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Featured Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

16

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • Display
  • 13 steps

Flags

1

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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:
  • Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.
  • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

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

Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

1024

Step 2

  • Wedge your fingers between the lower case and the vent, and lift upward to release the two clips holding the lower case to the upper case.
  • During reassembly, carefully align the lower case and then press it firmly until both clips engage.
  • Remove the lower case.

Wedge your fingers between the lower case and the vent, and lift upward to release the two clips holding the lower case to the upper case.

During reassembly, carefully align the lower case and then press it firmly until both clips engage.

Remove the lower case.

Step 3

              Battery
  • Whenever working near the logic board, it is always wise to first disconnect the battery to avoid short circuits.
  • If present, grab the plastic tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the device. For Late-2011 models the battery connector will not have a tab and is simply a plug that inserts straight down into the motherboard–to remove pry the plug straight up.
  • If the plastic tab is missing, use a spudger to pry the connector up from its socket.
  • Pull the tab parallel to the face of the logic board.

Whenever working near the logic board, it is always wise to first disconnect the battery to avoid short circuits.

If present, grab the plastic tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the device. For Late-2011 models the battery connector will not have a tab and is simply a plug that inserts straight down into the motherboard–to remove pry the plug straight up.

If the plastic tab is missing, use a spudger to pry the connector up from its socket.

Pull the tab parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 4

              Display
  • Before disconnecting the camera cable, a small plastic retainer stuck to the logic board must first be moved out of the way. In late-2011 models you can skip this step because there is not a plastic retainer on the camera cable connector.
  • Use the tip of a spudger to push the small plastic cable retainer away from the camera cable socket for enough clearance to remove the camera cable.

Before disconnecting the camera cable, a small plastic retainer stuck to the logic board must first be moved out of the way. In late-2011 models you can skip this step because there is not a plastic retainer on the camera cable connector.

Use the tip of a spudger to push the small plastic cable retainer away from the camera cable socket for enough clearance to remove the camera cable.

Step 5

  • Pull the camera cable toward the optical drive opening to disconnect it from the logic board.
  • The camera cable socket is very fragile. Do not apply any upward force to this socket, as it may break off the logic board. Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Pull the camera cable toward the optical drive opening to disconnect it from the logic board.

The camera cable socket is very fragile. Do not apply any upward force to this socket, as it may break off the logic board. Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 6

  • Carefully pull the Bluetooth cable toward the fans to disconnect it from the Bluetooth board.
  • Pull the cable parallel to the face of the optical drive.

Carefully pull the Bluetooth cable toward the fans to disconnect it from the Bluetooth board.

Pull the cable parallel to the face of the optical drive.

Step 7

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to peel the thin plastic cover off the top and sides of the Bluetooth board housing. For late-2011 models check out the other picture because the connector location is in a totally different location.

Use the flat end of a spudger to peel the thin plastic cover off the top and sides of the Bluetooth board housing. For late-2011 models check out the other picture because the connector location is in a totally different location.

Step 8

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Bluetooth antenna connector up and off its socket on the Bluetooth board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Bluetooth antenna connector up and off its socket on the Bluetooth board.

Step 9

  • If present, remove the small piece of EMI foam near the Bluetooth board.
  • De-route the camera cable from the slot molded into the Bluetooth board housing.

If present, remove the small piece of EMI foam near the Bluetooth board.

De-route the camera cable from the slot molded into the Bluetooth board housing.

Step 10

  • Remove the two 7.1 mm Phillips screws securing the camera cable retainer to the upper case.
  • Remove the camera cable retainer from the upper case.

Remove the two 7.1 mm Phillips screws securing the camera cable retainer to the upper case.

Remove the camera cable retainer from the upper case.

Step 11

  • Lift the black plastic flap attached to the display data cable retainer and rotate it toward the DC-In side of the MacBook.
  • Pull the display data cable out of its socket.
  • The display data cable socket is very fragile. Do not lift the connector upward as you disconnect it, as the socket may break off the logic board. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Lift the black plastic flap attached to the display data cable retainer and rotate it toward the DC-In side of the MacBook.

Pull the display data cable out of its socket.

The display data cable socket is very fragile. Do not lift the connector upward as you disconnect it, as the socket may break off the logic board. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 12

  • Remove the two 7.1 mm Phillips screws securing the display data cable retainer to the upper case.
  • Remove the display data cable retainer.

Remove the two 7.1 mm Phillips screws securing the display data cable retainer to the upper case.

Remove the display data cable retainer.

Step 13

  • Remove the two outer 6.8 mm T6 Torx screws from each of the two display brackets (four screws total).
  • We purposely have you leave one screw attaching each display bracket to the upper case to aid in future steps.

Remove the two outer 6.8 mm T6 Torx screws from each of the two display brackets (four screws total).

We purposely have you leave one screw attaching each display bracket to the upper case to aid in future steps.

Step 14

  • Open your MacBook Pro so the display is perpendicular to the upper case.
  • Place your opened MacBook Pro on a table as pictured.
  • While holding the display and upper case together with your left hand, remove the remaining T6 Torx screw from the lower display bracket.

Open your MacBook Pro so the display is perpendicular to the upper case.

Place your opened MacBook Pro on a table as pictured.

While holding the display and upper case together with your left hand, remove the remaining T6 Torx screw from the lower display bracket.

Step 15

  • Be sure to hold the display and upper case together with your left hand. Failure to do so may cause the freed display/upper case to fall, potentially damaging each component.
  • Remove the last remaining T6 Torx screw securing the display to the upper case.

Be sure to hold the display and upper case together with your left hand. Failure to do so may cause the freed display/upper case to fall, potentially damaging each component.

Remove the last remaining T6 Torx screw securing the display to the upper case.

Step 16

  • Grab the upper case with your right hand and rotate it slightly toward the top of the display so the upper display bracket clears the edge of the upper case.
  • Rotate the display slightly away from the upper case.
  • Lift the display up and away from the upper case, minding any brackets or cables that may get caught.
  • During reassembly, fit the display into place and install the display bracket Torx screws, then close the lid and lay the laptop upside-down to check the alignment of the screen to the body. If necessary, loosen the screws and realign the display before tightening.

Grab the upper case with your right hand and rotate it slightly toward the top of the display so the upper display bracket clears the edge of the upper case.

Rotate the display slightly away from the upper case.

Lift the display up and away from the upper case, minding any brackets or cables that may get caught.

During reassembly, fit the display into place and install the display bracket Torx screws, then close the lid and lay the laptop upside-down to check the alignment of the screen to the body. If necessary, loosen the screws and realign the display before tightening.

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

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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buz - Dec 19, 2016

Reply

This guide was a bit difficult to follow because the photos didn’t represent ’exactly’ what I was seeing. I was able to find the corresponding connections.

The trouble I’m having is the guide seems to end a few steps too soon. I still have a display inside the upper shell, the piece with the Apple logo. I’m very concerned for the well-being of the ‘old’ pieces in question. I have to save the upper case piece while extracting the display.

Any ideas please?

brendonwbrown - May 2, 2017

The title is misleading, and only covers the upper shell removal. I believe your issue is that you want to replace the display panel only, and not the enclosure or camera device. In most cases, however, technicians will simply counsel replacement of the entire upper shell, as replacing inner display components will rack up service hours and end up costing the equivalent of a new shell.

From an iFixit perspective, however, this is moot. You could find a display panel component on ebay, and do the work. I hope you found a more in-depth guide.

shamino - Mar 16, 2018

If anyone has been able to open and close the upper case without damaging it, please share the procedure with the rest of us!

RB1234 - Sep 26, 2017

Reply

How much of this do I need to do simply to replace the LVDS cable?

aramis - May 19, 2018

Reply

17” 2011 Macbook Pro 2.5 (BTO) has a different section at the left hand side, the part where the cables for the wireless hook up. Pay attention to the layout and think before untying any screws. The board that hooks up the wireless is “in” a separate bridge, installed next to the DVD writer with independent screws for suspension.