Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

21

Time Required

                          25 - 40 minutes

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 7 steps
  • Battery Disconnection
  • 7 steps
  • Trackpad
  • 7 steps

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0

  • BackMacBook Pro 13" Two Thunderbolt Ports Late 2020

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Introduction

For your safety, discharge your MacBook Pro’s battery below 25% before you begin this procedure. A charged lithium-ion battery can create a dangerous and uncontrollable fire if accidentally punctured.

What you need

Step 1

              Remove 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 Pentalobe driver to remove the six screws securing the lower case:
  • Two 6.8 mm screws
  • Two 5.3 mm screws
  • Two 3.4 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 device.

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 Pentalobe driver to remove the six screws securing the lower case:

Two 6.8 mm screws

Two 5.3 mm screws

Two 3.4 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 device.

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Step 2

  • Apply a suction handle to the lower case near the front-center area of the MacBook Pro.
  • Lift the suction handle to create a slight separation between the lower case and the chassis.

Apply a suction handle to the lower case near the front-center area of the MacBook Pro.

Lift the suction handle to create a slight separation between the lower case and the chassis.

Step 3

  • Insert one corner of an opening pick into the space between the lower case and the chassis.
  • Slide the opening pick around the nearest corner and halfway up the side of the case.
  • This releases the first of the hidden clips securing the lower case to the chassis. You should feel and hear the clip pop free.

Insert one corner of an opening pick into the space between the lower case and the chassis.

Slide the opening pick around the nearest corner and halfway up the side of the case.

This releases the first of the hidden clips securing the lower case to the chassis. You should feel and hear the clip pop free.

Step 4

  • Repeat the previous step on the opposite side, sliding your opening pick under the lower case and up the side to pop the second clip free.

Repeat the previous step on the opposite side, sliding your opening pick under the lower case and up the side to pop the second clip free.

Step 5

  • Insert your opening pick once again under the front edge of the lower case, near one of the two centermost screw holes.
  • Give the pick a firm twist to pop free the third clip securing the lower case to the chassis.
  • Repeat this procedure near the other of the two centermost screw holes, popping the fourth clip free.

Insert your opening pick once again under the front edge of the lower case, near one of the two centermost screw holes.

Give the pick a firm twist to pop free the third clip securing the lower case to the chassis.

Repeat this procedure near the other of the two centermost screw holes, popping the fourth clip free.

Step 6

  • Pull the lower case firmly towards the front of the MacBook (away from the hinge area) to separate the last of the clips securing the lower case.
  • It may help to pull first at one corner, then the other.
  • Pull to the side—not up.
  • This may require a lot of force.

Pull the lower case firmly towards the front of the MacBook (away from the hinge area) to separate the last of the clips securing the lower case.

It may help to pull first at one corner, then the other.

Pull to the side—not up.

This may require a lot of force.

Step 7

  • Remove the lower case.
  • To reinstall the lower case:
  • Set it in place and align the sliding clips near the display hinge. Press down and slide the cover toward the hinge. It should stop sliding as the clips engage.
  • When the sliding clips are fully engaged and the lower case looks correctly aligned, press down firmly on the lower case to engage the four hidden clips underneath. You should feel and hear them snap into place.

Remove the lower case.

To reinstall the lower case:

Set it in place and align the sliding clips near the display hinge. Press down and slide the cover toward the hinge. It should stop sliding as the clips engage.

When the sliding clips are fully engaged and the lower case looks correctly aligned, press down firmly on the lower case to engage the four hidden clips underneath. You should feel and hear them snap into place.

Step 8

              Disconnect the battery
  • Carefully peel up the large piece of tape covering the battery connector, on the edge of the logic board nearest the battery.
  • Remove the tape.

Carefully peel up the large piece of tape covering the battery connector, on the edge of the logic board nearest the battery.

Remove the tape.

Step 9

  • Gently peel back the small piece of tape covering the battery board data cable connector.
  • The tape is integrated into the ribbon cable and will not detach completely. Simply peel it back enough to access the connector.

Gently peel back the small piece of tape covering the battery board data cable connector.

The tape is integrated into the ribbon cable and will not detach completely. Simply peel it back enough to access the connector.

Step 10

  • Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the small black locking tab securing the cable in its connector.
  • Locking tabs on ZIF connectors are fragile, so be gentle when using the tip of the spudger.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the small black locking tab securing the cable in its connector.

Locking tabs on ZIF connectors are fragile, so be gentle when using the tip of the spudger.

Step 11

  • Disconnect the battery board data cable by sliding it out from its socket.
  • Slide parallel to the logic board, in the direction of the cable.

Disconnect the battery board data cable by sliding it out from its socket.

Slide parallel to the logic board, in the direction of the cable.

Step 12

  • Fold the battery board data cable back and out of the way.
  • If you’re replacing your battery, you may need to completely remove and transfer this cable to your new battery. Disconnect both ends and carefully remove the cable. During installation, be careful not to install it upside-down or backwards—note the orientation in the photos.

Fold the battery board data cable back and out of the way.

If you’re replacing your battery, you may need to completely remove and transfer this cable to your new battery. Disconnect both ends and carefully remove the cable. During installation, be careful not to install it upside-down or backwards—note the orientation in the photos.

Step 13

  • Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 3.7 mm pancake screw securing the battery power connector.

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 3.7 mm pancake screw securing the battery power connector.

Step 14

  • Use a spudger to gently lift the battery power connector, disconnecting the battery.
  • Lift the connector high enough so that it stays separated from its socket. If it accidentally makes contact during the course of your repair, it could damage your MacBook Pro.

Use a spudger to gently lift the battery power connector, disconnecting the battery.

Lift the connector high enough so that it stays separated from its socket. If it accidentally makes contact during the course of your repair, it could damage your MacBook Pro.

Step 15

              Remove the trackpad
  • Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the two 1.9 mm screws securing the trackpad cable connector bracket.

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the two 1.9 mm screws securing the trackpad cable connector bracket.

Step 16

  • Remove the trackpad cable connector bracket.

Remove the trackpad cable connector bracket.

Step 17

  • Use a spudger to disconnect the trackpad ribbon cable by gently prying its connector straight up from the logic board.

Use a spudger to disconnect the trackpad ribbon cable by gently prying its connector straight up from the logic board.

Step 18

  • Prepare an iOpener and lay it on top of the trackpad ribbon cable for about a minute, in order to soften the adhesive securing the trackpad ribbon cable to the top of the battery.
  • If you don’t have an iOpener, use a hair dryer to warm up the cable instead. The cable should be warm, but not too hot to touch. Be careful not to overheat the battery.

Prepare an iOpener and lay it on top of the trackpad ribbon cable for about a minute, in order to soften the adhesive securing the trackpad ribbon cable to the top of the battery.

If you don’t have an iOpener, use a hair dryer to warm up the cable instead. The cable should be warm, but not too hot to touch. Be careful not to overheat the battery.

Step 19

  • Carefully peel the trackpad ribbon cable up off the battery, and push it out of the way.
  • Do not fold or tear the cable.

Carefully peel the trackpad ribbon cable up off the battery, and push it out of the way.

Do not fold or tear the cable.

Step 20

  • Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the ten screws securing the trackpad assembly:
  • Two 4.2 mm screws
  • Eight 5.8 mm screws

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

Two 4.2 mm screws

Eight 5.8 mm screws

Step 21

  • Remove the trackpad assembly.
  • You’ll need to swing the display open slightly to remove the trackpad.
  • Take care to feed the trackpad ribbon cable through the MacBook Pro’s frame without snagging.
  • Be sure not to lose the six small washers (two circular and four rectangular) resting on the underside of the trackpad.

Remove the trackpad assembly.

You’ll need to swing the display open slightly to remove the trackpad.

Take care to feed the trackpad ribbon cable through the MacBook Pro’s frame without snagging.

Be sure not to lose the six small washers (two circular and four rectangular) resting on the underside of the trackpad.

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? Try some basic troubleshooting or search our Answers community for help.

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                    Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 03/10/2020

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Simos Kondylakis - Aug 20, 2021

Reply

Does anyone knows, if I follow this procedure carefully just to clean the inside of the trackpad, if it will void my warranty? Or there isn’t any way for Apple to know that I’ve done this?

Mark O’Neill - Feb 23, 2022

Reply

Thanks for this guide, it was excellent – easy to follow. I used the iFixit Essential Electronics Toolkit for the first time to do this and the box lid with moulded grid proved very useful for keeping the screws mapped to where they belonged in the laptop.

I would suggest adding that the laptop must be connected to power to restart it after the repair. Pressing the power button to no response induced a small panic but plugging it in brought it right back.