Google Pixel 1 Camera Repair

***Let your Pixel's battery drain below 25% before starting this repair.*** A charged lithium‑ion battery may catch fire if damaged.

Unplug all cables and completely power down your phone.

Glass shards can complicate disassembly—or worse, cause injury. If your phone's back glass is cracked, follow this step.

Apply strips of packing tape to the cracked glass until it's completely covered—this will help keep the glass contained and allow the suction cup to stick.

Make sure there's a ***single strip*** (''not'' overlapping) of tape across the ***bottom edge***, big enough for a suction cup to fit on.

Only cover the glass itself—don't stick any tape to the frame.

Consider wearing safety glasses to protect your eyes from any glass shaken free during the repair.

Adhesive secures the back glass to the frame. Heating the glass softens the adhesive, making it easier to separate.

Alternatively, you can use a [guide|157348|hair dryer|new_window=true] or [guide|151116|heat gun|new_window=true] to heat the back glass.

Only heat your phone so it's just hot to the touch. Extreme heat can damage the battery, screen, or internal components.

Apply a suction handle to the center of the back glass's bottom edge, as close to the edge as possible.

Pull up on the suction handle with strong, steady force until a gap forms between the back glass and frame.

Insert the tip of an opening pick into the gap.

The back glass is secured with adhesive around the perimeter of the frame. Use this picture as a reference while you separate the adhesive.

A cable connects the back glass near the power button. ***Don't insert your pick here to avoid damaging the cable***.

If the back glass feels stuck at any point during the next few steps, apply heat to the area and try again.

Slide the opening pick along the bottom edge to separate the adhesive.

Leave the pick inserted under the bottom left corner to prevent the adhesive from re‑sealing.

Insert a second pick under the bottom left corner and slide it up the left edge, ***stopping at the power button***.

Leave the pick inserted to prevent the adhesive from re‑sealing.

Insert a third pick under the bottom right corner of the back glass and slide it up the right edge.

Leave the pick inserted under the top right corner.

Insert a fourth pick under the top right corner.

Slide the pick along the top edge and slightly around the top left corner, stopping at the bottom of the camera bump.

Don't try to fully remove the screen yet, as it's still connected by a ribbon cable.

Flip the back glass over the left side of the phone and use the suction handle (or a sturdy object) to prop it up.

If the back glass still feels stuck, go back around the perimeter with an opening pick and separate any remaining adhesive.

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the two 5.0 mm‑long screws securing the back glass connector bracket.

Use tweezers or your fingers to remove the bracket.

Be careful not to scratch or smudge the rear cameras.

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the back glass [guide|25629|press connector|stepid=70308|new_window=true].

Remove the back glass.

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the two 5.0 mm‑long screws securing the motherboard cover.

Use a spudger to lift the motherboard cover and gently flip it towards the bottom of the phone.

Be careful not to damage the delicate graphite sheet that connects the cover.

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery [guide|25629|press connector|stepid=70308|new_window=true].

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the 5.0 mm‑long screw securing the front camera bracket.

Use the point of a spudger to push the front camera bracket's [link|https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/SuOvIZjmCfF5xka1.full|clip|new_window=true] in and up to release it.

Remove the bracket.

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the two 5.0 mm‑long screws securing the mic cover.

Remove the mic cover.

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the three rear camera press connectors.

Remove the rear cameras.

Congratulations on completing disassembly! ***The remaining steps will show how to reassemble your phone.***

Place the rear cameras onto the motherboard.

Use your finger to press down and connect the three rear camera press connectors.

Put the mic cover back in place near the top left corner.

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to install the two 5.0 mm‑long screws securing the mic cover.

Slide the top corners of the front camera bracket under the lip in the frame and press the clip in to secure it.

Be careful not to touch the rear cameras.

Check the condition of the motherboard thermal pad—it'll either be on the bottom edge of the board or on the underside of the cover.

If the thermal pad is damaged, follow the next two steps to replace it. Otherwise, [guide|196809|skip down two steps|stepid=405520].

Be careful when working on the motherboard cover in the next two steps, as it's still connected by delicate graphite film. If you damage the film, you'll need to replace it with a [product|IF356-595|new one|new_window=true].

Use the flat end of a spudger to gently scrape up and remove all the old thermal pad from the board and cover.

Use high‑concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol and a coffee filter (or lint‑free cloth) to clean up any thermal pad residue from the board and cover.

Allow the alcohol to dry completely before continuing.

Remove the larger liner (without cutouts) from the thermal pad.

Lay the thermal pad in its square cutout on the underside of the motherboard cover.

Press down firmly on the entire surface of the pad with your finger or the flat end of a spudger.

Slowly peel up the remaining liner.

If the pad starts to peel up with the liner, press it back into place and try again.

Use your finger to press down and connect the battery press connector.

Gently flip the motherboard cover up and back into place.

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to install the two 5.0 mm‑long screws securing the motherboard cover.

Before installing new adhesive, all the old adhesive and its residue must be completely removed from the frame.

Take your time during the next two steps. A clean frame allows replacement adhesive to lay totally flat, ensuring a better seal for your back glass.

Removing all the old adhesive can be very tricky and time‑consuming.

Use the point of a spudger to remove all the old screen adhesive from the frame. Try to "roll" the adhesive onto itself so it balls up, making it easier to remove.

If you're having trouble removing smaller chunks, apply a single drop of high‑concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol and scrape them up with your spudger.

Wrap a microfiber or lint‑free cloth around a spudger and apply a single drop of high‑concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol to the end.

Use the spudger to clean up all the remaining adhesive residue from the frame, applying more drops of alcohol as necessary.

If you're reinstalling your original back glass, repeat the procedures in the previous two steps on the back glass to clean it.

Before applying the back glass adhesive, make sure you know how it will sit on the frame. If you apply the adhesive incorrectly, you'll need to restart with new adhesive.

Hold the adhesive above the frame to find its orientation. Use the rear camera cutout in the liner to help visualize how it will lay in the frame.

Peel down the ***top half*** of the large, clear liner to expose the adhesive—don't fully remove the liner yet.

Take your time aligning the adhesive with the frame—it's very sticky and can't be moved after you apply it.

With the larger, clear liner folded towards the bottom of the phone, lay the exposed top edge of the adhesive onto the frame.

Use the lip of the frame to help align the adhesive.

Once the top edge is properly aligned, gently press down on the top corners to secure the adhesive.

Slowly lay the rest of the adhesive onto the frame, pressing it into place and peeling away the larger liner as you go.

Use a spudger to press down firmly on the adhesive to secure it to the frame.

Slowly peel up and remove the large colored liner, gripping it from the cutout near the top edge.

If the adhesive starts to peel up with the liner, check that you’ve pushed all of it into place with your spudger. If it continues to peel up, hold it down with the point of your spudger as you go.

Use a spudger to press down firmly on the adhesive to secure it to the frame.

If you're installing a new back glass, your replacement will have various protective liners and pieces of tape on the underside that must be removed. Your part may have different pieces in different locations, so make sure to check carefully!

Remove all liners from the underside of the back glass, paying special attention to the front camera cutouts and bottom edge.

Usually, you can identify the liners by their pull tabs.

Apply a suction handle to the back glass and prop it up on the left side of your phone, so the cable is near its connector.

Alternatively, you can use a sturdy object (such as a stack of books) to prop up the back glass.

Use the flat end of a spudger to connect the back glass press connector to its socket.

This can be tricky, as there's very little play in the cable. Move the back glass as necessary to help, and don't try to force the connector into place—reposition it and try again.

Put the cable's bracket back in place, making sure the tab on the right edge goes [link|https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/EbxfkMOTUBevHTQn.full|under its groove|new_window=true].

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to install the two 5.0 mm‑long screws securing the bracket.

Remove the remaining liners from the back glass adhesive.

If the adhesive starts to peel up with the liner, check that you’ve pushed all of it into place with your spudger. If it continues to peel up, hold it down with the point of your spudger as you go.

Flip the back glass onto the frame and press it firmly into place.

Hold your phone up and squeeze firmly around the perimeter to strengthen the bond.

For an even stronger bond, you can [guide|165811|stack books on the back glass|stepid=349253|new_window=true] or use [guide|142291|screen vise clamps|new_window=true].