Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

34

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

6

  • Lower Case
  • 3 steps
  • Battery Connector
  • 3 steps
  • Heat Sink
  • 4 steps
  • Fan
  • 5 steps
  • Logic Board Assembly
  • 17 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 2 steps

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  • BackMacBook Pro 13" Retina Display Late 2013

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Introduction

Don’t forget to follow our thermal paste application guide before you reinstall your heat sink.

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:
  • Two 2.3 mm P5 Pentalobe screws
  • Eight 3.0 mm P5 Pentalobe screws
  • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your device.

Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:

Two 2.3 mm P5 Pentalobe screws

Eight 3.0 mm P5 Pentalobe screws

Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your device.

1024

Step 2

  • Wedge your fingers between the upper case and the lower case.
  • Gently pull the lower case away from the upper case to remove it.

Wedge your fingers between the upper case and the lower case.

Gently pull the lower case away from the upper case to remove it.

Step 3

  • The lower case is connected to the upper case with two plastic clips near its center.
  • During reassembly, gently push down the center of the lower case to reattach the two plastic clips.

The lower case is connected to the upper case with two plastic clips near its center.

During reassembly, gently push down the center of the lower case to reattach the two plastic clips.

Step 4

              Battery Connector
  • If necessary, remove the plastic cover adhered to the battery contact board.

If necessary, remove the plastic cover adhered to the battery contact board.

Step 5

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.
  • Be sure you lift up only on the connector itself, not the socket, or you risk permanent damage to the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.

Be sure you lift up only on the connector itself, not the socket, or you risk permanent damage to the logic board.

Step 6

  • Bend the battery connector up out of the way to prevent accidental contact with its socket during your repair.

Bend the battery connector up out of the way to prevent accidental contact with its socket during your repair.

Step 7

              Heat Sink
  • Carefully remove the rubber fan bumper from the edge of the heat sink.
  • The fan bumper wraps around the heat sink and fits into slots in the fan duct. During reassembly, be sure to fit the tabs into the notches in the fan duct.

Carefully remove the rubber fan bumper from the edge of the heat sink.

The fan bumper wraps around the heat sink and fits into slots in the fan duct. During reassembly, be sure to fit the tabs into the notches in the fan duct.

Step 8

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to peel the four foam stickers off of the heat sink screws.

Use the flat end of a spudger to peel the four foam stickers off of the heat sink screws.

Step 9

  • Remove the following screws securing the heat sink to the logic board:
  • Four 2.6 mm T5 screws
  • One 2.4 mm Phillips #000 screw

Remove the following screws securing the heat sink to the logic board:

Four 2.6 mm T5 screws

One 2.4 mm Phillips #000 screw

Step 10

  • Remove the heat sink from the laptop.
  • When reassembling your computer, follow our thermal paste application guide to reapply the thermal paste.

Remove the heat sink from the laptop.

When reassembling your computer, follow our thermal paste application guide to reapply the thermal paste.

Step 11

              Fan
  • Use the tip of a spudger to push on either side of the the iSight camera cable connector to walk it out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to push on either side of the the iSight camera cable connector to walk it out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 12

  • Peel the iSight camera cable off the fan housing to fold it out of the way.

Peel the iSight camera cable off the fan housing to fold it out of the way.

Step 13

  • Use the tip of a spudger to flip the tab on the fan’s ZIF connector.
  • Carefully pull the fan cable straight out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip the tab on the fan’s ZIF connector.

Carefully pull the fan cable straight out of its socket.

Step 14

  • Remove the following screws securing the fan to the upper case:
  • One 5.0 mm T5 Torx screw
  • Two 3.6 mm T5 Torx screws

Remove the following screws securing the fan to the upper case:

One 5.0 mm T5 Torx screw

Two 3.6 mm T5 Torx screws

Step 15

  • Lift the end of the fan closest to the display hinge and remove the fan from the upper case.

Lift the end of the fan closest to the display hinge and remove the fan from the upper case.

Step 16

              Logic Board Assembly
  • Remove the two 2.1 mm T5 Torx screws securing the I/O board cable bracket to the logic board.
  • Remove the I/O board cable bracket.

Remove the two 2.1 mm T5 Torx screws securing the I/O board cable bracket to the logic board.

Remove the I/O board cable bracket.

Step 17

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pop the I/O board connector straight up off its socket on the logic board.
  • Be careful to only pry up on the I/O board cable, not on the socket itself or you risk damaging your logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pop the I/O board connector straight up off its socket on the logic board.

Be careful to only pry up on the I/O board cable, not on the socket itself or you risk damaging your logic board.

Step 18

  • Lift the logic board end of the I/O board cable straight up to bend it out of the way.
  • To avoid damage to the cable, fold only at the bend in the I/O board end of the cable.

Lift the logic board end of the I/O board cable straight up to bend it out of the way.

To avoid damage to the cable, fold only at the bend in the I/O board end of the cable.

Step 19

  • Use the tip of a spudger to lift the right speaker connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to lift the right speaker connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 20

  • With the tip of a spudger, push on either side of the I/O board connector to walk it out of its socket on the logic board.

With the tip of a spudger, push on either side of the I/O board connector to walk it out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 21

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the keyboard backlight cable and bend it up out of the way of the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the keyboard backlight cable and bend it up out of the way of the logic board.

Step 22

  • Grab the black plastic tab to flip the display cable connector open and pull it straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Grab the black plastic tab to flip the display cable connector open and pull it straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 23

  • Carefully pull the DC-In board connector straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Carefully pull the DC-In board connector straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 24

  • Wedge the flat end of a spudger under the left speaker cable near the connector and lift it straight up out of its socket and fold it out of the way.

Wedge the flat end of a spudger under the left speaker cable near the connector and lift it straight up out of its socket and fold it out of the way.

Step 25

  • If necessary, peel back any tape covering the microphone cable ZIF connector.

If necessary, peel back any tape covering the microphone cable ZIF connector.

Step 26

  • Use the tip of a spudger to flip the retaining tab on the microphone cable ZIF connector.
  • Pull the microphone cable out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip the retaining tab on the microphone cable ZIF connector.

Pull the microphone cable out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 27

  • If necessary, peel back any tape covering the keyboard cable connector.
  • Use the tip of a spudger to flip the retaining tab on the ZIF connector.

If necessary, peel back any tape covering the keyboard cable connector.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip the retaining tab on the ZIF connector.

Step 28

  • Pull the keyboard cable straight out of its ZIF socket on the logic board.

Pull the keyboard cable straight out of its ZIF socket on the logic board.

Step 29

  • If necessary, peel back any tape covering the trackpad cable connector.
  • Use the tip of a spudger to flip the retaining tab on the ZIF connector.

If necessary, peel back any tape covering the trackpad cable connector.

Step 30

  • Pull the trackpad ribbon cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Pull the trackpad ribbon cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 31

  • Remove the five 3.5 mm T5 Torx screws securing the logic board to the upper case.
  • When reassembling, install all five screws loosely, position the logic board, and then tighten evenly.

Remove the five 3.5 mm T5 Torx screws securing the logic board to the upper case.

When reassembling, install all five screws loosely, position the logic board, and then tighten evenly.

Step 32

  • Lift the processor end of the logic board up slightly and pull it toward the fan recess to free the ports from the edge of the upper case.
  • Remove the logic board.
  • When reinstalling, make sure the keyboard, keyboard backlight, MagSafe, and microphone cables don’t get trapped beneath the logic board.
  • Also be sure to slide the ports’ metal EMI fingers under the side of the case, not over.

Lift the processor end of the logic board up slightly and pull it toward the fan recess to free the ports from the edge of the upper case.

Remove the logic board.

When reinstalling, make sure the keyboard, keyboard backlight, MagSafe, and microphone cables don’t get trapped beneath the logic board.

Also be sure to slide the ports’ metal EMI fingers under the side of the case, not over.

Step 33

              Logic Board
  • Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

Step 34

  • Lift the free end of the SSD up slightly and pull it straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Lift the free end of the SSD up slightly and pull it straight out of its socket on the logic board.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Sam Goldheart

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COURTNEY DYE - Aug 8, 2018

Reply

This guide helped me repair my MacBook Pro with no prior knowledge of working on computers. I purchased a new logic board after mine broke from eBay, from a seller named L2 Computer Inc. and followed this guide using the iFixit pro tech tool kit and their thermal compound application set to reinstall the heat sink, and my computer turned on right away. Everything was so easy using this guide. The pictures are so good at showing how to do the steps, and the tool kit had really nice tools which made the whole process very simple. I am so thankful that you all help people fix their computers. It could not have been easier with this guide. It’s very well-written.

smelltony - Oct 2, 2018

Reply

Help me fix my MacPro. You are so good, Showing step by step. Make it very simple. Very thankful helping other sharing your skill. Tony, October, 2018

velocity211 - Dec 7, 2018

Reply

Great guide. Had issues with my Late 2013 MBP and narrowed it down to the logic board. I replaced it with a Mid-2014 MBP logic board as they are interchangeable thanks to this detailed guide. Laptop now fixed and upgraded!

Ted - Mar 2, 2019

Reply

I can’t say enough about how well done this guide is for replacing a late 2013 MacBook logic board. The step by step with pictures were professional and spot on. I had a 4GB, i5 that had got to the point where I had to keep using a memory app to free up memory every couple minutes. Not being able to upgrade memory I was left with little options other than to buy a new one. After finding this site, I got a new logic board with i7 and 16GB of memory, I was able to turn my crippling MacBook back into a robust laptop I can once again enjoy using hopefully for at least a few more years. Bought the tools on here to complete the replacement and everything went without a hitch.

So a BIG thank you, thank you, thank you.. Keep up the great work on this site.. I know I’ll be back to check in on what’s available and when I have something else that needs to be fixed/upgraded vs buying new. :)

Boston222

Hari - Nov 24, 2019

@boston222 I am in a similar situation where my 4GB memory is killing me. Would you be able to let me know where you got your i7 with 16GB of memory? I have been looking but I cannot find an i7 .. all I find is i5 with 16GB of memory .. I would appreciate if you could provide a website or model number of the item you ordered so I could get the same one.

Thanks in advance!