Pixel 6 & 7 Small Parts Guide: Fix Buttons, SIM Tray, Fingerprint Sensor & Camera Lens

Not every Pixel problem is a screen problem. If your power button has stopped clicking properly, your fingerprint sensor has gone deaf, your SIM tray won't budge, your photos have a scratch running through every shot, or your phone has gone silent on notifications, you almost certainly don't need to touch the display at all. These are individual, low-cost components — most under £11 — and swapping them is a smaller, cheaper, lower-risk job than a full screen or battery replacement.

This guide covers the five most commonly overlooked Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 generation faults, model by model, colour by colour, with links straight to the genuine replacement parts you need. If you've already had a look at our full Google Pixel screen repair guide or our Pixel 6/7 battery replacement guide and neither applies to what's actually wrong with your phone, you're in the right place.

Pixel power button not working or volume button stuck? Here's the fix

A Pixel power button not working — or a volume button stuck, mushy, or requiring three presses to register — is almost always a mechanical or flex cable fault, not a software issue. On the Pixel 6 the physical buttons themselves can wear out or lose their click; on the 6 Pro, 7 and 7 Pro, the buttons are mounted on a flex cable assembly that can fail, get knocked loose in a drop, or corrode after moisture exposure.

Symptoms to watch for:

• Power button needs excessive force or doesn't respond at all
• Volume up or down stuck in one position, or not registering presses
• Buttons rattle, feel loose, or have visibly separated from the frame
• Screen won't wake without plugging in a charger, because the power button has failed

Genuine replacement parts by model:

• Pixel 6: Google Pixel 6 Black Replacement Side Power Volume Up Down Buttons Key – £6.99
• Pixel 6 Pro: available in three finishes to match your device — Google Pixel 6 Pro Power & Volume Button Flex Cable Replacement (Black) – £9.99, (Gold) – £9.99, or (Silver) – £9.99
• Pixel 6a: Google Pixel 6a Power & Volume Button Replacement (Black) – £8.99
• Pixel 7: budget option — For Google Pixel 7 Replacement Power & Volume Button Flex Cable – £6.99, or genuine OEM finish — (Gold) – £9.39 / (Black) – £9.39
• Pixel 7 Pro: budget option — For Google Pixel 7 Pro Replacement Power & Volume Button Flex Cable – £6.39, or colour-matched OEM — (Black) – £9.29, (Silver) – £9.29, (Gold) – £9.39

If your Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro took a drop and the buttons stopped working alongside a cracked screen, it's worth checking both — the two faults often come from the same knock, but they're two separate, independently replaceable parts.

Pixel fingerprint sensor not working? It's usually the flex cable

A Pixel fingerprint sensor not working — refusing to recognise a registered finger, timing out constantly, or simply not responding to touch at all — is one of the most common "small part" faults on this generation. The rear-mounted sensor on the 6 series and the under-display sensor on the 7 series both rely on a thin ribbon flex cable connecting the sensor to the motherboard. That cable can crack from repeated flexing, come loose after a drop, or degrade with age.

Common signs it's the flex cable and not a settings issue:

• Fingerprint unlock fails consistently even after re-registering prints
• Sensor doesn't respond to touch at all, not even a vibration
• Fault appeared suddenly after a drop or knock
• Software has been reset/updated and the fault persists

Genuine replacement parts by model:

• Pixel 6: Google Pixel 6 Fingerprint Sensor Flex Cable Replacement – £10.99
• Pixel 6 Pro: Google Pixel 6 Pro Fingerprint Sensor Flex Cable Replacement – £10.99
• Pixel 6a: Google Pixel 6a Fingerprint Sensor Flex Cable Replacement – £9.99
• Pixel 7: premium option — Google Pixel 7 Fingerprint Sensor Flex Cable Replacement – £11.49, or budget option — For Google Pixel 7 Fingerprint Sensor Flex Replacement Premium Quality – £7.19
• Pixel 7 Pro: premium option — Google Pixel 7 Pro Fingerprint Sensor Flex Cable Replacement – £11.49, or budget option — For Google Pixel 7 Pro Fingerprint Sensor Replacement Premium quality – £7.64

Note that on the 6 series the fingerprint sensor sits on the back of the phone, so this replacement doesn't involve the screen assembly at all. On the 7 series the sensor is under the display glass, but the flex cable itself still connects separately at the motherboard — it's a contained, targeted fix rather than a full display job.

Pixel SIM tray stuck, lost, or won't eject?

A Pixel SIM tray stuck in the slot, one that's gone missing after being left out, or one where the eject pin no longer pushes it free, is an easy, cheap fix — and one of the most searched-for small parts because trays are so easy to lose or bend. If you're hunting for a "pixel sim card tray replacement" because the original is scratched, corroded, or simply gone, genuine colour-matched trays are available for every model in this range.

Typical causes:

• Tray bent or warped after being forced or dropped on a hard surface
• Eject pin hole blocked with lint, dust or corrosion
• Tray lost after being left out during a SIM swap
• Tray stuck due to water ingress causing the metal to seize

Genuine replacement trays by model and colour:

• Pixel 6 SIM tray: Google Pixel 6 SIM Card Tray Replacement (Black) – £8.99
• Pixel 6 Pro SIM tray: Black – £8.99, Gold – £8.99, or Silver – £8.99
• Pixel 6a SIM tray: Google Pixel 6a SIM Card Tray Replacement (Black) – £7.99
• Pixel 7 SIM tray: Gold – £8.09, White – £8.09, or Black – £8.09
• Pixel 7 Pro SIM tray: White – £8.09, Gold – £8.09, or Black – £8.09

A quick tip before you order: try a firm push with a proper SIM eject pin (not a bent paperclip) first, and check the tray slot for any visible debris. If the tray genuinely won't budge or is physically damaged, a replacement tray fits and pushes into place in seconds — no tools or disassembly required.

Cracked or scratched rear camera lens ruining your photos?

A cracked or scratched camera lens is a small, localised fault that has an outsized effect on photo quality — hazy shots, light flares, ghosting, or a visible crack line running across every image. It's also one of the most common casualties of a drop where the phone lands rear-first, often alongside a cracked back glass. The good news is that the lens cover itself is a separate, inexpensive part from the camera module underneath.

Signs your camera lens (not the sensor) is the problem:

• Photos have a consistent haze, glare, or streak in the same spot every time
• Visible crack or chip in the glass over the camera housing
• Autofocus still works but image quality has noticeably degraded
• Fault appeared immediately after a drop

Genuine replacement lenses currently confirmed:

• Pixel 6: For Google Pixel 6 Replacement Rear Camera Lens (Black) – £3.99
• Pixel 6 Pro: For Google Pixel 6 Pro Replacement Rear Camera Lens (Black) – £3.99

At under £4, this is the cheapest fix in this entire guide and a genuinely sensible first step before assuming you need a new phone or a full rear housing.

Pixel no sound on notifications or speaker not working?

If your Pixel has gone quiet — no ringtone, no notification sound, or a muffled, crackly, or distorted speaker — the fault usually sits with the ringer speaker or buzzer component itself, particularly if music and calls through the earpiece still sound fine. Dust ingress, moisture, or a knocked connector are the usual causes.

Symptoms pointing to a speaker/buzzer fault rather than a settings issue:

• Volume is turned up and Do Not Disturb is off, but no sound plays
• Sound is present but distorted, crackly, or much quieter than expected
• Vibration works but audio does not, or vice versa
• Speaker cuts in and out intermittently

Genuine replacement part currently confirmed:

• Pixel 6a: Google Pixel 6a Ringer Speaker Buzzer Audio Repair Part – £8.99

Before ordering, it's always worth checking speaker settings, restarting the device, and inspecting the speaker grille for visible dust or debris — a blocked grille can mimic a hardware fault. If the phone has been dropped in water or the fault started after exposure to moisture, a hardware replacement is the more likely fix.

Pixel 6 & 7 small parts price comparison table

Use this table to see exactly what's available for your model at a glance. Where a part isn't currently confirmed for a specific model, we've marked it with a dash rather than guessing.

Why these small-part swaps are a genuinely good DIY job

If you've ever been put off attempting a screen replacement yourself because of the adhesive, the display cable, and the risk of cracking a fresh panel during reassembly, the good news is that none of the five faults in this guide involve removing or resealing the display at all.

• Button and fingerprint flex cables connect via small ribbon connectors under the back cover or side frame — no adhesive-sealed glass to lift.
• SIM trays simply slide out and a replacement slides straight back in — no tools needed at all in most cases.
• Camera lenses are removed and replaced as a standalone cover piece over the lens housing.
• Speaker/buzzer components connect via a small clip-in connector, again without touching the display.

That makes these faults a sensible starting point even if you're nervous about phone repairs generally. A basic precision toolkit such as our 38 in 1 Professional Multi Purpose Screw Driver Repair Tools Premium – £4.99 covers everything you'll need for opening the back cover and handling the small screws involved. Always power the phone off before starting, work on a clean, well-lit surface, and keep screws grouped by the section they came from.

If you're dealing with multiple faults at once — say a stuck power button and a dead battery, or a cracked screen alongside a jammed SIM tray — it's worth tackling them in the same session while the back cover is already off, rather than opening the phone twice. Our Pixel 6/7 battery replacement guide and model-specific screen guides for the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7a cover the bigger jobs if you need them alongside a small-parts fix.

Frequently asked questions

Why has my Pixel power button stopped working after a drop?

The power button on Pixel 6 and 7 series phones sits on a small mechanical switch or flex cable near the frame edge. A drop can knock the connector loose or crack the switch itself, even if the screen and housing look undamaged. Replacing the button or flex cable resolves this without needing to touch the display.

Can I fix a stuck volume button myself?

Yes. On most Pixel 6 and 7 models the volume and power buttons are on the same flex assembly, accessed by removing the back cover — no display removal or resealing is required, making it a manageable first repair even for beginners.

Why does my Pixel fingerprint sensor keep failing after I've re-registered my prints?

If re-registering fingerprints doesn't resolve the issue and the sensor doesn't respond to touch at all, the fingerprint flex cable connecting the sensor to the motherboard has likely failed or come loose, particularly after a drop. This is a component-level fault rather than a software one.

My Pixel SIM tray is stuck — do I need a whole new phone frame?

No. The SIM tray is a standalone part that slides out and in independently of the rest of the frame. If it's bent, corroded, or simply won't eject with a proper SIM tool, a replacement tray in the correct colour is a straightforward, tool-free swap.

Will a cracked camera lens replacement fix blurry or hazy photos?

If the haze, glare, or streak appears consistently in the same part of every photo and there's a visible crack or chip over the lens, replacing the lens cover typically restores normal image quality, since the camera sensor itself is usually undamaged underneath.

Why has my Pixel gone silent on notifications but calls still work?

This points to the ringer speaker/buzzer rather than the earpiece speaker, since they're separate components. Check volume and Do Not Disturb settings first, then inspect the speaker grille for debris. If the fault persists, particularly after moisture exposure, the speaker component itself likely needs replacing.

Are these small-part repairs harder than replacing a Pixel screen?

Generally, no — they're easier. Button, fingerprint, SIM tray, camera lens and speaker replacements don't involve removing or resealing the display, which is where most of the risk and skill in a screen replacement lies. With basic tools and a bit of patience, most of these are approachable DIY jobs.

Whichever small part has let you down, ordering the exact genuine part for your model and colour — rather than a generic or mismatched one — is the difference between a clean fix and a fiddly one. All parts listed above ship fast across the UK from E-Tech61 in Manchester, with genuine VAT invoicing on every order.