MacBook Air 13" Mid 2012 Upper Case Replacement
Introduction
Go to step 1Use this guide to replace the upper case, including the backlit keyboard.
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Tool used on this step:P5 Pentalobe Screwdriver Retina MacBook Pro and Air$5.99
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Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove ten screws securing the lower case, of the following lengths:
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Two 9 mm screws
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Eight 2.6 mm screws
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Grab the clear plastic pull tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the Air to disconnect the battery from the logic board.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the I/O board cable connector upward out of its socket on the I/O board.
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Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.
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Disconnect the I/O board by pulling the power cable away from its socket on the logic board.
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Remove the following five screws securing the battery to the upper case:
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Three 6.3 mm T5 Torx screws
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Two 2.4 mm T5 Torx screws
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Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the trackpad ribbon cable ZIF socket.
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Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
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Gently push the tip of a spudger under the black plastic flap stuck to the display data cable lock to make the lock pop upward and away from the socket.
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While holding the lock away from the socket, use the tip of a spudger and your fingers to gently remove the display data cable from its socket.
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Gently de-route the antenna cables out of the channel cut into the upper case.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right speaker off the adhesive securing it to the upper case.
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Remove the right speaker from the upper case.
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Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the trackpad ribbon cable ZIF socket.
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Pull the trackpad ribbon cable straight out of its socket toward the rear edge of the Air.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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9 Comments
On step 41 the 1.4 mm T5 Torx set screw remember that this screw does not come out. I was racking my brain for like 30 minutes and realized that this screw is not and can not be removed, rather it's just used to adjust the sensitivity of the clicking on the mouse pad.
I got mine out, but it was unnecessary for the procedure. You're right that it doesn't hold anything down really.
lionfish -
I had a Torx 6 in order to not strip the screw...
I spilt liquid on my MacBook Air and luckily only busted the keyboard, mainly the power and right arrow key buttons.
I purchased the uppercase from iFixit and it is a good quality part. The install took about 45 minutes, but there was a good hour of troubleshooting afterwards. See my comment on connecting the I/O connector cable above.
After doing any sort of hardware install, especially one as extensive as this, run the Apple Hardware Test application by holding down the D button while booting. It looks at a range of issues that you might miss (like a fan that doesn't spin!) that could cause you problems down the track.
Happy repairs.
This was an awesome and clearly understandable guide, helped by color-coded circles for the various screw sizes! I disassembled, replaced the top and keyboard and reassembled in less than an hour, with my son watching over my shoulder. Well done!
