, repairing, and anything DIY related. When he is not busy writing about these topics, you can find him in his workshop.
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