Sony DualSense Controller Rear Case Replacement

Step 1

Disconnect and power down your controller before you begin.
Insert an opening pick underneath the middle trim at the bottom-right corner of the controller to release the clips securing it to the case.

Step 2

Slide the opening pick along the lower-right edge of the middle trim to release the clips securing it to the case.

Step 3

Insert an opening pick underneath the middle trim at the bottom-left corner of the controller to release the clips securing it to the case.

Step 4

Slide the opening pick along the lower-left edge of the middle trim to release the clips securing it to the case.

Step 5

Use your fingers to lift up the bottom edge of the middle trim to release the remaining clips.
Lift the middle trim over the joysticks to remove it.

Step 6

With one hand, grip the controller and use your thumb to hold down the left trigger.
With your free hand, insert the flat end of a spudger between the L1 and L2 buttons.
Use the spudger to gently pry the L1 button away from the controller and remove it, holding your finger over the button so it doesn't eject.

Tried prying from the front of the buttons as pictured and my spudger broke off in the gap. A video I watched showed them being pried off from the back (between the R1/R2 and L1/L2 buttons) which seemed much easier.

Lora Singleton -

Agree with Lora's comment above. I was able to use an old credit card to take L1/R1 out this way. I pressed down the L2/R2 button to create space to work in, then came in from between L1/L2 and R1/R2. It's easy to pop one of the outer corners first then you can work the credit card around the top and the rest falls out.

darkstar448 -

Man, if I'd just read the thumb part...

caldugen -

Step 7

Repeat the previous step to remove the R1 button.

to save a few bucks, the L1 and R1 buttons can be removed without the use of the spudger tool by using any thin prying tool and just pry the buttons from the bottom instead of the top

Alan Peng -

What I didn't see addressed anywhere (here or in other similar articles) is that replacement R1 / L1 buttons can be differ enough to be un-usable depending on which model your ps5 controller is. The ones I ordered don't fit and now I can't find a way to be sure I get the right ones because few know there's even a difference.

Walt Mather -

Did you already figured it out? The version the we need yo use?, We are in the same situation here.

Gerald Ross Rodriguez -

Tried prying from the front of the buttons as pictured and my spudger broke off in the gap. A video I watched showed them being pried off from the back (between the R1/R2 and L1/L2 buttons) which seemed much easier.

Lora Singleton -

Step 8

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 6.4 mm screws securing the bottom corners of the lower case.

Step 9

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 6.4 mm screws behind the L1 and R1 buttons.

Step 10

Be gentle when releasing the rear cover clips—they're delicate and can easily break.
Use the point of a spudger to release the two clips on either side of the headset jack.

Step 11

Tight plastic clips secure the left and right edges of the rear case.
Insert the flat end of a spudger between the front and rear shells near the bottom of the left edge.
Slide the spudger along the left edge and gently pry the shells apart to release the clips.

Step 12

Repeat the previous step on the right edge to release its clips.

Step 13

Lay your controller upside down so the joysticks are on your work surface.
Hold the controller down with your fingers and use your thumbs to lift the rear case away from the controller to fully separate it.

Step 14

Remove the rear case.

There are four more clips/hooks hidden in the seams along the outer sides of the handles. If you pull open the controller as shown in this step, then you will shear off the two tiny clips which are right next to the R1 and L1 buttons.

Therefore, you should first release those clips by prying the seams open sideways.

I noticed this with the updated design of the controller, not sure whether the hooks are present on the first version.

The hooks are not critical for the integrity of the controller as the two halves are held together by the screws hidden under the buttons. The damage does show that the controller has been taken apart.

Nick -

Thought I'd clarify: The clips next to the L1 and R1 are on the outer side from the L1 and R1 buttons, I'd suggest zooming in on the picture to see them. They're quite easy to break, but also easy to remove using the plastic spudger along the seam, bending the bottom cover outwards

Franz Rolfsvaag -

I am still strugling to find the clips. Could someone point them out in the image with a screen shot or something like that.

aGingerThing -

I keep getting stuck at this step too with the new DualSense CFI-ZCT1WA revision. The top and bottom shells seem like they are fused together next to L1/R1 but I can't seem to be able to find where these hidden clips are located. My controller is still in warranty so I don't want to break them in case I can't fix my issue.

but also easy to remove using the plastic spudger along the seam, bending the bottom cover outwards

I tried this but it seems that the you need a lot of force and I ended up bending the tip of my spudger. Are you sure it's not the top cover that you need to pry away? The bottom cover has a ridge to make sure it's under the top cover so it's not easy to bend outwards.

@samomio I think there needs to be a step added for these new clips.

robplease -

Ok, not seeing a lot of motion on this request, so I've uploaded photos of the hooks to imgur.

Here ya go: https://imgur.io/a/7NWmQi5

Sean Murphy -

Life save Sean. Appreciate the image.

Vili -

This guide really needs an update on this. I had a really hard time getting the forward clips to release even after referring to the comments above. Pretty sure I broke them in the end. No big deal but would be great if the iFixit experts could work out a good method for releasing them.

Marcus Harvey -

I finally figure it out!!

The hidden clip is very tricky but once you understand how it works it is easy to remove.

Use Sean's picture: https://imgur.io/a/7NWmQi5

What sean is showing, is actually the bottom shell of the seam.

To disassemble

1. Use the flat side of the spudger, pry the bottom seam OUTWARDS near the R1/L1 button hole.

2. (most important) While prying the bottom shell seam outwards, push your thumb on the upper shell and push outward as well (you can do this by applying pressure from the removed R1/L1 button hole towards the seam. And then it will disassemble automatically

And that's it!

Penn - 27/01/24

updated instruction:

I finally figure it out!!

The hidden clip is very tricky but once you understand how it works it is easy to remove.

Use Sean's picture: https://imgur.io/a/7NWmQi5

What sean is showing, is actually the bottom shell of the seam.

To disassemble

1. Use the flat side of the spudger, pry the bottom seam OUTWARDS near the R1/L1 button hole.

2. (most important) While prying the bottom shell seam outwards, hold your thumb on the upper shell as anchor and then use your other finger to pry the bottom edge of the controller up away from the shell. If you are doing the first step, then don't worry about breaking the clip, just force it open. And then it will disassemble automatically

And that's it!

Penn -

Yes! Thanks a bunch Penn. That did the trick! Much appreciated

Sean -

I managed to do it just by pulling harder than what I was already doing. And I don't think I broke anything. So, for me at least, the technique described in this guide worked.

Riedweg Guillaume -

The video linked below clearly shows how to open the controllers with the extra clips near the L1/R1 areas.

See a video here by How To X on YouTube... https://youtu.be/djIvRoclr_E?si=dKFpQCZe...

Jason Z - 18/05/24

I really struggled with releasing the rest of the back panel (close to the shoulder buttons.) What finally seemed to do the trick for me, was doing both sides at once with upward turning motion of the back panel with the shoulder buttons approximately at the axis. Trying to release just one side and then the other felt impossible without potentially breaking the case.

dborba -

This was what did it for me

Matthew Williamson -