Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation LED Lights Replacement

Written By: Anthony Nahal

Comments: 29

Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation LED Lights Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

Having trouble reading in the dark? Replace the display's LED lights if the lighting on your Kindle is uneven or absent.

Tools

Step 1

Using a spudger or plastic opening tool, gently pry the bezel from the screen. It is easier to start in the corners and work your way around the bezel.
Do not insert the spudger too far under the bezel; it could easily damage the screen.

I found it easier to start this step off with one of the Opening Picks found in the iOpener pack.

NathanF - 27/12/17

The glue on bezel started to peel the sticky back protective layer off the screen for me - managed to smooth it back down, although now have an unsightly crease. I would try to hold the screen down when you pull the bezel off to stop damaging the screen.

Callum Rogers -

This step is most time consuming. Take you time and try not to scratch the bezel :)

Oleksii -

Couldn't get the plastic spudger under the edge of the bezel. A right-angle X-Acto blade was a satisfactory tool here.

dbrick -

The glue was VERY difficult...I used a trick, from taking apart phones, and used a hair drier to loosen up the glue...worked like a charm.

billkaris - 09/08/22

Step 2

Remove the eleven 3.0 mm Phillips screws surrounding the midframe.
At the top of the display, a strip of black tape covers one screw.

On 3G version you will not have the top middle screw.

BJones - 21/05/16

Hello, the original battery is 1420m Ah and 3.7VDC, but the buttery you offer to sell is 1600mAh, is it right? there is no problem with different mAh? mi kindle is the amazon kindle 1est generation

Paula Ponce de Leon - 09/11/20

Step 3

Lift the midframe out of the case.
If the midframe is stuck, slide it to the left first, and then lift it out.

There are clips in the bottom of the case helping hold the midframe in. Lift the top of the midframe up enough to clear the black back piece and then slide up and out.

BJones - 21/05/16

Step 4

Turn over the midframe to locate the battery.
Remove the three Phillips 3.0 mm screws securing the battery to the midframe.

Step 5

Gently lift the battery from the bottom, and slide it out of the midframe.

Thanks for providing this guide, I would have been lost without it. My old kindle, however, had very stiff and hard rubber/plastic. There was no way I could have slid the glass to the side or gotten the plastic spud under the edge of the glass or the plastic.

What I did was to remove a piece of the plastic next to the glass , about 1/8” square, then insert a putty knife in between the two sides towards the edges. It all popped apart without breaking anything. Perhaps I could have done this without cutting out the little piece.

Joseph L Woollett - 07/02/21

Thank you for this very user friendly guide.My kindle is now working as new.The screws are small and fiddly and the correct tools are essential. I took roughly about 45 minutes from start to finish and the most difficult part was taking the casing apart without damaging the screen .. A 5 star service.

jonesmrse -

Thanks for the useful and practical guide. Five stars.

dbrick -

The bezel sits on a film meant to protect the screen. When lifting the bezel, it is a good idea to slightly push on the screen with cardboard or something elese, to make sure the screen film stays on the screen as you lift the bezel.

tropdetremblay -

Step 6

With the case and battery removed from the midframe, begin removing all cables attached to the motherboard.
Place the device so the midframe's backside faces up. Start with the cable on the bottom left corner.
Use a spudger to lift up the white locking cable tensioner and slide the flex cable out.
Proceed counterclockwise to the next cable and repeat. Small flex cable on the bottom won't need cable tensioner lifted, just carefully pull out.

The second connector is not exactly a "repeat". The lock to be lifted is on the cable side, whereas the first connector's lock is away from the cable.

Yishai Sered - 22/03/15

Does anyone know the part number or for that matter where i can purchase the original LED assembly?

Thanks

naz zan - 23/03/15

Step 7

Remove the white flex cable by gently lifting the yellow plastic connector.

Step 8

Remove the yellow anti-static tape from the display ribbon cable connector.
Use a spudger to lift up and disconnect the cable tensioner.

Step 9

Use a Philips screwdriver to remove the seven 3.0 mm Phillips screws securing the motherboard:
Three silver screws with silver washers
Two silver screws with no washers
One black screw with a golden washer
One black screw with a square washer

Step 10

Remove the motherboard.

Step 11

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the white strip of tape that covers the LED lights.

Step 12

Use a spudger to gently remove the plastic screen from the display.
The plastic screen is held on by a thick layer of glue. Be patient when lifting the screen to avoid bending or breaking the thin plastic.

Does anyone know what kind of adhesive is used between the waveguide / dffuser layer, and the display layers under it? It’s definitely not a hard-cured epoxy, but almost a gel — probably silicone — and probably matched to the refractive index of the layers.

Or, did anyone succeed in re-using the original stuff, and if so did you have air pockets or artifacts because of it?

Dan Collura -

Step 13

Once the outer screen is removed from the Kindle, gently use your fingers to pull off the LED lights.

Thanks for the guide but the problem is finding a replacement for the led lights. Have you found any seller?

FFF - 16/09/17

Conclusion

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

Author

Anthony Nahal

Member since: 25/01/13

60 Reputation

13 comments

Hello to you! Your guide helped me to understand what happened with my kindle. I've got a scratch on the screen but it seems not very deep; the scratch is on a plastic screen, mentioned on the 12-th step. Is it possible to replace this screen with the same one or simple screen protector can do? Thank you.

Alexander -

Can the LEDs simply be removed using this method? I think they are giving me a headache, even on the lowest setting...

Jessica -

Best way is to jailbreak the kindle and use KO reader. In that you can switch off the lights completely. This is a software hack but then you do not need to open the paperweight at all

ziphyr zz - 18/10/14

Is it possible to replace the LEDs with warm white or even yellow (no blue light at all)?

Rob Noble - 05/03/15

i'd also like to replace the LEDs with a warmer light -- but I wonder foremost: can I really detach and reattach the plastic (as it is glued onto the display?) without destroying the SMOOTH and EVEN lighting when I reattach it?

dominik - 10/03/15

I removed the plastic screen easily enough but the glue that held it to the display leaves quite a mess on both sides and loses it's tack once removed. I suppose I could clean both sides (with IPA?) and remove the old glue but what's best to reattach the plastic to the screen that will give a nice clear finish?

I actually bought a new screen without the LEDs (all that was available) and it doesn't even have the plastic cover on it yet.

andy - 23/01/16

I was wondering, if it is possible to connect the two LED lights to the same power driver?Recently I noticed that my led bulb turns on/off for a split second randomly over the past few days. Does this mean it is starting to die or could it be something..please visit our website: http://lighthut.co.uk

Light Hut - 10/10/16

Can someone please confirm that this process is reversible without totally destroying the screen i.e. when you put it back you won't see glue smudges everywhere?

Virgil Ierubino - 15/02/17

Are you kidding me? You lost me at #3. Does anyone know where I can get this done by a professional?

kariesmom1 - 17/07/18

Hallo,

nach Austausch des Akkus funktioniert das Kindle PW bis auf die Beleuchtung normal.

Wie erkennt man, ob die Beleuchtung defekt ist.

Wo kann man die LED Beleuchtung fürKindle PW erwerben?

Bernd Burchartz - 15/09/18

Whats the part number for the plastic screen panel itself, my e-ink display is perfectly fine but the plastic is cracked (light leak into crack when lighting is on). I am guessing this is a standard plastic panel with stepped edge to give an interface for light transmission, is it theoretically possible to use a plastic panel with an oversize acetate sheet (or some other clear plastic film) attached to the front to allow landing for the LED to be attached.

Day Le - 18/02/19

Where do I buy the LED replacement?

Suzanne St. John Smith - 30/04/19

I actually used a commenter's advice to jailbreak the device and install KOReader and I wish I had done this sooner, it is so much better than the stock experience! Only useful if you want to disable the backlight tho...

5moufl - 06/02/24