Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
11
Time Required
30 minutes - 1 hour
Sections
5
- Lower Case
- 2 steps
- Battery
- 1 step
- Solid-State Drive
- 2 steps
- I/O Board Cable
- 3 steps
- Fan
- 3 steps
Flags
0
BackMacBook Air 11" Mid 2012
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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.
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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.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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Author
with 3 other contributors
Andrew Optimus Goldheart
Member since: 10/17/2009
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Philippe Morin - Sep 20, 2013
Reply
I think my fan makes some noises when my laptop is cold in the morning… Cold means 18°C… Is it dangerous?
After a few minutes or even seconds, the sound stops.
Mariana Carbajal - Oct 4, 2019
Reply
I’m a 21 y/o college student whose laptop fan was being too loud to use in class and I decided to take matters into my own hands so I took the risk of completing these replacement instructions and I’m so glad I did! My laptop fan no longer makes noise and I didn’t have to take it to Apple and have them overcharge me for something simple enough for me to do at home. Thank you!!
