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Use this guide to replace the screen in your Kobo Libra Colour eReader.
If your screen is cracked, unresponsive, or not lighting up, you may need to replace it.
The screen part comes with the display pre‑installed into the frame, so you'll need to transfer all the internals from your old device into the new screen.
Following this guide will remove your eReader's IP (Ingress Protection) rating, making it susceptible to water damage.
If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.
After this repair, follow this guide to calibrate your eReader to your replacement screen. If you don't, you might experience "ghosting" or visual artifacts of the E ink.
Kobo supports their eReaders with a warranty. If your device is still under warranty, Kobo may be able to help. Before starting a repair, review your warranty information or check support documentation.
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Unplug all cables and fully shut down your eReader.
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Your screen should be black and say Powered off.
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Flip your eReader over so the screen is facing down.
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Angle an opening pick straight down, and insert its tip under the top right corner of the back cover, near the power button.
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Push downward and pry up with the pick until you feel it slide between one of the clips and the frame.
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Slide the pick toward the bottom right corner to release the clips along the right edge.
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Angle the pick flat under the back cover and rotate it around the bottom right corner to release its clips.
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Slide the pick toward the bottom left corner to release the clips along the bottom edge.
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Grip the right edge of the back cover and lift it away from the eReader to release the remaining clips.
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Remove the back cover.
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The coating is brittle and can flake into many small pieces. Heating the coating helps, but working with it is still a time-consuming process.
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Depending on your repair, you might have to remove the coating from ZIF connectors and their cables.
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Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery press connector.
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Heat an iOpener and lay it on the power button board at the top left corner for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
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Use the tip of a spudger to scrape the coating off the ZIF connector's locking tab—enough so you can grab clumps of it with pointed tweezers.
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Use pointed tweezers to peel off the coating around the locking tab and its hinge on the ZIF connector.
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Use the tip of a spudger to lift up the locking tab on the ZIF connector.
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Slide an arm of pointed tweezers under the blue pull tab on the interconnect cable to separate the coating.
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Use tweezers, or your fingers, to grip the blue pull tab on the interconnect cable.
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Pull the cable away from the ZIF connector slowly and steadily at a level angle to separate the coating and disconnect the cable.
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If you aren't replacing the white interconnect cable skip to this step.
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Apply a heated iOpener to the interconnect cable's ZIF connector on the motherboard for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
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Scrape off and remove the coating on the interconnect cable ZIF connector located on the motherboard.
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Use the tip of a spudger to lift up the locking tab on the ZIF connector.
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Use tweezers, or your fingers, to grip the blue pull tab on the interconnect cable and disconnect it.
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Inspect the ends of the cable and the ZIF connectors for any remaining coating that could prevent a good connection.
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Peel off the coating, heating the cable and the ZIF connector when the coating becomes too brittle.
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Apply a heated iOpener to the top edge of the eReader for 90 seconds to soften the adhesive under the interconnect cable.
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Hold one end of the interconnect cable and use your other hand to insert the tip of an opening pick underneath it.
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Peel the cable away from the frame while sliding the pick in the same direction to separate the adhesive.
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Remove the interconnect cable.
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Apply a heated iOpener to the power button board for 90 seconds to soften the adhesive underneath.
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Insert the tip of an opening pick under a corner of the power button board.
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Slide the pick along the long edge of the power button board to separate its adhesive.
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Slide the opening pick under the center of the power button board and pry up separate the remaining adhesive.
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Remove the power button board.
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Use tweezers, or your fingers, to peel the battery cable away the motherboard and separate the coating.
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If your battery comes with stretch release adhesive, follow the next two steps to remove them.
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Otherwise, skip ahead two steps to remove the normal adhesive.
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Grip a black pull tab and pull the strip out slowly and steadily at a low angle. Give it plenty of time to stretch and un-stick from under the battery.
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If the adhesive strip breaks off, try to retrieve it using your fingers and continue pulling—but don’t pry under the battery.
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Insert the long side of an opening pick under different edges of the battery to separate the coating.
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Remove the battery.
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Apply a few drops of isopropyl alcohol under the edge of the battery closest to the white interconnect cable.
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Tilt the eReader up to let the isopropyl alcohol flow under the battery.
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Wait one minute for the alcohol to soften the adhesive.
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Slide a plastic card under the battery to separate the adhesive and the coating.
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Slide the plastic card under the opposite end of the battery to separate any remaining adhesive and coating.
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Lift the battery out of the frame and remove it.
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If you're transferring the battery to a new screen, inspect the battery for any dents or deformations.
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Heat an iOpener and lay it on the digitizer cable ZIF connectors for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
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Use the tip of a spudger to scrape the coating along the ZIF connectors' black locking tabs—enough so you can grab clumps of it with pointed tweezers.
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Use pointed tweezers to peel off the coating around the black locking tabs and their hinges on the ZIF connector.
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Use the point of a spudger to lift up the locking tabs on the ZIF connectors.
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Apply a heated iOpener to the digitizer cable ZIF connectors for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
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Slide one arm of a pair of pointed tweezers underneath the cables to separate the coating securing them to the motherboard.
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Use blunt nose tweezers to pull the cables away from their ZIF connectors slowly and steadily at a level angle to separate the coating.
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Keep pulling on the cables until they're completely disconnected.
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Inspect the ends of the cables and the ZIF connectors for any remaining coating that could prevent a good connection.
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Peel off the coating, heating the cable and the ZIF connectors when the coating becomes too brittle.
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Apply a heated iOpener to the display cable ZIF connector for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
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Use the tip of a spudger to scrape the coating along the ZIF connector's black locking tab—enough so you can grab clumps of it with pointed tweezers.
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Use pointed tweezers to peel off the coating around the locking tab and its hinge on the ZIF connector.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry along the length of the locking tab to separate any remaining coating.
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Insert the flat end of a spudger under the middle of the locking tab and lift to unlock it.
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Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the corner of the display cable closest to the charging port.
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Pull the cable away from the ZIF connector slowly and steadily at a level angle to separate the coating at the corner.
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Repeat the previous step for the other corner until the entire cable is disconnected.
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Lift up the cable and peel off any remaining coating holding it to the motherboard.
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Inspect the ends of the cable and the ZIF connectors for any remaining coating that could prevent a good connection.
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Peel off the coating, heating the cable and the ZIF connector when the coating becomes too brittle.
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Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the seven screws securing the motherboard:
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Four 2.4 mm‑long screws
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Three 3.9 mm‑long screws
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Use a spudger to pry up the motherboard enough so you can grip it with your fingers.
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Pull the motherboard toward the opposite side of the eReader to slide it out of its two clips.
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Remove the motherboard.
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Apply a heated iOpener to the plastic motherboard buffer for 90 seconds to soften the adhesive securing it to the frame.
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Grip one end of the motherboard buffer and peel it away from the frame to separate the adhesive.
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The front cover is secured with clips and adhesive.
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Flip your eReader over so the screen is facing up.
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Apply a heated iOpener and lay it on the top edge of the front cover for 90 seconds to soften the adhesive underneath.
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Hold the eReader so your thumbs can push the underside of the front cover off its clips while your other fingers can pull the screen in the opposite direction.
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Push the top left corner of the front cover while pulling the screen in the opposite direction to release the clips and separate the adhesive.
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While keeping the corner of the front cover separated with one hand, use your other hand to peel the left edge of the front cover off the frame.
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Continue working around the perimeter of the front cover until all of the clips release and the adhesive is completely separated.
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Lift the front cover off the frame and remove it.
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Use tweezers to peel up the light sealing tape along the right edge of the screen enough to grip it with your fingers.
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Peel the light sealing tape off the button bracket and the screen.
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Remove the button board from the screen.
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You've now disassembled your eReader enough to transfer the internals to your new screen.
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Before you reinstall your front cover, follow this guide to transfer your motherboard, motherboard buffer, and button bracket to your new screen.
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Follow this guide to calibrate your new screen.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Remember: after repairs, your eReader is no longer IPX8 waterproof.
Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before you install it.
Make sure each of your device's main functions still work, e.g., LED backlight, touch, page-turn buttons, Wi-Fi, etc.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers Community for help.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Remember: after repairs, your eReader is no longer IPX8 waterproof.
Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before you install it.
Make sure each of your device's main functions still work, e.g., LED backlight, touch, page-turn buttons, Wi-Fi, etc.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers Community for help.
