Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

6

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • AirPort/Bluetooth Card
  • 3 steps

Flags

0

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Introduction

What you need

Video Overview

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Before proceeding, power off the device, close the lid and lay it on a soft surface top-side down.
  • Remove the following ten screws:
  • Two 9 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
  • Eight 2.6 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
  • The special screwdriver needed to remove the eight 5-point Pentalobe screws can be found here.

Before proceeding, power off the device, close the lid and lay it on a soft surface top-side down.

Remove the following ten screws:

Two 9 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws

Eight 2.6 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws

The special screwdriver needed to remove the eight 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.
  • 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
  • For precautionary purposes, we advise that you disconnect the battery connector from the logic board to avoid any electrical discharge. This step is optional and is not required.
  • Grab the clear plastic pull tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the Air to disconnect the battery from the logic board.
  • Do not lift upward on the connector as you disconnect it.

For precautionary purposes, we advise that you disconnect the battery connector from the logic board to avoid any electrical discharge. This step is optional and is not required.

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

Do not lift upward on the connector as you disconnect it.

Step 4

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

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

Step 5

  • Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort/Bluetooth card to the logic board.

Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort/Bluetooth card to the logic board.

Step 6

  • Slightly lift the free end of the AirPort/Bluetooth board and pull it out of its socket on the logic board.
  • Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth board from the Air.

Slightly lift the free end of the AirPort/Bluetooth board and pull it out of its socket on the logic board.

Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth board from the Air.

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

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Author

                                      with 5 other contributors 


                    Andrew Bookholt

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uxa1 - Oct 30, 2012

Reply

Which UFL plug is the WIFI one? the one closer to the screw or the other one?

-Majh0l@hush.com

Alex - Jun 27, 2014

Reply

Dear：

I bought a new A1369 AirPort/Bluetooth Board.When I installing it, I accidentally broken the cable that you were prying at step 4, What can I do?

THx!

Joel S - Mar 8, 2015

Reply

Which antenna connector is The wi-fi one? The one closest to the screw or the one furthest away?

David Jones - Feb 8, 2017

Reply

I would like AC WiFi and Bluetooth 4 support by upgrading the internal card. Can you install upgrade WiFi/Bluetooth cards into this slot?

peter - Jul 25, 2018

Reply

This guide is helpful but doesn’t include the most important part, which is re-connecting the antennas. I’ve done this exact replacement in my mid-2010 13” MBA, and you will need antenna extenders (MHF4 female to male) to make it work. Other discussions on this suggest breaking off the antenna cable bracket near the hinge to get extra length, but that still won’t work. You need extensions. I found mine on eBay US, despite living in Canada - they didn’t appear on my local site for whatever reason.

.

Also, be VERY careful when disconnecting the MHF4 connectors from the card (step 4). They’re rated for 30 disconnects max (I had to do a lot of research to find the right connector) and I managed to break one. I essentially had to tape the socket together once I got the extensions in the mail - just buy them from the beginning so you don’t mess around with trying to lengthen to cord like I did. That’s what caused all my issues.

The exact item I bought was “2pcs MHF4 Male to MHF4 Cable Antenna Extension Female.”