Macbook Air 13 Retina Display 2019 Trackpad Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          20 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery Disconnect
2 steps
Logic Board Disconnection
12 steps
Logic Board
2 steps
Trackpad Cable
3 steps
Trackpad
3 steps

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BackMacBook Air 13" Retina 2019
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Introduction

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 logic board

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the trackpad connector bracket.
Remove the trackpad connector bracket.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the trackpad connector bracket.

Remove the trackpad connector bracket.

Step 6

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 7

If the left speaker is already disconnected, skip this step.
Slide the tip of a spudger underneath the left speaker cable and pry straight up to disconnect the speaker.
With the connector disconnected, slide the flat end of a spudger under the cable to separate the adhesive securing the cable to the logic board.

If the left speaker is already disconnected, skip this step.

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

With the connector disconnected, slide the flat end of a spudger under the cable to separate the adhesive securing the cable to the logic board.

Step 8

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.3 mm screws securing the USB-C port connector bracket.
Remove the USB-C connector bracket.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.3 mm screws securing the USB-C port connector bracket.

Remove the USB-C connector bracket.

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

Use a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the sound board cable’s ZIF connector.
Slide the sound board cable out of the ZIF connector.

Use a spudger to lift up the small locking flap on the sound board cable’s ZIF connector.

Slide the sound board cable out of the ZIF connector.

Step 11

Peel back the black tape covering the fan cable connector.

Peel back the black tape covering the fan cable connector.

Step 12

Use the tip of a spudger to lift up the locking flap on the fan cable’s ZIF connector.
Slide the fan cable out of the ZIF connector.

Use the tip of a spudger to lift up the locking flap on the fan cable’s ZIF connector.

Slide the fan cable out of the ZIF connector.

Step 13

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the antenna cable bracket.
Remove the antenna cable bracket.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.4 mm screws securing the antenna cable bracket.

Remove the antenna cable bracket.

Step 14

Insert the point of a spudger under one of the antenna cables close to the connector. Pry straight up to disconnect the cable.
Repeat for the other antenna cable.

Insert the point of a spudger under one of the antenna cables close to the connector. Pry straight up to disconnect the cable.

Repeat for the other antenna cable.

Step 15

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

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

Remove the display cable connector bracket.

Step 16

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up the display cable connector.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up the display cable connector.

Step 17

              Unscrew the logic board

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the following screws:
One 5.5 mm screw
Three 2.6 mm screws
Two 1.9 mm screws

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the following screws:

One 5.5 mm screw

Three 2.6 mm screws

Two 1.9 mm screws

Step 18

              Remove the logic board

Remove the logic board.

Remove the logic board.

Step 19

              Separate the trackpad cable adhesive

Carefully slide an opening pick under the trackpad cable to separate the adhesive securing it to the upper case.
If you have difficulty separating the adhesive, heat it slightly with an iOpener or hair dryer to soften the adhesive.

Carefully slide an opening pick under the trackpad cable to separate the adhesive securing it to the upper case.

If you have difficulty separating the adhesive, heat it slightly with an iOpener or hair dryer to soften the adhesive.

Step 20

              Disconnect the trackpad cable

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the small locking flap on the trackpad ZIF connector.
Slide the trackpad cable straight out of its connector.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the small locking flap on the trackpad ZIF connector.

Slide the trackpad cable straight out of its connector.

Step 21

              Separate the trackpad cable adhesive

Carefully slide an opening pick under the trackpad cable to separate the adhesive securing it to the battery.
If you have difficulty separating the adhesive, heat it slightly with an iOpener or hair dryer. Be careful not to overheat the battery.

Carefully slide an opening pick under the trackpad cable to separate the adhesive securing it to the battery.

If you have difficulty separating the adhesive, heat it slightly with an iOpener or hair dryer. Be careful not to overheat the battery.

Step 22

              Remove the trackpad

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the following screws securing the trackpad:
One 3.2 mm screw
Eight 3.1 mm screws

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the following screws securing the trackpad:

One 3.2 mm screw

Eight 3.1 mm screws

Step 23

With the laptop still lying screen-side down, carefully open the laptop. The trackpad will stay sitting on the display.
Remove the trackpad from the MacBook. Take care not to scratch the display.

With the laptop still lying screen-side down, carefully open the laptop. The trackpad will stay sitting on the display.

Remove the trackpad from the MacBook. Take care not to scratch the display.

Step 24

              Disconnect the trackpad cable

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the small locking flap on the trackpad’s ZIF connector.
Slide the trackpad cable straight out of the ZIF connector.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the small locking flap on the trackpad’s ZIF connector.

Slide the trackpad cable straight out of the ZIF connector.

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

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Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need