Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

13

Time Required

                          10 - 30 minutes

Sections

4

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Disconnection
  • 1 step
  • Audio Board
  • 7 steps
  • Touch ID Sensor
  • 3 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Air 13" Retina Late 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

Note that Touch ID will not function after replacing the Touch ID sensor. 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 Touch ID sensor from another MacBook Air won’t work.

If you replace the Touch ID sensor, you must install a paired logic board 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

              Remove the audio board connector cover
  • 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

              Disconnect the speaker
  • Slide the pointed end of a spudger underneath the speaker cable and pry straight up to disconnect it.

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

Step 7

              Disconnect the Touch ID cable
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Touch ID cable straight up to disconnect it from the audio board.
  • Continue to slide the spudger underneath the Touch ID cable to release it from the audio board.
  • The Touch ID cable is secured to the audio board with some light adhesive.

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

Continue to slide the spudger underneath the Touch ID cable to release it from the audio board.

The Touch ID cable is secured to the audio board with some light adhesive.

Step 8

              Disconnect the audio board cable
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the audio board connector straight up to disconnect it from the board.
  • To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

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

To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

Step 9

              Remove the audio board screws
  • Remove the three screws securing the audio board:
  • Two 4.8 mm T5 Torx screws
  • One 2.5 mm T3 Torx screw

Remove the three screws securing the audio board:

Two 4.8 mm T5 Torx screws

One 2.5 mm T3 Torx screw

Step 10

              Remove the audio board
  • Use a spudger to pry the audio board out of the upper case until you can grip it with your fingers.
  • Remove the audio board.

Use a spudger to pry the audio board out of the upper case until you can grip it with your fingers.

Remove the audio board.

Step 11

              Remove the Touch ID sensor screws
  • Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the six 1.6 mm screws securing the Touch ID sensor and its bracket.
  • During reassembly, if you want your Touch ID button to be straight, don’t tighten down the six screws until you adjust its position on the keyboard.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the six 1.6 mm screws securing the Touch ID sensor and its bracket.

During reassembly, if you want your Touch ID button to be straight, don’t tighten down the six screws until you adjust its position on the keyboard.

Step 12

              Remove the Touch ID bracket
  • Remove the Touch ID sensor bracket.

Remove the Touch ID sensor bracket.

Step 13

              Remove the Touch ID sensor
  • Turn the MacBook right-side up and open the display.
  • Remove the Touch ID sensor.

Turn the MacBook right-side up and open the display.

Remove the Touch ID sensor.

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.

                                                                                      4 other people completed 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

David Braun - Mar 5, 2022

Reply

Servus! Angenommen, der Stecker hat sich beim Sturz nur gelöst und man steckt ihn wieder drauf. Kann man dann Touch ID wieder nutzen? Ode muss man immer das Logicboard tauschen, sobald der Stecker abgelöst wurde? Grüße

Kemi Burgen - Apr 15, 2022

Reply

Is it safe to remove the power button without going through the back? My touch sensor isn’t working and I think something’s blocking it. I simply want to remove the power key to clean… and put it right back in.