Macbook Pro 13 Unibody Mid 2012 Trackpad Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          20 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery Connection
2 steps
Battery
3 steps
Trackpad
6 steps

Flags

BackMacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012
Full Screen
Options
History
Save to Favorites
Download PDF
Edit
Translate
Get Shareable Link
Embed This Guide
Notify Me of Changes
Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case

Remove the following ten screws:
Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws
Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws
Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws
When replacing the small screws, align them perpendicular to the slight curvature of the case (they don’t go straight down).

Remove the following ten screws:

Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws

Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws

Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws

When replacing the small screws, align them perpendicular to the slight curvature of the case (they don’t go straight down).

1024

Step 2

Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.
Remove the lower case.

Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.

Remove the lower case.

Step 3

              Battery Connection

Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.
It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to “walk” it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.

It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to “walk” it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

Step 4

Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

Step 5

              Battery

Remove the following two screws:
One 5.6 mm Tri-point screw
One 13 mm Tri-point screw

Remove the following two screws:

One 5.6 mm Tri-point screw

One 13 mm Tri-point screw

Step 6

Carefully peel the battery warning label off the upper case between the battery and the optical drive.
Do not remove the label from the battery.

Carefully peel the battery warning label off the upper case between the battery and the optical drive.

Do not remove the label from the battery.

Step 7

Use the attached plastic pull tab to remove the battery from the upper case.
If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation:
Charge it to 100%, and then keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Next, unplug and use it normally to drain the battery. When you see the low battery warning, save your work, and keep your laptop on until it goes to sleep due to low battery. Wait at least 5 hours, then charge your laptop uninterrupted to 100%.
If you notice any unusual behavior or problems after installing your new battery, you may need to reset your MacBook’s SMC.

Use the attached plastic pull tab to remove the battery from the upper case.

If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation:

Charge it to 100%, and then keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Next, unplug and use it normally to drain the battery. When you see the low battery warning, save your work, and keep your laptop on until it goes to sleep due to low battery. Wait at least 5 hours, then charge your laptop uninterrupted to 100%.

If you notice any unusual behavior or problems after installing your new battery, you may need to reset your MacBook’s SMC.

Step 8

              Trackpad

Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully pry the trackpad connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully pry the trackpad connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Step 9

Open your MacBook Pro and set it on a table as shown.

Open your MacBook Pro and set it on a table as shown.

Step 10

While holding the edge of the trackpad closest to the logic board with one hand, remove the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws highlighted in red.

While holding the edge of the trackpad closest to the logic board with one hand, remove the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws highlighted in red.

Step 11

If necessary, carefully dislodge the edge of the trackpad closest to the keyboard from its recess in the upper case by pushing it away from the brackets attached to the upper case.
Carefully push the trackpad connector and cable down through the slot cut into the upper case.
It may be necessary to use a spudger to help get the trackpad connector past the edge of the logic board.
Once the cable has been completely pulled through its slot in the upper case, pull the trackpad away from the outer edge of the upper case and remove it from the machine.

If necessary, carefully dislodge the edge of the trackpad closest to the keyboard from its recess in the upper case by pushing it away from the brackets attached to the upper case.

Carefully push the trackpad connector and cable down through the slot cut into the upper case.

It may be necessary to use a spudger to help get the trackpad connector past the edge of the logic board.

Once the cable has been completely pulled through its slot in the upper case, pull the trackpad away from the outer edge of the upper case and remove it from the machine.

Step 12

If you are installing a replacement trackpad that didn’t come with the attached flex cable, you’ll need to use the cable from your old trackpad.
To remove the flex cable from the old trackpad, first flip open the latch on the ZIF connector, opposite the cable. Then, apply a little heat from a hair dryer or iOpener to soften the adhesive securing the cable to the trackpad, and carefully peel off and remove the cable.
When installing your new trackpad, routing the cable through the upper case and past the logic board may be difficult. It is helpful to use the tip of a spudger to guide the connector past the logic board while pushing the cable through its slot in the upper case with your other hand.

If you are installing a replacement trackpad that didn’t come with the attached flex cable, you’ll need to use the cable from your old trackpad.

To remove the flex cable from the old trackpad, first flip open the latch on the ZIF connector, opposite the cable. Then, apply a little heat from a hair dryer or iOpener to soften the adhesive securing the cable to the trackpad, and carefully peel off and remove the cable.

When installing your new trackpad, routing the cable through the upper case and past the logic board may be difficult. It is helpful to use the tip of a spudger to guide the connector past the logic board while pushing the cable through its slot in the upper case with your other hand.

Step 13

Next, reinstall the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws along the inner edge of the trackpad.
Tighten the screws all the way, then back them out about 1/4 turn.
Check the alignment of the trackpad on the keyboard side of the upper case. Once you have centered the trackpad in the upper case, tighten the four Phillips screws all the way.

Next, reinstall the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws along the inner edge of the trackpad.

Tighten the screws all the way, then back them out about 1/4 turn.

Check the alignment of the trackpad on the keyboard side of the upper case. Once you have centered the trackpad in the upper case, tighten the four Phillips screws all the way.

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

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      199 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 5 other contributors

                    Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Member since: 10/17/2009

491,689 Reputation

                                      411 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       44







                                                        +41 more badges

Team

                       iFixit                        

                                                  Member of iFixit 



                    Community                     


                                            141 Members                     


                                            15,767 Guides authored

casse89 - Feb 3, 2016

I have a sensitivity problem with my new just installed Trackpad. Click works fine but the trackpad doesn’t detect fingers the way it used to. For example if u use the tip of the finger (not the nail obviously) the arrow doesn’t move at all but it works if u use the “fingerprint” part of the finger (flatter part). Any suggestions?

Ari Himber - Nov 17, 2016

You probably need to slightly loosen the screw in that little triangle shaped groove by the bottom center of the trackpad. That will lessen restriction on the pressure sensor’s range of movement so that it can detect slight touches.

Larry Hicok - Oct 23, 2016

Easy to follow, excellent instructions and photos. Apple considers this repair too difficult for the end user. The only thing that is difficult about it is having the right tools. Other than that, just focus. It took me maybe 30 minutes with the trackpad centering being the most time-consuming problem.

Far - Sep 21, 2018

Great directions and very useful site! No surprises for this installation. Thanks!

Rob - Sep 30, 2019

The hex screw towards the bottom of the trackpad adjusts the sensitivity and “click” of the trackpad. This might need adjusting after installation.

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team