Galaxy A71 - Replacing the screen

Before you start your repair, we recommend that you test the basic functions of your phone using our checklist.This way you can rule out the possibility that anything has been damaged during the repair.

Switch off your A71 after testing to avoid a potential short circuit.

1. To do this, first press and hold the side and volume down key simultaneously for a few seconds.
2. Tap on "Switch off" in the displayed menu.
3. Your phone will now shut down completely within a few seconds.

The Galaxy A71 is opened via the firmly adhered plastic back cover. To remove it, you first have to heat the adhesive film with hot air. Use a hot air device such as a heat gun or a regular hair dryer.

1. First, place your phone face down on a soft, clean surface.
2. Move the hot air device evenly over the edge of the back cover.

A rule of thumb: The edge of the back cover should only be heated up to a point where you can still touch it without burning your fingers.

As soon as the edge of the back cover has warmed up sufficiently, you can start to carefully remove it from the middle frame.

Opening the Galaxy A71 will void the manufacturer's warranty.

1. Place a suction cup in the lower part of the back cover and pull it upwards to create a narrow gap between back cover and middle frame.
2. At the same time try to insert a flat, stable tool into the gap to enlarge it. We recommend the iFlex for this.

The iFlex is made of very thin, stable metal and has sharp edges.To avoid scratching the frame of your device, we recommend to use the iFlex only at the beginning and to continue as early as possible with a plastic tool.The easiest way to insert your tool is to place it in one of the two corners of the lower frame of your device.

In the next step the back cover can be completely detached and removed.

Be careful not to insert your tool too far into the device to avoid damaging components.

1. Remove the back cover from the middle frame piece by piece by moving a plastic tool along the edge of the back cover. For this purpose we use the iPlastix.

1. Insert flat plastic picks at the loosened points of the back cover frame at regular intervals, so that the adhesive cannot rebond.

Warm up the glue with hot air at regular intervals to make it easier to loosen.

1. One the back cover is entirely detached, unfold it carefully and put it aside.

• 14 × 3.4 mm Phillips

The middle frame is firmly hooked into the display unit with plastic lugs. Before you can take it off, the SIM tray must be removed.

1. First loosen all screws that fix the middle frame to the display unit with a Phillips screwdriver.

For the storage of loosened screws and small components it is advisable to use a screw storage box. We recommend our magnetic pad for this purpose. On this pad, the removed components can be arranged in the same way as they were installed in the telephone.

1. Then press with a SIM tool or other pointed object into the small opening next to the SIM tray to be able to pull it out of the middle frame.

You can now start to separate the middle frame from the display unit. We recommend to take your Galaxy A71 in your hand for this.

1. Insert a flat, stable tool between middle frame and display unit. We use a hard plastic pick for this step.

1. Separate the plastic lugs of the middle frame from the display unit by running your tool once along the middle frame and pressing it upwards at the same time.
2. Put the middle frame to the side and turn the display unit with the screen down again.

• Connector

To prevent a short circuit during the repair, you should disconnect the battery from the mainboard as soon as possible.

When detaching the battery connector make sure that you start from the side where there are no small components on the board. This will prevent possible damage.

1. Use a sturdy plastic lever tool to slide under the battery connector and carefully lift it off. We recommend a handy plastic spudger for this purpose.

• Connector

Above the battery runs a flex cable that connects the mainboard and the USB board.

When detaching the flex cable connectors make sure that you start from the side where there are no small components on the board. This way you avoid possible damage.

1. Use the plastic spudger to move under the flex cable connectors one after the other, and carefully lift them off.
2. Then put the detached flex cable aside.

• 1 × 2.9 mm Phillips
• Connector

Attached on the mainboard is the cable of the mobile phone. The board itself is fastened with a Phillips screw to the display unit.

When detaching the antenna connector make sure that you start from the side where there are no small components on the board. This will prevent possible damage.

1. First loosen the antenna cable from the board by carefully lifting the metal head of the cable upwards with a pair of tweezers.
2. Then loosen the single screw of the mainboard and take it out with your fingers.

After removing the mainboard the earpiece is exposed. It must be transferred to the new screen.

1. Carefully lever it out of its guide in the display unit with tweezers.

The small notch at the edge of the plastic guide will help you to correctly position your tool.

Also the vibration motor must be transferred to the new screen.

1. Carefully lever it out of its guide in the display unit with tweezers.

The small notch at the edge of the plastic guide will help you to correctly position your tool.

• 2 × 2.9 mm Phillips
• Connector

Before the USB board can be detached, the fingerprint sensor must be removed. It is fixed with two screws.

When detaching the connector of the fingerprint sensor, make sure that you start from the side where there are no small components on the board. This will prevent possible damage.

1. Use a plastic spudger to gently lever connector of the fingerprint sensor off the USB board.
2. Remove the two Phillips screws that attach the sensor to the USB board and then take it out using tweezers.

• Connector

On the USB board the other end of the mobile phone cable as well as the display connector are attached. The board itself is glued to the display unit.

When detaching connectors make sure that you start from the side where there are no small components on the board. This will prevent possible damage.

1. First detach the display connector from the USB board with a spudger.
2. Also detach the connector of the mobile phone cable by carefully lifting it off the board with a pair of tweezers.
3. Take the now completely loosened mobile phone cable out of its guide and put it aside.
4. Finally, lever the USB board from the display unit with a spudger and put it aside as well.

A small notch at the edge of the USB board helps you to position your tools correctly.

The battery of the Galaxy A71 is glued in the display unit over a wide area. In order to remove it, you must first heat the glue with hot air.

Never heat the heat-sensitive battery directly, but always from the side of the screen only .When removing the battery, take care not to bend it or damage it otherwise.

1. Turn your phone with the screen facing up and move hot air evenly over the area where the battery is located.
2. Turn the display unit over again and use a sturdy plastic tool to slide it under one edge of the battery to gently lift it up. We use the battery spudger for this.
3. If the battery is slightly loosened, you can use a flat, flexible tool such as the iPlastix to slide it under the battery to completely detach it from the display unit.

• Protective film

Before you can install your replacement screen, you have to prepare it.

1. First remove all existing protective foils and seals from the new screen.
2. Then compare the replacement screen with your old one to check whether any small components still need to be taken over.

• Connector

At this point you can reinstall all removed components one by one into the replacement screen.

Since we did not install a new replacement screen for this repair guide, the following photos still show the old display unit with adhesive residues.

1. Start by placing the USB board in its original position and press it slightly.

1. Reattach the connector of the mobile phone antenna cable on the USB board by gently pressing it until it audibly and noticeably locks into place.
2. Using tweezers, push the cable back into its guide on the edge of the display unit.
3. Then also reattach the display connector on the board.

• 2 × 2.9 mm Phillips
• Connector

Now insert the fingerprint sensor again.

1. Place the sensor in its original position on the USB board.

Never attach connectors with force. Damaging a connector can lead to the failure of an entire component.

1. Attach the connector of the sensor by pressing it firmly until you feel it click into place.
2. Screw the fingerprint sensor to the USB board with two Phillips screws.

Before you put the mainboard back in place, you have to reinstall the vibration motor.

1. Put the component back into its guide on the display unit with tweezers.
2. Then press it firmly.

Also the earpiece must be reinstalled before inserting the mainboard.

1. Put the earpiece back into its guide on the display unit using tweezers.
2. Then press it firmly.

• 1 × 2.9 mm Phillips
• Connector

At this point you can reinsert the mainboard.

1. Put the board back into the display unit and press it firmly.

Take care not to pinch the antenna cable when inserting the board.

1. Fix it with the single Phillips screw.

Never attach connectors with force. Damaging a connector can lead to the failure of an entire component.

1. Then attach the antenna cable to the mainboard by carefully pressing the connector.

At this point the battery can be inserted again.

Normally the adhesive residues on the battery's back are sufficient to fix it properly. However, thicker lumps can prevent the battery from lying evenly.

1. If necessary, remove the adhesive residues and apply a new adhesive surface. We recommend our universal adhesive strips at this point.

The battery must be aligned correctly. The battery connector helps you with it.

1. Finally, press the battery firmly into the display unit.

• Connector

After inserting the battery, the flex cable can be reconnected.

1. Position the flex cable above the battery. The labels on the cable help you align it correctly.

Never attach connectors with force. Damaging a connector can lead to the failure of an entire component.

1. Attach the flex cable connectors on the mainboard and the USB board each.

• Connector

Now also reconnect the battery.

Never attach connectors with force. Damaging a connector can lead to the failure of an entire component.

1. Carefully press the battery connector on the mainboard, so that you can hear and feel it click into place.

Once the battery is connected, the middle frame can be reattached.

1. Place the middle frame on the display unit and press it firmly so that it clicks into place from all sides.

Make sure that the frame does not protrude anywhere.

• 14 × 3.4 mm Phillips

To complete the attachment of the middle frame, the SIM tray must be reinstalled. In addition, the frame is screwed together.

1. Slide the SIM tray into the middle frame of your Galaxy A71.

The printing on the SIM tray must point towards the screen.

If the SIM tray does not slide in easily, the mainboard may not be seated properly.

1. Finally fix the middle frame to the display unit with the Phillips screws.

Before you glue the back cover of your A71 again, you should test the functionality of the replacement screen.

1. Switch on your phone and enter *#0*# in the number field to access the Samsung test menu.
2. For example, test whether the new screen shows the colors correctly and whether the touch works everywhere on the screen.

You can also test other components, such as the vibration motor and speakers.

1. If everything works as expected, you can close the device. If not, check again if everything is properly installed and connected.

Normally the adhesive residues on the edge of the back cover are sufficient to close your smartphone. However, clumps of glue can cause the back cover to not lie evenly. So if you want to be on the safe side, remove the residues and attach a new adhesive frame.

1. First remove the old adhesive frame from the inside of the back cover.
2. Align the new frame with the back cover on trial.

The corners of the adhesive frame are different and will help you align it correctly.

1. Once the frame is correctly aligned, you can pull off the first protective film from the frame's bottom and press the frame on the edge of the back cover.

A spudger will help you to attach the frame as smooth as possible.

1. Now remove the remaining films from the top of the adhesive frame, so that only the black adhesive film remains on the edge of the back cover.

Once the repair is complete, the Galaxy A71 is closed with the back cover.

1. Position the back cover over the display unit.
2. Press it evenly by running your fingers once along the entire edge of the back cover.
3. Finally, heat the back cover again, and weigh it down for half an hour, so that the glue can bond firmly again.

We used clamps to press the back cover firmly back into place. To weigh it down, you can simply use a heavy object, such as a thick book.