Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

19

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 6 steps
  • Battery Connector
  • 10 steps
  • Trackpad
  • 3 steps

Flags

1

In Progress

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Introduction

For your safety, discharge the battery below 25% before disassembling your MacBook. This reduces the risk of fire if the battery is accidentally damaged during the repair. If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.

What you need

Step 1

              Unfasten the lower case
  • Completely power off and unplug your MacBook Pro before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.
  • Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove eight screws securing the lower case:
  • Four 9.1 mm screws
  • Four 5 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.

Completely power off and unplug your MacBook Pro before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.

Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove eight screws securing the lower case:

Four 9.1 mm screws

Four 5 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.

1024

Step 2

              Unclip the lower case
  • Press a suction handle into place near the front edge of the lower case, between the screw holes.
  • Pull up on the suction handle to create a small gap under the lower case.

Press a suction handle into place near the front edge of the lower case, between the screw holes.

Pull up on the suction handle to create a small gap under the lower case.

Step 3

              Release the rear cover's right clips
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap you just created.
  • Slide the opening pick around the nearest corner and then halfway up the side of the MacBook Pro.
  • This releases the first of the hidden clips securing the lower case. You should feel and hear the clip pop free.

Insert an opening pick into the gap you just created.

Slide the opening pick around the nearest corner and then halfway up the side of the MacBook Pro.

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

Step 4

              Release the rear cover's left clips
  • Repeat the previous step on the other side, using an opening pick to to release the second clip.

Repeat the previous step on the other side, using an opening pick to to release the second clip.

Step 5

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

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

Pull first at one corner, then the other.

Pull to the side—not up.

This may require a lot of force.

Step 6

              Remove the lower case
  • 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 7

              Unfasten the trackpad cable bracket
  • Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 2.1 mm-long screws securing the trackpad cable bracket to the logic board.

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 2.1 mm-long screws securing the trackpad cable bracket to the logic board.

Step 8

              Remove the trackpad cable bracket
  • Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the trackpad cable bracket.

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the trackpad cable bracket.

Step 9

              Disconnect the trackpad cable
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the trackpad cable’s press connector from the logic board.
  • To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the trackpad cable’s press connector from the logic board.

To re-attach press connectors like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Do not press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

Step 10

              Reposition the trackpad cable
  • The trackpad cable is lightly adhered to the frame.
  • Peel the trackpad cable away from the device, making sure to separate the adhesive.

The trackpad cable is lightly adhered to the frame.

Peel the trackpad cable away from the device, making sure to separate the adhesive.

Step 11

              Disconnect the battery board
  • Peel back any tape covering the battery board data cable connector.

Peel back any tape covering the battery board data cable connector.

Step 12

  • Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connector for the battery board data cable.

Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connector for the battery board data cable.

Step 13

  • The battery board data cable is lightly adhered to the logic board.
  • Insert blunt-nosed tweezers between the battery board data cable and the logic board.
  • Slide the tweezers underneath the cable to separate the adhesive.
  • Disconnect the battery board data cable by sliding it out from its socket on the logic board.

The battery board data cable is lightly adhered to the logic board.

Insert blunt-nosed tweezers between the battery board data cable and the logic board.

Slide the tweezers underneath the cable to separate the adhesive.

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

Step 14

              Reposition the battery board cable
  • Use tweezers, or your fingers, to pull the battery board data cable away from the device.

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to pull the battery board data cable away from the device.

Step 15

              Unfasten the battery connector
  • Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 3.9 mm pancake screw securing the battery power connector.

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 3.9 mm pancake screw securing the battery power connector.

Step 16

              Disconnect the battery connector
  • Use a spudger to lift the battery power connector, disconnecting the battery.
  • Lift the connector high enough to keep it separated from its socket while you work. If it accidentally makes contact, it could damage your MacBook Pro.

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

Lift the connector high enough to keep it separated from its socket while you work. If it accidentally makes contact, it could damage your MacBook Pro.

Step 17

              Unfasten the trackpad
  • Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 13 screws securing the trackpad assembly:
  • Ten 5 mm screws
  • Three 5.8 mm screws
  • These screws all look similar—be careful not to mix them up.
  • Adding a little blue threadlocker to the screw threads during reassembly can help prevent the screws from working themselves loose over time.
  • Install the screws loosely at first, and then check the trackpad alignment before tightening them down.

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 13 screws securing the trackpad assembly:

Ten 5 mm screws

Three 5.8 mm screws

These screws all look similar—be careful not to mix them up.

Adding a little blue threadlocker to the screw threads during reassembly can help prevent the screws from working themselves loose over time.

Install the screws loosely at first, and then check the trackpad alignment before tightening them down.

Step 18

              Remove the trackpad
  • Swing the display open slightly, but keep the MacBook upside-down. The trackpad assembly should separate and lay flat on the display.
  • As you remove the trackpad assembly, be very careful not to lose the nine small metal washers resting on the screw posts. (They will fly off and get lost with very little provocation.)
  • Carefully feed the trackpad’s ribbon cable through its slot in the frame.

Swing the display open slightly, but keep the MacBook upside-down. The trackpad assembly should separate and lay flat on the display.

As you remove the trackpad assembly, be very careful not to lose the nine small metal washers resting on the screw posts. (They will fly off and get lost with very little provocation.)

Carefully feed the trackpad’s ribbon cable through its slot in the frame.

Step 19

  • Remove the trackpad assembly.
  • Make sure that each of the nine washers are present before you reinstall the trackpad.

Remove the trackpad assembly.

Make sure that each of the nine washers are present before you reinstall the trackpad.

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

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 you install it.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our MacBook Pro 16" 2021 Answers community for help.

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                    Alex Diaz-Kokaisl

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Leonardo Rosas - Nov 9, 2022

Reply

Is there any way to adjust the trackpad button sensitivity? My trackpad seems to be a bit soft/flimsy when sliding my finger on it. I’ve already tried adjusting the click via the system preferences but it still feels kinda soft in the center of the trackpad. Wondering if there’s a hardware fix to it…