Introduction
Use this guide to replace the bare logic board on your MacBook Air. Before reinstalling the heat sink, be sure to apply a new layer of .
What you need
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Remove the following ten screws:
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Two 8 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
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Eight 2.5 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
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Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.
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Remove the lower case and set it aside.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both short sides of the battery connector upward to disconnect it from its socket on the logic board.
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Bend the battery cable slightly away from the logic board so the connector will not accidentally contact its socket.
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Use a spudger to help lift the free end of the SSD just enough to grab it with your other hand.
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Pull the drive straight out of its socket and remove it from the logic board.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the I/O board cable connector upward out of its socket on the I/O board.
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While gently pulling the I/O board cable upward near its connection to the logic board, use the tip of a spudger to pry upward on alternating sides of the connector to help "walk" it out of its socket.
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Remove the I/O board cable.
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Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.
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Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:
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Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws
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One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw
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Lift the fan out of the upper case and carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove it from the Air.
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Remove the following five screws securing the battery to the upper case:
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Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws
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One 6 mm T5 Torx screw
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Two 2.6 mm T5 Torx screws
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Disconnect the I/O board by pulling the power cable away from its socket on the logic board.
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Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the trackpad ribbon cable ZIF socket.
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Pull the trackpad ribbon cable straight out of its socket toward the front edge of the Air.
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Use the tip of a spudger to de-route the right speaker cable from the slot cut into the logic board.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right speaker cable connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.
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Gently push the tip of a spudger under the black plastic flap stuck to the display data cable lock to make the lock pop upward and away from the socket.
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While holding the lock away from the socket, use the tip of a spudger and your fingers to gently remove the display data cable from its socket.
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Remove the small rubber gasket from the corner of the upper case near the display data cable.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both antenna cable connectors up and off their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth card.
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Gently lift the logic board assembly out of the upper case, minding the fragile heat sink and any cables that may get caught.
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Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort/Bluetooth card to the logic board.
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Slightly lift the free end of the AirPort/Bluetooth board and pull it out of its socket on the logic board.
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Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth board from the logic board.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.