This repair guide was authored by the iFixit staff and hasn’t been endorsed by Google. Learn more about our repair guides here.
If you're having issues with the earpiece speaker on your Google Pixel XL, use this guide to replace it!
The Pixel XL’s unreinforced display panel is fragile and is attached to the frame with strong adhesive, making repairs difficult. There is a considerable chance of breaking the display, especially if it already has micro-fractures. Be sure to apply plenty of heat and be extremely careful during the prying stage.
Heat an iOpener and apply it to the top edge of the display for two minutes.
A hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.
Take note of the following regions before you begin prying:
Thin adhesive lined against the display panel
Thick adhesive
The OLED display panel, which is very prone to damage
The display cable, which can be damaged during prying
Slide the opening clip across the top edge to slice through the adhesive.
Be sure not to cut deeper than 13 mm (0.5 inches) or you will damage the display.
There's a mesh covering the earpiece speaker on the top edge of the screen. If you don’t have a replacement mesh, take care not to damage or lose this component.
Leave an opening pick in the edge to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the display cable from its connector.
To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.
For comprehensive instructions on how to reinstall the Pixel XL display, follow this guide.
If your replacement display did not come with a speaker grille, use tweezers to gently peel the adhesive grille from your old display, and transfer it to the replacement.
Before installing a new display, be sure to remove all traces of adhesive from the frame. Use a spudger or an opening tool to scrape it off, and use high-concentration isopropyl alcohol to remove any residue.
If you are reinstalling the same display assembly, be sure to remove all adhesive residue from the panel and the frame before applying new adhesive.
Be sure to turn on your phone and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing the phone.
During the boot-up process after reassembly, the screen will go through a calibration sequence. Do not touch the screen during this process, as it could result in improper touch calibration and create touch issues.
Insert a separate opening pick into the right edge of the phone, near the bottom.
Slowly push the pick upwards along the seam until the first clip pops free.
Due to the tight tolerances, this may be difficult, requiring a substantial amount of force. If you are having trouble, try inserting and sliding a playing card.
Once you've released the clip, leave the opening pick in place to prevent the midframe from resealing.
Grasp the right edge of the midframe by the corners and slowly hinge the edge up.
When the left edge feels loose, stop hinging and lift the midframe upwards.
Remove the midframe.
To reinstall the midframe, align it to the case, then squeeze around the perimeter until all the clips snap back into position. When properly done, the midframe should lie flat.