Why I Decided to Replace My Own Phone Screen

Back in late 2020, my trusty Redmi 4X suffered a cracked screen.

It was not just cosmetic damage either.

Part of the touchscreen had completely stopped responding.

Typing became annoying.

Gaming was almost impossible.

Even scrolling through social media felt like a challenge.

Most people would probably take the phone to a repair shop.

That thought never crossed my mind.

First, money was tight.

The pandemic had made everyone a little more careful with spending, and paying for a professional repair did not feel like the best option for an older phone.

Second...

I somehow managed to keep using the broken screen.

With a few Android apps and a little patience, I could still reply to messages, browse the web, and use the phone for work.

It was far from perfect.

But it worked.

So I kept telling myself,

"Maybe I can live with it for a little longer."

That "little longer" eventually turned into more than a year.

Eventually I got tired of fighting my own phone every single day.

It was finally time to do something about it.

My Crazy Plan

I decided to replace both the LCD assembly and the battery myself.

With zero experience.

Sounds reckless?

Maybe.

But before ordering the parts, I asked myself one simple question.

"What is the worst thing that could happen?"

If I completely destroyed the phone...

I still had my Galaxy Tab S6 Lite as a backup device.

Meanwhile, the Redmi 4X was getting worse every month anyway.

At that point I figured:

If the phone is going to die, it might as well die while teaching me something.

So I ordered:

Redmi 4X LCD + touchscreen assembly

Replacement battery

B-7000 adhesive

Plastic opening tools

Guitar picks

Small screwdriver set

B7000 glue and plastic opening tool

And then...

I spent several evenings watching YouTube repair videos.

Some creators used professional repair equipment.

Others fixed the same phone using surprisingly simple tools.

Watching different techniques gave me enough confidence to finally attempt the repair myself.

Step 1 – Removing the Back Cover

Fortunately, this was the easiest part.

My Redmi 4X had already been dropped several times, so one corner of the back cover had started separating from the frame.

Lucky me.

After removing the SIM tray, I carefully inserted a plastic opening pick into the gap.

prying from the sides

Never use anything metal if you can avoid it.

Plastic tools greatly reduce the risk of scratching or damaging internal components.

One important thing I learned...

Do not push the pick too deep.

Many phones have fragile ribbon cables for the power and volume buttons running close to the frame.

Damaging one of those cables creates a much bigger problem than a cracked screen.

If your phone has a fingerprint sensor attached to the back cover, remember that a flex cable is still connecting it to the motherboard.

Lift the cover slowly.

Never yank it open.

becareful with the fingerprint sensor flex cable

Step 2 – Disconnecting the Battery

This is probably the most important safety step.

Before touching anything else, disconnect the battery.

Most phones hide the battery connector underneath a protective motherboard cover held in place by several screws.

opening mainboard cover

Once removed, carefully disconnect the battery.

Only then should you continue working.

battery connector position

Removing the battery itself was surprisingly difficult.

The adhesive underneath was incredibly strong.

I slowly worked a plastic tool underneath while taking my time.

Lithium batteries are no joke.

If punctured or bent too aggressively, they can become dangerous.

No repair is worth risking an injury.

Safety first.

Always.

removing the battery from the frame

Once the battery was removed, I disconnected the LCD, touchscreen, and side-button flex cables.

The connectors that need to be removed in order to remove the LCD

Now the phone was finally ready for the hardest part.

Step 3 – Removing the Old Display

This was easily the most stressful part of the repair.

Since my touchscreen was already shattered, tiny pieces of glass kept breaking away while I worked.

A heat gun or hair dryer helps soften the adhesive holding the display to the frame.

After warming the edges, I carefully inserted a plastic pick between the display and the frame.

start from the side, usually easier

Patience is everything here.

Trying to force the display off almost always ends badly.

Slow and steady wins.

Eventually...

The display came free.

Test Before Gluing Anything

test LCD in phone frame, without permanently installing it

If everything works correctly, only then should you apply B-7000 adhesive and permanently install the new display.

Replacing the battery afterward is much easier.

Simply install the new battery and reassemble the phone in reverse order.

The Result

To my surprise...

Everything worked.

The display looked great.

The touchscreen responded perfectly.

The new battery gave the phone a second life.

More importantly, I realized something.

Repairing a smartphone is not magic.

It requires patience.

It requires preparation.

And it definitely requires respecting the risks involved.

But it is not impossible for a complete beginner.

Would I Do It Again?