How to replace Samsung Galaxy Note 9 charging port flex and microphone

You will be required to replace the charging port flex of your Samsung Galaxy Note 9 if your phone doesn’t charge with wired charger anymore or if it doesn’t get detected by your computer through the USB cable. If you also have a problem with your phone’s microphone, you must also replace the charging port flex since both are integrated into one module.

Replacing any module inside your phone isn’t easy and depending on your know-how in disassembling smartphones, there’s no guarantee everything would work after you’ve put everything up together. If you’re confident enough though and if you’ve already tried fixing your smartphone before, then it would be easy so continue reading as this article may be able to guide you somehow.

Before we move on, if you’re looking for a solution to a different problem, then you should visit our Note 9 Help Guides for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this phone. We may already have published articles that could help you fix your phone.

Now, before you open up your phone, make sure you have the following:

Things you need

Suction cup
Small Phillips screwdriver
Prying tools
Heat gun or hair dryer
OEM Charging Port Flex for Samsung Galaxy Note 9
OEM Back Cover Sticker for Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Removing Galaxy Note 9 back cover

Remove the SIM/SD card tray and pull the stylus out.
Using the heat gun, heat up the edges of the back cover until it would be uncomfortable to touch it. Just apply enough heat to loosen the adhesive and remember that applying too much heat may damage the battery. And when applying heat, do not point the gun in one place, always move around the edges.
Once the cover is hot enough, put the suction cup on the lower part of the phone or where the USB port is.
Gently lift the suction cup until you can see a slight opening between the back cover and the frame. After applying reasonable amount of upwards pressure, the back cover should separate slightly from the frame but if it doesn’t, you may need to apply more heat.
Place a prying tool into the crack to prevent the glue from sticking back to the frame.
Once the prying tool is inserted, you may now remove the suction cup.
Move the prying tool along the sides to loosen the adhesive but be very gentle in doing this so as not to mess up some components. Also, don’t push the prying tool too deep. You may use more prying tools if necessary. If the phone cools down before the back cover is removed, try applying heat again to loosen up the adhesives.
Once the back cover is loose enough, lift it gently so as not to break the flex cable of the fingerprint scanner. Remove the flex cable to set the back cover free.

This is where you spend most of your time. It’s really difficult to remove the back cover of the Note 9 because of the glue Samsung used to keep it in place. It’s the primary protection of the device and considering it’s water-resistant, you can always expect this. But then again, your heat gun or hair dryer is your best friend in this situation.

Removing other components

Before you can remove the charging port flex, there are a bunch of components you would have to remove as well. In fact, you will have to remove the motherboard first before the charging port flex would come off.

Remove the screws that secure the top protected frame as well as the wireless charger pad. There are about 11 screws so carefully unscrew them one by one.
Disconnect the battery’s flex cable from the motherboard so you don’t have to worry about anything shorting out.
Remove the screws that hold in place the bottom frame or the speaker module. There are about 7 screws you have to remove.
Carefully remove all the flex cables or ribbons that are connected to the motherboard including the flex cable of the charging port.
Remove the 3 screws that attach the motherboard on the frame.
Once you’re sure every connection to it is removed, you may now gently pull the mobo out of your phone.
After you removed the motherboard, you will have access to the 2 screws that secure the charging port to the frame.
Remove the screws and you can pull the charging out.
Now that you’ve removed the defective charging port, replace it with the OEM Charging Port Flex for Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and secure it with the screws.

Placing everything back in place

Once you’ve replaced the defective charging port with a new one, it’s time to put everything back in place and don’t miss a single component.

Now, replace the motherboard and secure it with its screws.
Reconnect every single ribbon you’ve disconnected so that everything will work just fine.
Place the bottom frame or loudspeaker module and secure it with its screws.
Reconnect the battery to the motherboard and then replace the top frame and the wireless charger pad.
If you bought the back cover sticker, make sure to remove the traces of the old adhesive from the back cover and replace it with the new one. If not, then you may still use the old adhesive but your phone may no longer be water-resistant if that’s the case.
Connect the flex cable of the fingerprint sensor the its connector on the motherboard.
Now, place the back cover in place and if you have the new adhesive, just gently press it so it would stick to the frame. However, if you are using the old adhesive, you have to hit all sides of the cover with the heat gun so the adhesive will settle properly and then gently press the cover until it cools down.

And that’s it! As far as replacing the charging port flex and/or microphone is concerned, that’s how to do it. I hope that this guide can help you one way or another.