How to replace the battery and volume button on a Nexus 5 Smart phone

     I recently changed out the volume button on a Nexus 5 Smartphone. I decided to replace the battery while in there. Both jobs require the same degree of dis-assembly.

                                             The job at a glance

• Tools:  Flat blade and philips jeweler's screwdrivers
• Materials: None 
• Parts: Volume button and battery  
• Cost of parts: Battery $16.99,  Button $11.75 
• Time: 45 minutes   

Disassembly and removal

1) Power the phone down.

2) Remove the back of the phone. There are multiple catches in the back cover that fit into slots in the front. The back material is very flexible. Use the area of the power button as an entry point for the flat blade jeweler's screwdriver to pry apart those catches. I marked the position of these catches with some black electrical tape to aid in this separation.

It may help to know where the catches are located

 Continue to work around the cover, one by one unsnapping the catches. 

The first of many catches undone

When around to the opposite side from where started, work back to the top of the phone on both sides. Then simply pull the cover toward the bottom of the phone and it will come free.

2) Remove the upper larger plastic cover.  Remove 6 philips screws and the cover will pull off. 

Remove these six screws...

...And this cover is out of the way

3) Install the volume button. A horseshoe shaped part fits over a nub projecting in the phone and then slips behind the lower cover of the phone. 

4) Disconnect a flexible circuit board that runs along one edge of the battery. It plugs into a long narrow multi-connector above the battery. Move this away from the battery. 

pry up on both edges at once to unplug this connector

5) Unplug the battery. It plugs in with a smaller, same style connector as previous. 

unplug the battery connector

6) Remove the battery. The back may be sticky and require some gently prying with the straight blade screwdriver along several sides of the battery. 

Installation and re-assembly

1) Press the new battery into position and plug it in. 

2) Plug in the flexible board that runs over the left edge of the battery. 

3) Mount the top inner cover with the six philips screws.

4) Snap the back cover back in position. 

5) Charge and test.