Introduction
Use this guide to replace the speakers in your Steam Deck OLED.
The left and right speakers are tethered into a single cable, so they need to be replaced as a pair.
Remember to follow general electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety procedures while repairing your device.
You'll need replacement thermal paste and speaker adhesives to complete this repair.
What you need
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Power down your Steam Deck and unplug any cables.
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Tool used on this step:FixMat$36.95
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Use a T6 Torx driver to remove the eight 5.8 mm‑long screws securing the back cover.
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Insert an opening pick at an upward angle between the back cover and the front shell near one of the triggers.
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Slide your pick along the edge of the handle to release the clips securing it to the front shell.
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Reinsert your pick and slide it along the top and bottom edges until the back cover feels loose.
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Grip the unclipped handle and pull it away from the front shell to release the remaining clips.
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Remove the back cover.
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Grip the battery cable pull tab, located to the left of the battery.
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Firmly pull the battery cable straight away from the motherboard shield (toward the battery) to disconnect it.
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Tool used on this step:Tweezers$4.99
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Use a spudger to flip up the small white locking flap on the right button board interconnect cable ZIF connector.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's pull tab and slide it straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Insert an opening pick between the interconnect cable and the motherboard shield.
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Slide your pick along the shield to separate the cable.
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Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the two 3.8 mm‑long screws securing the top left and bottom left corners of the motherboard shield.
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If the speaker cable is taped to the bottom edge of the motherboard shield, gently peel it off.
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Remove the motherboard shield.
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Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the 3.3 mm‑long screw securing the SSD.
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Grip the end of the SSD and pull it away from its M.2 board connector to remove it.
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Remove the SSD.
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Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the three 3.3 mm‑long screws securing the heat sink.
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Tool used on this step:Tweezers$4.99
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Use the point of your spudger to flip up the small black locking flap on the right button board ZIF connector in the bottom left corner of the board.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the pull tab and slide the cable straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Slide an opening pick between the left side of the cable and the speaker.
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Slide your pick toward the motherboard to separate the adhesive securing the cable.
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Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the edges of the fan connector and walk it side-to-side out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Use the point of your spudger to flip up the small locking flap on the audio board ZIF connector in the upper right corner of the motherboard.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's pull tab and pull it straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Slide one arm of angled tweezers under the metal neck of the gray antenna cable connector in the bottom right corner of the motherboard.
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Gently lift the connector to disconnect it.
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Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the edges of the speakers connector and walk it side-to-side out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Use your T6 Torx driver to remove the three 3.7 mm‑long screws securing the motherboard.
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Lift the top edge of the motherboard and flip it over the bottom edge of the frame to access the screen cable underneath.
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Use the point of your spudger to flip up the locking flap on the outside edge of the screen ZIF connector.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the screen cable pull tab and slide the cable straight out of its socket to disconnect it.
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Insert the flat end of your spudger between the right speaker and the frame.
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Slowly pry up the speaker to separate the adhesive securing it.
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Tool used on this step:Tweezers$4.99
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If the speaker adhesive stayed on the speaker mesh, use tweezers or your fingers to remove it.
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Grab the right speaker and unhook its cable from the two retaining tabs in the midframe.
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Peel the cable and its tape from the midframe, just to the left of the battery.
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As you remove the left speaker in the next three steps, hold the interconnect cable out of the way as necessary.
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Insert the flat end of your spudger between the left speaker and the frame.
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Slowly pry up the speaker to separate the adhesive securing it.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to peel the rightmost speaker cable tape from the midframe.
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Remove the speakers.
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Use the white lines on the cable near the speakers as markers to align the length of the cable with the notches in the frame.
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Route the left side of the cable underneath the screen cable.
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Use the third photo as a reference to route the cables through the retaining tabs and notches in the midframe.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Steam Deck OLED answers community for help.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Steam Deck OLED answers community for help.
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