Introduction
Follow this guide to safely remove the glued-in battery from your MacBook Pro using an iFixit kit with adhesive remover. The liquid solvent in the kit will dissolve the adhesive securing the battery, allowing you to remove it more easily.
iFixit adhesive remover is flammable—use it in a well-ventilated area, and do not smoke or work near an open flame.
To minimize risk of damage, turn on your MacBook and allow the battery to fully discharge before starting this procedure. A charged lithium-ion battery can be very dangerous if accidentally punctured. If your battery looks puffy or swollen, take extra precautions.
Note: The solvent used to dissolve the battery adhesive can damage certain plastics. Follow all instructions and take care where you apply the adhesive remover.
What you need
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Power on your Mac and launch Terminal.
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Copy and paste the following command (or type it exactly) into Terminal:
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sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00
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Press [return]. If prompted, enter your administrator password and press [return] again. Note: Your return key may also be labeled ⏎ or "enter."
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sudo nvram AutoBoot=%03
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Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove six screws securing the lower case, of the following lengths:
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Four 4.7 mm screws
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Two 6.6 mm screws
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Remove the lower case.
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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.
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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.
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Peel up and remove the insulating sticker covering the battery board, on the edge of the logic board nearest the battery.
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If the cover doesn't peel up easily, apply mild heat with an iOpener, hair dryer, or heat gun to soften the adhesive underneath, and try again.
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Peel back any tape covering the battery board data cable connector.
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Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connector for the battery board data cable.
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Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.9 mm screws securing the cover bracket for the keyboard and trackpad cable connectors.
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Remove the bracket.
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Use your spudger to disconnect the keyboard by prying its connector straight up from the logic board.
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Check the alignment of the rubber vibration dampers, and adjust them as needed.
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Feed the antenna cable bundle through the gap between the logic board and heat sink, and make sure it lines up correctly as you lower the board into place.
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Verify that no cables get trapped under the board as you install it. Check each marked location carefully.
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Remove the two screws securing the battery board:
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2016-2017 models: Use a T5 Torx driver to remove both 3.5 mm screws.
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2018-2019 models: Use a P2 Pentalobe driver to remove both 3.2 mm screws.
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To protect your display, place a sheet of aluminum foil between the display and keyboard and leave it there while you work.
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Additionally, use painter's tape to seal off the area under the trackpad as best you can. Optionally, you may also layer an absorbent towel directly underneath the trackpad area to soak up any excess adhesive remover.
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Now that your MacBook Pro is fully prepped, it's time to prep yourself.
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Wear eye protection when handling and applying the adhesive remover. (Eye protection is included in your kit.)
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Do not wear contact lenses without eye protection.
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Protective gloves are also included in your kit. If you are concerned about possible skin irritation, put your gloves on now.
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After a couple minutes, insert one corner of a plastic card underneath the battery, starting from the lower edge of the bottom, right-most cell.
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Wiggle the card from side to side and slide it all the way underneath both battery cells.
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Lift the cells to fully separate the adhesive, but don't try to remove them from your MacBook yet.
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Leave the plastic card temporarily underneath the cells to prevent the adhesive from re-bonding as you proceed to the next step.
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Lift and remove the battery.
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Peel off any large strips of adhesive using tweezers or gloved fingers.
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Scrape away any remaining chunks of adhesive with a plastic tool, and clean the underlying areas with adhesive remover or isopropyl alcohol. Wipe in one direction (not back and forth) until the chassis is clean and ready for your new battery.
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If your battery came with adhesive pre-installed on the bottom, flip it over and carefully peel away the liner to expose the adhesive. If your battery did not come with adhesive, apply a thin double-sided adhesive tape such as Tesa 61395 to keep your battery in place.
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Carefully position the battery and set it into place.
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Press and hold each cell firmly for 5-10 seconds to secure it to the lower case.
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After your battery is properly positioned and installed, peel off and discard the clear plastic liner from the top.
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Calibrate your newly installed battery: charge it to 100%, and keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Unplug and use it normally to drain the battery. When you see the low battery warning, save your work, and keep your laptop on until it goes to sleep due to low battery. Wait at least 5 hours, then charge your laptop uninterrupted to 100%.
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To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Ask our Answers community for troubleshooting help.
To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Ask our Answers community for troubleshooting help.
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34 Comments
Is this the same procedure for the 2017 MacBook pro 15” ?
Hi the Guide was very good.
Unfortunately In Austrailia i could not get the adhesive dissolver .
I was force to do it with plastic cards (Plastic Cards) and some plastic spludgers.
this worked well enough but also didn’t need to remove the logic board or speakers or anything else.
using some goooff (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...) on a paper town was easy clean up.
reassembly was very easy and the whole process took a bit over a hour.
Note i have worked in electronic industry for a long time so possibly more experienced
