Macbook Air 13 Early 2015 I O Board Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          35 minutes

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery Connector
1 step
I/O Board Cable
3 steps
Fan
4 steps
I/O Board
6 steps

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BackMacBook Air 13" Early 2015
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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case

Before proceeding, power down your MacBook. Close the display and lay it on a soft surface, top-side down.
Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove ten screws securing the lower case, of the following lengths:
Two 9 mm screws
Eight 2.6 mm screws

Before proceeding, power down your MacBook. Close the display and lay it on a soft surface, top-side down.

Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove ten screws securing the lower case, of the following lengths:

Two 9 mm screws

Eight 2.6 mm screws

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 Connector

To ensure that everything is de-energized and won’t turn on while you’re working, it is recommended that you disconnect the battery.
Grab the clear plastic pull tab attached to the battery connector and pull it parallel to the board toward the front edge of the Air.
Do not lift upward on the connector as you disconnect it or you risk damage to the connector socket.

To ensure that everything is de-energized and won’t turn on while you’re working, it is recommended that you disconnect the battery.

Grab the clear plastic pull tab attached to the battery connector and pull it parallel to the board toward the front edge of the Air.

Do not lift upward on the connector as you disconnect it or you risk damage to the connector socket.

Step 4

              I/O Board Cable

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

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

Step 5

Carefully peel the I/O board cable from the adhesive securing it to the top of the fan.
During reassembly, make sure this cable is in the correct orientation. It will fit if reversed, but the laptop will not boot.

Carefully peel the I/O board cable from the adhesive securing it to the top of the fan.

During reassembly, make sure this cable is in the correct orientation. It will fit if reversed, but the laptop will not boot.

Step 6

The following connector has an especially deep socket. Use care when disconnecting it.
While gently pulling the I/O board cable upward near its connection to the logic board, use the flat end of a spudger to pry up on alternating sides of the connector to help “walk” it out of its socket.
Remove the I/O board cable.

The following connector has an especially deep socket. Use care when disconnecting it.

While gently pulling the I/O board cable upward near its connection to the logic board, use the flat end of a spudger to pry up on alternating sides of the connector to help “walk” it out of its socket.

Remove the I/O board cable.

Step 7

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 8

Peel the rubber gasket off the adhesive on the top of the fan.

Peel the rubber gasket off the adhesive on the top of the fan.

Step 9

Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:
One 5.2 mm T5 Torx screw
One 3.3 mm T5 Torx screw
One 4.4 mm T5 Torx screw with a short head

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

One 5.2 mm T5 Torx screw

One 3.3 mm T5 Torx screw

One 4.4 mm T5 Torx screw with a short head

Step 10

Lift the fan from the I/O board side and pull it free from the upper case.
Removing the fan will also disconnect the fan ribbon cable. Be careful not to snag it.

Lift the fan from the I/O board side and pull it free from the upper case.

Removing the fan will also disconnect the fan ribbon cable. Be careful not to snag it.

Step 11

              I/O Board

Disconnect the I/O board by pulling its power cable away from its socket on the logic board.
Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the right edge of the Air.

Disconnect the I/O board by pulling its power cable away from its socket on the logic board.

Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the right edge of the Air.

Step 12

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.

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 13

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the microphone ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the microphone ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Step 14

Remove the single 4.1 mm T5 Torx screw securing the I/O board to the upper case.

Remove the single 4.1 mm T5 Torx screw securing the I/O board to the upper case.

Step 15

Gently de-route the camera cable from its notch on the I/O board and push it out of the way with the tip of a spudger.

Gently de-route the camera cable from its notch on the I/O board and push it out of the way with the tip of a spudger.

Step 16

Lift the I/O board from the logic board side and pull it free from the upper case.
Removing the I/O board will also disconnect the microphone ribbon cable. Be careful not to snag it.

Lift the I/O board from the logic board side and pull it free from the upper case.

Removing the I/O board will also disconnect the microphone ribbon cable. Be careful not to snag it.

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

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.

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                                                                                      41 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 3 other contributors

                    iRobot

Member since: 09/24/2009

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Firsttry - Sep 30, 2017

Ich habe ein Macbook Air 2015 early. Das Ladekabel leuchtet nicht und die Batterie wird nicht geladen, ohne Batterie läuft das Macbook und auch solange die Batterie geladen ist läuft es einwandfrei auch ohne Ladekabel. Woher bekomme ich das I-O board und denkt ihr es liegt am I-O board oder eher irgendwo auf dem Mainboard das Problem?

Jonathan - Dec 11, 2017

I wish I could give more points because this saved a laptop! Killed another, but 1 is better than none.

DavidW - Sep 26, 2018

I successfully fixed my Macbook Air early 2015. Power cord LED indicator was dark and the battery was not charging. This was because my power supply blew up while stuck within the couch and went dangerously hot. Power supply died as the IO Board too.

Replacing the IO Board fixed my Macbook.

Karl-Ivan Vikestad - Jan 1, 2019

Hi . I replaced my IO board because the power socket was burned. With the new board the Macbook air mid 2011 was running very slow. Changed back to the old one and computer was running as normal. Any Ideas why the new IO board was slowing the computer down. The USB port in the new board was also not working.

miles - Feb 2, 2020

Thanks so much for putting this guide together; it worked a treat on a 2017 MacBook Air.

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need