Each signal on an Android phone is delicately transferred through an antenna, making its design and placement a bit complicated. If you cannot make cellular calls and use Bluetooth or WiFi, you would suspect the respective antenna could be the problem. But how would you know the location of these Antennas on your device?
The primary cellular antenna on Android is located behind the back cover on the lower left or right side of the battery. The Bluetooth and WiFi antenna is located behind the plastic frame of the motherboard.
In this article, we will identify where is the antenna on your Android phone by following some easy step-by-step methods. We will also discuss various types of antennas found in an Android smartphone.
Types of Antennas in an Android Phone
There are multiple antennas installed on your Android phone, each of which is built for a specific type of connectivity purpose mentioned below.
Primary Cellular Antenna
A primary cellular Antenna helps you make and receive phone calls or send and receive text messages through transmitting and receiving signals. If you cannot receive 2G, 3G, or 4G, signals on your Android phone, it’s probably because your phone’s primary cellular antenna is not working.
GPS Antenna
GPS antenna was standard in the old cellphones but is still featured in some modern smartphones. The GPS antenna only receives signals in Android phones.
WiFi and Bluetooth Antenna
The WiFi and Bluetooth antenna is pretty common in new-age Android phones and is not dependent on the primary cellular antenna signal reception. So, if your primary antenna is not working, you would still be able to use Bluetooth and WiFi on your Android device.
Finding Antenna on Android Phone
If you’re asking yourself where the antenna is on your Android phone, our two step-by-step methods will help you to achieve this task without any hassle.
Method #1: Finding Cellular Antenna on Android Phone
You can find the primary cellular antenna in your Android phone by following these easy steps.
Step #1: Heating the Back Cover
Take out the sim card and turn off your Android phone. Use the heat gun to heat the back cover and hover it on the corners to completely remove the adhesive. Perform the heat gun process for at least one minute.
Step #2: Removing the Back Cover
Attach a suction cup to the back of your phone. Slide a plastic tool (such as a guitar pick) between the back cover and your phone’s frame.
Carefully slide the plastic tool around the back cover to detach it from the phone. If the back seems stiff, keep reheating to make it loose. Pull the suction cup slowly, and the back cover will come off.
Step #3: Disassembling Motherboard
Unscrew all the screws you see on the exposed back of the Android phone. Carefully pull the white frame by pushing the motherboard inside to reveal the electronic components of your device.
Step #4: Identifying Antennas on Android
In the lower left and right side of the battery, two screws are found holding the primary cellular antenna of your Android phone.
Do not use metal tools to open your Android phone’s back cover as it might break it.
Method #2: Finding the Bluetooth and WiFi Antennas
You can locate Bluetooth and WiFi antennas on your Android phone by following these steps.
- Remove the back cover of your Android phone (Explained in Method #1).
- Unscrew all the screws from the back panel.
- Gently pull out the plastic frame from the motherboard.
- You’ll find a Bluetooth/WiFi antenna chip on the lower right side of the motherboard.
Some Android phones have a WiFi antenna on the upper side of the motherboard.
Bluetooth and WiFi antennas are connected to one chip in an Android phone. So, if either of the features stops working, you’ll have to replace the whole antenna chip.
How To Improve Signal Strength on Android Phone?
If you’re facing call connectivity issues or poor signal strength, follow these tips to improve the signal frequency on your smartphone.
- Remove the aftermarket case/cover from your Android phone that might be blocking the antenna.
- Check for any dust or dirt covering the sim card tray of your Android phone.
- Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Network Mode and switch to “2G only.”
Summary
In this guide on where the antenna is on an Android phone, we presented two easy methods to help you locate cellular, Bluetooth, and WiFi antennas.
We also discussed different types of antennas installed on an Android phone and the signals they receive and transmit. We hope our guidelines were insightful enough to help you find the antenna on your Android phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
The LTE or 4G antennas work with the multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technology.
