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Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

6

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

2

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 4 steps

Flags

1

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  • BackMacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2009

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:
  • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.
  • Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

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

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

1024

Step 2

  • Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.
  • Remove the lower case and set it aside.

Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.

Remove the lower case and set it aside.

Step 3

              Battery
  • Remove the two 5-Point Pentalobe screws along the top edge of the battery.
  • You do not necessarily have to follow steps 3-6 to remove the battery in order to replace the hard drive. However it is recommended to remove all power sources from electronics before working on them.

Remove the two 5-Point Pentalobe screws along the top edge of the battery.

You do not necessarily have to follow steps 3-6 to remove the battery in order to replace the hard drive. However it is recommended to remove all power sources from electronics before working on them.

Step 4

  • Use the tip of a spudger to bend back the finger of the “Warning: Do not remove the battery” sticker while you remove third five-point Pentalobe screw hidden underneath.

Use the tip of a spudger to bend back the finger of the “Warning: Do not remove the battery” sticker while you remove third five-point Pentalobe screw hidden underneath.

Step 5

  • Lift the battery by its plastic pull tab and slide it away from the long edge of the upper case.
  • Do not try to completely remove the battery just yet.

Lift the battery by its plastic pull tab and slide it away from the long edge of the upper case.

Do not try to completely remove the battery just yet.

Step 6

  • Tilt the battery back enough to access the battery cable connector.
  • Pull the battery cable connector away from its socket on the logic board and remove the battery from the upper case.
  • If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation.

Tilt the battery back enough to access the battery cable connector.

Pull the battery cable connector away from its socket on the logic board and remove the battery from the upper case.

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

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

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                    Walter Galan

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JohnB - Dec 2, 2013

Reply

Just installed a new battery from Anker. This tutorial was very helpful to me. iFixit was out of stock on the battery I needed, or I would have ordered from you.

Anker did include the special 5 prong tiny screwdriver needed.

1tom2go - Dec 30, 2014

Reply

I bought and installed the ifixit.com battery for my Mid 2009 15 inch MacBook Pro and it was easy and is working great. Much better than the dying battery it had. It was very easy. I did purchase the required tools which made it simple. Thanks.

Florian Schwarze - Aug 28, 2015

Reply

Ordered the battery from iFixit, forgot to order the Pentalobe screwdriver. Nevermind, if you only do that stuff once (as I expect after 6 years with one battery) - don’t spend the money on special equipment that cannot be used for anything else :)

Opening the macbook is easy (I have done that before to exchange the superdrive with a larger harddisk and the original HD with an SSD drive, and a couple of times to clean the fans), but the 3 screws on the battery are a pain.

What did the job for me: an old mini-flathead-screwdriver (approx. 2mm? - just slightly larger than the pentalobe) and a file. As none of my other screwdrivers would work with the ….pentalobes, i filed down the flathead (-)screwdriver so that it could get hold in 2 of the lobes - which did let me open and close these screws without a problem. My screws were not closed very tight though - if they are there is probably no way around the right tool.

lambrosemail - Mar 3, 2016

Reply

Hello , I just replaced the battery on my macbook pro 15 inch 2009. Original battery was dead, would not even start without being plugged in.

I replaced the battery myself with one from amazon. Lizone is the brand. Laptop powers on now without being plugged in but after I enter my password it turns off, right after the login screen. Doesnt matter if its plugged in or not. I can access the login screen and thats it. When I removed the battery the laptop starts normal and I can get past the login screen and into el capitan.

I reseted SMC and PRAM multiple times. Is it a faulty battery ? What can I try?

Morgan - May 10, 2016

Reply

Just finished using this guide to replace my mid 2009 MacBook Pro battery. Used a NUPOWER battery from OWC. Change went smoothly and I’ll come back in a few days to update how it’s working