Introduction
Use this guide to replace a broken AirPort/Bluetooth cable.
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Remove the following ten screws:
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Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws
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Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws
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Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws
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Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.
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Remove the lower case.
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Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.
yes - as with disassembly of any electronic component you have to remove any power source. You don't want to accidentally turn the Mac on
khull -
Sooo the track pad is under the battery...you kind of have to remove it to get to the track pad.
This step is not really required. Apple does not recommend it.
My Battery does not get recognized after i disconnected it, screw this site!
Did you properly ground yourself to the case before putting the spudger to the connector/logic board? Did you use a spudger or something else that is non conductive...or did you use a flat blade metal screw driver instead and compound your error by not grounding yourself before touching the logic board? All kinds of variables here but the bottom line is iFixit provided you a guide to fix your computer. Lots of others have followed this guide without trouble. Your battery issues are not their fault. They did say this guide was moderate difficulty...maybe it's just a little beyond your skill level. We should all know our limits!
Don't know what the deal is with the battery, but this IS a necessary step to keep from frying the logic Board if you accidentally touch something and short it out. I did this step every time during my troubleshooting and The battery was ALWAYS recognized by the system the next time I turned the MBP on. So be safe and don't fry your logic board in the process...
Prying the battery connector off does not take much force. I did exactly what the guide suggested (walked it off back and forth) with the spudger without any problems. Just be very gentle, much like with anything inside laptops, they are very fragile and need to be worked with carefully. A+ instructions, battery replacement was a success.
Installed/upgraded 4gb RAM to the system maximum 16gb and installed a 500 gb SSD today....DID NOT disconnect the battery cable....no issues at all when I powered back up. Then did a clean install of OSX Yosemite....next I used a time machine backup to put all my stuff back on the new HD. From start to finish it took about 4 hours. Macbook boots up right at 16 seconds now.
Easiest to use two spudgers, one on each short end, I found.
Its a lot easier and safer (corner wise) to pry it using the flat side of the black spudger directly in front of the connector (don't go/use the corners) very easily you will be able to pry it further by inserting the spudger into a better and thicker plastic section of the connector
DON'T remove the Battery Cable, you risk the battery NOT being recognised when you start the Mac up again, or breaking it!! More to the point, APPLE DOES NOT RECOMMEND THIS, so don't do it! I Installed 2x 8GB ( 16Gb total) of Crucial Mac RAM at 1333Mhz for my Late 2011 MacBook Pro, and it works beautifully, fully recognised and working well. I followed these instructions, but as Apple didnt recommend disconnecting the battery, I skipped this step, and as well as taking less time, nothing was damaged or broken, and everything works perfectly!!! Just make sure that you DISCHARGE ALL STATIC ELECTRICITY FROM YOUR HANDS, by touching a metal surface in the Mac. Apple recommends the edge of the Optical Disk Drive ( Big silver thing ) before touching any parts. Also, Take care removing the RAM out of its packet, DO NOT touch the Gold connectors, and hold the RAM by the edges. Finally, be PATIENT, GENTLE and it should all go perfectly. I managed it first time, with no technical ability, so follow my advice. Good luck!
Switch off your Mac and continue without disconnecting the battery. Don't know how it will switch on by itself.
This comment made me think that disconnecting the battery was no point at all, because really - how would the computer be able to switch on by it self. So... I had my mac flipped around and was fiddling with the last part of the guide when I all of a sudden hear the start up sound! Don't know how and why it did. I turned it around with it guts open and guts hanging out. Screen was on. I forced it to shut down by keeping the power button down. Turned it back and first thing removed the battery cord.
Luckily the computer started up just like normal. But hearing that sound was just too scary.
BTW I had been cautious to de static myself multiple times.
wassberg -
Definitely do this step. It's an easy disconnect anyway and also easy to reconnect later.
I removed the battery cable for the repair. When I plugged in the MagSafe adapter after the repair, the Mac turned on automatically without pressing the power button and I was a bit worried, but after a restart everything worked fine again. I did have to reset date and time in Preferences. The battery was recognized OK.
Okey, I skipped this battery disconnection part. Did not do anything like this before in my life, changing the cable was super easy!
The official Apple guide to replacing the RAM says nothing about disconnecting the battery but it does recommend touching metal inside to discharge static. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201165
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Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.
What are the changes of it broke when i bend it?, after i disconect it does not work anymore
The guide worked perfectly, as it has in the past (our family has three Mid-2012 Macbook Pros that have been separately upgraded with RAM and SSD).
The PH00 screwdriver fit perfectly.
One note on getting the screws to seat easily and thread perfectly...always turn them gently a couple turns to the left (CCW or Anti-Clockwise) until you hear a small click. That's where the threads will grab. Works with any screw, but when threads are fine, this will help ensure that the screw is at the correct angle and will grab and seat perfectly.
Great guides. Thanks!
Got RAM in but only one slot is working and now I can't remove! The RAM won't pop up like before and tabs don't seem to do anything. Please advise.
I put some tape between the connector and socket while working on the drive.
That's a good tip
Anrothan -
One other note: The screw heads fit flush with the curvature of the case -- which means that they aren't exactly horizontal. In other words, they aren't perpendicular to the table that the computer is resting on. Don't try to force them straight in vertically, because you'll risk cross-threading them. (nearly ruined one screw hole myself!)
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth connector up from its socket on the logic board.
I found that the connector itself is actually broken. I got stuck in the recipient side... I do not know how to fix that.
N.B! Thank you very much all you here on iFixit! Some IMPORTANT notes. Be very careful BEFORE prying the connectors up and down. They are very fragile and the picture could actually be seen as showing a bending loading in their weakest direction, AROUND its slender axis. The connector is slender and inserted on the logic board, so the gentle "walking" up and down should be done ALONG their slender direction and WITHOUT touching the adjacent connectors. If bending is done around its axis the soldering comes apart and the cable is done and gone. Just happened. These flat cables are one of the weakest design spots in my experience. They are a major time, money and geist consuming reason for malfunction like Wi-Fi connection problems, HDD, SSD not found internally but externally from USB issues et al being found on different forums. Thanks again and again.
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Peel back the piece of EMI tape covering the AirPort/Bluetooth cable connector above the optical drive.
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Use the tip of a spudger to lift the AirPort/Bluetooth connector off of its socket on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.
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Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth cable from the machine.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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3 Comments
How to replace Antenna Cable's if dey brake down...in dis model...plz guide
My Wifi failed, "no hardware found", but the Bluetooth still worked. I replaced the board, but still no dice. Turns out it was the cable!
This specific cable or the one that goes up to the screen?
Does void the warranty?
jfondeur - Reply
No, it does not void the warranty. More specifically: http://eshop.macsales.com/Search/display...
oakdragon12 - Reply
How much weight can I save by removing the optical drive?
gunes314 - Reply
You can save a lot of weight if lets say your installing a solid state drive or putting in a second hard drive but if you know that you use the CD/DVD disc drive a lot then you might just want to leave the drive alone.
Marshall WahlstromHelgren -
Also wondering how much weight I'd save by just removing. My drive is broken for ages, but I have not needed it in ages. The HD was already replaced by a cheap SSD (second best thing after upgrading to 8GB), so I'd appreciate losing some weight. I mean, the computer. Although I could lose some too... erm... well, anyway, I guess the lack of the DVD would not interfere with anything, right? Opinions?
Carlos Duarte do Nascimento - Reply
Apple has meticulously balanced the MacBook's weight from left to right, and removing the optical drive may off-balance the Mac.
Seji the veggie -
What so you think that a removing the optical drive which weighs less than a AA battery will unbalance a MBP making it unusable? LOL!
Unless you use the MBP on a high wire (an even then I have my doubts) you'd never notice the weight difference.
pmhparis -
I'm thinking you'd probably be OK losing the DVD drive without a problem. Just make sure the optical drive cable is secured or you might hear it rattling in there from time-to-time.
John Adam Wickliffe - Reply
Hey guys,
this website is amazing. I read it to guide me on fixing my mac book pro, but on the video, the girl gives a wrong information.. She says that is not possible replace just the keyboard... But I managed to replace only my keyboard. It is boring because I have to remove approximately 70 screws but it is possible. Thanks a lot! You guys helped me save about US$300 thats because in Brazil some technicians would charge me with that amount!
I posted some pictures on your facebook page..
renatumb - Reply
Tip: Use one of those weekday pill holders to have a cheep way to store screws you remove and each day of the week can be for different sizes or parts. It has been handy to have (much less expensive than the magnetic mat.
Robert Wacker - Reply
Great tutorial. I found that using a Phillips #0 in lieu of the #00 worked much better.
kschmesk - Reply
I tried the PH #00 for the 10 screws that hold the bottom case and it's too big, instead PH #000 works perfectly. Are you sure this screws are #00?
Alex - Reply
The likely problem with your wifi is not the card but the antenna leads that go into the plastic clutch
. Ifixit don't have a guide to change this as it it includes the isight camera so the screen has to be disassembled which is fairly hard
I got round it by using the camera cable from the old set and cutting off the new one
brian whittle - Reply
Hello MacWorld,
Just want to say that this site is a great resource for repairing or upgrading your Mac. I had a bad SATA cable in my MacBook Pro and after ordering a new one from the "IFIXIT" site I received the cable within two days, replaced it and was up and running again in no time. Thanks IFIXIT for you help!
wer 10/5/15
tayseer999 - Reply
I have found that my MacBook Pro 13 Late 2011 has five shouldered screws and not four. I am not sure exactly where it goes but I have put it in the top left corner of the picture as it is the odd one out.
GotMac - Reply
Hello, where can I buy the screws I need in case I lose one of them?
taylornya - Reply
iFixit sells a kit: Macbook Pro 13" and 15" Unibody (Mid 2009 through Mid 2012) Lower Case Screw Set
Darrell Johnson -
on my device the #00 screwdriver was a bit too small. a #0 was the perfect one
Maximilian Klotz - Reply
I found with mine that the shouldered and un-shouldered screws were reversed (the three un-shouldered screws going where the orange colour indicates). Also, I found that the front four screws went in at an angle.
gilded yak - Reply
I need to know why my party can't hear. Me on my android phone
Tina Porter - Reply
Because that party is inside your head Tino. Just close your eyes and enjoy the tunes
Snuf Box -
Are you sure the short screws are different? The set sold here just says “Seven 3 mm Phillips #00 screws.”
Jack - Reply
I have the same question. What is the difference between shouldered and not? So hard to see any difference…
Michael Wilkens -
I have one stripped screw... How opening without drill it?! Any suggestions please?
rodrigosady - Reply
I also stripped a couple screws. I wasn’t able to open it up without drilling. After drilling the heads and removing the cover it was easy to hacksaw the tip and unscrew with a standard driver.
Michael Wilkens -
I used 3 eggcups to hold the screws ;>) They are very fiddly and easy to drop on floor so keep the MacBook away from the edge of the surface you are using to avoid accidentally dropping a screw off the edge of a table, etc.
Stephen Smith - Reply
A screw does not come out, how can I get it out? Many thanks in advance for your help
Wilder Torres - Reply
Can I have 2 different Operating Systems installed in the 2 drives? I would like to install Mac OS in the primary hard drive and windows installed in the second hard drive.
Dharmil Shah - Reply