Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
10
Time Required
30 minutes - 1 hour
Sections
4
- Lower Case
- 2 steps
- Battery Connector
- 1 step
- I/O Board Cable
- 3 steps
- Fan
- 4 steps
Flags
0
BackMacBook Air 13" Mid 2012
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Introduction
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
- As a precaution against accidental discharge or shock, disconnect the battery connector from the logic board.
- 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.
- Be sure to pull the connector horizontally toward the battery, and not straight up from the Air, or you may damage the socket on the logic board.
As a precaution against accidental discharge or shock, disconnect the battery connector from the logic board.
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.
Be sure to pull the connector horizontally toward the battery, and not straight up from the Air, or you may damage the socket on the logic board.
Step 4
I/O Board Cable
- Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the I/O board cable connector upward out of its socket on the I/O board.
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the I/O board cable connector upward out of its socket on the I/O board.
Step 5
- Carefully peel the I/O board cable from the top of the fan.
Carefully peel the I/O board cable from the top of the fan.
Step 6
- The following connector has an especially deep socket. Use care when disconnecting it.
- While gently pulling the I/O board cable upward near its connection to the logic board, use the tip of a spudger to pry upward on alternating sides of the connector to help “walk” it out of its socket.
- Remove the I/O board cable.
The following connector has an especially deep socket. Use care when disconnecting it.
While gently pulling the I/O board cable upward near its connection to the logic board, use the tip of a spudger to pry upward on alternating sides of the connector to help “walk” it out of its socket.
Remove the I/O board cable.
Step 7
Fan
- Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.
- Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Step 8
- Peel the rubber gasket off the adhesive on the top of the fan.
Peel the rubber gasket off the adhesive on the top of the fan.
Step 9
- Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:
- One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw
- One 2.7 mm T5 Torx screw
- One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw with a short head
Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:
One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw
One 2.7 mm T5 Torx screw
One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw with a short head
Step 10
- Lift the fan out of the upper case and carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove it from the Air.
Lift the fan out of the upper case and carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove it from the Air.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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Author
with 5 other contributors
Andrew Optimus Goldheart
Member since: 10/17/2009
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Chris Strickland - Jan 7, 2018
Reply
Great guide! Worked seamlessly! Big thumbs up!
Mario Salas - May 9, 2018
Reply
The 13” mid 2012 requires a P4 Pentalobe screwdriver to remove case and change the fan.
The P5 is too large.
Digital Blended - Jul 10, 2019
Reply
MacBook Air 13" Mid 2012 repaired! Thank you for this great guide. I have used:
Tournevis Pentalobe P5
Tournevis Torx T5
Halberd Spudger
Spudger (carbon)
Larisa Reznik - Dec 30, 2020
Reply
I recently replaced my battery (thanks to your awesome guidance and battery!). When I opened the cover, I saw that there was so much dust in there from over the years. I wiped off what I could and used a cotton swab to gently removed what I could. I noticed that there was tons and tons of dust on the inner ring of the fan. It seems to work but I have had issues with overheating. I am wondering whether I need to get a new fan or whether I can try cleaning the fan I have. If the latter, how do I do that? Should I just use one of those air cans that one uses for removing dust between keyboard keys? Or is there some other, better way to do it, without damaging anything?