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
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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.
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Author
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Andrew Bookholt
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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.