Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

13

Time Required

                          5 - 15 minutes

Sections

4

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Disconnect
  • 2 steps
  • Audio Board
  • 7 steps
  • Touch ID Sensor
  • 2 steps

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  • BackMacBook Air 13" Retina 2019

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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 T2 chip on 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 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

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

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.

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.

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 right speaker
  • Slide the tip of a spudger underneath the speaker cable and pry straight up to disconnect the speaker.

Slide the tip of a spudger underneath the speaker cable and pry straight up to disconnect the speaker.

Step 6

              Disconnect the audio board
  • Use a T4 Torx driver to remove the three 1.4 mm screws securing the audio board cable bracket.
  • Remove the cable bracket.

Use a T4 Torx driver to remove the three 1.4 mm screws securing the audio board cable bracket.

Remove the cable bracket.

Step 7

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

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

Step 8

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Touch ID sensor connector straight up and disconnect it.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Touch ID sensor connector straight up and disconnect it.

Step 9

              Remove the audio board
  • Remove the following screws:
  • Two 4.3 mm, T5 Torx screws
  • One 2.4 mm, T4 Torx screw

Remove the following screws:

Two 4.3 mm, T5 Torx screws

One 2.4 mm, T4 Torx screw

Step 10

  • Slide the flat end of a spudger underneath the Touch ID sensor cable to slice through the adhesive securing it to the audio board.

Slide the flat end of a spudger underneath the Touch ID sensor cable to slice through the adhesive securing it to the audio board.

Step 11

  • Remove the audio board.

Remove the audio board.

Step 12

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

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

Remove the Touch ID bracket.

Step 13

  • Turn the MacBook right-side up and open the display.
  • Lift the Touch ID sensor sensor out of its recess and remove it.

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

Lift the Touch ID sensor sensor out of its recess and remove it.

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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                    Adam O'Camb

Member since: 04/11/2015

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Hamdi Hoxha - Sep 10, 2021

Reply

Hold on so you can replace the touch id but you wont be able to use it? lol kind of redundant if you ask me.