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Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

35

Time Required

                          1 - 3 hours

Sections

8

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • Solid-State Drive
  • 2 steps
  • I/O Board Cable
  • 3 steps
  • Fan
  • 3 steps
  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 11 steps
  • Display Assembly
  • 11 steps

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  • BackMacBook Air 11" Mid 2011

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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.

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
  • 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 contact 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 contact its socket.

Step 4

              Solid-State Drive
  • 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

  • Use a spudger to help lift the free end of the SSD just enough to grab it with your other hand.
  • Do not lift the end of the SSD excessively.
  • 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.

Use a spudger to help lift the free end of the SSD just enough to grab it with your other hand.

Do not lift the end of the SSD excessively.

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.

Step 6

              I/O Board Cable
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the I/O board cable up from its socket on the I/O board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the I/O board cable up from its socket on the I/O board.

Step 7

  • Peel the I/O board cable up from the adhesive securing it to the fan.

Peel the I/O board cable up from the adhesive securing it to the fan.

Step 8

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the I/O board connector up and out of its socket on the logic board
  • Be sure to lift straight up on the connector as you disconnect it from its socket. The socket is very deep on the logic board and prying it from side to side may damage the logic board
  • Remove the I/O board cable.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the I/O board connector up and out of its socket on the logic board

Be sure to lift straight up on the connector as you disconnect it from its socket. The socket is very deep on the logic board and prying it from side to side may damage the logic board

Remove the I/O board cable.

Step 9

              Fan
  • 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 10

  • Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:
  • Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws
  • One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw

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

Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws

One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw

Step 11

  • Lift the fan out of the upper case and carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove it from the Air.

Lift the fan out of the upper case and carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove it from the Air.

Step 12

              Battery
  • 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:

One 6 mm T5 Torx screw

Two 2.6 mm T5 Torx screws

Step 13

  • Do not touch or squeeze the six lithium polymer cells when handling the battery.
  • Lift the battery from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper case.

Do not touch or squeeze the six lithium polymer cells when handling the battery.

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

Step 14

              Logic Board
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to free the adhesive loop securing the I/O board power cable to the upper case.
  • 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.

Use the flat end of a spudger to free the adhesive loop securing the I/O board power cable to the upper case.

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 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 16

  • 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 17

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

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

Step 18

  • 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 up from beneath the cables.

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 up from beneath the cables.

Step 19

  • 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.
  • Remove the small rubber gasket from the corner of the upper case near the display data cable.

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.

Remove the small rubber gasket from the corner of the upper case near the display data cable.

Step 20

  • 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.

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 21

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both antenna cable connectors up and off their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both antenna cable connectors up and off their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

Step 22

  • Gently de-route the antenna cables from the slot cut into the logic board.

Gently de-route the antenna cables from the slot cut into the logic board.

Step 23

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

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

Step 24

  • Gently lift the logic board assembly out of the upper case, minding the fragile heat sink and any cables that may get caught.

Gently lift the logic board assembly out of the upper case, minding the fragile heat sink and any cables that may get caught.

Step 25

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

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

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.
  • 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.

Pull the microphone ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Step 27

  • De-route the left speaker cable from the notch cut into the I/O board.
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the left speaker cable connector up and out of its socket on the I/O board.
  • Pry up from beneath the wires.

De-route the left speaker cable from the notch cut into the I/O board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the left speaker cable connector up and out of its socket on the I/O board.

Pry up from beneath the wires.

Step 28

  • Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the I/O board toward the rear edge of the Air to disconnect it from its socket.
  • Do not lift upward on this cable as you disconnect it, as its socket may break off the logic board.

Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the I/O board toward the rear edge of the Air to disconnect it from its socket.

Do not lift upward on this cable as you disconnect it, as its socket may break off the logic board.

Step 29

  • 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 30

  • Carefully lift the I/O board from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper case.

Carefully lift the I/O board from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper case.

Step 31

  • Peel up the six cable loops securing the antenna cables to the upper case.
  • 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 all of the retaining loops.

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

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 all of the retaining loops.

Step 32

  • 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 33

  • 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 34

  • 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 35

  • 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 and set it aside.

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 and set it aside.

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

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                    Walter Galan

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kenneth - Aug 16, 2012

Reply

Thanks a lot for this guide! My daughter wrecked the display on my Macbook Air. I have never done any repairs on a notebook before, but I ordered the new display assembly and the toolkit and went ahead anyways.

When I saw my Macbook Air in pieces before me, I had my doubts that it would ever work again, but placing the last screw and then pressing the power button, it just worked!

Thanks again!

bryan mok - Jun 11, 2018

Reply

Because my MacBook Air late 2011 ‘s hinge was broken, I would like to replace a new one DIY! Thank for show me hoe to disassemble it.

Maciek - Dec 31, 2018

Reply

Very helpful - thank you very much. I watched your Youtube video (for a slightly different model) to get an idea of the process, then followed this guide step-by-step for my exact model. Very clear and easy to follow, with great directions and pictures.

N Fqwerty - Mar 25, 2019

Reply

Used this excellent and comprehensive guide for early 11” Air along side the video guide for the later 13” Macbook Air to swap out the display on a 2015 11” Macbook Air - All very similar and made a daunting job straight forward - Thanks!

alessandro.vianello - Mar 17, 2020

Reply

Switched two monitors and made a great job thanks to this amzing guide. Very easy.