Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

5

Time Required

                          10 - 25 minutes

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Connector
  • 1 step
  • Solid-State Drive
  • 2 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Air 13" Early 2017

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

Before you perform this repair, if at all possible, back up your existing SSD. Then, either familiarize yourself with internet recovery or create a bootable external drive so you’ll be ready to install macOS onto your new drive and migrate your data to the new SSD.

Finally, we strongly recommend installing macOS 10.13 High Sierra (or a later macOS) before replacing the original SSD from your MacBook Air. Most new SSDs require updated storage drivers not found in versions of macOS prior to High Sierra.

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

              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

  • Gently lift the end of the SSD about half an inch and pull it straight out of its socket on the logic board.
  • Don’t lift the SSD more than half an inch—doing so may damage the SSD or its socket on the logic board.
  • When reinstalling the SSD, be sure it is properly seated before reinstalling its retaining screw.

Gently lift the end of the SSD about half an inch and pull it straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Don’t lift the SSD more than half an inch—doing so may damage the SSD or its socket on the logic board.

When reinstalling the SSD, be sure it is properly seated before reinstalling its retaining screw.

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.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      27 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 2 other contributors 


                    Adam O'Camb

Member since: 04/11/2015

173,479 Reputation

                                      418 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       39







                                                        +36 more badges

Mark Frauenfelder - Feb 7, 2021

Reply

Thanks! My wife’s MacBook Air is now rocking a 480GB drive (upgraded from 128GB).

Dimitriy Lanis - Mar 3, 2021

Reply

Very easy to follow step…great job. Took less then 10 minutes. Upgraded Macbook Air (2017) from original 120GB to 480GB SSD. I used TimeMachine backup to perform the restore, which went flawless and was completed in under 3 hours.

Key is to press Option + Command + R to bring up “Internet Recovery”. If you press Command + R, the new drive will not be recognized and won’t be shown.

Jerry H - Mar 14, 2021

Reply

The introduction states, “This MacBook Air uses a proprietary storage drive connector, and is therefore not compatible with common M.2 drives without the use of an adapter.” However, both the parts list and step 5 (the last step shown on my screen…am I missing later steps?) do not mention this adapter. Is the adapter truly needed?

Nicholas D - Mar 14, 2021

Yes, if you search the major online retailer that is also a river in South America, you will find adapters for standard m.2 drives (samsung, crucial, etc.) If you do not want to use an adapter, you can purchase a drop in replacement from OWC, however they are more expensive.

Jonathan Carrasco - Apr 29, 2021

Reply

When I use an M.2 drive with adapter, I can use any ssd? or they need to be compatible in a logic way? (not hardware but software compatible)