Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

23

Time Required

                          20 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Disconnection
  • 1 step
  • Logic Board
  • 20 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Air 13" Retina Late 2020

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Introduction

Note that Touch ID will not function after replacing the logic board. The MacBook’s original Touch ID sensor is uniquely paired to the logic board at the factory—and without Apple’s proprietary calibration process, even a genuine replacement logic board from another MacBook Air won’t work.

If you replace the logic board, you must install a paired Touch ID sensor to retain Touch ID functionality.

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 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 7.3 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 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 7.3 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 off the lower case.
  • 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 off the lower case.

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
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and unlatch the metal locking arm on the battery connector.
  • Make sure the metal arm is completely free of the locking tab before lifting the battery connector. The metal locking arm should easily unlatch.
  • Lift straight up on the metal locking arm to pull the battery connector out of its socket on the logic board.
  • During reassembly, press the battery connector straight down into its socket, making sure it sits flush within the socket.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and unlatch the metal locking arm on the battery connector.

Make sure the metal arm is completely free of the locking tab before lifting the battery connector. The metal locking arm should easily unlatch.

Lift straight up on the metal locking arm to pull the battery connector out of its socket on the logic board.

During reassembly, press the battery connector straight down into its socket, making sure it sits flush within the socket.

Step 4

              Disconnect the audio board cable
  • Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the three 1.4 mm screws securing the audio board connector cover.
  • If your T3 bit feels a bit too loose, you may need to use a T4.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the three 1.4 mm screws securing the audio board connector cover.

If your T3 bit feels a bit too loose, you may need to use a T4.

Step 5

  • Remove the audio board connector cover.

Remove the audio board connector cover.

Step 6

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the audio board connector straight up to disconnect it from the board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the audio board connector straight up to disconnect it from the board.

Step 7

              Disconnect the USB-C board cable
  • Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the USB-C connector cover.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the USB-C connector cover.

Step 8

  • Remove the USB-C connector cover.

Remove the USB-C connector cover.

Step 9

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the USB-C cable connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the USB-C cable connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 10

              Disconnect the antenna bar connections
  • Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the 1.4 mm screw securing the antenna cable cover.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the 1.4 mm screw securing the antenna cable cover.

Step 11

  • Remove the antenna cable cover.

Remove the antenna cable cover.

Step 12

  • Use a pair of tweezers to grip the antenna connector close to its base.
  • Pull straight up to disconnect the cable.
  • Repeat for the second antenna cable.

Use a pair of tweezers to grip the antenna connector close to its base.

Pull straight up to disconnect the cable.

Repeat for the second antenna cable.

Step 13

  • Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.5 mm screws securing the display cable connector cover.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.5 mm screws securing the display cable connector cover.

Step 14

  • Remove the display cable connector cover.

Remove the display cable connector cover.

Step 15

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the display cable connector straight off of the antenna board to disconnect it.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the display cable connector straight off of the antenna board to disconnect it.

Step 16

              Disconnect the trackpad cable
  • Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the trackpad cable cover.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the trackpad cable cover.

Step 17

  • Remove the trackpad cable cover.

Remove the trackpad cable cover.

Step 18

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the trackpad cable connector up and out of its socket.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the trackpad cable connector up and out of its socket.

Step 19

              Disconnect the left speaker cable
  • 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.

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.

Step 20

              Disconnect the microphone cable
  • Use a pair of tweezers to peel back any tape covering the microphone cable connector.
  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the microphone cable’s ZIF connector.
  • Slide the microphone cable out of its connector.
  • If possible, grip the cable by the tape, not by the cable itself.

Use a pair of tweezers to peel back any tape covering the microphone cable connector.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the microphone cable’s ZIF connector.

Slide the microphone cable out of its connector.

If possible, grip the cable by the tape, not by the cable itself.

Step 21

              Remove the logic board screws
  • Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the six screws securing the logic board to the upper case:
  • Three 3.5 mm screws
  • One 6.0 mm cushioned screw
  • Two 3.4 mm screws

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the six screws securing the logic board to the upper case:

Three 3.5 mm screws

One 6.0 mm cushioned screw

Two 3.4 mm screws

Step 22

              Remove the logic board
  • Remove the logic board.

Remove the logic board.

Step 23

              Check cables during reassembly
  • When you reinstall the logic board assembly, verify that no cables get trapped under the board as you lower it into place. Check each of the seven locations carefully:
  • Battery cable
  • Audio board cable
  • USB-C board cable
  • Antenna bar cables
  • Display cable
  • Trackpad cable
  • Left speaker and microphone cables

When you reinstall the logic board assembly, verify that no cables get trapped under the board as you lower it into place. Check each of the seven locations carefully:

Battery cable

Audio board cable

USB-C board cable

Antenna bar cables

Display cable

Trackpad cable

Left speaker and microphone cables

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.

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                    Carsten Frauenheim

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Kiran Meettook Esq - Dec 30, 2021

Reply

Thank you

How do we access the data on a board that is not working due to corrosion ? We have been informed that the SSD is integrated in the board so until same is working we cannot access the data.

Jens Erik Bech - Sep 11, 2022

Reply

Looking for the WiFi component?