Mini combining two Minis to get one working?

samhy · 05-06-2026, 01:24 PM

Hello,

It's been a long time since I've posted on this forum. And I'll edit this message to see if I can easily add pictures to make things more clear.

First I still love the Kobo Mini and would gladly pay 30€ to 40€ less than a Clara BW to buy a frontlit one. I was so excited last May, or was it April?, when I thought it was going to be released. Alas it was the Clara colour. Which is probably fine but not was I was looking for.

So my beloved white Mini has a broken screen since a couple of months. Everything else worked well, included the side loaded firmware to still get access to the store. I've had it since sometime in the year it was released.
Now I'm using the black Mini that I bought for my brother several months after buying mine. The side loaded firmware doesn't work that well on that one. For instance I have lots and lots of black bottom screens when opening the menus, the dictionaries... Pretty much all the time except when reading.
Maybe I should try again.
And yesterday when putting my handbag inside my bicycle bag, I heard a weird sound. When I removed the back of the Mini, to change the colour, I noticed the inside was cracked.

Now I wonder, can I remove all the screws and switch the "inside backs" between the black and the white Minis?

What I would rather do is switch the screens to keep my beloved white Mini which works just fine by using the screen of the black one. Is it doable? Or are there too much risks breaking both of the ereaders?
Do you have any advice?

Thanks for reading.

samhy · Yesterday, 06:55 AM

Hello,
I'm replying to myself with what I've found.

This link shows that's it's pretty to remove the screws and swap the backs of the two Minis.

After that, I'll disassemble to whie one (with the broken screen). If that goes well and that I feel confident, I'll try to remove the working screen of the black Mini and put it on the white one.

Have a nice day!

05-06-2026, 01:24 PM	#1
samhy Wizard Posts: 1,826 Karma: 9503859 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: France Device: (Sony (J) PRS 650), Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo HD (broken), Kobo Clara BW	combining two Minis to get one working? Hello, It's been a long time since I've posted on this forum. And I'll edit this message to see if I can easily add pictures to make things more clear. First I still love the Kobo Mini and would gladly pay 30€ to 40€ less than a Clara BW to buy a frontlit one. I was so excited last May, or was it April?, when I thought it was going to be released. Alas it was the Clara colour. Which is probably fine but not was I was looking for. So my beloved white Mini has a broken screen since a couple of months. Everything else worked well, included the side loaded firmware to still get access to the store. I've had it since sometime in the year it was released. Now I'm using the black Mini that I bought for my brother several months after buying mine. The side loaded firmware doesn't work that well on that one. For instance I have lots and lots of black bottom screens when opening the menus, the dictionaries... Pretty much all the time except when reading. Maybe I should try again. And yesterday when putting my handbag inside my bicycle bag, I heard a weird sound. When I removed the back of the Mini, to change the colour, I noticed the inside was cracked. Now I wonder, can I remove all the screws and switch the "inside backs" between the black and the white Minis? What I would rather do is switch the screens to keep my beloved white Mini which works just fine by using the screen of the black one. Is it doable? Or are there too much risks breaking both of the ereaders? Do you have any advice? Thanks for reading. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by DNSB; 05-06-2026 at 05:25 PM. Reason: Added pictures as attachments and removed links

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Yesterday, 06:55 AM	#2
samhy Wizard Posts: 1,826 Karma: 9503859 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: France Device: (Sony (J) PRS 650), Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo HD (broken), Kobo Clara BW	Hello, I'm replying to myself with what I've found. This link shows that's it's pretty to remove the screws and swap the backs of the two Minis. After that, I'll disassemble to whie one (with the broken screen). If that goes well and that I feel confident, I'll try to remove the working screen of the black Mini and put it on the white one. Have a nice day!

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