Before you start
This repair guide will show you step-by-step how to use your newly purchased iTG display glass repair set to repair your Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone. It is compatible with models i9300, i9301 and i9305.
As the repair procedure is essentially the same, this guide can also be used with our repair set for the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini smartphone. It is compatible with models i8190, i8195 and i8200.
Please make sure all the parts of the supplied repair set are included. If you find that there is something missing or damaged, please contact us before proceeding.
You Will Need
- The iTG repair set for the correct model smartphone.
- Heat gun / hair dryer / our UFiX Heat Bag (available here) or other way to heat the display glass.
- EVOBOND Debonder (glue remover) / WD40 / isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
- Lens cleaner / glass cleaner.
- Patience (usual repair time: 30min – 1hr but can take longer depending on how cracked the glass is).
You May Also Need
- Infrared thermometer (available here).
- Suction Cup Pliers (available here).
- Clear packaging tape / sellotape.
- Tweezers.
- Rubber gloves.
- LOCA UV liquid glue and a UV light source, if attempting the glue bonding procedure. (These can be purchased together here as part of our iTG® PROFI Smartphone Display Glass Gluing Set).
UPDATE
We now included an iTG® metal opening tool and PVC seperator cards with every smartphone repair set that we sell. These tools are to be used in place of the plastic pick tools and playing cards mentioned in the following guide.
UPDATE 2
In addition we would like to recommend our optional new, ultra thin, flexible spring steel opening tool for seperating the display glass from the smartphone digitizer. While it is perfectly possible to complete the repair successfully using the included PVC cards, our opening tool is specially designed to be easy to handle, being thinner and therefore reducing the chance of causing damage to the digitizer while attempting to seperate the display glass. For more information or to make a purchase, please view our Amazon page here.
Let’s Begin!
Step 1
If your display glass is very shattered, cut a piece of packaging tape to the size of the screen and apply it. This will help keep the glass in 1 piece and assist with removal later. If the display already has a screen protector fitted you can skip this step.
Step 2
Using the blue pry tool, remove the back cover.
Insert the tool along the edge of the phone between the frame and back case. Then slide it along the edge to separate the two parts. It should un-clip and come off very easily.
Step 3
Using the same tool, remove the battery.
Step 4
Remove both the SIM card and microSD memory card if present. To do this, pull the card gently with your fingernail and slide it out.
The following steps require lots of patience. Be careful and take your time!
Step 5
Using your selected heating method (such as our UFiX Heat Bag), heat the surface of the display glass to approximately 70-80°C. This melts the glue that holds the glass to the display. This will loosen the glue but should not damage the electronics.
If you have one available, use 
an infrared thermometer (recommended) to check the temperature. If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the glass until you can no longer touch it with your bare finger for more than a second.
When using a heat gun, hold the 
gun at least 5 cm from your phone (in the picture it looks closer). With the heat gun set to low, heat the glass for about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the strength of your heat gun. When using a hairdryer it will take longer.
You must be careful when applying heat. If the display is heated up too much it may melt the digitizer and cause discoloration. If you start to see any discoloration then shut off the gun IMMEDIATELY. When using an infrared thermometer you should be able to avoid this.
Step 6
Using the supplied pick tools or pry tools, very carefully start to work around the edges to separate the glass. A thin flexible tool is useful to first insert under the edge of the glass to start the procedure. Make sure to work from the top of the phone to the bottom.
Leave the tools in place as you go, in order to keep the glass separated from the glue. You will need to keep reapplying heat to the glass approximately every 30 seconds for around 1-2 minutes while you work, as the glass will cool down quickly. For glass which is heavily damaged you will need to be extra careful not to damage the LCD with the shattered glass pieces.
Be careful along the bottom edge of the screen as the 2 touch keys are glued to the glass. Leave these until last if possible. (They need to be detached before the glass screen is removed.)
Step 7
Once you have separated the edges of the glass, work your way toward the centre, reapplying heat as needed.
iTech Tip! Old playing cards / business cards are useful here to work into the glue and separate the glass. Just make sure the material they are made from is flexible and won’t damage the digitizer.
Again work from top to bottom and keep reapplying heat as required. If needed you can use the supplied suction cup tool to pull up slightly on the glass as you work to separate it.
Step 8
Once you think the glass is completely separated, don’t immediately try to remove the whole piece! The 2 touch buttons at the bottom of the screen must first be detached.
Carefully pull the screen from the top, opening it like a book. You should now be able to see the touch button cables.
With a plastic pry tool, carefully detach the buttons from the inner side of the glass. A little heat may be necessary. The best way is to start in the middle, under the black ribbon that connects the two buttons, and then move sideways to separate each one.
Step 9
Remove the broken display glass.
If the display glass is very shattered you may need to pick out the small pieces with a pair of tweezers one-by-one. This will take extra time. (This is why we put tape on the glass in step 1!)
Step 10
Remember to remove the small metal earpiece cover from your old display glass. You will need to refit it as it is not supplied as part of our repair set.
Step 11
Remove any adhesive tape that is left stuck around the edge of the screen. For this it is helpful to use a pair of tweezers.
To remove any leftover glue from the digitizer, apply a small amount of cleaning liquid and wipe with a lint-free cloth. (We recommend using special glue remover such as EVOBOND Debonder, but a small amount of WD40 applied to the cloth also works well. Just don’t use too much). You can then scrape off the loosened glue with your finger or a pick tool, just don’t press too hard.
iTech Tip! A piece of packaging tape folded back on itself (sticky side out) is useful here to dab onto the screen and remove any small loose spots of glue. Just make sure you don’t press too hard on the digitizer.
When cleaning off the glue, do NOT attempt to scrape glue out of the cracks between the digitizer and the frame. A very small amount of force towards the centre or from underneath will crack the display.
Step 12
Remove any leftover smudges from the digitizer using lens cleaning wipes or glass cleaner and a clean lint-free cloth. Try not to leave any fluff or dust on the display as it will be trapped in once the new display glass is fitted. You can now also put back into place the small metal earpiece cover. Also make sure the touch buttons are pressed back down into place (not like in the photo).
Now you can apply the 3M pre-cut adhesive sheet included with your repair set to the frame of the phone. Peel off the large clear plastic protective layer and place the adhesive over the display, it should fit perfectly.
Make sure the adhesive is pressed down firmly enough so that when you peel back the coloured protective layer, the adhesive stays glued to the frame. There should be a little flap of the coloured plastic that you can use to help remove it. If the home button came out during the glass removal, you can also now put it back into place.
At this point you can apply the LOCA UV liquid glue if you wish. It is not essential and we do not recommend it for this repair (see our disclaimer). However if you would like to attempt it, you can follow our guide here.
Step 13
It is now finally time to install your new display glass!
Peel back and remove the clear plastic from the front and back of the new display glass. Make sure to also remove the second layer of protective plastic on the rear of the glass. Use your fingernail to pick along the edge of the glass until it comes free. Be careful not to touch the display part of the glass as you do this as it can leave marks or smudges (wear rubber gloves if possible).
Carefully move the new display glass into position above the frame of the phone. Start by fixing the bottom edge of the glass, making sure that the touch buttons and home button are correctly positioned.
Lower the glass down into position and press into place. Make sure it is properly fixed all the way round and is lying flush with the frame.
Step 14
Reinstall the SIM card and microSD card and refit the battery (the reverse of the removal procedure).
Reinstall the back cover and clip it back into place. You can now switch your phone back on and make sure it is all working correctly.
Step 15 
Now pat yourself on the back for a job well done 🙂