The case has a total of three pieces. 2 plastic halves of the case and the rubber cushion that surronds the case. The plastic case just snap together around the phone. The have like 6 tabs on one half that snap over the the other half. The rubber cushion just kind of stretches the plastic case once it snapped together. To separate it just peel of the rubber cushion. Then use your fingernail to lift up each of the little tabs to unsnap the 2 halves of the case. It takes out 1-2 minutes to take it apart. I have never broken off any of the tabs by taking the case apart. I think i broke 1 or 2 in the part by dropping the phone multiple time of the years, but it was never really a problem.