HowTo: Guide to replacing your laptop LCD
This is a general guide on how to replace an LCD on a laptop. Replacing an LCD is second to the most costly repair next to replacing the motherboard. I hope this guide will help you in repairing an LCD that has been damaged/destroyed.
This is by no means an official super user manual. This write up is a check list and a general guide to help you replace a laptop LCD without having to purchase a new laptop.
Disclaimer: I claim NO RESPONSIBILITY for anyone who fails in their attempt to replace a a laptop LCD or any damage laptops can receive following this guide. I am just trying to inform others from the steps I have taken and the problems I have come across.
Alright. You just ran over your laptop and you are ready to replace that cracked LSD’d LCD display. Let’s see what we can do.
Tools Needed:
– Small Phillips Screw Driver
– Paper and pencil for documentation
– A little bit if tape to keep the screws together
– Fingernails on your fingers (i’ll explain later)
I advise those who want to replace an LCD on a laptop to read the artcle “How to Replace a DC Jack”. It will help give disassembly steps that you will help you replace a laptop LCD. The process in replacing a laptop LCD is much easier than a DC Jack replacement.
1) Do your research. Find out what type of LCD you have in your laptop. This is really important. It becomes costly, considering LCD replacements can range between $100-$300. I have ordered wrong LCD for laptops before. I once ordered an SXGA laptop screen for a Dell when the laptop took only a normal XGA. The screen looked like poop. There may be different screens for the exact same model laptop. Make sure you find the correct display type for what you have.
2) Preparing for surgery. So your replacement screen from ebay came in and it has to be installed. The next step is to decide if you are going to remove the laptop frame or not. Personally, I like to remove the frame so I don’t risk any funny business with the laptop itself. Removing the frame to the laptop also allows more freedom in movement and more visual cues. It’s purely up to you. This is a picture showing the most common place to remove the screws for the hinges to the laptop.
If you decide to remove the frame from the laptop, the front panel has to be removed. When the front panel is removed, you will see the hinges and the cable connecting the LCD to the motherboard. You can remove the cable, and unscrew the hinges to remove the frame from the laptop. Any time you remove screws, document the steps you take with the paper and pencil so you can reassemble the frame with ease.
3) Look at the frame of the laptop LCD Frame. You will see cover stickers or cushion tabs. These are the places where the screws will hide. Using a very thin flat head screwdriver or a knife, carefully dig underneath these stickers and cushions and remove them. You want to be careful because you will need to cover up the screws again using these cushions.
When you remove the screws. make sure you place these screws and covers in an easy place to find. Personally, I place the cover stickers and cushions right next to the hole where I removed them. I use tape to keep the screws together and in a safe place.
4) Next comes the tricky part. The frame from the LCD screen will not fall off. It will appear latched to the frame. That is because it is latched to the frame. This is where your fingernails will come in handy. Using your nails, you must dig into the frame and snap it off. Try not to press onto the LCD too much. When you unsnap the frame in any given area, it will become easier to snap it off around the whole frame. Just be really careful not to break the frame itself.
5) So you removed the frame. You can see the edge of the LCD and maybe the inverter. If you look on the right and left edges of the frame, you will see screws holding in the LCD screen. At this point, you will have to be extra careful on removing the LCD. Remove the screws that you see on the edges.
Be careful when you removing the last screw. You don’t want to damage the cable if there is no cushioning. Avoid touching the edges of the LCD. You will see the connector cable at the back of the LCD. Carefully remove this cable. Most of the time you have to pinch the cable to remove it. Make sure you don’t damage the cable, otherwise the new LCD won’t work.
6) The old LCD is out and you are ready to put in the new one. Once again, be very careful not to touch the edge and components of the LCD. The edge is where the all the magic happens. It’s where the interface between the circuits and the LCD goodness happens and disturbing the edge can make your new LCD look like poop.
Place the cable onto the new LCD and CAREFULLY place it into the frame. Once again…DO NOT TOUCH THE EDGES! When the LCD is back in the frame, put the screws that you removed and screw them into the frame. When the screws are tied down, now is the time to plug in the cable to the motherboard and test the laptop. We need to see if the LCD works. Turn on the laptop with the cables plugged in. If the screen works, turn off the laptop and put the rest of the frame together, and reattach the frame to the laptop (if you took it off). You are done.
Problems:
When the new LCD is installed, if the LCD powers on and it has colorful lines going through it or it looks bad, turn off the laptop, remove the LCD again and reseat the cable plugged into the back of the LCD. If it still does not look correct, then you might have a bad cable. It is also possible you may have a bad interface between the motherboard and the component that plugs into the cable. In that case, it’s time for a new laptop (unless anyone has any better solutions).
Some of the problems I have run across are…
– Screen does not have a backlight. (This usually is a problem with the inverter and it needs to be replaced.)
– Screen has lines through it. That indicates
a) damage
b) bad cabling
c) bad interface in which you unplug the cable and replug it back in or…
d) other
I hope this mini-guide helps you replace an LCD. Make sure when you replace the LCD to properly dispose the old LCD at a recycling center.
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Defective Kit 
Actually, DocWho, There really is no need for the comma in between “digg” and “suxx!!!”
my laptop screed broke.its an hp 500. yup, kinda old but i use it..anyways, the screen is zilch now..so i gota replace it but i have trouble of finding a screen..and i’m glad i found out its posible to just change a screen..so i hope i can find a screen and successfully replace it..if not, i’m screwed…can u guys help me??
I removed the “digg” “suxx” post. Really annoying. 🙂
Not bad! I always wondered but never really wanted to open my laptop’s screen part. 🙂
Petar
http://www.VistaJuice.com
I flipped out when I replaced the fan in my gf’s laptop and the screen looked all funky.
After ten minutes of freaking out, I reseated the LCD cable and it worked.
LCD cables are too simple to not seat well 🙂
Glad the reseating the cables helped out. 🙂
This is good. I have a couple of old thinkpads lying around, one with a broken LCD and another which wont power up. Thanks.
No problem. Hope things turnout! 🙂
good article. My friend’s lcd light went out, she was ready to buy a whole new screen but I’m happy to see it’s just the inverter, my guess is that it’s cheaper to replace than the whole screen.
Nonetheless, enjoyed the article, thanks!
It always amazees me the facination women have for laptops becusae “they are cute”.
And yet another reason to get a desktop as your main computer if you do not need portability or smallness in the case of students who have limited space or on the move.
Gettinga laptop as a first computer just because it ” is cute or trendy” is a downright poor and stupid idea.
Laptops
1) are expensive
2) are propietary
3) are not easy to repair, parts are very expensive, if something breaks one can not simply open up the case and swap a card
and slow
Big box stores push laptops now as idiot women and nubes are enamoured by them and it is easier to sell extended warranties with laptops.
If you need the portability they are great – if not laptops are a stupid idea.
Should be fun to watch all of these nubes who did not need to but bought laptops now try to install vista on the computers.
Good tutorial
If the screen is gone, just be gone. Buy a new laptop, and avoid these cumbersome jobs.
In some cases, people would buy a new laptop. However if you are not made of money and it’s a $3000 laptop, then maybe a $150-$300 fix might be a good idea.
real nice guide mate,
I was lucky I still had my sony vaio warranty when my lcd showed a nice red vertical line over the screen… ;o
Here are two more related disassembly guides here: http://www.laptoprepairguy.com
How I took apart and repaired my notebook LCD screen with water damage. This guide shows how to open up and remove the LCD screen on a Dell notebook. It also explains how to open up the LCD screen itself.
Screen inverter replacement. Fixing laptop backlight problem. This guide shows how to replace the inverter board on an IBM machine.
Good tutorial but in my case, I had a problem with the cable that’s going to the LCD screen, the screen itself is ok but I have no clue where to find that cable so my laptop’s just sitting on my desk, out of service =\
I found that ScreenTek has a lot of screens that are hard to find and whatnot. They also have some removal instructions..
http://www.screentekinc.com/
This is pretty cool.. but if I “ran over” my laptop, I’d be worried about more than just the LCD. hehe
A few things from a former Dell Field Tech:
First: PLEASE invest 5 dollars in a brand-name #0 Phillips screwdriver. If you strip the screws holding the LCD in its frame you’re going to have a really ugly time removing them.
Think twice before you use a screwdriver to pull up plastics. A non-conductive probe or blackstick won’t leave a mark. If you’re not a regular purchaser from JAMECO or Grainger, the pointy sticks sold at beauty supply stores for some frightening beauty ritual involving women’s toenails have worked well for me.
Remove the sticky rubber bits carefully with a razor knife or small flathead screwdriver. These are impossible to find elsewhere, and actually have a function besides covering up screw heads (they prevent the keyboard from rubbing against the LCD and leaving grid marks). If they lose their tack, use rubber cement to re-fix them, NOT GLUE.
Frequently several different manufacturers make ‘compatible’ LCDs for a notebook. This is *NOT* a guarantee that the part really is compatible. Bitter experience taught me to specify ‘no substitutions’ on a part, particularly between Samsung and Sanyo LCDs.
If the video connector on the board looks damaged or you had a misadventure all may not be lost. Some notebooks have seperate video assemblies that can be removed. Some Dell examples from my tenure were the Lattitude D800/Inspiron800/Precision M-60 (same machine, different price tags).
If you’re working on a Dell laptop and you’re less than perfectly confident about what you’re doing get some instructions. http://dcse.dell.com has breakdown manuals for every model being supported. Registration is free, but you need to know a Dell purchase order number, its printed at the top of your bill.
Good luck and DON’T PANIC.
The cheapest LCD screen supplier that I found was http://www.lcdscreen.com
thats was a great one dude , but you i found this after i replaced my dell lcd and when my backlight control was not working , so you mean that i shud buy a new inverter now for my increasing and decreasing of my brightness to work?
hi,
anybody know how to disassembly nec versa p440?
I have not yet replaced my LCD, I am wondering if I have to. I have color lines on the left side of my screen (red, green, yellow, blue, and white. Would this be a connection problem or a bad LCD? The computer is 2 years old and I really need it for school. Can someone give me advise here?
This is a VERY good guide. Thanks a lot for sharing how to do this along with pictures.
i’ve just replaced an LCD on a toshiba laptop (wont be buying another one!) it was working fine, but someone bumped the back of the casing (where the circuit board is on the back of the new LCD panel) and it makes the screen go crazy, shuffles things round and displays lines/etc. Normally rebooting the laptop will fix this, however I dont know what is the cause of the problem – is the new LCD faulty? have i done something wrong putting it together (cant really go wrong doing it though?)..
Can you please advise me, where can I get compaq presario v2565us laptop lcd replacement for a low price .
Thank U.
Hi, just want to know if putting a bad memory damages the lcd. I have upgraded my gateway to 512mb from 256mb and had been using it for a long time when the lcd started to have lines all over the screen. I sent it for repair and even though it’s still under warranty, they said the bad memory that i put in there damages the lcd. I will be calling them but first I want to make sure if I have an argument. thanks
Hi, I think that’s what I call a hard geek. Any documentation about fixing any laptop. Please to share in this forum. Btw, I had a Toshiba Tecra 9100 laptop who have a problem with blue BSOD when I try to install windows xp on my Tecra. Any solution for this problem? Any documentation, website, or pdf thank’s.
In 15 years of working on computers for a living I haven’t seen bad memory physically damage other components on a motherboard. Usually the system is just unstable or wont boot till you pull the memory. Not saying it can’t but I’ve never seen it.
thanks a million for this article – I was given a Dell Inspiron E1505 because of a broken LCD. $210 later on ebay I have a working Dell less than a year old
so what happens if i just replace my 15.4 wxga laptop lcd with any other 15.4 wxga? noone leaves answer for what happens, just perpetuates the “dont do it!” stuff. i like how this guy said he did it, and it just looked crappy. is that the only ill possible side effect??
It’s definetely not recommended for these reasons..
1) the pins won’t fit
2) If the pins do fit, then it may not be wired correctly. An input connector pin on one LCD may hold the power pin from the other. Definetely not good.
3) It could work
I have seen almost identical LCDs installed and if you install an XGA LCD into a connector that only supports SVGA (Vesa), the Screen looks like crap and almost distorted.
You want to match the LCD as close as possible. Failure to do so can result in a non-working LCD or possibly a blown Video Card (in extreme cases)
– Charlie
Have a laptop screen (LM-JK63-22NTR) and a all in one computer board (PCA-6751-MAX) and i am struggling to connect the inverter in the LCD (4 pins) to the one on the motherboard (5 pins) i have a datasheet for the motherboard but not the inverter, any clues?
Hello, this is a great find…I HATE paying someone to do things I know I am intelligent enough to do, if the right info is avail. BUT…Dell only seems to stock “refurbised” screens for my model and they are really really CHEAP !! Is that a red flag not to buy? I slammed the top on my sons laptop, (that I had just bought for his 22nd birthday) and there was a pen inside. It made a big splotch on the screen. But, I can still see the display underneath, like the screen still works but the overlaid screen is squished. Do you think I need a whole new screen?
If I get crazed trying this, do you take repair orders? Keep up the great site. Thanks again. Arthur & Edwards Antiques, the antiquelady.
ps: your readers blogs are very helpful as well.
i could understand the non-compatibility’s for the lcd’s but what if i just want to use a keyboard? with the same dimensions on a newer laptop that is perfect but, the keyboard only displays ‘jkl89’ and i have a obsolete lappy i grabbed from work today that works fine; bad lsd but, perfect keyboard….im going to try it either way because two broken laptops aren’t getting me anywhere so i have to try but im still curious if anyone has had a successful headache with trying this…any feedback is greatly appreciated thanks in advance!!!!…and just for a lil humor for people who do research more like me 🙂 picture 2night….dumb but i learn the hard way… on thanks giving eve that means i am sleeping at around 0 o’clock with turkey and liquor tomorrow SUPER FUN full family affair! and energizing! plus all my friends are at the bar i am at home trying to fix a laptop, network it just for a printing station by sunrise!!!! and for free just personal satisfaction now that i just re-read this post i just realized i ramble because it is depressing maybe 😦 i am a dork but bill gates is proud to be one…..i just need to stop typing thanks again specially if u just read this post and aren’t a geek,….sorry :).
-Nice
Hi.
Good design, who make it?
Hi,
I just found out my LCD went out on my laptop (only had it for a year and a half) I was curious how normal something like that is. The geek squad told me it was because my usage was too much… is at most 5 hours a day of using a laptop too much? I was just curious with a few questions. They are telling me it would be $400 to fix, which probably isn’t worth doing done by them at least. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
-Abbey.
@ max rubin
Misogynistic much?
Sometimes women get laptops because they’re functional for the work the particular woman does, not just because they’re “cute”. (My phone is “cute”; my laptop is a tool.) And many women who own laptops are perfectly capable of figuring out how to repair one, even though we all know desktops are easier to work on. Hell, I bet even men have read this instruction set and used the information to accomplish something useful with a sketchy laptop.
sorry and hi everybody
does anyone ver buy from http://www.lcdscreen.com ???
I found the panel I need but I’m scared could be a scam-site
thanks
OHH MY GOSH!!! this was very easy to put in and fix. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!…if i wouldn’t of found your site, i would have, had to spend 200 dollars to get my lcd screen replaced. YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER!!
Your website is very, very hard to read; especially with the black background and small font. I didn’t even check it out and it’s the info I need to replace my cracked screen. I didn’t even bother to put on my reading glasses to see if I have typos, here. Who cares w/a website like this!
Horriable website to read. Font too small.
Sometimes, it is also necessary to replace the inverter instead of the laptop screen.
Is any LCD replaceable with any LCD?
Hey thanks for the info as it came in handy today. I appreciate your efforts.
Thanks
Scott
Saved me $$$$$! I had to replace a keyboard a couple of months ago, then thought the whole thing was shot when the display went “stripy.” This made the whole enterprise “do-able.” Thank you, thank you, thank you. The manufacturer (Acer)was less than worthless.
I’m experiencing lcd line problem with my old compaq, but with the price for a replacement I don’t intend to replace it unless a friend give a surplus, but I’m glad there’s guy like you who shares his knowledge.Now I won’t be scared to replace one in caseI Ineed to.bless you .And oh somebody was right very hard to read your web, too dark and small letters.
Hello, i need some guide to how repair my notebook. I have a HP pavilion dv5 1118 and i dont have any idea about how repair this.
Hey just wanted to say thanks..I was able to save my self about $400 in labor in parts because of this tutorial and my old notebook LCD which I used to replace my girls month old computer she dropped..Thanks for the knowledge
When you say the backlight is out does that just mean that the screen is black? I turn on my laptop and for a second I see like a redish flash and then all black. If it is only the inverter that would be cool, Just dont want to buy the whole LCD screen if it is only the inverter.
Thanks
One way to find out if it’s the inverter is to boot up the laptop and look at the display under a bright light (the sun works great). If you can see everyone on the screen, but there’s no light in it… then it’s the inverter. If you can’t see anything on the screen..even in a bright light.. then it’s something more.
Great article , cracked my lcd , purchased one from http://www.nylaptopparts.com/lcd-screens-c-2.html , followed the instructions and wallah ! Back in business. Thanks a ton!!!!!!!
Hi! My laptop fell from table to the floor. Is there still hope? I think system is working – just heard the sounds and i can hear it loading. However the screen is bad showing some lines – cant get to original windows screen. Any suggestions or is it doomed?? Thanks much! Will appreciate any help or ideas…
Your website is great, its informative & a great help to those who people whos has problems with thier pc’s. Here is my problem, I just purchased from Ebay & replaced my broken lcd screen 17″ (toshiba satellite L355D), I fallow the instruction guide on how to replace it, but the thing is, it dont work after, i was thinking that it maybe because that I touched the edge of the lcd, What do u think is it busted already? The screen is black but when we used flashlight we can see images, & if we use another monitor it work. I dont know what to do now. Pls help me, I need quick response, before the 7 days replacement expires. Thank You & More Power.
this is Mitchell.
Thank you for this post it has very useful information.This article contain some meaningful information.please keep posting like this with this useful information
Great finally
I have done this procedure before on a Toshiba M35X. I was not aware that I should avoid touching the edge.
The motherboard on the M35X died. I now have a Toshiba L305 with a bad display. I have checked the specs on the display and they seem to be exactly the samee as the M35 except that the screen for the L305 is ‘Glossy,TruBrite’ and the M35 is ‘Matte,Antiglare.’
In your opinion, would you feel that these displays would be interchangeable?
I also have a Toshiba A205 which is what I’m using to send this, as well as an IBM and Emachine desktop.
Also, for those of you who feel that buying a new laptop would be a better solution, you can buy a NEW display WITH A WARRANTY on E-bay for around 80 bucks.
Thanks for listening.
I followed as directed. I have a lite screen, but no picture.
I have just inserted a new screen into my acer aspire 5315 laptop but it is not working. Tha screen is brand new and i have double checked that all the wires are connected correctly etc…… We have been running the laptop on a seperate monitor for some time now and it works ok on there but only on “safe mode with networking” it used to work on “normal mode” too but one day it suddenly stopped. It used to do the start up repair thing ok too but doesn’t anymore. I have also checked the monitor application in windows as someone suggested that i check whether it is showing 2 screens but it isn’t it only shows the 1. AM really baffled and at my witts end now )<:
Help me please!!!!
Thanks.
Theres only one supplier in the UK I know of who don’t realy charge much for laptop screen replacement. They are worth checking out http://www.laptopscreenreplace.co.uk
Mine seems to have had the part in the laptop pushed in too far.
I have a Toshiba Satellite M45-S359 I’m working on for my uncle. It has a video problem. Can you help me figure it out Charlie? Seems to be either the LCD screen itself, the circuit board on the back of it?, or maybe a broken solder connection. I know nothing about it as he got it used from a business that no longer wanted it (and some other computers). The front frame bezel is cracked so somebody either dropped it or already tried to dissemble it to fix it. The screen will work perfectly in a certain sweet spot with the screen flexed a bit, sometimes even without flexing one side back or forth a bit (for a few seconds and then starts it again). I attempted to capture some video of it; hopefully you can make it out. LOL
Oh, forgot to mention I already tried reseating the connector cable at both ends. And the video output is perfect on the external “D” video port on an external LCD monitor… That leaves the LCD screen itself and the connections by my count… LOL