[INFO] Successful Glass/Lens Replacement - GSM Model

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drooff

Member
Oct 2, 2012
29
48
Yesterday I managed to successfully replace just the glass part of my Galaxy Nexus screen, without having to replace the entire AMOLED screen and digitizer. I figured I should share this since all the other posts I've seen about doing it have been people saying it's not worth it and to just replace the entire screen, at the cost of about $180.

Back story: I dropped my GNex on a concrete floor, and it landed perfectly face down (just like buttered toast :( ). There happened to be dirt and sand on the floor with a couple of pebbles just big enough to still contact the screen, despite its curve. These pebbles caused pressure points on the glass, and it was enough of an impact that those pebbles chipped the glass and started a spiderweb of cracks across about 40% of the screen. Needless to say I was pretty pissed off.

The AMOLED screen still worked, and all touch functionality was still there, so I figured it must be an easy fix. As I'm sure you are aware, I was grossly mistaken. I didn't find a single forum post or youtube video of anybody replacing just the glass on a Galaxy Nexus. The general consensus was that you would ruin your digitizer if you attempted to do the repair, as it was fused to the glass. I was almost ready to buy a whole new screen when I found this video. I saw the video was for doing the repair on a Galaxy S3, but watched it anyways. A friend of mine had recently shattered the glass on his S3 and had told me he couldn't repair it because the digitizer was fused to the glass. When I watched the video and saw it could be done on an S3, I figured I would give it a shot on my Nexus anyways, with the worst outcome being replacing the entire AMOLED screen.

I bought a replacement glass/lens (not sure of the proper term) off eBay, along with some new adhesive. Total cost for parts was $35.96 USD including shipping from Hong Kong, and delivery to Canada (Toronto area) was surprisingly quick - about 4 business days.

Replacement Glass
New Adhesive

I don't own a heat gun, so I substituted it with a hair dryer instead (high heat, low blower setting).

A few lessons learned:

  1. Go slow, don't rush yourself. I ended up knicking the digitizer in a couple places because I went too fast (I was excited!). It didn't end up causing any functionality problems, but I can see a couple of small permanent marks under the new glass (not a big deal to me, but annoying nonetheless).
  2. Use a slim knife blade to separate the glass from the frame. I used a small paring knife which was probably a bit too big. A standard utility knife/box cutter should work.
  3. Make sure to remove ALL of the old glue before applying the new adhesive and glass. I didn't have any issues, but I can see how it would cause problems if you don't. The youtube video said to reuse the old glue - not recommended on the Galaxy Nexus. My new adhesive did not have glue for the transparent part of the glass, only the edges, but it doesn't cause any problems.
  4. The digitizer is NOT fused to the glass. This rumour needs to be killed. It is fused to the AMOLED display.
  5. The glue between the glass and the digitizer is similar in consistency to the glue used to stick credit cards to the letter they are mailed on. It's very rubbery and rolls up in a ball quite easily. This makes for fairly easy removal. Use a plastic scraper for this process (I used the green tools that came with the new glass - see the eBay item for details).
  6. You can use nail polish remover (acetone) to clean off the remaining glue residue from the digitizer. It does not leave any of it's own residue. Clean with a lintless cloth, like a glasses cleaning cloth.
  7. Do this whole process in the cleanest environment you can, every little bit of dust or pet hair will cause you grief! Make sure you completely clean and dust the digitizer seconds before applying the new glass, or you will see the dust permanently embedded in your screen. I didn't have this problem, but it could be easily done.

I started taking pictures of the process after I had removed the glass (sorry, forgot to take some before I started). My damaged screen was basically like the S3 in the video, and the glass removal process was about the same. Here's an album of all the pictures.

If I've missed anything, feel free to post any questions! I'm quite happy with my revived Galaxy Nexus.
 
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mohitrocks

Senior Member
Aug 15, 2010
829
581
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3
Thanks so much for the post. My screen has been cracked for ages (touch input still works though), and I've been constantly told that because the glass is fused to the digitizer, it'll cost 160+ to replace. I'll definitely try this :) Also, could you check your PM?

EDIT: Here are the links :

4N6s4


http://imgur.com/a/4N6s4

Not sure if this is the screen replacement kit you bought but : http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...4277101&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT#ht_1290wt_958

EDIT 2 :

Not sure if this is the youtube vid either but : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4Gx5fLy0NQ
 
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dekela

Senior Member
Aug 10, 2010
341
50
Netanya
Oh man where were you 3 days ago?!?!?!?!

I wanted to do the same after a slight crack on my screen, Got a 20$ glass off ebay and tried to remove it.. However I wasn't careful enough and broke the digitizesr!..

I now have a broken Gnex and I dont know what to do.. Even the connector got ripped of..

l-(
 

steevo1

Senior Member
Nov 10, 2011
109
5
Atlanta, Georgia
Thanks drooff for this very timely post. I cracked my screen this morning and was getting a bit frustrated as I researched
this today, with most people saying that this can't be done. I was about to give up on the idea of just replacing the glass,
but I decided to search the web one more time and that is when I found your message here!

Thank you so much for taking the time to post your detailed instructions and for the photos!!!
 

drooff

Member
Oct 2, 2012
29
48
Oh man where were you 3 days ago?!?!?!?!

I wanted to do the same after a slight crack on my screen, Got a 20$ glass off ebay and tried to remove it.. However I wasn't careful enough and broke the digitizesr!..

I now have a broken Gnex and I dont know what to do.. Even the connector got ripped of..

l-(

You can buy a new AMOLED display assembly (display, digitizer and glass) for around $160, the connector comes attached to it and all you have to do it snap it on to the mainboard.
 

drooff

Member
Oct 2, 2012
29
48
Thanks drooff for this very timely post. I cracked my screen this morning and was getting a bit frustrated as I researched
this today, with most people saying that this can't be done. I was about to give up on the idea of just replacing the glass,
but I decided to search the web one more time and that is when I found your message here!

Thank you so much for taking the time to post your detailed instructions and for the photos!!!

Glad I could help. If you're going to try the replacement and have any questions, just post here and I'll do my best to help.
 
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drooff

Member
Oct 2, 2012
29
48
Some people can't justify that 160.

Will the next nexus have a longer screen?

$160 for a new screen is better than $500+ for a new phone.... just my opinion. I have no idea what the next Nexus phone will have, but as with all Nexus-branded products, it's guaranteed to be awesome!
 

psycho2097

Senior Member
Nov 1, 2010
958
156
Raleigh
thx dude....excellent info. I have a nice white tpu case, dynaflo n my screen n even a spare housing, just in case y'know? but this s real good 2 know that it aint fused to the digitizer-lcd. thx a lot. will b very helpful if **** like this does happen, sincerely hope it doesnt.
 

Jasonator

Senior Member
Aug 22, 2009
94
50
Trampa
I would like to share my experience....not a good one....

I too cracked my screen. (Here comes the back story) I bought an S3 completely spider webbed. I mean it was cracked to death! I bought it after reading all the success people had just replacing the glass. I got it for 250$ and the entire phone was mint, sans screen. Well it took me 3 hours and I made a few mistakes, but I got it all off. It wasnt hard, just tedious. I got the glass and then Voila! works great! So I figured what the hell. I bought another S3 with a cracked screen. This time it was cake! it was a few large cracks.....then my Gnex falls and takes a spill. I figure what the hell.....bought the glass. DENIED>>>>>the glue was so thick it would not melt off like the previous two S3's I had done. And after reading this exact post prior to attempting of course I think there is a difference in the model or where it was produced. FYI Mine is a GSM but the sticker is all in Korean so I cant read anything. I ended up buying a new phone on Ebay for $240. Ill just have to wait. SO I will parts llike a MOBO and stuff for sale a little later on!
 

drooff

Member
Oct 2, 2012
29
48
I would like to share my experience....not a good one....

I too cracked my screen. (Here comes the back story) I bought an S3 completely spider webbed. I mean it was cracked to death! I bought it after reading all the success people had just replacing the glass. I got it for 250$ and the entire phone was mint, sans screen. Well it took me 3 hours and I made a few mistakes, but I got it all off. It wasnt hard, just tedious. I got the glass and then Voila! works great! So I figured what the hell. I bought another S3 with a cracked screen. This time it was cake! it was a few large cracks.....then my Gnex falls and takes a spill. I figure what the hell.....bought the glass. DENIED>>>>>the glue was so thick it would not melt off like the previous two S3's I had done. And after reading this exact post prior to attempting of course I think there is a difference in the model or where it was produced. FYI Mine is a GSM but the sticker is all in Korean so I cant read anything. I ended up buying a new phone on Ebay for $240. Ill just have to wait. SO I will parts llike a MOBO and stuff for sale a little later on!

Keep in mind this thread is about the Galaxy Nexus, not the S3...
 

mohitrocks

Senior Member
Aug 15, 2010
829
581
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3
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    Yesterday I managed to successfully replace just the glass part of my Galaxy Nexus screen, without having to replace the entire AMOLED screen and digitizer. I figured I should share this since all the other posts I've seen about doing it have been people saying it's not worth it and to just replace the entire screen, at the cost of about $180.

    Back story: I dropped my GNex on a concrete floor, and it landed perfectly face down (just like buttered toast :( ). There happened to be dirt and sand on the floor with a couple of pebbles just big enough to still contact the screen, despite its curve. These pebbles caused pressure points on the glass, and it was enough of an impact that those pebbles chipped the glass and started a spiderweb of cracks across about 40% of the screen. Needless to say I was pretty pissed off.

    The AMOLED screen still worked, and all touch functionality was still there, so I figured it must be an easy fix. As I'm sure you are aware, I was grossly mistaken. I didn't find a single forum post or youtube video of anybody replacing just the glass on a Galaxy Nexus. The general consensus was that you would ruin your digitizer if you attempted to do the repair, as it was fused to the glass. I was almost ready to buy a whole new screen when I found this video. I saw the video was for doing the repair on a Galaxy S3, but watched it anyways. A friend of mine had recently shattered the glass on his S3 and had told me he couldn't repair it because the digitizer was fused to the glass. When I watched the video and saw it could be done on an S3, I figured I would give it a shot on my Nexus anyways, with the worst outcome being replacing the entire AMOLED screen.

    I bought a replacement glass/lens (not sure of the proper term) off eBay, along with some new adhesive. Total cost for parts was $35.96 USD including shipping from Hong Kong, and delivery to Canada (Toronto area) was surprisingly quick - about 4 business days.

    Replacement Glass
    New Adhesive

    I don't own a heat gun, so I substituted it with a hair dryer instead (high heat, low blower setting).

    A few lessons learned:

    1. Go slow, don't rush yourself. I ended up knicking the digitizer in a couple places because I went too fast (I was excited!). It didn't end up causing any functionality problems, but I can see a couple of small permanent marks under the new glass (not a big deal to me, but annoying nonetheless).
    2. Use a slim knife blade to separate the glass from the frame. I used a small paring knife which was probably a bit too big. A standard utility knife/box cutter should work.
    3. Make sure to remove ALL of the old glue before applying the new adhesive and glass. I didn't have any issues, but I can see how it would cause problems if you don't. The youtube video said to reuse the old glue - not recommended on the Galaxy Nexus. My new adhesive did not have glue for the transparent part of the glass, only the edges, but it doesn't cause any problems.
    4. The digitizer is NOT fused to the glass. This rumour needs to be killed. It is fused to the AMOLED display.
    5. The glue between the glass and the digitizer is similar in consistency to the glue used to stick credit cards to the letter they are mailed on. It's very rubbery and rolls up in a ball quite easily. This makes for fairly easy removal. Use a plastic scraper for this process (I used the green tools that came with the new glass - see the eBay item for details).
    6. You can use nail polish remover (acetone) to clean off the remaining glue residue from the digitizer. It does not leave any of it's own residue. Clean with a lintless cloth, like a glasses cleaning cloth.
    7. Do this whole process in the cleanest environment you can, every little bit of dust or pet hair will cause you grief! Make sure you completely clean and dust the digitizer seconds before applying the new glass, or you will see the dust permanently embedded in your screen. I didn't have this problem, but it could be easily done.

    I started taking pictures of the process after I had removed the glass (sorry, forgot to take some before I started). My damaged screen was basically like the S3 in the video, and the glass removal process was about the same. Here's an album of all the pictures.

    If I've missed anything, feel free to post any questions! I'm quite happy with my revived Galaxy Nexus.
    2
    Thanks so much for the post. My screen has been cracked for ages (touch input still works though), and I've been constantly told that because the glass is fused to the digitizer, it'll cost 160+ to replace. I'll definitely try this :) Also, could you check your PM?

    EDIT: Here are the links :

    4N6s4


    http://imgur.com/a/4N6s4

    Not sure if this is the screen replacement kit you bought but : http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...4277101&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT#ht_1290wt_958

    EDIT 2 :

    Not sure if this is the youtube vid either but : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4Gx5fLy0NQ
    2
    Oh man where were you 3 days ago?!?!?!?!

    I wanted to do the same after a slight crack on my screen, Got a 20$ glass off ebay and tried to remove it.. However I wasn't careful enough and broke the digitizesr!..

    I now have a broken Gnex and I dont know what to do.. Even the connector got ripped of..

    l-(

    You can buy a new AMOLED display assembly (display, digitizer and glass) for around $160, the connector comes attached to it and all you have to do it snap it on to the mainboard.
    2
    Well I've effectively destroyed my phone/rendered it unusable. For all of you trying to follow the method posted by OP, please make sure you know what you're doing before you get yourself into any trouble like I have:

    http://imgur.com/a/Msze6
    1
    Is there anyway to getoff glass from a bad display without breaking it nor the digitizer?

    Sent with love @tapa
    Its very hard to do, but possible. I just replaced the entire display assembly (make sure you get the correct one as the CDMA and GSM frames are different)
    The price has increased to around $80 now on ebay.

    quote ifixit:
    The glass is fused to both the display and the display frame. So don't crack the glass unless you're good with a heat gun, or you're fond of replacing the glass, display, and frame together ($$$).
    https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung+Galaxy+Nexus+Teardown/7182