Nintendo DS Upper LCD Screen Replacement

Written By: dnguye26

Comments: 21

Nintendo DS Upper LCD Screen Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

20 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

The purpose of this guide is to explain how to replace the upper LCD screen in a Nintendo DS. All tools needed to fix the screen can be referenced or bought in the tool section below. Care should be taken when removing and moving the ribbon cables to make sure not to tear, break, or damage them. Care should also be taken when the screen is removed from the case to make sure not to tear, break, or damage the black and red wires connecting the two circuit boards. Damage to either of these components might not be able to be fixed and will not be covered in this guide. The proper tools and handling must be used to prevent damage to these components.

Tools

Step 1

Remove the cartridge from the console.
Use a Phillips #00 Screwdriver to remove the screw securing the battery door to the rear case.
Remove the battery door.
In the images, it shows that the fixer is using a flathead screwdriver. This flathead screwdriver will work just like the Phillips #00 Screwdriver.

Step 2

Use a plastic opening tool or spudger to pry out the battery from the bottom. If a plastic opening tool or spudger isn't available, your fingernails may work.

Step 3

Remove the battery from the Nintendo DS.

Step 4

Remove the seven 6.4mm Y00 screws located on the back.
If your DS has a lanyard attached to it, you can remove it to make the process of opening the top-left screw easier.

Step 5

With your hands, pry the back panel off the main case.
Separate the back from the front, and set it aside.

If some of your screws spin free but can’t be removed, it maybe that the screw posts have separated from the shell.

This makes separating the back panel more difficult, but it will still work.

The plastic used for the original silver nds may be the most prone to the UV damage that causes the plastic to become brittle.

Del Riordan - 09/01/21

Step 6

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the four screws on the circuit board.
Be careful NOT to slip with the screwdriver, you can damage the circuit board!

Step 7

Unlock the two large ribbon cables by moving the black clip up.
Carefully pull the ribbon cables down and out with your fingers.
Do not use pliers to pull the cables, as they can be damaged easily.

Benutze für die nächsten Schritte besser einen Spudger und keine Pinzette,

sonst läufst du Gefahr eines der Kabel oder die Platine selbst zu beschädigen.

Better use a Spudger, not a Tweezer for the next Steps.

That minimize the risk to demolish one of the wires or the mainboard himself.

Christian - 27/03/20

That’s what i did but it didn’t work

TrequanBlake - 09/10/20

Step 8

Locate the two small ribbon cables, beneath the rightmost large ribbon cable.
Slide the locks for the small ribbon cables down to the side, and remove the cables.
It may be useful to use tweezers to remove the small ribbon cables.
Be careful not to damage the delicate ribbon cables.

Does anyone know where I can get a new connector for the P6 connector? I can only find them for the ds lite

Matthew Leto -

"Slide the locks for the small ribbon cables down to the side, and remove the cables." Could mention that you are pushing them from the right to the left/towards where the cables are coming from. To the side sounds like towards the right edge

M Beck -

Step 9

Locate the Wifi antenna pigtail connector.
Remove the antenna by grasping it at the head with tweezers. Using a slight rocking motion, pull up to dislodge the connector.

Step 10

Feed the ribbon cables through the opening on the board.
Pull up and remove the circuit board, and set it aside.

Where's 11 and 12

Lucy -

Step 11

Use a flathead screwdriver, tweezers, a toothpick or dental tool to remove rubber covers on screen.
While doing so, please be sure to remove the rubber screw covers carefully. If they rip or get damaged, you may have to buy new ones. These are NOT required to seal up the console, but for aesthetic purposes and for keeping dirt and water out, you should (re)install the rubber screw covers.
Remove the four screws using a Phillips #00 screwdriver.

Now that the original NDS is getting on in years, it’s possible that these silicone covers have become more fragile. I’ve shredded all 4 silver covers of my original silver nds.

Del Riordan - 09/01/21

Step 12

Using a plastic opening tool, pry the edges of the plastic case apart at the seam.

Step 13

Separate the top cover from the body.
Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the screw holding the hinge cover in place.
Remove the hinge cover and set it aside.

Did not mention needing to fold up or removing the screen to be able to access the hinge screw.

M Beck -

Step 14

Feed the ribbon cables and the Wifi pigtail cable through the opening in the hinge cover.
Remove the yellow spacer, and set aside.

Step 15

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the two screws holding down the speaker circuit boards.
Remove the two small circuit boards and set aside.
Be careful of the small red and black wires connecting the two circuit boards not to break them.

Don’t try to set the right circuit board aside!

look at the step below first

Del Riordan - 09/01/21

Step 16

Move the black lock on the two large ribbon cables up with a pry tool, and gently pull out the two ribbon cables.
For the small ribbon cable, pull the lock downwards.
Gently pull out the small ribbon cable from the connector.
Set the two small circuit boards aside
Be careful not to damage the two delicate ribbon cables when removing them from the DS.

Step 17

Using a pry tool, gently lift the top screen out of the shell.
Set the top screen aside

Does not mention removing the sticky L ribbon cable

M Beck -

Conclusion

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

Author

dnguye26

Member since: 29/10/09

704 Reputation

11 comments

Unlike the DS Lite and later models, there is no reason to take apart the bottom portion of the original DS in order to remove the top screen. The first ten steps of this guide could be skipped.

PohTayToez -

Thanks great advice

truenhete TrueNhero - 26/09/16

Can a ds lite screen be used to repair a ds??

David Moore - 28/01/17

Nope, Nintendo engineered the Lite as a refinement of the original. Therefore almost every component is different! Likely to become cheaper to manufacture.

Del Riordan - 09/01/21

Can a ds lite screen be used to repair a ds one?? Lots of ds lite screens about......

David Moore - 28/01/17

How do we go about repairing it though we only know how to get it out now

Chad Hargus - 14/09/17

I followed the steps, but after getting everything put back together neither screen will light up. It will still take a charge and makes a noise when the start button is hit, but I can’t even get either screen to flash… any ideas what I did wrong here?

Trent - 19/05/18

Make sure that the ribbon cables are properly and fully inserted - they may go in further than what you think.

If not the screens will not display anything.

Anthony Staude - 19/05/18

How much do you think it would cost to get this fixed in store?

Olivia Merten 729 - 17/08/18

Where can I buy the replacement screens?

Christopher Gutierrez - 01/09/19

Amazing guide!!! I mashed 2 Broken Ds's together on my first try, it only took an hour. Thank you soooo much.

Lucky Bastard - 30/12/20