Introduction

This repair guide was authored by the iFixit staff and hasn’t been endorsed by Google. Learn more about our repair guides here.

Follow this guide to replace the front-facing selfie camera in your Google Pixel 9a.

If your front camera's image looks fuzzy or blurry, or if the camera has stopped working entirely, it may be time to replace it.

You'll need replacement front camera foil and rear cover adhesives to complete this repair.

Note: Any repair can compromise the water resistance of your phone. Retaining water resistance after the repair depends on how accurately the new adhesives are applied and how clean the mating surfaces are.

  1. LTilkVoaHyOYJQoP
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    • Let your Pixel's battery drain below 25% before starting this repair. A charged lithium‑ion battery may catch fire if damaged.

    • Unplug all cables and completely power down your phone.

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    • Adhesive secures the rear cover to the frame. Heating the cover softens the adhesive, making it easier to separate.

    • Use a hair dryer to heat the entire rear cover.

    • Only heat your phone so it's just hot to the touch. Extreme heat can damage the rear cover, screen, or battery.

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    • Apply a suction handle near the center of the rear cover's right edge, as close to the edge as possible.

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    • Pull up on the suction handle with strong, steady force until a gap forms between the cover and frame.

    • Insert the tip of an opening pick into the gap.

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    • The rear cover is secured with adhesive around the perimeter of the frame and near the cameras. Use this picture as a reference while you separate the adhesive.

    • When separating the left and right edge adhesive, don't insert your pick more than 3 mm to avoid damaging the wireless charging coil and its graphite film.

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    • If you ever have trouble separating the adhesive, apply more heat and try again.

    • Slide the opening pick up the right edge, around the top right corner, and along the top edge to separate the adhesive securing the rear cover.

  7. dLBAllyMGHHPc6fR
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    • Insert an opening pick in the initial gap you created near the center of the rear cover's right edge.

    • Slide the opening pick down the right edge, along the bottom edge, and up the left edge to separate the adhesive securing the cover.

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    • Insert the flat edge of an opening pick under the top of the rear cover's left edge, near the camera bezel.

    • Twist the pick and apply constant pressure to separate the adhesive around the camera bezel.

  9. YBO5nXARh3dlv4ip
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    • Remove the rear cover.

    • If you feel resistance, go back around the perimeter of the cover and use a pick to separate any remaining adhesive.

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    • If the camera bezel detached from the rear cover and stayed stuck to your phone, follow this step to remove it. Otherwise, skip this step.

    • Slide an opening pick under the camera bezel and pry up to remove it.

    • Only insert the pick a few millimeters under the bezel, or you risk damaging the cameras.

    • If you're having trouble, lightly heat the camera bezel.

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    • Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the 16 screws securing the wireless charging assembly:

    • Thirteen 5.0 mm‑long screws

    • Three 2.2 mm‑long screws

    • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your phone.

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    • Remove the wireless charging assembly.

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    • Be careful not to damage the battery with your tools while disconnecting it.

    • Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the 1.7 mm‑long screw securing the battery connector cover.

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    • Use tweezers to lift and remove the battery connector cover.

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    • Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery cable press connector.

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    • Be very careful not to touch the camera lenses when removing the front camera. If you accidentally do, use a clean cloth to wipe them off.

    • Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the front camera press connector, prying under the top left corner.

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    • Use tweezers to grip the center of the front camera, between the press connector and the camera itself.

    • Flip the camera towards the right edge and gently peel it off the copper foil.

  19. UcuSMoaAA3oG3YgP
    • Congratulations on completing disassembly! The remaining steps will show how to reassemble your phone.

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    • Remove any caps or plastic liners from your replacement front camera lens.

    • Be careful not to grip or smudge the exposed lens.

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    • Place the front camera into its recess.

    • Use your finger to press down and reconnect the front camera press connector.

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    • Remove the copper foil from its large clear liner and place it onto the front camera.

    • Don't remove any of the other liners yet.

    • Gently press down on the top section of the foil to secure it to the camera (the bottom section still has a plastic liner under it).

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    • Hold the top section of the copper foil in place with your finger, and use tweezers to slide the liner out from the bottom section of foil.

    • Gently press the bottom section of copper foil into place to secure it to the front camera press connector.

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    • Use tweezers to remove the remaining liner from the top of the copper foil.

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    • Use a spudger to scrape up and remove the six small pieces of adhesive around the rear cameras.

    • Use high‑concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol and a lint‑free cloth (or coffee filter) to clean up and remove any residue from the adhesives that were removed.

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    • Remove the larger, clear liner from the inner housing adhesive and lay it in place around the camera holes.

    • Use the cutouts for the small silver pads to help align the adhesive.

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to firmly push down on each piece of adhesive, securing them in place.

    • Remove the colored liner using the pull tab on the top edge.

    • If the adhesive starts to pull up with the liner, lay it back in place and use your spudger to secure it again.

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    • Use a spudger to firmly press down on each of the six pieces of inner housing adhesive to secure them.

    • These pieces of adhesive can easily be pulled up when removing the final liners, so make sure they're firmly in place.

  28. k4JQmHDGNAg5FCNo
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    • Use your finger to align the battery press connector over its socket and press down to connect it.

    • Don't try to force the connector into place. If you're having trouble, reposition it and try again.

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    • Use tweezers to hook the left edge of the battery connector cover into place, then lay the cover down flat.

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    • Use a 3IP Torx Plus screwdriver to install the 1.7 mm‑long screw securing the battery connector cover.

  31. wDNoQwWaOimkn4jd
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    • Place the wireless charging assembly onto the frame.

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    • Use your fingers to firmly press around the perimeter of the wireless charging assembly to re‑engage all of its clips.

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    • Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to install the 16 screws securing the wireless charging assembly:

    • Thirteen 5.0 mm‑long screws

    • Three 2.2 mm‑long screws

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    • Take your time during the next two steps. A clean frame allows replacement adhesive to lay evenly, ensuring a better bond.

    • Use a spudger and tweezers to scrape up and remove all the old rear cover adhesive from the perimeter of your phone.

    • If you scrape up a piece big enough to grip with your fingers, you can pull long sections of the adhesive up. Pull slowly and straight in the opposite direction of the adhesive.

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    • Using some high-concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol and a lint‑free cloth (or coffee filter), clean the areas of the frame where the adhesive was.

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    • Before applying the rear cover adhesive, make sure you know how it will sit on the frame. If you apply the adhesive incorrectly, you'll need to restart with new adhesive.

    • Hold the adhesive above the frame to find its orientation. Use the camera cutout in the liner to help visualize how it will lay on the frame.

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    • Peel down the top half of the large, clear liner to expose the adhesive—don't fully remove the liner yet.

  38. SepQQd2QtMkALBrJ
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    • Take your time aligning the adhesive with the frame—it's very sticky and can't be moved once you apply it.

    • With the larger, clear liner folded towards the bottom of the phone, lay the exposed top edge of the adhesive onto the frame.

    • Use the lip of the frame to help align the adhesive.

    • Once the top edge is properly aligned, gently press down on the top corners with your fingers to secure the adhesive.

  39. BHcaLb2WNFqbVwQi
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    • Slowly lay the rest of the adhesive onto the frame, pressing it into place and peeling away the larger liner as you go.

  40. WRtRWujAuy5LGg1I
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    • Use the pull tab to remove the large, colored liner.

  41. SjovbqHIoQnJAMob
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    • Use a spudger to press down firmly on the adhesive around the perimeter of your phone to secure it to the frame.

  42. 2m5pYdO2tjD5FDAx
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    • If the camera bezel detached when removing the rear cover, follow the next five steps to install it. Otherwise, skip down five steps.

    • Use a spudger to scrape up and remove any of the old adhesive from the camera bezel and its corresponding spot on the rear cover.

  43. WdEkJDFVeMOXwubP
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    • Use high-concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol and a lint‑free cloth (or coffee filter) to clean up and remove any adhesive residue from the camera bezel and its corresponding spot on the rear cover.

  44. jLZija5avNBmYueL
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    • Remove the large, clear liner from the camera bezel adhesive.

    • Put the adhesive over the top of the camera bezel and set it in place.

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    • Use a spudger to firmly press around the perimeter of the camera bezel to secure the adhesive.

    • Remove the second, colored liner from the camera bezel adhesive.

  46. MgUgjxJJVodRVhpE
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    • Align the camera bezel such that the square foam is closest to the edge.

    • Use your fingers to press the camera bezel into place on the rear cover, squeezing firmly around the perimeter to secure it with the adhesive.

  47. CStPTSRXHX1sUqWc
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    • Use the flat end of a spudger to scrape up and remove any all the old adhesive that stayed on the back cover, including the five pieces of small, oval‑shaped adhesive.

    • If you don't see all the oval adhesives, some might've stuck to the phone frame.

  48. kwYxH2YgaPvmZduK
    • Use high‑concentration (>90%) isopropyl alcohol and a lint‑free cloth (or coffee filter) to clean up and remove any residue from the adhesives you removed.

  49. nN24V1kN2ciBMhtM
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    • Remove the larger, clear liner from the back cover inner adhesive.

    • Lay the adhesive onto the bottom of the back cover, making sure the cutout goes around the camera bezel.

  50. RSraMRVelln5pNBR
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    • Use your fingers or a spudger to firmly push down on the five small adhesives to secure them to the back cover.

    • Slowly peel up and remove the remaining liner.

    • If the adhesives start to peel up with the liner, lay it back down and use your spudger to secure the adhesive again.

  51. hwwCfeLX3tCMo5HI
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    • Use the point of a spudger to lift and remove the plastic liners from the adhesive around the rear cameras.

    • If the adhesive starts to pull up with the liner, lay it back in place and use your spudger to secure it again.

  52. TKV1xbIJJFskEGPl
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    • Use the pull tabs to remove the final liner from the rear cover adhesive.

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    • Align the rear cover over the frame and press it into place.

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Conclusion

Congratulations on completing your repair!

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

To run a diagnostics test with the built-in Pixel Diagnostic tool, click here.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.

Spencer Day

Member since: 14/09/22

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