Samsung Galaxy S5 mainboard repair guide

Water damage? Here’s how you remove the logic board for cleaning.

In this repair guide, we show you how to remove your Samsung Galaxy S5’s logic board on your own. You need to remove the logic board if you want to clean it after water damage.

Your Samsung Galaxy S5 will no longer be waterproof after this repair.

Required tools

Heat gun

Heat gun

You can use a heat gun to heat parts that are glued on so they’re easier to remove. In most cases, you can also use a hairdryer.
from €15.99 on Amazon
Menda ESD Spudger

Menda ESD Spudger

You need a flat plastic prying tool to disconnect the various plugs and connectors.
from €26.38 on Amazon
Steel Laboratory Spatula

Steel Laboratory Spatula

You need a flat and sturdy prying tool to disconnect glued parts.
on Amazon
Phillips PH00 screwdriver

Phillips PH00 screwdriver

You need the right screwdriver for removing PH00 screws.
from €10.84 on Amazon

Show all replacement parts for the Galaxy S5

Steps

16 Steps

Removing the back cover

Step 1

Removing the battery

Step 2

Removing the SIM card

Step 3

Disconnecting the Home button cable

Step 4

Disconnecting the display

Step 5

Disconnecting the frame components

Step 6

Removing the logic board

Step 7

Removing the cameras

Step 8

Installing the cameras

Step 9

Installing the logic board

Step 10

Connecting the frame components

Step 11

Attaching the display

Step 12

Installing the Home button cable

Step 13

Inserting the SIM and microSD cards

Step 14

Installing the battery

Step 15

Attaching the back cover

Step 16

Getting started with the repair of your Galaxy S5

If you get stuck or have questions, you can post a comment. We’d be happy to help.

16 steps

Removing the back cover
Insert the spudger into the gap next to the standby button. Carefully lift the back cover. There are 18 clips on the outside under the back cover. You have to disconnect them by moving the spudger around the entire smartphone one time. Alternatively, you can detach the back cover using your fingernails.

Then you can take off the back cover.
Removing the battery
If your Samsung Galaxy’s still on, turn it off now by holding down the standby button for about three seconds and following the prompt on the display.

Now use the spudger or your fingertip to lift the battery (see figure 1) and then remove it (see figure 2).
Removing the SIM card
Use your finger to push out the SIM card and remove it.

Repeat this process if you’ve installed a microSD card.
Disconnecting the Home button cable
Remove the 3 Phillips screws that hold the upper plastic cover in place (see figure 1).
3 x 4.4 mm Phillips screws

Now lift off the little gray cap (see figure 2). The Home button connector is below it.

Use the pointed tip of the spudger to disconnect the connector (see figure 3).
Disconnecting the display
The Samsung Galaxy S5’s display is glued firmly in place. To detach it, you have to constantly heat it with a heat gun so the glue will soften. Then you have to insert a plastic pick into the gap between the frame and the display to detach the adhesive.Figure 1 shows the display from above. We added a mirror image of the back of the display with just 10% coverage so you can see where the cables are under the display.Heat the appropriate section before each step.

Insert the plastic pick up to 1.7 cm (see figure 2).

Insert the plastic pick up to 1.2 cm (see figure 3).

Insert the plastic pick up to 1.2 cm (see figure 4). Just 0.2 cm in front of the Home button. Use the spudger for the last section.
Heat the display and lift it carefully. You have to carefully guide the Home button cable through the midframe in this process.

Insert the plastic pick up to 0.5 cm (see figure 5).

Insert the plastic pick up to 0.3 cm (see figure 6).

Now carefully continue lifting the display so you can disconnect the display connector from the logic board (see figure 7).
Disconnecting the frame components
Remove the 10 Phillips screws that hold the plastic cover in place (see figure 1).
10 x 3.3 mm Phillips screws

This part is tricky and takes a lot of patience. You have to separate the gray part of the frame whose outer edge looks chrome-plated from the rest of it. Press down the gray frame between the headphone output and the rear camera while using your other fingers to press the outer chrome frame upward (see figures 2 and 3) and push out the black metal frame.

Continue with the volume buttons on the opposite side (see figures 4 and 5).

There are more clips, which you have to detach with the laboratory spatula, where the battery was (see figures 6 and 7).

JNow you can carefully pull off the gray chrome frame. Be careful with the dock connector (see figure 8).

A little gray cover that used to be next to the Home button cover will also fall off.
Removing the logic board
Remove the Phillips screw attaching the logic board to the frame (see figure 1).
1 x 3.0 mm Phillips screw

Disconnect the white and blue antenna cables from the logic board, using the spudger to carefully lift off the cables at the cable heads (see figures 2 and 3).

The connector for the dock connector cable is under the logic board at the level of the antenna connector. Disconnect it (see figures 4 and 5).
Removing the cameras
Now you can disconnect the cameras’ connectors. Be very careful (see figures 1 and 2).

Installing the cameras
Now plug the cameras’ connectors into the corresponding contacts. Use your finger to carefully press them into place. Only use as much pressure as you need for the contacts to gently click into place.
Installing the logic board
Connect the dock connector cable’s connector to the logic board (see figure 1) and fit it properly into the frame. Make sure the blue and white antenna cables aren’t under the board (see figure 2).

Connect the blue and white antenna cables and then put them back in the cable guide. Be very careful because the contacts could bend if they’re not connected right.

Now fasten the screw for the logic board (see figure 3).
1 x 3.0 mm Phillips screw
Connecting the frame components
Now put the interior metal frame back in the gray plastic cover. Start at the dock connector (see figure 1) and firmly press the two frame components together.

Then screw them together.
10 x 4.0 mm Phillips screws
Attaching the display
First, you have to check whether the old glue is still sticky enough. If not, replace it.

Now connect the display cable again and guide the Home button cable through the metal frame (see figure 1).

Turn your Samsung Galaxy S5 on and check whether all the features of the SGS S5 work. Enter the following characters in the call app’s keypad to get to the test menu: *#0*#

If everything’s working, you have to press the display firmly onto the metal frame.
Installing the Home button cable
Securely connect the Home button connector again (see figure 1).

Put the little gray cap on it (see figure 2).

Fasten the 3 Phillips screws that hold the upper plastic cover in place again (see figure 3).
3 x 4.4 mm Phillips screws
Inserting the SIM and microSD cards
Now slide the SIM card and the microSD card, if you have one, back into the corresponding slots.
Installing the battery
Put the battery back in. The +/- symbols have to be touching the contact point.
Attaching the back cover
It’s very easy to put the back cover back on. Put it on in the correct position and press it on all the way around the phone until it’s completely clicked into place.