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MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement

What you need

  1. MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement, Lower Case: step 1, image 1 of 1
    Tool used on this step:
    P5 Pentalobe Screwdriver Retina MacBook Pro and Air
    $5.99
    Buy
    • Shut down and close your computer. Lay it on a soft surface top-side down.

    • Remove the following ten screws:

    • Two 8 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws

    • Eight 2.5 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws

    • The special screwdriver needed to remove the 5-point Pentalobe screws can be found here.

  2. MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 1
    • Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.

  3. MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement, Battery Connector: step 3, image 1 of 2 MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement, Battery Connector: step 3, image 2 of 2
    • In this step you will disconnect the battery to help avoid shorting out any components during service.

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both short sides of the battery connector upward to disconnect it from its socket on the logic board.

    • Bend the battery cable slightly away from the logic board so the connector will not accidentally bend back and make contact with its socket.

  4. MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement, SSD: step 4, image 1 of 1
    • Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

  5. MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 3 MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement: step 5, image 2 of 3 MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD Replacement: step 5, image 3 of 3
    • Lift the free end of the SSD just enough to get a good hold of it.

    • Do not excessively lift the end of the SSD.

    • Pull the drive straight out of its socket and remove it from the logic board.

    • When reinstalling the SSD, be sure it is properly seated before reinstalling its retaining screw.

Conclusion

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

46 other people completed this guide.

Sam Goldheart

Member since: 10/18/12

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6 Comments

can I use my HD SSD from MB Air 2011MID / 13" to this one, EARLY2014 / 11" ??

gustyn2000 - Reply

To keep my files from my old SSD, I backed it up using Time Machine and restored from that backup during OS installation. Wish this guide was more clear on that, but I’ve successfully upgraded my system!

Daniel - Reply

Agree with Daniel on OS installation and transfer of files from old disk. This last step needs to be in this guide for sure, otherwise it is an incomplete fix.

Z

Ezekiel E Cortez - Reply

The repair itself went smoothly; the advice to make sure the replacement SSD was properly seated was appropriate.

However, the essential step of transferring the OS from backup was challenging. The replacement SSD (OWC Aura Pro) requires that the computer run High Sierra (macOS 10.13) because of needed firmware, but my computer was running Sierra (macOS 10.12). I installed 10.13 on the SSD that I was about to replace, but this was not sufficient. The replacement SSD was not recognized. The backup from which the system is to be restored also has to run 10.13. I resolved this impasse by booting the computer in target disk mode with a new machine that is running 10.13 and cloning the system from that machine.

The instructions that came with the OWC Aura Pro SSD say, “MacOS 10.13 High Sierra … must be installed on the host computer before installing the OWC Aura Pro SSD.“ This information, along with the fact that the backup must also run High Sierra, should be on this website.

Nancy D Morrison - Reply

excellent set of instructions. thank u

Amigo Foodie - Reply

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