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Featured Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

25

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

3

  • How to open the Fitbit Ionic
  • 8 steps
  • Display Assembly
  • 11 steps
  • Battery
  • 6 steps

Flags

1

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              How to open the Fitbit Ionic
  • Before starting, take your Fitbit Ionic off the charger and power it down.
  • Feel free to attach or remove the watch band as needed to provide more control as you make repairs.

Before starting, take your Fitbit Ionic off the charger and power it down.

Feel free to attach or remove the watch band as needed to provide more control as you make repairs.

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Step 2

  • Heat an iOpener and apply it on the display for at least two minutes to soften the adhesive underneath.
  • The adhesive of the Fitbit Ionic is very strong. You may need to reheat the iOpener and repeat this procedure several times until the display adhesive gets loose enough.

Heat an iOpener and apply it on the display for at least two minutes to soften the adhesive underneath.

The adhesive of the Fitbit Ionic is very strong. You may need to reheat the iOpener and repeat this procedure several times until the display adhesive gets loose enough.

Step 3

  • Insert a technician’s razor with a flat blade into the small gap between the watch case and the display.
  • Cut through the adhesive on the upper side of the Fitbit Ionic.

Insert a technician’s razor with a flat blade into the small gap between the watch case and the display.

Cut through the adhesive on the upper side of the Fitbit Ionic.

Step 4

  • Use a technician’s razor with a flat blade to pry up the top edge of the display and create a small gap.

Use a technician’s razor with a flat blade to pry up the top edge of the display and create a small gap.

Step 5

  • Insert two opening picks underneath the top left and the top right corner.
  • Leave the opening picks in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
  • Remove the razor blade.

Insert two opening picks underneath the top left and the top right corner.

Leave the opening picks in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Remove the razor blade.

Step 6

  • Insert a third opening pick underneath the top right corner and slide it along the right edge of the display.
  • Leave the opening pick in the bottom right corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
  • If cutting becomes too difficult, reheat and reapply the iOpener.

Insert a third opening pick underneath the top right corner and slide it along the right edge of the display.

Leave the opening pick in the bottom right corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

If cutting becomes too difficult, reheat and reapply the iOpener.

Step 7

  • Insert a fourth opening pick underneath the top left corner and slide it along the left edge of the display.
  • Leave the opening pick in bottom left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
  • Do not remove the display assembly all the way yet—it’s still connected to the mainboard.

Insert a fourth opening pick underneath the top left corner and slide it along the left edge of the display.

Leave the opening pick in bottom left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Do not remove the display assembly all the way yet—it’s still connected to the mainboard.

Step 8

  • Carefully fold the display assembly in the direction of the bottom edge.

Carefully fold the display assembly in the direction of the bottom edge.

Step 9

              Display Assembly
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to loosen and pry up the mildly glued NFC antenna.
  • Carefully fold the NFC antenna in the direction of the upper edge of the watch.

Use the flat end of a spudger to loosen and pry up the mildly glued NFC antenna.

Carefully fold the NFC antenna in the direction of the upper edge of the watch.

Step 10

  • Carefully fold the display assembly onto the upper side of the watch.
  • Take care not to pull or bend the cables too much—they are still connected to the mainboard.

Carefully fold the display assembly onto the upper side of the watch.

Take care not to pull or bend the cables too much—they are still connected to the mainboard.

Step 11

  • Remove the Torx T2 screw (3.65 mm length) on the bottom left corner.

Remove the Torx T2 screw (3.65 mm length) on the bottom left corner.

Step 12

  • Use a pair of tweezers to remove the metal shield covering the battery flex cable.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the metal shield covering the battery flex cable.

Step 13

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

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery flex cable.

Step 14

  • Fold the display assembly back to its original position.

Fold the display assembly back to its original position.

Step 15

  • Remove the two Torx T2 screws (3.65 mm length) from the top edge of the watch.

Remove the two Torx T2 screws (3.65 mm length) from the top edge of the watch.

Step 16

  • Use a pair of tweezers to remove the metal cover.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the metal cover.

Step 17

  • Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the NFC antenna.
  • Remove the NFC antenna.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the NFC antenna.

Remove the NFC antenna.

Step 18

  • Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the two display cables from the motherboard.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the two display cables from the motherboard.

Step 19

  • Remove the display assembly.
  • If possible, turn on your Fitbit Ionic and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing.

Remove the display assembly.

If possible, turn on your Fitbit Ionic and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing.

Step 20

              Battery
  • Remove the Torx T2 screw (3.65 mm length).

Remove the Torx T2 screw (3.65 mm length).

Step 21

  • Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the heart rate sensor from the motherboard.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the heart rate sensor from the motherboard.

Step 22

  • Insert a spudger into the gap between the watchcase and the upper edge of the motherboard.
  • Use the spudger to pry up the motherboard.
  • Avoid damaging the battery and heart rate sensor cables during the motherboard removal procedure.
  • Remove the motherboard.

Insert a spudger into the gap between the watchcase and the upper edge of the motherboard.

Use the spudger to pry up the motherboard.

Avoid damaging the battery and heart rate sensor cables during the motherboard removal procedure.

Remove the motherboard.

Step 23

  • Remove the four Torx T2 screws (1.8 mm length).

Remove the four Torx T2 screws (1.8 mm length).

Step 24

  • Insert the flat end of a spudger between the watchcase and the battery on the top edge of your Fitbit Ionic.
  • Use the spudger to pry up the battery.

Insert the flat end of a spudger between the watchcase and the battery on the top edge of your Fitbit Ionic.

Use the spudger to pry up the battery.

Step 25

  • Remove the battery.

Remove the battery.

To reassemble your Fitbit ionic follow these instructions in reverse.

If possible, turn on your device and test your repair before installing new adhesive and resealing.For optimal performance, calibrate your newly installed battery: Charge it to 100% and keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Then use your device until it shuts off due to low battery. Finally, charge it uninterrupted to 100%.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.

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                    Adriana Zwink

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Monte87 - Sep 22, 2020

Reply

This guide is very detailed and pretty accurate. Thank you for posting it!

Does anyone know how crucial the ‘Calibration’ procedure noted at the end article is?

I replaced my battery and it drains so quickly - during the course of a few hours.

But I didn’t try leaving it on the charger for 2 hours after 100% is reached. Trying that now.

k.krah - Sep 24, 2020

Reply

Und woher bekommt man die Batterie?

Monte87 - Oct 9, 2020

From iFixit.com - they are back in stock now.

k.krah - Oct 14, 2020

Sehe keine Battery im Shop.

Gibt es einen Link?

Monte87 - Oct 14, 2020

The new battery part is linked at the top of this page.

Here is the link: [linked product missing or disabled: IF384-004-1]

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