How to Replace a Phone Back Panel (Glass or Plastic)

What you'll need

• Replacement back panel for your exact model & colour
• Hair dryer or heat gun (low setting)
• Plastic pry tool / guitar pick
• Suction cup
• Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) + lint-free cloth
• B-7000 adhesive or pre-cut adhesive sheet
• Rubber bands or clamps

Step-by-step

1. 1Heat the edges to soften the adhesive

   Run the dryer around the panel's border for 2–3 minutes, keeping it moving. You want the frame warm to the touch — that is enough to make the factory glue give.

2. 2Lift an entry point

   Place the suction cup near a corner (on tape if shattered), pull gently, and slip the pick into the gap. No gap yet? Re-heat — never force a metal tool in.

3. 3Slice the adhesive around the perimeter

   Slide the pick around all four sides in slow passes, re-heating any section that resists. Keep the pick shallow (2–3 mm) — deeper reaches fingerprint sensors and antenna ribbons on many models.

4. 4Remove the panel and check attachments

   Open the panel like a book and LOOK before lifting away: rear fingerprint sensors, camera-lens surrounds, and NFC/charging coils sometimes come with it. Any ribbon still attached must be released or transferred first.

5. 5Clean the frame completely

   Peel off all old adhesive, then wipe the mating surface with IPA until the cloth stays clean. New glue over old glue is why home repairs pop open a week later.

6. 6Transfer camera lenses / trim if needed

   If your new panel ships without the camera lens glass or speaker meshes, warm-transfer them from the old panel and seat them with a thin bead of B-7000.

7. 7Glue and fit the new panel

   Apply a thin, continuous 2 mm bead of B-7000 around the frame (or lay the pre-cut sheet), align the panel camera-end first, and press it down evenly.

8. 8Clamp and cure

   Wrap the phone snugly in rubber bands or clamp it between soft pads for 4–6 hours (overnight is better). Avoid using the phone during the cure — flexing breaks the fresh seal.

Common questions