Macbook Air 13 Early 2020 Left Speaker Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          15 - 45 minutes

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery Disconnection
2 steps
Left Speaker
4 steps

Flags

BackMacBook Air 13" Retina Early 2020
Full Screen
Options
History
Save to Favorites
Download PDF
Edit
Translate
Get Shareable Link
Embed This Guide
Notify Me of Changes
Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Remove the screws securing the lower case

Before starting this procedure, you should disable your Mac’s Auto Boot feature. Auto Boot powers on your Mac when you open the lid, and may be accidentally triggered during disassembly. Use this guide to disable Auto Boot.
If your MacBook is running Big Sur v11.1 or later, disabling Auto Boot may not work. You can proceed normally, but make sure to disconnect the battery as soon as you’re inside.
Completely power off and unplug your MacBook Air before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.
Use a P5 driver to remove the following screws:
Two 7.9 mm screws
Two 7.1 mm screws
Six 2.6 mm screws
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your MacBook.

Before starting this procedure, you should disable your Mac’s Auto Boot feature. Auto Boot powers on your Mac when you open the lid, and may be accidentally triggered during disassembly. Use this guide to disable Auto Boot.

If your MacBook is running Big Sur v11.1 or later, disabling Auto Boot may not work. You can proceed normally, but make sure to disconnect the battery as soon as you’re inside.

Completely power off and unplug your MacBook Air before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.

Use a P5 driver to remove the following screws:

Two 7.9 mm screws

Two 7.1 mm screws

Six 2.6 mm screws

Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your MacBook.

1024

Step 2

              Remove the lower case

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.
To reinstall the lower case:
Set it in place and press firmly to engage the two hidden clips underneath. You should feel and hear them snap into place.

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.

To reinstall the lower case:

Set it in place and press firmly to engage the two hidden clips underneath. You should feel and hear them snap into place.

Step 3

              Disconnect the battery

Peel back the tape covering the battery connector enough to reveal the connector underneath.

Peel back the tape covering the battery connector enough to reveal the connector underneath.

Step 4

Use a spudger to slide the battery connector parallel to the logic board and out of its socket on the logic board.

Use a spudger to slide the battery connector parallel to the logic board and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 5

              Disconnect the left speaker connector

The left speaker will be on your righthand side when working on the MacBook, as it’s laying upside down.
Slide the pointed end of a spudger underneath the left speaker cable and pry straight up to disconnect it from the logic board.
With the connector disconnected, slide the flat end of a spudger under the cable to separate the adhesive securing the cable to the logic board.

The left speaker will be on your righthand side when working on the MacBook, as it’s laying upside down.

Slide the pointed end of a spudger underneath the left speaker cable and pry straight up to disconnect it from the logic board.

With the connector disconnected, slide the flat end of a spudger under the cable to separate the adhesive securing the cable to the logic board.

Step 6

              Remove the left speaker screw

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the 4.2 mm screw securing the left speaker to the case.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the 4.2 mm screw securing the left speaker to the case.

Step 7

              Remove the speaker's stretch-release adhesive

Use a pair of tweezers to peel back the black pull tab on the speaker’s stretch-release adhesive until you can grip it with your fingers.
Grab the adhesive strip’s pull tab and slowly pull the adhesive strip out from underneath the speaker.
Keep the angle of the adhesive strip as parallel to the laptop as you can. Try to avoid dragging it across the inside of the case.
Pull the adhesive strip until it’s freed from under the speaker.
If the adhesive strip breaks, use a heated iOpener, a heat gun, or a hair dryer to help remove the adhesive:
Apply heat to the speaker to soften the adhesive underneath.
Carefully slide a spudger or opening pick underneath the speaker to separate the adhesive.

Use a pair of tweezers to peel back the black pull tab on the speaker’s stretch-release adhesive until you can grip it with your fingers.

Grab the adhesive strip’s pull tab and slowly pull the adhesive strip out from underneath the speaker.

Keep the angle of the adhesive strip as parallel to the laptop as you can. Try to avoid dragging it across the inside of the case.

Pull the adhesive strip until it’s freed from under the speaker.

If the adhesive strip breaks, use a heated iOpener, a heat gun, or a hair dryer to help remove the adhesive:

Apply heat to the speaker to soften the adhesive underneath.

Carefully slide a spudger or opening pick underneath the speaker to separate the adhesive.

Step 8

              Remove the left speaker

Remove the left speaker.
During reassembly, to ensure the speaker performs as expected, install a strip of replacement adhesive on its underside before placing it back into the case.

Remove the left speaker.

During reassembly, to ensure the speaker performs as expected, install a strip of replacement adhesive on its underside before placing it back into the case.

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

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

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

Author

                    Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 03/10/2020

81,713 Reputation

                                      330 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       38







                                                        +35 more badges

Team

                       iFixit                        

                                                  Member of iFixit 



                    Community                     


                                            141 Members                     


                                            15,772 Guides authored

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team