Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

8

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 3 steps
  • Right Speaker
  • 3 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Air 11" Late 2010

  • 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               
  • Before proceeding, close your computer and 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 eight 5-point Pentalobe screws can be found here.

Before proceeding, close your computer and 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 eight 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.
  • Remove the lower case and set it aside.

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

Remove the lower case and set it aside.

Step 3

              Battery               
  • 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 contact its socket.

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 contact its socket.

Step 4

  • 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 5

  • 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.
  • If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation:
  • Charge it to 100%, and then keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Next, unplug and use it normally to drain the battery. When you see the low battery warning, save your work, and keep your laptop on until it goes to sleep due to low battery. Wait at least 5 hours, then charge your laptop uninterrupted to 100%.
  • If you notice any unusual behavior or problems after installing your new battery, you may need to reset your MacBook’s SMC.

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.

If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation:

Charge it to 100%, and then keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Next, unplug and use it normally to drain the battery. When you see the low battery warning, save your work, and keep your laptop on until it goes to sleep due to low battery. Wait at least 5 hours, then charge your laptop uninterrupted to 100%.

If you notice any unusual behavior or problems after installing your new battery, you may need to reset your MacBook’s SMC.

Step 6

              Right Speaker               
  • Use the tip of a spudger to de-route the right speaker cable from the channel cut into the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to de-route the right speaker cable from the channel cut into the logic board.

Step 7

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right speaker cable connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.
  • Pry upward from beneath the wires.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right speaker cable connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Pry upward from beneath the wires.

Step 8

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right speaker off the adhesive securing it to the upper case.
  • Only pry up on the speaker from the areas of bare aluminum on the upper case. Prying up from the keyboard area may damage the keyboard and the speaker itself.
  • Remove the right speaker from the upper case.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right speaker off the adhesive securing it to the upper case.

Only pry up on the speaker from the areas of bare aluminum on the upper case. Prying up from the keyboard area may damage the keyboard and the speaker itself.

Remove the right speaker from the upper case.

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

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      11 other people completed this guide.                                             

Author

                                      with 4 other contributors 

                    Andrew Bookholt                     

575,478 Reputation

                                      618 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       47







                                                        +44 more badges                           

Adam Crowley - Dec 1, 2022

Reply

Hi Andrew, thanks for the detailed steps but where does one find a replacement?

Cheers

Adam

Manuel Haeussermann - Dec 9, 2022

Hello Adam, the replacement part MacBook Air 11" (Late 2010-Early 2015) Right Speaker is available in the US iFixit store. Other than that, you could try searching for used / defective models with working speakers on platforms like eBay to harvest for parts.