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Game Boy Screen Replacement

Device	Game Boy
Difficulty	Very difficult
Time	30 minutes - 1 hour
Steps	12

This guide is by Andrew Tramposch on iFixit and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0. ByteRot mirrors it for non-commercial preservation: formatting changed and photos resized for old browsers; full-size photos and the text are on the FTP in /DOCS/REPAIR. Original guide >>

How to access and replace the black and white LCD screen in your original Game Boy. This is an advanced repair. You'll need to know how to solder to complete this repair, so be sure to check out iFixit's soldering technique guide. (https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+To+Solder+and+Desolder+Connections/750)

Note: If your Game Boy's display has the classic "vertical lines" problem, it's actually easier to fix the old screen than to replace it with a new one. Follow this guide for help repairing the old screen. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4PArFarm_k)

Tools: Phillips #00 Screwdriver; Tri-point Y1 Screwdriver; iFixit Opening Tool; Tweezers; ChipQuik SMD Removal Kit; Soldering Workstation

Parts: Game Boy Screen

Step 1 :: Batteries

• Switch your Game Boy off and remove the cartridge.

Step 2

• Use a fingernail (or small coin) to push down on the battery door latch and remove the battery door.
• NOTE: The release latch is a plastic spring clip. If your Game Boy is getting on in years, be careful as the plastic may be brittle.
• REMINDER: When you're replacing the cover, be sure to get its two plastic tabs into the slots in the bottom of the battery compartment before pushing the cover back in place.

Step 3

• Use a fingernail to pry each battery outward from the positive (+) terminal to remove them.
• CAUTION: Dispose of used batteries properly!
• NOTE: Remove the batteries from your Game Boy before storing it for more than a month or so.

Step 4

• Remove the six Triwing screws from the back of the device.

Step 5

• Gently separate the device's front casing from the back casing after you remove the screws.
• CAUTION: Be careful not to completely separate the casing halves, as they are still joined by a large ribbon cable that may be damaged.

Step 6

• Slide the front side of the casing down to expose the ribbon cable connector.

Step 7

• Grip the ribbon connector with your thumb and forefinger. Pull down gently until the connector, not the ribbon itself, comes out of its socket.
• Separate the front and back casings.

Step 8

• Remove the ten screws that connect the circuit board to the outer case.

Step 9

• Remove the circuit board from the outer case using a plastic opening tool.
• NOTE: Take care to gently pry around the entire outside edge of the circuit board until you can easily remove the board without force.

Step 10

• Disengage the the three plastic clips that secure the screen to the circuit board.

Step 11

• Flip the circuit board over revealing the device screen.
• Remove the two screws connecting the screen and the circuit board.

Step 12

• Follow the video instructions to desolder the display connectors and replace your screen.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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