OnePlus 3 Battery Replacement

Written By: Arthur Shi

Comments: 30

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

30 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

Follow this guide to remove the OnePlus 3’s battery. The hardest part of the guide is getting the frame clips free.

If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.

For your safety, discharge your battery below 25% before disassembling your phone. This reduces the risk of a dangerous thermal event if the battery is accidentally damaged during the repair.

Note: Make sure the battery is the correct model before starting this repair. OnePlus 3 (BLP613) and OnePlus 3T (BLP633) are not interchangeable.

Tools

Parts

OnePlus 3 Battery

Step 1

Insert a SIM eject tool, bit, or straightened paperclip into the hole located between the SIM card slot and the power button.
Press firmly to eject the SIM card tray.
During reinstallation, make sure that the SIM card tray is properly oriented. It fits in only one direction.

Step 2

Remove the two 2.6 mm T2 screws from the bottom edge of the phone.

Step 3

There is a high risk of damaging the display panel if this opening procedure is improperly followed.
The following three steps show how to pry the rear case from the plastic frame. Read through the steps first before attempting the procedure.
There are two different seams between the screen and the body of the phone:
Display panel seam: This seam is part of the display assembly. Do not pry at this seam, or you will separate and damage the display panel.
Frame seam: This is where the plastic frame meets the back cover. It is recessed into the back cover. Only pry at this seam.
There are fourteen clips that hold the frame against the rear case. Be aware of their location as you pry the back cover off in the following steps.

This picture is a bit misleading, the frame seam is actually sunk into the metal frame, and is not visible at first.

With an older phone, it’s more likely to separate the display panel itself than to separate the displaypanel from the frame. If the top of the screen comes off first, before the part with the touch sensor, then you’re separating the wrong thing (ie displaypanel).

Mind that the displaypanel itself seems as if it has two seams (the panel itself and the board).

OnnoJ - 21/07/20

Thanks for the helpful tip! I re-worded the step slightly to hopefully clarify where the frame seam is.

Arthur Shi - 23/07/20

Step 4

As you work, try not to accidentally power on the phone. If you do, turn the phone off before resuming disassembly.
Place a suction cup near the bottom edge of the display.
Pull on the suction cup with strong steady force.
Press the edge of an opening tool straight into the frame seam near the suction cup until the edge wedges between the plastic frame and the back cover's lip.
Due to tight tolerances, this will take substantial force. Using a new opening tool with an unmarred edge will help with this step.
Do not use metal tools, as they will most likely crack the screen.

To get maximum leverage and make this step possible with my weaker suction cup, I held down the phone with a plastic pick/tool pressed down onto the metal back. As the suction cup pulled up the plastic frame, the plastic pick holding down the metal back naturally was pushed further and further into the gap between the frame and back.

Shadrix Darkblade -

Step 5

Once the opening tool's edge is wedged in position, carefully slide the tool along the bottom edge of the phone.
Carefully guide the opening tool around the left corner of the phone while keeping the tool's edge within the seam.

Step 6

Continue sliding the opening tool along the long edge, releasing the clips along the way.
The last clip in the top-left corner near the alert switch is recessed and can be difficult to release. Take your time and use the flat end of a spudger or an opening pick to help.

I found I had to use a couple of those “guitar picks” to get the screen off, left the first one inserted on the bottom and then went around the side of the phone with the second.

C McIsaac - 06/06/19

I couldn’t get the last clip easily, so I also went around the other side, and then the last two clips left and right went out togther much more easily.

Nikolaus Demmel - 10/12/19

Yep, thanks for your note. It was far more easy to go round the other side.

Sebastian - 10/04/20

Step 7

With the bottom and left edge of the phone freed, gently wiggle the frame to release the top and right edge clips.
Lift the screen up and remove it.
During reassembly, pause here to test your phone's functionality before securing the back cover.
To reinstall the back cover:
Align the top edge of the frame to the back cover and ensure that the top clips slip into place.
Squeeze along the long edges of the phone to snap the remaining clips into place.

I’m having trouble putting on the back cover, anyone else had this issue?

Jonathan Kjær Andersen - 12/05/20

Hello.

From this Step on I directly jumped to Step 13. Removing the 7 Screws. NOT removing the Mainboard. It is easy possible to remove the camera just like this if you loosen the Camera-cable and pull carefull on it. Because the 7 Screws are removed there is enough space to remove the old camera and bring the new camera in. I tried It various times to verify this.

Kolja NovoKopteryx - 04/08/20

Step 8

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery connector from its socket, located above the top right corner of the battery pack.
Bend the connector away from the socket to prevent accidental contact.
To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

Why not removing the camera without removing the mainboard?

Warum wird die rückseitige Kamera nicht ausgebaut, ohne das Mainboard auszubauen?

Ingo Truppel - 06/03/20

Hello Ingo,

The rear camera is trapped under the motherboard. You must at least loosen the motherboard to remove the camera.

Die Kamera befindet sich unter dem Motherboard. Sie müssen mindestens das Motherboard lösen, um die Kamera zu entfernen.

Arthur Shi - 06/03/20

During reassembly this part was tricky for me: the new battery couldn’t clip into place the way the old one did, resulting in a loose connection and “battery does not match “ message when trying to power the phone up. The new battery probably had a slightly different connector that than the old one. I even ordered another battery but the same thing happened. I finally managed to connect it by applying much more pressure on the press connector than needed for the other ones. it did not make any clip sound though.

romDL - 16/08/20

Step 9

Remove the 3 mm Phillips screw securing the cable bracket.
Remove the cable bracket.

Step 10

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the interconnect flex cable from the motherboard, which is located above the battery.
Repeat the process to disconnect the daughterboard flex cable from the motherboard.

Step 11

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the interconnect flex cable from the daughterboard, which is located below the battery.

Step 12

Remove the interconnect flex cable.
Carefully bend the still-attached daughterboard flex cable away from the battery.
During reassembly, make sure that the Main labeled connector connects to the motherboard. The Sub connector will fit the motherboard socket but it will cause your phone to malfunction.

Upon reassembly place the cable back correctly. Apparently, it is often overlooked, see: Replaced Battery, Now My Phone is Overheating and Won't Boot

A.B. - 10/01/21

Thanks for the tip! I’ll adjust the step add this info.

Arthur Shi - 11/01/21

Step 13

Use the opening tool to push any adhesive tape holding the battery to the edge of the plastic frame. There should be at least one on each battery side.
Be careful not to puncture the battery pack with the tool.

Step 14

Peel the clear pull tab up from the battery.

Step 15

Brace the phone frame against the table.
Using a strong, steady force, pull the clear pull tab upwards until the battery loosens from its recess.
If you are having a hard time, apply some high concentration (over 90%) isopropyl alcohol along the battery seam to help weaken the adhesive.
Swing the battery completely out of its recess and pull off of any remaining adhesive.

This step was the hardest for me - my battery was really stuck in there and I didn’t have isopropyl alcolhol. The old battery came out bent.

C McIsaac - 06/06/19

I found (once I had bent the old battery removing it) that there is a film around the battery which would come away much more easily. I suggest this step is updated:

Peel back the four black sticky tabs which say “Position 1” (one at each corner of the battery) and the peel back the black sticky film connected to the tabs. Now pull the clear pull tab upwards and the battery should come away.

Pete Gibbs - 04/10/19

This! I did it by unpealing the “Position 1” tabs, and then pulled the battery much more easily. Thanks for the hint! Interestingly, it still came out with the black film intact and on the battery. I then put this black film and the pull tab on the new battery, which didn’t have either. I applied some double-sided tape between the black film and the phone to glue the whole thing in place.

Nikolaus Demmel - 10/12/19

I agreee , just peel the “position1” tabs. Plus my spare battery didn’t come with these tabs so I had to reuse the old ones anyway.

romDL - 16/08/20

Step 16

Remove the battery and any remaining adhesive residue on the frame.
Do not reuse the battery after it has been removed. Reusing a battery that is bent or otherwise stressed is a potential safety hazard.
If your replacement battery did not come with a pull tab, you can transfer the old tab to the new battery to help with subsequent replacements.
While installing a new battery, temporarily connect the battery to the phone to ensure proper battery alignment.
To install a new battery onto an existing frame, remove some adhesive strips from a pre-cut adhesive card, or cut some strips from a roll of Tesa tape, and stick them in the highlighted area.
If you are installing a battery onto a new screen and digitizer assembly, be sure to peel off the orange adhesive liner to expose the battery adhesive for the new battery.

Conclusion

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

For optimal performance, calibrate your newly installed battery: Charge it to 100% and keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Then use your device until it shuts off due to low battery. Finally, charge it uninterrupted to 100%.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our OnePlus 3 Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Author

Arthur Shi

Member since: 03/01/18

272264 Reputation

13 comments

This is a great run down! I am rather scared with step 3 so I think I am going to have someone else repair it for me.

subwayfox - 07/10/19

Is this tutorial and the repair kit also applicable for the OnePlus 3T model? Thanks in advance for helping!

Useless User - 28/11/19

The tutorial for the 3T model would be similar, but not completely identical to this guide. Since the battery capacity is different between the 3 and 3T, the repair kit would not be applicable. However, the tools are most likely the same.

Arthur Shi - 02/12/19

Thanks for your response Arthur! Is it planned to offer a battery kit also for the OnePlus 3T? I’d definitely appreciate it since I can’t find any trustworthy OnePlus 3T batteries so far. Best regards!

Useless User - 13/12/19

Unfortunately, I don’t think we are releasing a 3T battery kit anytime soon.

Arthur Shi - 13/12/19

Where can I buy Oneplus 3T battery and repair kit? I can only find on ifixit for 3 only …

chris - 06/12/19

My One Plus 3 is A3003, is the BLP613 battery compatible with this device ? on some website they write that A3003 is One Plus 3T and not One plus 3 …

Alexandre Halleguen - 05/05/20

Hi Alexandre,

OnePlus seemingly used the A3003 model for both the OnePlus 3 and 3T model. You can try opening the “About Phone” page in the settings menu to see what the phone lists itself as.

The OnePlus 3T has a bigger battery (3400 mAh vs. 3000 mAh), so there is a strong chance that the two are incompatible.

Arthur Shi - 05/05/20

exceptional! excellent! awesome! cool!

all important steps and details included,

terrific job !!!

thank you alot

RCDN - 06/06/20

Great guide, replacement went smoothly

Bradley Laurie -

Replaced my battery recently. It went well. Thanks for the guide!

The need for my own adhesive isn't mentioned anywhere except at the very bottom. I ended up not using any because I don't have any. It'd be nice if it were listed as a "tool" or "part" at the top.

I followed the steps to calibrate the battery, but for several days now, my phone's shutting down due to low battery (like extreeemely low, not the usual "hmmm I'm low on battery I'm gonna turn myself off" but rather instant death). Any tips? I do have LineageOS instead of Hydrogen or Oxygen.

Matt Zjack - 07/06/22

I'm in the same situation. Is the phone ok without the adhesive on the battery?

Vorador -

I've just realized that. I have a 3T and bought from ifixit a battery replacement for a One plus 3. because it was "Global (A3003)" compatible. Which my 3T indicates on the back frame... It is misleading, don't buy this battery.

Marie Alice -