Nintendo 3DS XL IR Board Replacement

Written By: Charlene Donlon

Comments: 64

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

15 minutes

Introduction

The guide will help take apart the Nintendo 3DS XL to uncover the motherboard, then identify the IR Board in order to be replaced.

Tools

Parts

Nintendo 3DS XL Circle Pad Control Board

Step 1

Loosen the two #0 Phillips 4.2 mm-length screws located at the top of the back cover.
The screws have locking washers that prevent the screws from falling off of the back cover. Leave these locking washers on the screws; it is not necessary to remove the washers for this repair guide.

Note: If your top or bottom screen was working before disassembly and doesn't work after reassembly, then it's likely that the connector is loose or dirty or damaged or not clipped or PLACED UPSIDE-DOWN. I had this issue with my Super3DS XL(2015) and it turns out that the reason why my top screen wasn't working after put together, was because I had the top LCD connector upside-down. After I correctly put the connector in, It worked again!

justjustintuber - 09/03/15

what type screwdriver do i use?!? its so small!!!!

Matthew - 18/03/18

I had success using a #00 Phillips head

Jake S - 30/04/21

Can't clip the front of the back cover back in

Macro Man -

I had trouble too, but got past it by slipping the bottom edge into the three indents first then easing the rest of the cover on!

Issu -

I found these were actually #00

Demosthien -

The screws in the 1st picture are stripped. What screwdriver head do I use?

Adric101 - 27/12/23

Step 2

Hold the device so that the cover is facing up.
Using a plastic opening tool, pry off the cover starting at the top right corner.
Hold the edge of the cover to ensure it does not reattach.
Look for the small section below the stylus compartment. Pry off the cover at that point if it is still attached.
Take off the cover of the device and set it aside.

Note that on the lower side (opposite to the hinges), there are small hooking tabs. These require you to lift the top (screw side) off towards you, then the lower area.

Jordan Kelly - 14/04/17

Step 3

Insert the plastic opening tool into the opening located on the right side of the battery.
Pry off the battery from the lower casing.
Lift the battery out of the case and set aside.

My 👴 grandpa was helping me 🔧 repair my 3ds xl and ⚡️electrocuted himself with the 🔋battery while we was taking it out with a 🔪 knife. 💀 Rip grandpa 😔

Corban Bennett - 01/07/22

Step 4

Using tweezers pull out the rubber bumpers that are located at the top of the device on either side of the game cartridge compartment.

I found that the rubber bumps don't move easily, you'll likely have to use a lot of upward force to move them.

jconnell85 - 21/07/15

I torn one of the bumpers because I used a needle instead.

luxusmirajane - 31/07/15

You do have a pry a bit. I tore one a little but not that big of a deal.

Christopher - 07/11/15

I think the ease of this step would be subject to the age and condition of the 3DS. Mine came out with minimal leverage using my nails.

infmz - 04/04/16

try twisting upward

Kmi Nguyen - 26/01/17

I used a super tiny metal screwdriver to push the bumper against one side and then used the screwdriver to push it up and out

S Maduras - 28/05/17

I tried tweezers but they were scraping against the plastic and I didn't want to leave any marks. Ended up using a tiny flat screwdriver to get them out like S Maduras said. Once I got them out I noticed there was a tiny bit of glue on the bottom holding them in place.

Anth Rodi - 07/06/17

My 3DS XL is so old that the rubber bumpers were very hard to remove.

So I tried to heat the rubber bumpers a little bit with a hair dryer for 15-20 seconds, with some pauses every 5 seconds in order to avoid overheating or damaging something as a precaution.

It worked well to remove them but the only drawback is that as my rubber bumpers already got damaged and scratched because of my previous attempts without heating first, heating it up after aggravated the scratch damages when I used tweezers.

So I would recommend heating the rubber bumpers moderately first and be gentle when using something that could scratch or damage them.

(Do not take my words for it, it may not work for you)

S. Tony Ly -

I was able to remove mine that were being very difficult with some dull tweezers. I used dull ones because I didn't want to scratch anything. First I wedged it between the plastic and the bumper, wiggled it a tiny bit, pulled it out, wedged it again in another spot and continued this until I got it out with my fingernail. Neither the bumper nor my shell were damaged.

Brently -

Step 5

Remove the six 6.2 mm screws using a Phillips #00 screwdriver

#000 ifixit philips screwdriver does not fit the 6.2mm screws. Whats the deal?

sevenethshinobi - 01/02/15

I have a 000 Phillips from tekton and it worked just fine.

Megan - 18/12/15

I stripped a good #000 screwdriver, and found that EVERY screw actually fit perfect and snug with a #00 screwdriver. Zero damage to the screws or the screwdriver with the #00.

Vannicke Trabeitt - 03/02/15

Don't buy the #000 screwdriver from this site! It's poorly made and strips the screws. I had to drill the screws out and replace them, it was very tricky and nearly broke my DS. Get a screwdriver from an electronics store.

sharga - 17/02/15

I bought and used the #00 screwdriver, and it worked perfectly for this.

I had also bought the #000, but I never needed it during the entire operation.

jconnell85 - 09/08/15

All 6 screws are exactly the same so you don't have to worry about mixing them up.

Christopher - 07/11/15

One of the screws in my 3ds XL seems to have its '+' engraving worn off, i can't seem to unscrew it, though the other 5 unscrewed properly. What should I do?

Potato Man - 26/07/16

J000 works better here.

Dom - 18/03/17

I stripped a screw in my 3ds xl and don’t know how to get it out. Do I have to use a drill or is there another way?

Troy Czaban - 20/07/20

Step 6

Remove the 2.3 mm screw located above the game cartridge slot with a Phillips #00 screwdriver.

between these two steps, the bottom two screws are not mentioned. make sure to take those out too ;)

anthony pullano -

Step 7

Make sure the SD card has been removed. With a plastic opening tool pry off the lower case starting at the bottom edge and working around the perimeter.
Two ribbon cables connect the case to the circuit board. Be careful to not pull the case too hard and rip the ribbon cables.

Make sure that you have removed your SD card, otherwise that'll keep you from completing this step.

jconnell85 - 21/07/15

Step 8

Remove the ribbon cables located underneath the left and right bumpers by prying up the base of the cables with a plastic opening tool.
Completely remove the lower case from the rest of the device and set aside.

The IR board is facing the wrong way.

Jordan - 03/08/14

Thank you so much for pointing that out, it was keeping my system from starting up and I thought I blew it!

Ryan Hescock - 24/12/14

Yup, that is definitely an upside-down IR board, and will result in a silent post error. It was driving me crazy trying to figure out why the system wouldn't start up.

alexmouravskiy - 08/04/15

That's it!! Thanks so much!! I've tinkered around about one month and couldn't get this thing to work...all because I've followed the guide here and looked the picture up twice so I don't put the IR-Board in the wrong way...

chfreydank - 18/08/16

Hehe. That would explain why it was not working ;-)

boma40 - 20/09/14

Thank you guys so much! I followed everything faithfully and it was DOA on startup. (Black screens, blue light). The IR board was backwards. These pictures need to be fixed. As-is, it shows a broken 3DS.

jtmuehlbauer - 08/06/16

You should always work on the device in a 3/4 open position- this allows the ribbon cables to have slack and will less likely tear, and is the only position the hinge pin can be removed or installed as it is keyed

Gabriel Wilkins -

Step 9

Position the device such that the game cartridge slot is located at the top.
Locate the circle pad on the right side of the device.
Remove the two 7.5 mm screws on the upper left and the bottom right corners.

This IR is bad side, diode IR must be UP

patholog - 22/06/17

Careful you don’t lose the little washer on the circle pad stem. It’s not held down by anything.

edwardsgreg - 04/10/20

Step 10

Using a plastic opening tool pop off the circle pad joystick.
Do not use excessive force with the plastic opening tool. There is a ribbon attaching the circle pad joystick to the motherboard that will remain attached.
There is a loose washer located in between the circle pad joystick and the circle pad. Use caution and do not lose this piece.

I found it easy to put my finger ontop of the board and apply a little pressure. When i popped off the board, my finger stopped it flying off.

Chris Ramsay - 05/01/16

I made a small mistake by popping the circle pad joystick and it went flying off and now im stuck trying to put it back in

magnus munoz - 26/02/19

Step 11

Using the flat head side of the spudger carefully lift up the retaining flap that attaches the circle pad ribbon to the motherboard.
Remove the ribbon and circle pad joystick.

The 'flat head' holds it in place when down, and you can reattach your ribbon cable when it's up, it only needs to be partway in so when you close the flat head, if your joystick board can't move easily in place then you've done it right, it it's too loose, try again to work the ribbon cable under.

jconnell85 - 21/07/15

The ribbon goes into the left side of the "flat head" right? Not the end that clamps down on the right? I'm having a !&&* of a time sliding the end of the ribbon into the little space between the flat head when it's up and the side of the terminal.

Sedroc Djeddi - 23/06/17

For those of you like me, who got stuck after the last step.

To understand how to actually remove the circle pad, continue with these steps at 21.

Nintendo 3DS Circle Pad Replacement

Hope it helps those after me. I almost ripped some cabling inside thinking I had to take out the motherboard.. luckily I didn't.

monk333y - 26/07/15

Just as what monk333y said, follow the Original 3DS steps. They are identical and you don't have to remove anymore big parts. The only annoying part is taking out the circle pad.

luxusmirajane - 31/07/15

I broke the retaining clip. It is not very strong and I used a bit too much force i think in opening the clip or pushing it back down. Thinking of using hot glue or something else to keep the circle pad ribbon in place.

Lawrence - 11/10/15

Did the hot glue work? I did the exact same thing now im not sure what to do…

Matthew Johnson - 09/08/18

How do you re attach the ribbons? do the just snap right into the motherboard?

petraogan - 02/02/16

thank you monk333y, the author of this guide needs to correct a couple of things and how hard would it be for her to add steps 21 onward from the other guide?

S Maduras - 28/05/17

step 11, if you're just replacing the button, you don't need to disconnect the circle pad ribbon from the motherboard.

S Maduras - 28/05/17

During re-assemblhy, note that the peg between the joystick mechanism and the circle pad is rectangular, and must fit into the matching rectangular socket on the circle pad.

Dan - 23/07/17

When testing the touchscreen, make sure you install the analog. Otherwise, the screen will act erratic. Thought I broke a brand new part. Just a heads up!

Hassan Sinanan - 03/01/18

The entire top part of my circle pad had broken off, so I had no problem getting the old one out. I actually had more trouble getting the ribbon cable back into the clip, and the new circle pad attached to the stick, than any other part.

That said, this was way, way easier than I expected it to be.

Emtu - 17/01/18

Step 12

Position the device such that the game cartridge slot is located at the top.
Locate the IR board located on the upper right side of the motherboard.
The IR board is installed upside-down in these photos by mistake. Installing it this way will result in your DS failing to start. Note the orientation of your IR board before you remove it, and reinstall it the same way.
Remove the IR board with a plastic opening tool by inserting the tool below the IR board and gently prying up.

The IR board appears to be upside down in this photo.

Eric - 05/12/15

One assumes they forgot to take the photo before removal and quickly put it back on upside down (accidentally) for the purposes of taking the photo.

Retro Gaming Repair - 29/06/16

Removing the IR board is actually a completely unnecessary step. It's absolutely fine to leave the IR board attached to the motherboard, it's then one less loose piece to go missing ;)

Retro Gaming Repair - 29/06/16

The reason they remove these "easily loosable" pieces is because there's an order to put the board back together or the 3DS won't turn on. This is for replacing the motherboard, which most of the time you will buy and it won't come with the microphone, volume or IR board. Use your head kiddo. If it's so easy to loose these pieces, you should keep better track of them. We might as well just not take out any screws as well because those are very easy to loose

Miles Holiman - 28/05/17

You should add this note to the other uses of this picture; I accidentally knocked that chip off and reinstalled it upside down. I was referencing the photos for replacing the joystick.

Infernal Dalek - 17/11/16

You skipped removing the microphopne.

Mykaila Brown - 28/01/17

In my 3DXL, there was no IR board: the parts were installed directly on the motherboard.

Dan - 23/07/17

I agree my 3dxl the IR board is also part of the motherboard and doesnt come off.

Anthony siracuse - 06/01/18

Conclusion

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

Author

Charlene Donlon

Member since: 08/04/14

10490 Reputation

4 comments

This guide was really helpful, I had to teardown my 3DS to remove a rice crispy that was stuck in the SD card reader, I don't know how it got there, I wasn't even eating cereals

Tony The Tiger - 10/02/15

was removing the analog stick really necessary?

8bitlooser - 18/12/16

So I have an original 3DS and a 3DS XL the 3DS Xl Works great but the 3DS won't turn on. I believe it is because I t has a missing IR Board. I am hoping to use the one on the 3DS XL. Do you think it will work?they look similar in the pictures..... Anyway I am confused as to why I have to take out the cirlepad??

AppleTopic -

if you are missing ir board the system will not boot?

Kostandinos Minas Talarantas -