Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

10

Time Required

                          15 - 25 minutes            

Sections

4

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Connector
  • 1 step
  • Fan
  • 5 steps
  • Heat Sink
  • 2 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Air 11" Early 2015

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

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.

1024

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

              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 5

  • 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 6

  • 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 7

  • 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 8

  • 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 9

              Heat Sink               
  • Remove the four 2.5 mm T5 Torx screws securing the heat sink to the logic board.

Remove the four 2.5 mm T5 Torx screws securing the heat sink to the logic board.

Step 10

  • If the heat sink seems to be stuck to the logic board after removing all four screws, use a spudger to carefully separate the heat sink from the face of the CPU.
  • Remove the heat sink from the logic board.
  • When reinstalling the heat sink, be sure to apply a new layer of thermal paste. If you have never applied thermal paste before, we have a guide that makes it easy.

If the heat sink seems to be stuck to the logic board after removing all four screws, use a spudger to carefully separate the heat sink from the face of the CPU.

Remove the heat sink from the logic board.

When reinstalling the heat sink, be sure to apply a new layer of thermal paste. If you have never applied thermal paste before, we have a guide that makes it easy.

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

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      7 other people completed this guide.                                             

Author

                                      with 3 other contributors 

                    Sam Goldheart                     

Member since: 10/18/2012

455,549 Reputation

                                      548 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       48







                                                        +45 more badges                           

Team

                       iFixit                        

                                                  Member of iFixit 



                    Community                     


                                            141 Members                     


                                            15,767 Guides authored                     

Andre - Dec 29, 2020

Reply

Hello. When I tried to reinstall the IO board, I noticed that the sounds werent detected. The microphone too. The connectors were installed. Then when i plug the magsafe charger, power source is power adapter, but not charging. The USB port doesnt detect any flashdrives.

What may seem to be the problem and how can I fix it? Thank you. I’m on my last 80% battery life. Please help.