How to change a screen and battery on a Surface Pro 3

The company who sold us the screen asked us to make a video of the installation. I did that - and more! I also changed the battery that had just died.
Please pay attention to the disclaimers on screen.
I am not affiliated in any way with laptopscreen.com. Their address is www.laptopscreen.com/.
The battery was purchased on Amazon by Batterymon. The address is:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06...
I hope that this helps someone.

[@oceantracestudios]

I was checking this because a few days ago I returned a used Surface Go because of having a cracked screen and wanted to check how difficult it would be to replace it myself if I had decided to keep it. But I must say, this is a nightmare! The variety of steps in which things can go sideways are enough for me to regret having bought a Surface 3 (non pro) in the meantime. I understand that to make such a device portable enough is challenging, but glued batteries and touchscreens are really a bad, bad idea. I already hate that components are now mostly soldered on laptops (and some desktops). Everything should be set in place by screws, but I guess this way of doing things is a mixture of designer lazyness and industry greed to always get people to buy the latest greatest toy. Very informative video though, thanks for the eye opener. Regards and stay safe!

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

I agree. We are victims of a throw-away society run by profits and low costs. If the companies were to build tablets where we could remove a few screws to replace the screen or battery, they would have to charge more for them. Why? Because they would need to produce fewer units. Recall when we could all upgrade our old 286 computers by increasing the hard drive, adding cards, adding RAM, etc. The parts people were happy, the manufacturers were not. With tablets and the like, they have us. They pop out tons of them and we keep throwing away the old to buy the newer and better. That is the way it is. So much for my rant. Thanks for your comment!

[@luismunoz4378]

Thanks this is the only tutorial I found to remove battery on surface pro 3

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Thank you. Glad I could help.

[@raisingcane225]

Thanks very much - doing this same repair next week when the parts arrive.

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

I hope it goes well!

[@yuliannaceja9555]

This was the cutest repair video I’ve ever seen. (Such a cute little old man being a nerd.) 😍 I can’t wait to try this repair on my own device!

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Thank you for the sarcasm. If you didn't need the information, why watch the video? ;-) As for your description - guilty on two accounts. Old? Yes. Nerd? Probably. I've been working on computers since DOS 3.0. That was in the 80's. You probably weren't even born then. But little? Well, if you consider 1.85 m (around 6'2") to be little, then I will concede that point. But most people wouldn't.

[@yuliannaceja9555]

The Highway Groupie Sir, my comment was not sarcastic. I’m so sorry if I offended you. I watched your entire video from beginning to end because I genuinely needed the information to repair my own Surface Pro 3. The battery is now dead & I’m so thankful for your video. Thank you for being so detailed & knowledgeable. 🤍 -Yuli

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

@@yuliannaceja9555 I beg your pardon. I obviously misread your intentions. It is difficult when there is no intonation or visualization during a dialogue. So, I apologize to you, very sincerely. I'm glad that this video can help you. However, I do stand by what I said about myself. Probably a nerd. Very old. But not little. ;-) Keep safe during this COVID-19 crisis! Kind wishes, HG. BTW, you will find some no-sugar-added recipes on my channel, if you are looking to experiment in the kitchen while stuck at home.

[@Caddi1985]

I bought a used Surface Pro 3 on eBay with a cracked screen of $100 and replaced the screen. I have to get another screen because I didn't notice that the corner of the frame was bent on the device and cracked the replacement screen in the process. Now I have to get another screen and was thinking of replacing the battery as well; will use this video as a guide!

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Sorry about the screen. But glad the video can help.

[@wolfgangkoter6905]

I hope, the battery don't explode in 5 weeks. That's a very interesting video "how to use". But more explict macro-scenes (montage the fittings) would be very helpfully. Sorry for my german "oldschool-english" Greetings from Cologne, Germany. ;)

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Hi, Wolfgang. No problem for the English. As for the battery, it is still holding a very good charge. Thank you for the critique. Regards, HG

[@ralfputz6076]

Hi , thanks very much for the video very useful as I have a surface pro 2 and my power button doesn’t work so I need to replace it. Have you ever needed to replace one and how easy is it to do so? If so where would you buy a new one?

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Hi, Ralf. Thanks for the question. It is just as hard to replace the power button as it is to change the screen. They cost in the neighbourhood of $13 and can be found in Amazon and eBay. Hope this helps, HG

[@milorocks0073]

Thank you for your help, can you please recommend where to buy the new battery? 🔋Thank you!

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

I got mine here: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WVMVY55/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It has a 10% negative rating. Count me in the 79% positive. But YMMV. Hope this helps.

[@paolog435]

Can I use a red adesive (I think is biadesive) without removing it from the inside?

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Hi, Paolo. I'm not sure that I understand your question. Bi/adhesive tape, or two-sided tape, is used to hold the screen in place. In order to help it release the screen, you need to heat it and then lift the screen little by little. You can't access the tape unless you lift the screen. Maybe you could give me more information on what you are trying to do. Kind regards, HG.

[@paolog435]

The Highway Groupie I removed the old broken screen, and I connected the jumpers of the new screen in their location. Now I have only to glue the new screen. I bought a black (not red sorry) bi-adesive really similar to the old glue. Is that adesive enough strong to glue the new screen on the tablet? It misure 5 mm of width

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

@@paolog435 Hi, Paolo. I get it now. The 'red' you saw is the plastic backing that would be removed before gluing it in place. Actually, that tape was not used. I used a 3-M tape with a white backing. But in any event, the tape is black and bi/adhesive or double-sided. As for holding the screen, my experience is that the screen does not need a lot of adhesion to remain in place. And if you ever need to remove it sometime in the future, light adhesion will help. My screen hasn't fallen out - yet. ;-) As for the width, yes, 5mm will do the job. Anything wider will interfere as it may overlap onto other surfaces. Hope this helps! HG.

[@nisankasameera9565]

Hi could you please send me link to buy that thin 3M tape?

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Hi, This seems to be very similar to what I had: www.amazon.com/3M-Adhesive-Digitizer-SENSATION-Incredible/dp/B0069YNZV2/ I bought mine on eBay (a one-off sale), so it may be slightly different. But this seems like the same one.

[@spectr__]

Let me ask something, the battery on mine bulged, and it will be some weeks until I get a replacement. Will it turn on if I just remove the battery and keep it plugged on power?

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Hi. We have a Surface Pro 1 that is working essentially without battery, so it should work. But I have never tried that with SP3. Let me know how you make out.

[@luisvaill]

What's the size of the Torx screwdriver? I am in the middle of replacing my own Surface Pro 3 battery and screen and realized I don't have one small enough.

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Actually, I cheated. I used a 1mm slotted screw driver. So, I imagine that a 1mm torx would be the size. But I can't be sure. Sorry.

[@luisvaill]

@@TheHighwayGroupie thank you. I ordered a set of torx bits for $5. Also, I partially took off a plastic film that seems to be the WiFi and Bluetooth antennas. I tried turning the Surface on and it still connected to both WiFi and Bluetooth. Is it a good idea to replace them anyway?

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

@@luisvaill Apparently these can be bought for less than $20. Some have tried to rebuild using copper film. One side is Bluetooth, the other is WiFi. I have no experience in replacing these, so I'm not much of an authority, but you can search some solutions on sites like Reddit.com or iFixit.com. Hope this helps.

[@luisvaill]

@@TheHighwayGroupie Thank you for all your help!

[@guardshack9606]

does the battery hold the charge like when the tablet was brand new? Mine only lasts about 3 hours now so i'm wondering if its worth it to have the battery replace. I have the 4gb Surface 3. Not pro version.

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

So far the battery lasts like the original.

[@mauricioavelino2890]

@@TheHighwayGroupie battery is lasting how long?

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

@@mauricioavelino2890 Hi, Mauricio. When I had the unit, it kept about 4 hours. I turned down the screen brightness a little and that made a difference. But it will depend, too, on how hard your disk and processor are working. Movies will wear it down faster. I sold the unit a few months ago, so I don't know how well it is doing now. Sorry I can't help further on that point.

[@dustinsiemers4766]

If you are doing this repair you will need to order the parts anyways. Why not order a Torx T3 screwdriver. Also get some 99% isopropyl alcohol and a bottle with a needle tip for applying the iso in between the battery and the bottom. iso will help make the battery removal much easier and will evaporate. Keep reapplying iso as you peel the battery out. Also get some .46mm guitar pics and a .1 mm metal shim to assist with taking the screen off.

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Hi. I agree with the guitar picks. They came with my kit. As for the alcohol, I will give that an unqualified maybe. ;-) The gum they used was somewhat impermeable. So it may or may not have worked. Thanks for the feedback.

[@mustafabutt5667]

My surface pro 3 fan is noisy when watching hd videos or opening multiple browser tabs. Any body has idea why

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Hi, Mustafa. Overheating in the Pro 3 was a commonly reported problem. If you used it in an environment where it was hot or poorly ventilated, it would actually shut itself down to avoid damage. Much better than the reported problems with the old HP laptops that could allegedly cause fires when left on couches or beds. When I had the Pro 3 I would add a fan behind the computer to keep it cool. It never closed down on me again, and it seldom turned up the internal fan. It also allowed the processors to work faster (both CPU and graphics). Otherwise they would slow down as their temperature rose. To your problem, there are two reasons why fans get noisy: when they are dirty, or when the bearings wear. As a rule, used bearings are quieter at high speeds because the fan tends to set more centered because of centrifuge. Although that is not always the case, depending how badly the bearings are damaged. Changing the fan is every bit as hard as changing the battery. Better to just add an external cooling source, such as a small desk fan or a cheap USB goose-neck fan. If the problem is dirt and dust related, you can blow out the fan using compressed air - canned, not from a compressor as the compressor’s air may spit some water with it. You will find a small grill-like opening on the top right of the computer as you face it. With the computer off, just blow the air in that as hard as possible. You should hear the fan spinning immediately when you stop blowing. Hope this helps! HG

[@mustafabutt5667]

Hello The Highway Groupie, first of all, thank you for your prompt reply. Exactly yes I was thinking the problem might be the dust-related as a noisy fan when the CPU rate reaches 90% to 100% whenever I play HD or 4K video. Air-Duster is a good idea I guess so. Secondly, it might be the OS problem

[@SirHumano97]

What a nightmare. So when my battery goes I should sell this for parts. Got it.

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Planned obsolescence. Repairs of this computer are not for the faint of heart. I bought a Toshiba touch screen for my wife. Much easier to repair.

[@angelgtaveras]

that table, those bottles, "la mostaza Baldom" are you in Dominican Republic? i need to change the battery to a surface 3 pro

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Yes, in the Dominican Republic.

[@KingComputerSydney]

So absurd microsoft glued the battery in. They could have designed it to be held with a few easily removed screws to hold it in place. It is one of the major components that is going to need replacing over time.

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Not only that, the screen is SO fragile and the mounting does not release easily. Much easier to remove a Samsung screen. This unit is not made for easy servicing. It is the product of a throw-away society.

[@richfoster4189]

The whole thing is absurd. We need to pry and pry and wedge and pry........ just to replace a battery! And MS itself won't do this as a service? When the maker won't have it as a service that's a red flag not to buy their junk. Why didn't they make a panel on back that comes off with screws? F'n micrudsoft!

[@harristytydawg]

How can I get someone to replace my battery without it being 200$

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Hi. Sorry to take so long. I was on the road. The video shows how to do it yourself. The screen, however, is very fragile and costs $175 to replace. So paying someone $200 to replace your battery is actually not a bad price. The battery itself can be bought for under $50. So, they are charging you only $150. That sounds high, but if it includes a guarantee that they won't break your screen, it is worth it, IMO.

[@digitaldoctors499]

Why would you do that to the battery?!!! Use a little IPA!

[@18magicMARKer]

i agree...it still can cause a fire....there's a flammable metal in that battery!

[@Dreamzzgirl]

Why the kpop Music in the background

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

That is K-Pop? Really? I would describe it more as grocery store music. :-) It's just background noise to make my voice less annoying.

[@kitcrucigera6516]

@@TheHighwayGroupie Might I ask what it is precisely? Sounds like MIDI, which makes me think either 90s stock music or something from a game. I especially like the one heard at 01:50.

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

@@kitcrucigera6516 Hi, Kit. Sorry, but I no longer have the notes on this video. It was done over 4 years ago. I usually use pieces from our subscription to professional music, but I am very sure that this music did not come from there. I don't know why I chose it over our subscription. It is a little corny and MIDI-like. If I was doing it today, I would certainly choose something else. Can't tell you what I was thinking back then.

[@ashalikhan2]

Probably the worst repair I have come across. No anti static gloves, and a paint scraper to remove the battery?? Very lucky you didn’t pierce the battery as it would’ve exploded in your face. The 3m tape is appropriate for vehicles not laptops.

[@TheHighwayGroupie]

Thank you for your comments. Anti-static gloves may be necessary in dryer climates. Static electricity is not an issue here. One can also use a grounding cable and bracelet, if necessary where they live. Thank you for bringing up that point. There was never any danger of exploding batteries. This battery was dead. You would need current for that to happen. As for the 3M tape, I have no idea where you could possibly use this in an automotive repair. This is special tape used for mounting tablet and cell phone screens. It would be good to check your facts before running off at the keyboard.