Kobo Glo HD Display Replacement

Written By: Kevin Bhasi

Comments: 6

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

This guide shows how to remove/replace the EPD panel (including frontlight) on a Kobo Glo HD.

This guide applies to the Kobo Glo HD (model N437).

This guide does not apply to the Kobo Touch 2.0, and regular Kobo Glo and Touch models.

You will need to perform the display replacement in a room with little to no dust, as dust and/or scratches on the back of the EPD panel can result in artefacting and/or dead pixels.

As the display assembly and EPD panel are held on using adhesive, removing the display assembly from the bezel may result in a cracked bezel if you’re not careful, and removing the EPD panel from the display assembly may damage it.

Please exercise caution to not bend and/or puncture the battery in the process.

For best results when aligning the display, ensure that it’s displaying an image with a white background or border.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

If you haven't done so already, power off your eReader by holding down the power button for 3 seconds until the display refreshes to indicate that it has powered off.
Opening picks are required for this step as opening tools can be too wide to get into the gap between the rear cover and the side/front.
Start by inserting the pick into the area around the power button or Micro USB port.
Don't insert it too far, as that could result in damage to the power button, status indicator, and/or Micro USB port.
Then, slide the pick around to undo these clips.

Step 2

The rear cover should then pop off.

Step 3

Using the pointed end of your spudger, while holding your eReader using your other hand or a weight, disconnect the battery.

Step 4

If your eReader has a memory card instead of a storage chip, remove the memory card.
Don't lose, misplace, or damage this memory card, as it not only contains any books and any other data you downloaded or copied over, but it also contains the firmware, as well as the serial number and important files required for your eReader to be able to start up.
Image needed in position 1: innards after disconnecting the battery

what is the black thing called that you lift up from the connector? mine is broken and looking for replacement

aline van vlodrop -

Step 5

Using the flat end of your spudger and a pair of flat-bladed tweezers, disconnect the display.
Image needed: innards after disconnecting the battery and removing the start-up memory card

Step 6

Using the pointed end of your spudger, disconnect the frontlight.
Image needed: innards after disconnecting the battery, removing the start-up memory card, and disconnecting the display

Step 7

Using your screwdriver with a PH00 tip, remove these screws and set them aside.

Step 8

Use the flat end of your spudger to lift the top of the mainboard, and your fingers to slowly pull out the bottom.
Image needed: me pulling out the mainboard

Step 9

The mainboard has been removed.

Step 10

Remove these screws, and keep them aside.
Image needed: me unscrewing the bezel screws

Step 11

Now comes the start of the hard part.
Press down on the display to slowly free the display assembly from the bezel.
Don't press down too hard, as doing so may result in damage to the bezel.
This may take 5-15 minutes.

It might help to slightly warm the bezel up (for instance on a warm radiator or with a hair dryer) to weaken the glue and make it easier to separate the bezel from the display. Be prudent pressing though.

Frank van Berkel -

Step 12

Once you have freed the display assembly from the bezel, use the tweezers to reposition any bits of double-sided tape that may have come loose.
Image needed depicting this
Place the bezel off to the size, face up.
The front bezel has been removed.

Step 13

Press down on the display while using your fingernail in between the infrared light guide and mid-frame in order to separate the former from the latter and EPD panel that's still attached to it.
Don't press down too hard, as doing so may result in damage to the infrared light guide, which may result in erratic touch input and/or unresponsive areas on the display once reassembled.
The infrared light guide has been removed.

Step 14

Use your thumb and finger on the rear-facing side of the mid-frame to pry apart part of the mid-frame, enough for you to slip your plastic card into.
Don't press on the battery, as doing so can puncture it, resulting in damage and serious injury.
Slip the card in between the EPD panel and mid-frame, and pull it around the perimeter and push it in and out, in order to break adhesive holding the former in place.
You may need to use your thumb and finger to bend the mid-frame and break some of the adhesive.

Step 15

The EPD panel has been removed from the mid-frame.

Step 16

(Placeholder for details on preparing the EPD panel, lightly cleaning the back of it, adding double-sided tape)
Without the tape, the back of the EPD panel may get scratched by the midframe, and the infrared light guide won't sit flush with the bezel.
Do not press down on the display panel yet, in the event that the display may have to be removed again.

Step 17

(Placeholder for details on aligning the display panel to the mid-frame)

Step 18

Optionally, you can insert the memory card back onto the mainboard, and connect your eReader to an external power source in order to test the replacement EPD panel for any artefacts and/or dead pixels.
This process of testing EPD panels without connecting the battery, frontlight, touch, and/or pen input (depending on model) is basically the same process used by suppliers of new-old-stock EPD panels in China, when they sell them on online stores like AliExpress and/or eBay, which you would've most likely purchased your display panel from.
However, they would sometimes test displays on another device that uses the same display or used a display with similar specifications, in order to not have too many test devices around, for example, a Kobo Aura display tested using a Kindle Paperwhite 2, or a Likebook Mars display tested using a Dangdang Reader R7.
At this stage, you should not have the infrared light guide attached to the panel but not to the mid-frame, which is what the photo shows as I made mistakes while writing this guide, so that you don't have to.
You should instead have the display panel loosely attached to the mid-frame, without the infrared light guide and front bezel attached at this stage.
Connect a USB cable from a USB power adaptor or external battery to your eReader, and it should automatically power on.
Without the infrared light guide, you will not be able to navigate menus on your eReader and open a book or Pocket article, but you will still be able to use the power button to take it in and out of sleep mode, and power off.
Don't mind the weird selection of books in the middle row, but I had not removed the previous owner's sideloaded e-books before carrying out this repair.

My device refused to boot without the battery attached. It just blanks the screen and then turns itself off again. I thought it was the SD card at first that got corrupted but as soon as I attached the battery it started up fine.

Sarah -

Conclusion

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

Author

Kevin Bhasi

Member since: 26/12/14

1262 Reputation

3 comments

Thank you for the detailed guide! I don't know why this didn't show up on glo hd's page. Google found it for me.

Much much appreciated your work

One more point, is it reaaaally important to tape the display to the mid frame?

Soma Schicksal -

I don't know why this didn't show up on glo hd's page. Google found it for me.

I'll try to check the category settings. I remembered that the Glo HD page was messed up and I saw Kobo Aura tutorials listed under the Kobo Glo page.

Much much appreciated your work

Thanks! I'm actually busy working on other projects at the moment, and don't have the time to continue working on iFixit and Wikipedia articles, but I hope to find the time to continue doing so.

One more point, is it reaaaally important to tape the display to the mid frame?

Yes, I believe it is.

I actually didn't tape the display to the mid-frame on mine, as I don't actually have the tape I need, but as a result, the infrared light guide had sunken in after reassembly, and doesn't sit flush with the bezel like it would do with the tape in place. Other than that, it works.

Mine does have a dead pixel near the bottom right corner of the screen, but that was just from me incorrectly installing the display the first time around while writing the guide.

Kevin Bhasi - 18/03/22

Hi!

Thanks for this very clear guide! I was wondering if i wanted to test if the infrared light is working what is the minimal units and cables that have to be connected?

Thank you very much!

Alessandro -