iFixit - Answers With Device "Game Boy Advance"

Game Boy Advance: GBA turns on but has a blank screen and no audio

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:31:45 -0700

Hey everyone,

I recently acquired a broken GBA that initially didn't turn on at all. After doing all the normal cleaning up corrosion on the battery contacts, unjunking the power switch with IPA etc it now switches on, as indicated by the green LED, but nothing shows on the screen at all. I even hear a bit of noise from the speaker, so I know that works, however, it's just the *bunk* sorta sound you hear from turning the console on - there's no sound from the game or startup sequence. I should add that I hear this through the headphones too.

I've checked the ribbon cable connecting the screen and logic board and nothing seems amiss - I've also thoroughly cleaned both the ribbon cable connector and slot with no luck.

Any ideas?

⟐ Commented February 09, 2026 at 9:31 MST

Game Boy Advance: GBA can not read the game card

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 17:47:56 -0700

My gameboy can be turned on but was not be able to getting into the game. Can anyone help?

⟐ Commented November 07, 2025 at 17:47 MST

Game Boy Advance: Why won't my Pokemon fire red save?

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:00:17 -0700

Hello,

From the little looking around that I've done myself I've found out that these games don't rely on a battery to store the save files, so that can't be the problem. I've bought the game secondhand with my Gameboy advance about 5-7ish years ago, the game is in German (not my native language) so at the time I was younger and never really got out of the second town. Later I finished the game on an emulator(in English) so I can't recall if it had the problem when I first got it since I didn't speak the language and never knew what button needed pressing to save the game.

I'm able to save the game and it sais it actually saves it, but the number I presume is the amount of times uve saved remains standing on 0. After I restart my GBA I'm forced to go through the tutorial, I've tried it 3/4 times but no success.

Thx in advance for the work,

TLDR; FireRed will let me save but when restarted I'm forced to start all over again.

⟐ Answered October 29, 2025 at 10:00 MST

Game Boy Advance: GBA not turning on when adding IPS screen mod

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:45:50 -0700

GBA not turning on. I've modded more than 10 GBAs and many other consoles, never had an issue. System worked when it was the stock screen. Here are the images.

Sound is faint when it turns on, but screen is black. Let the vendor know and they sent another screen, same issue. Not sure if there's something wrong with the boards or adapters.

Is anyone able to spot the issues?

⟐ Commented October 03, 2025 at 13:45 MST

Game Boy Advance: GBA Flickers on and turns off

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 23:13:16 -0700

This GBA Flickers on for a second and powers off. Not sure what the cause is but here's the things I've ruled out.

Capacitors have all been replaced
Battery terminals are clean and bring power
The power switch has been replaced and works
F1 fuse works
There is continuity from F1 -> 101 -> Q5

No idea what it could be so really hoping someone has the answer :) this is the target red edition so I would love to get it revived

-> here is the video on google drive since it wont load properly on here https://drive.google.com/file/d/150N2-g4...

⟐ Commented February 19, 2025 at 23:13 MST

Game Boy Advance: Gameboy Advance - doesn't turn ON (ON/OFF switch cleaned)

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 04:58:02 -0700

Hi guys!

I have this old GBA which doesn't work and I decided to try to repair it. There was battery leak inside and the power button was damaged. At first the gameboy didn't turn at all. I disassembled it, opened the power switch, cleaned it up and I now it's still not working (haha) but there is som led blinking for a while and just a milisecond buzzing sound from the speaker.

I have also tried to jump the switch ON pins with a wire to bypass the switch but the result was the same.

I have also checked continuity from + -> F1 -> 101 -> Q5

No screen at all...could you please help me what should I try next?

⟐ Answer edited February 03, 2025 at 4:58 MST

Game Boy Advance: Gameboy Advance Won't Turn on, but...

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 01:58:44 -0700

I have a Gameboy Advance I Attempt to turn on, and wont, but when I switch from On to back Off there is a quick green flash.

I've replaced the power switch twice. What could be causing this?

⟐ Edited November 12, 2024 at 1:58 MST

Game Boy Advance: Pads to solder don't exist

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 00:35:25 -0700

Hi team,

I have a problem, I have no where to add solder... Two middle pads are not there. I tried to add solder there but didn't work.

It's a gameboy advance board and power switch component. Is there a solución for this?

Thanks

⟐ Answered August 21, 2024 at 0:35 MST

Game Boy Advance: Well well I somehow messed up my funny playing screen :(

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 21:25:19 -0700

I installed a funny playing ips screen and battery along with an led board. Everything was working flawlessly except my select button wasn't working. I took the wire off the select button for the screen and tried it but now my screens backlight doesn't work. I realized that I got a bad pad on my select so I replaced it with the original. The select button works now but my screen will not light up. The game plays, everything works but my screen now. I've reattached the ribbon cables and touch pad 4 times now and nothing new.

⟐ Commented August 14, 2024 at 21:25 MST

Game Boy Advance: Game Boy Advance starting up in black and white

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 03:08:29 -0700

I Bought a modded GBA, and it was working fine, but the screen was miss placed, so I opened it and put the screen on the right position. When I tested with the gba still open it was working fine, but after closing it, the screen now has no colors, everything else works just fine, it's only the screen that is now on black and white. I believe it's a IPS V3 screen. I tried re-opening, and checking for burned components, broken cables, but nothing.

⟐ Answer edited July 11, 2024 at 3:08 MST

Game Boy Advance: After fixing corrotion damage the unit stays dead, no current absorbed

Fri, 17 May 2024 06:19:39 -0700

I've got this junk Game Boy Advance, seller told me it won't power on.

The unit was suffering some corrotion and the battery contacts were gone. I replaced them with some parts from Aliexpress and I soldered. I then checked the ohmic contact between these parts and the power switch, and they are ok.

I finally cleaned up the board and checked for leaking capacitors, found no one. To my sight, there are no other signs of corrotion or damage elsehere in the PDB (I can provide some photos ofc).

I reassembled and I was largely optimistic, I must admit.

I connected to my bench powersupply and...nothing. The unit stays dead. And it absorbes 0 A, which is probably no good.

The question is: where and how have I to go to deeper testing the unit and where are the most common pitfalls, with the abovementioned symptoms?

tnx allot for your support!

⟐ Answer edited May 17, 2024 at 6:19 MST

Game Boy Advance: What is the proper way to replace the volume wheel?

Mon, 13 May 2024 01:45:11 -0700

I've tried replacing the volume wheel twice on two separate GBAs, and both times the sound has gotten stuck at about half volume. What is the trick to successfully replace the volume wheel, does it need to be set to the volume off position before you solder it?

⟐ Commented May 13, 2024 at 1:45 MST

Game Boy Advance: How do you replace a broken GBA game slot?

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 15:01:23 -0700

I've got this GBA but the game slot is broken Im not completely sure on how to replace it. anyone know?

⟐ Commented April 16, 2024 at 15:01 MST

Game Boy Advance: Very dark screen when playing games

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 10:56:55 -0700

I’ve just purchased a second hand game boy advance and it’s quite hard to see the game due to dark screen. I’ve tried the usual holding select and clicking left/right but no good. Also found the pot behind the serial number but no good unless I need a very small screwdriver but not sure. Any help greatly appreciated

⟐ Answered December 01, 2023 at 10:56 MST

Game Boy Advance: I accidentally dropped my gameboy

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 14:18:19 -0700

i accidentally dropped my gameboy advance after i just modded it and now the screen looks weird does

⟐ Commented October 03, 2023 at 14:18 MST

Game Boy Advance: How to fix Start button

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 10:48:08 -0700

My Start button stopped working, which is a letdown, since all my game need the Start button one way or another. I wondered how could I fix it, and of course where to get the part to fix it.

⟐ Commented September 02, 2023 at 10:48 MST

Game Boy Advance: Display Malfunctions After Ribbon Cable Replacement

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 19:27:17 -0700

I tried to replace a ripped ribbon cable for my Funny Playing screen. All of the ribbons seem to be in their slots fine, but this is my display. When I put in a game, it starts up and plays the audio, but the screen is just this. Any ideas where I went wrong or how I can fix this?

Game Boy Advance: Gameboy isn't getting enough power

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 12:46:10 -0700

I turn on my gameboy. Light flashes red then turns off. Please help. It isn't the batteries because my other gba works.

⟐ Answered August 10, 2023 at 12:46 MST

Game Boy Advance: black screen but game sound

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:19:56 -0700

when i turn it on the screen turns black with the startup sound and then game sound playing while still black. cant play

⟐ Answered August 02, 2023 at 18:19 MST

Game Boy Advance: How should I remove rust on the battery terminal?

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 06:43:56 -0700

Hello! I just bought this Game Boy Advance today and noticed that there was rust on the battery terminal. It still works fine, but the power indicator light flickers from green to red, probably because of the poor battery connection. It is only on this one terminal, so I want to try to clean it off. What is the best way to do this without damaging the motherboard? I could also replace the terminal but I would rather keep the OEM one.

⟐ Answer accepted June 27, 2023 at 6:43 MST