Macbook Air 11 Early 2015 Display Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          1 hour

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery Connector
1 step
I/O Board Cable
2 steps
Fan
5 steps
Logic Board Assembly
13 steps
I/O Board
6 steps
Display Assembly
5 steps

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BackMacBook Air 11" Early 2015
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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case

Shut down and close your computer. Lay it on a soft surface top-side down.
Remove the following ten screws:
Two 8 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
Eight 2.5 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
The special screwdriver needed to remove the 5-point Pentalobe screws can be found here.

Shut down and close your computer. Lay it on a soft surface top-side down.

Remove the following ten screws:

Two 8 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws

Eight 2.5 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws

The special screwdriver needed to remove the 5-point Pentalobe screws can be found here.

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Step 2

Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.

Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.

Step 3

              Battery Connector

In this step you will disconnect the battery to help avoid shorting out any components during service.
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.
Bend the battery cable slightly away from the logic board so the connector will not accidentally bend back and make contact with its socket.

In this step you will disconnect the battery to help avoid shorting out any components during service.

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.

Bend the battery cable slightly away from the logic board so the connector will not accidentally bend back and make contact with its socket.

Step 4

              I/O Board Cable

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the left and right I/O board cable connectors up off their respective sockets on the I/O board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the left and right I/O board cable connectors up off their respective sockets on the I/O board.

Step 5

Lift and remove the I/O board cable.

Lift and remove the I/O board cable.

Step 6

Fan

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully push on each side of the iSight camera cable connector to loosen it out of its socket on the logic board.
We recommend you gently “walk” the connector out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully push on each side of the iSight camera cable connector to loosen it out of its socket on the logic board.

We recommend you gently “walk” the connector out of its socket.

Step 7

Peel the iSight camera cable up off the adhesive securing it to the fan.

Peel the iSight camera cable up off the adhesive securing it to the fan.

Step 8

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.

Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Step 9

Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:
Two 5.5 mm T5 Torx screws
One 4.6 mm T5 Torx screw
In some models this is a 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw.

Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:

Two 5.5 mm T5 Torx screws

One 4.6 mm T5 Torx screw

In some models this is a 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw.

Step 10

Lift, but do not remove the fan out of its recess in the upper case.
Carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove the fan from the Air.

Lift, but do not remove the fan out of its recess in the upper case.

Carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove the fan from the Air.

Step 11

              Logic Board Assembly

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both antenna connectors up from their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth card, and move them out of the way.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both antenna connectors up from their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth card, and move them out of the way.

Step 12

Remove the following five screws securing the battery to the upper case:
Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws
One 6 mm T5 Torx screw
Two 2.6 mm T5 Torx screws

Remove the following five screws securing the battery to the upper case:

Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws

One 6 mm T5 Torx screw

Two 2.6 mm T5 Torx screws

Step 13

When handling the battery, avoid squeezing or touching the six exposed lithium polymer cells.
Lift the battery from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper case.

When handling the battery, avoid squeezing or touching the six exposed lithium polymer cells.

Lift the battery from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper case.

Step 14

Disconnect the I/O board by pulling the power cable away from its socket on the logic board.
Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the front edge of the Air.

Disconnect the I/O board by pulling the power cable away from its socket on the logic board.

Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the front edge of the Air.

Step 15

Use the tip of a spudger to de-route the antenna cables from their notches in the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to de-route the antenna cables from their notches in the logic board.

Step 16

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.
While holding the lock away from the socket, gently pull the display data cable out of its socket.
Do not pull upward on the display data cable as you disconnect it, as its socket may break off the logic board.

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.

While holding the lock away from the socket, gently pull the display data cable out of its socket.

Do not pull upward on the display data cable as you disconnect it, as its socket may break off the logic board.

Step 17

Use the tip of a spudger to pry under the speaker cable connector, lifting it straight up from its socket.
De-route the cable from its notch in the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry under the speaker cable connector, lifting it straight up from its socket.

De-route the cable from its notch in the logic board.

Step 18

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the trackpad ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Pull the trackpad ribbon cable straight out of its socket toward the front edge of the Air.

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the trackpad ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Pull the trackpad ribbon cable straight out of its socket toward the front edge of the Air.

Step 19

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard backlight ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Pull the keyboard backlight ribbon cable out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard backlight ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Pull the keyboard backlight ribbon cable out of its socket.

Step 20

Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort/Bluetooth card to the logic board.

Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort/Bluetooth card to the logic board.

Step 21

Slightly lift the free end of the AirPort/Bluetooth board and pull it out of its socket on the logic board.
To avoid damaging its socket on the logic board, do not excessively lift the free end of the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

Slightly lift the free end of the AirPort/Bluetooth board and pull it out of its socket on the logic board.

To avoid damaging its socket on the logic board, do not excessively lift the free end of the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

Step 22

Remove the three 3.6 mm T5 Torx screws securing the logic board to the upper case.
In some models these are 3.1 mm T5 Torx screws.

Remove the three 3.6 mm T5 Torx screws securing the logic board to the upper case.

In some models these are 3.1 mm T5 Torx screws.

Step 23

Gently lift the logic board assembly from the heat sink end and pull it away from the port side of the case to remove it from the Air.
When replacing the logic board, insert the board’s rubber edge under the port-side rubber gasket, then lower the board into place.

Gently lift the logic board assembly from the heat sink end and pull it away from the port side of the case to remove it from the Air.

When replacing the logic board, insert the board’s rubber edge under the port-side rubber gasket, then lower the board into place.

Step 24

              I/O Board

Remove the small rubber gasket from the corner of the upper case nearest the the I/O board.
Remove the gasket from the corner nearest display cable connector.

Remove the small rubber gasket from the corner of the upper case nearest the the I/O board.

Remove the gasket from the corner nearest display cable connector.

Step 25

If necessary, use tweezers to remove any tape covering the microphone cable ZIF connector.

If necessary, use tweezers to remove any tape covering the microphone cable ZIF connector.

Step 26

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the microphone cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
With a pair of tweezers, pull the microphone ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the microphone cable ZIF socket.

Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

With a pair of tweezers, pull the microphone ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Step 27

Use the tip of a spudger to pry under the speaker cable near the connector, lifting it straight up from its socket.
De-route the cable from its notch in the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry under the speaker cable near the connector, lifting it straight up from its socket.

De-route the cable from its notch in the logic board.

Step 28

Remove the single 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw securing the I/O board to the upper case.

Remove the single 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw securing the I/O board to the upper case.

Step 29

Carefully lift the I/O board by its power cable and pull it away from the edge of the case.

Carefully lift the I/O board by its power cable and pull it away from the edge of the case.

Step 30

              Display Assembly

Peel up the six cable loops securing the antenna cables to the upper case.
In some models there are seven cable loops.
Gently pull the cable loops slightly out of the channel cut into the upper case one at a time.
Use your spudger to open up the plastic loops as you de-route the antenna cables through them.
Repeat this for each retaining loop until the antenna cables are free from the upper case.

Peel up the six cable loops securing the antenna cables to the upper case.

In some models there are seven cable loops.

Gently pull the cable loops slightly out of the channel cut into the upper case one at a time.

Use your spudger to open up the plastic loops as you de-route the antenna cables through them.

Repeat this for each retaining loop until the antenna cables are free from the upper case.

Step 31

Remove the inner 4.9 mm T8 Torx screw securing each display hinge to the upper case (two screws total).

Remove the inner 4.9 mm T8 Torx screw securing each display hinge to the upper case (two screws total).

Step 32

Open the display until it is perpendicular to the upper case and place it on a table as shown.
While holding the Air steady, remove the remaining 4.9 mm T8 Torx screw from the lower display bracket.

Open the display until it is perpendicular to the upper case and place it on a table as shown.

While holding the Air steady, remove the remaining 4.9 mm T8 Torx screw from the lower display bracket.

Step 33

Before removing the last display screw, be sure to hold the display and upper case steady with your other hand. Failure to do so may allow the components to fall onto the table, causing potentially expensive damage.
Remove the last 4.9 mm T8 Torx screw securing the display to the upper case.

Before removing the last display screw, be sure to hold the display and upper case steady with your other hand. Failure to do so may allow the components to fall onto the table, causing potentially expensive damage.

Remove the last 4.9 mm T8 Torx screw securing the display to the upper case.

Step 34

Push the upper case slightly toward the display assembly, then rotate it away from the front of the display assembly.
Once the two display hinges have cleared the upper case, remove the display.

Push the upper case slightly toward the display assembly, then rotate it away from the front of the display assembly.

Once the two display hinges have cleared the upper case, remove the display.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                                                                                      23 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 4 other contributors

                    Sam Goldheart

Member since: 10/18/2012

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Michael Gorman - Nov 26, 2018

I was able to bring back my MacBook Air for just the cost of the parts after the Apple Store quoted the repair at costing almost as much as the device itself! My Ifixit kit had everything I needed to do the job with ease.

Jason Kwong - Jan 13, 2019

was able to ebay a new screen and followed this guide to replace my macbook air. Thanks !

Percival H. - Jul 5, 2019

This is an amazing guide. I was able to replace the screen in an hour. Noticed that in 13” models, I believe that this is a bit easier. Apple made it not super easy to replace the screen on this one, since we literally have to take everything apart to replace the display.

The tricky part was the little loops in which the bluetooth cables go through - I used a pair of tweezers to be careful not to remove them off and put the new cables back. Too bad Apple use a mix of so many different screws - I put each set of screws on a paper page and wrote where the screws go.

Everything else was fairly easy. Super important to have the right tools though.

Thanks Sam for your work, I saved $400 thanks to this guide.

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team