Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

14

Time Required

                          10 - 15 minutes

Sections

4

  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • Back Cover
  • 2 steps
  • Front Cover
  • 5 steps
  • Screen
  • 5 steps

Flags

1

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Introduction

This guide will require soldering equipment and skill.

What you need

Step 1

              Battery
  • Before disassembling your LeapPad, ensure your device is shut off.
  • Push outward on the plastic side panels to remove and reveal battery.
  • The panels should detach fully from the main device.

Before disassembling your LeapPad, ensure your device is shut off.

Push outward on the plastic side panels to remove and reveal battery.

The panels should detach fully from the main device.

1024

Step 2

  • Push down from the positive end of the battery towards the negative end to pry the battery up out of its dispenser.
  • Remove all four AA alkaline batteries from the device.

Push down from the positive end of the battery towards the negative end to pry the battery up out of its dispenser.

Remove all four AA alkaline batteries from the device.

Step 3

              Back Cover
  • This step will void your device warranty.
  • Remove the following screws securing the back cover to the main device:
  • Two 10.0 mm Phillips screws
  • Four 4.0 mm Phillips screws
  • Three 3.0 mm Phillips screws

This step will void your device warranty.

Remove the following screws securing the back cover to the main device:

Two 10.0 mm Phillips screws

Four 4.0 mm Phillips screws

Three 3.0 mm Phillips screws

Step 4

  • Insert a plastic opening tool into the seam between the front and rear covers to detach the back cover from the rest of the device.
  • Move the plastic opening tool around the perimeter of the LeapPad2.
  • Lift up and remove the rear case from the tablet.
  • A butter knife can help when prying the device.

Insert a plastic opening tool into the seam between the front and rear covers to detach the back cover from the rest of the device.

Move the plastic opening tool around the perimeter of the LeapPad2.

Lift up and remove the rear case from the tablet.

A butter knife can help when prying the device.

Step 5

              Front Cover
  • Remove the following screws securing the front cover to the main device:
  • Three 6.0 mm Phillips screws
  • Three 7.0 mm Phillips screws
  • Two 10.0 mm Phillips screws
  • Three 7.0 mm Phillips screws (bulkier screw head than other 7.0 mm Phillips screws)
  • The white plastic component holding the speaker must be removed to reach the third 7.0 mm Phillips screw. Refer to Step 2.

Remove the following screws securing the front cover to the main device:

Three 6.0 mm Phillips screws

Three 7.0 mm Phillips screws

Three 7.0 mm Phillips screws (bulkier screw head than other 7.0 mm Phillips screws)

The white plastic component holding the speaker must be removed to reach the third 7.0 mm Phillips screw. Refer to Step 2.

Step 6

  • Unscrew the white plastic piece to expose the third 7.0 mm Phillips screw mentioned.

Unscrew the white plastic piece to expose the third 7.0 mm Phillips screw mentioned.

Step 7

  • When unscrewing the game cartridge screws, you will find a loose black plastic component underneath the game cartridge.
  • Use tweezers to remove the piece.
  • In case the piece falls out unexpectedly, refer to this step to make sure you put this piece back in place during the reassembly of your device.

When unscrewing the game cartridge screws, you will find a loose black plastic component underneath the game cartridge.

Use tweezers to remove the piece.

In case the piece falls out unexpectedly, refer to this step to make sure you put this piece back in place during the reassembly of your device.

Step 8

  • Desolder the through hole-components in power plugs on both sides of the device where the batteries were once connected.
  • Do not refer to the pictures in this step for correct soldering and de-soldering techniques. They are solely for illustration purposes.
  • For proper soldering and desoldering techniques reference How To Solder and Desolder Connections.
  • Soldering requires the iron to be at hot temperatures and can cause burns. Wear safety glasses as needed.
  • Be extremely careful with the cables in this step as they could melt, burn, or break.

Desolder the through hole-components in power plugs on both sides of the device where the batteries were once connected.

Do not refer to the pictures in this step for correct soldering and de-soldering techniques. They are solely for illustration purposes.

For proper soldering and desoldering techniques reference How To Solder and Desolder Connections.

Soldering requires the iron to be at hot temperatures and can cause burns. Wear safety glasses as needed.

Be extremely careful with the cables in this step as they could melt, burn, or break.

Step 9

  • Pry the power cables from the device using your fingers or tweezers.
  • Now you should be able to lift up the front cover, leaving you with the motherboard and screen.

Pry the power cables from the device using your fingers or tweezers.

Now you should be able to lift up the front cover, leaving you with the motherboard and screen.

Step 10

              Screen
  • Lift the screen from the motherboard by pushing the board out from the three metal tabs.
  • Do not be too aggressive when separating the components, as the parts are still connected.

Lift the screen from the motherboard by pushing the board out from the three metal tabs.

Do not be too aggressive when separating the components, as the parts are still connected.

Step 11

  • Fold screen away from the motherboard along the yellow ribbon, lay the device’s components flat open like a book.
  • Do not be too aggressive when separating the components, as the parts are still connected.

Fold screen away from the motherboard along the yellow ribbon, lay the device’s components flat open like a book.

Step 12

  • Gently remove the tape covering the yellow ribbon connecting screen to motherboard.

Gently remove the tape covering the yellow ribbon connecting screen to motherboard.

Step 13

  • To safely remove yellow ribbon, lift up the retaining flap.
  • Removing or reinserting the cable by brute force could damage it.

To safely remove yellow ribbon, lift up the retaining flap.

Removing or reinserting the cable by brute force could damage it.

Step 14

  • Pull the yellow ribbon towards the screen to disconnect the screen from the socket on the motherboard.
  • If the flap is up, as show in the picture, no force should be required to remove the cable.

Pull the yellow ribbon towards the screen to disconnect the screen from the socket on the motherboard.

If the flap is up, as show in the picture, no force should be required to remove the cable.

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

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                    Nupur Garg

Member since: 04/12/2014

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                                            16 Guides authored

Paula Leflar - Aug 25, 2014

Reply

where do you get a new screen from????

Jeremiah - Jan 10, 2015

We got one on eBay. It was actually a LeapPad (original, not a LeapPad 2 Explorer) that would not boot. I figured the screen would be ok, even if the logic board was bad, and it turned out to be true. Our LeapPad 2 Explorer now works great. Bit of a pain moving the screen assembly from the old model to the new one, but it fits fine and works perfectly.

Carmen Nida - Sep 2, 2014

Reply

Where do you get a new screen from ??? Please help!

sophia - Oct 8, 2014

Reply

where can I get a screen for the leappad2?

SiRaDuDe - Dec 22, 2014

Reply

No need to desolder positive battery terminals… (on step 8)

They pull straight up just like the negative terminals just a bit tighter..

Easiest way to do this is by using a small diameter screw driver… pass it under the upper metal bend of positive contact and pull straight up..