I needed to perform this operation because I had a Trezor Model T with a lost recovery seed **and **a bad display. When I plugged it in, I saw the LCD backlight lit up, but nothing showed on the screen. I decided to fix this Trezor wallet with a component swap of the touchscreen.
Don't want to open the case yourself? We do this kind of board-level and screen repair on the bench as a service — see our Trezor recovery & repair page.
Note: If the problem is a broken USB-C connector, you will need to employ a soldering iron.
Trezor screen not working? Diagnose before you open it
Locked out of a wallet like this one?
I repair hardware wallets, crack forgotten passwords, and rebuild broken seed phrases — on my own bench in Denver.
Before cutting anything open, work out which failure you have, because the two cheapest fixes require no surgery at all:
- Backlight on, but nothing displayed (my case): the screen glows but shows no image. This is usually the touchscreen/display assembly or, surprisingly often, a loose display connector — see the note at the end; reseating it fixed mine.
- Nothing at all — no light, device won't boot: more likely a broken USB-C connector or cable than the screen itself. Try several cables and USB ports first; a device that still charges/enumerates on another machine points at the port, not the display.
- Screen shows an image but touch doesn't respond: the touch panel ribbon, not the LCD. The transplant below covers this too, since the Model T's display and touch panel are one assembly.
Crucially, if you still have your recovery seed, you don't need any of this — just restore the seed onto a new device. Screen repair only matters when the seed is lost and the coins are trapped on the device behind a PIN you know. That situation, and every other Trezor lockout, is mapped out in how to restore a Trezor: lost PIN, wiped, or broken device.
Step 1: Cut around the Trezor case
You will need to very carefully use a razor blade to cut through the ultrasonic seal holding the two parts of the case together. Be careful especially along the top of the device, as that is where the display ribbon is. Score the entire seam all around the device and push the blade in a few mm.
Step 2: Carefully open the Trezor case from the bottom and push up 45%.
When you open the Trezor, the display and motherboard will be connected by two ribbon cables - for the display and touch panel. Don't yank out the display or you could tear them. Instead, carefully push up on the motherboard to remove the entire assembly from the **bottom **of the case.
Step 3: Detach the two ribbon cables.
Use a plastic tool to detach the two ribbon cables holding the display to the motherboard.
Conclusion
Now, swap the broken display with the working display and you're back in business! I used superglue to glue the plastic case pieces together.
If this doesn't work, you probably have a broken USB lead. You will need to re-solder the USB connector to the motherboard.
In my case, after I reassembled both Trezors, I found that the bad display magically started working too! It turns out that the display connector has come loose. It would have been enough to tear down the broken Trezor and firmly reseat both display assembly connectors. Try this first!