Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

5

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Connector
  • 1 step
  • SSD
  • 2 steps

Flags

0

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Introduction

Before you perform this repair, if at all possible, back up your existing SSD. Then, either familiarize yourself with internet recovery or create a bootable external drive so you’ll be ready to install macOS onto your new drive and migrate your data to the new SSD.

Finally, we strongly recommend installing macOS 10.13 High Sierra (or a later macOS) before replacing the original SSD from your MacBook Air. Most new SSDs require updated storage drivers not found in versions of macOS prior to High Sierra.

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

              SSD
  • Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

Step 5

  • Lift the free end of the SSD just enough to get a good hold of it.
  • Do not excessively lift the end of the SSD.
  • Pull the drive straight out of its socket and remove it from the logic board.
  • When reinstalling the SSD, be sure it is properly seated before reinstalling its retaining screw.

Lift the free end of the SSD just enough to get a good hold of it.

Do not excessively lift the end of the SSD.

Pull the drive straight out of its socket and remove it from the logic board.

When reinstalling the SSD, be sure it is properly seated before reinstalling its retaining screw.

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

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                    Sam Goldheart

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dgoteixeira - Mar 10, 2016

Reply

It is possible to upgrade the 128GB ssd to a larger one for this Macbook Air model?

Jeff Suovanen - Jan 24, 2019

Absolutely. Just click the parts link at the top of the page, and choose your size.

Ramkumar Sundar - Apr 14, 2017

Reply

I bought the below model SSD by mistake for my Apple 11" Early 2015 model. Could you please suggest whether it will be compatible.

“Samsung 256GB Flash SSD SSUBX/655-1858K w/ Heatsink for Mac Pro 6,1 JPV256R/0A1”

francesca - Jun 11, 2019

Reply

Hi, I am desperately trying to understand how to repair my macbook air 11 inch early 2015. The internal Hd broke. I would like to repair my macbook mounting the SSD suggested by Ifixit but unfortunately the last upgrade of the system was El capitan so, if I understood correctly, I don’t have the right EFI. What can I do? Is there a procedure to install the EFI the SSD owc aura needs? Or should I buy another SSD? Could you suggest me a solution? Thank you in advance for your time

Barry K - Jun 11, 2019

You should be able to reinstall or restore everything via macOS recovery. Your Mac should support that:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

Just boot up and either reinstall from scratch or follow the instructions to restore from a backup (or the old HD if it still turns on)