How to open a Nintendo Wii

Written by Marc Roberge | 14 December 2010

How_To_Open_A_Nintendo_Wii How to open a Wii console – a step by step guide with pictures.

In order to open your Wii, you will need three precision screwdrivers. You will need a Philips (star), Slot and Tri-Wing. The first 2 can be taken from any precision screwdriver set, the type you would get for computer and electronic repairs. The tri-wing screwdriver can be bought online from dozens of retailers including eBay. Simply Google “tri-wing screwdriver” and you will have your pick of where to buy yours.

Here are some pictures of the screwdrivers I used (click on the pictures to view them in their large format):

Remove all cables from your Wii and place on a clean bare work surface.

You may want to create a sheet like this one to keep your screws organized.

Stand your Wii on its top so that the bottom of the unit is facing up. The first screw to remove is the small Phillips screw securing the battery clip in place.

Once you’ve released this screw, simply pull out the Wii battery clip and set it aside. Note that this screw should not come free from the battery clip.

While still on the bottom of the Wii unit, there are 5 more screws to remove. The first 4 are concealed beneath 1 rubber pad and 3 decals as shown by the arrows in the following picture. Carefully remove the pad and decals using your slot screwdriver. I usually just stick these to the side of the unit for fear of losing them. Do not set them on dirty surfaces or touch their tacky sides with your fingers or they will likely not stay in place when you reapply them.

Once the pad and decals are removed you can remove the 3 Phillips screws and 2 Tri-Wing screws and set them aside. The 5th screw is located next to the battery slot as shown in the 3rd photo.

Now that the bottom screws have all been removed, we will lay the Wii on its side with rubber pads facing up.

On the edge closest to the DVD Slot drive, we will need to remove both decals (not the rubber pads).

Along the opposite edge, we will remove both rubber pads, again using our slot screwdriver.

All 4 screws are Tri-Wing screws. You can remove these and set them aside.

Now we will set the Wii upright. Flip open both flaps. You can remove these, gingerly, if you prefer. They just pull out with very little pressure. Remove the 3 small Phillips screws holding the black bezel in place. Please note that the screw nearest the front (DVD) of the Wii console will be slightly longer than the other 2.

Once all 3 screws have been removed, you can separate the face plate (DVD) from the Wii. Do not twist or bind it. We want to avoid snapping off the tabs. Also, do not pull it away too quickly or with too much force as it is attached to the Wii console by a pair of small wires.

Once the faceplate is separated, simply grab the wires and give them a slight tug to release the plug end from the console.

With the faceplate removed, you can now remove the black bezel.

There are 4 final screws located beneath the black bezel. Remove the 2 Tri-Wing and 2 Phillips screws and set them aside.

With these 4 screws removed, we can gently separate the top and bottom bezels of your Wii console. They should come apart without much resistance. If they aren’t separating, check to make sure you haven’t forgotten a screw in the previous steps.

You have successfully opened your Wii console. The metal shield covering your DVD drive can be removed by pulling on it gently.

To remove the DVD drive from your Wii system, we need to remove the 4 Phillips screws securing it in place. Be careful to remove the screws indicated by the arrows in the following picture. Do not remove any other screws. Also, these screws are secured over rubber mounts. These rubber mounts reduce drive vibration. Take care not to lose them.

Once these 4 screws have been removed, you can gently lift the DVD drive from its mounts. You will want to tilt it

There you have it. With this step by step guide on how to open your Wii console, you should be able to easily and confidently open your Wii to complete repairs or replace parts or components.