Apple MacBook
Air 11: Microphone replacement procedure
Before
proceeding, close your computer and 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
Eight 2.5 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
Wedge
your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the
lower case off the Air. Remove the lower case and set it aside.
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
contact its socket.
Remove
the following five screws securing the battery to the upper case:
Two
5.2 mm T5 Torx screws
One 6 mm T5 Torx screw
Two 2.6 mm T5 Torx screws
One 6 mm T5 Torx screw
Two 2.6 mm T5 Torx screws
When
handling the battery, avoid squeezing or touching the six exposed lithium
polymer cells.
Lift
the battery from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper
case.
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.
Use
the tip of a spudger to flip up the retaining flap on the microphone ribbon
cable ZIF socket. Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not
the socket itself. Pull the microphone ribbon cable straight out of its socket.
Use
the tip of a spudger to de-route the left speaker cable from the notch cut into
the edge of the I/O board.
Use
the flat end of a spudger to pry the left speaker connector up and out of its socket
on the I/O board. Pry upward from beneath the wires.
Use
the flat end of a spudger to pry the left speaker off the adhesive securing it
to the upper case. Only pry up on the speaker from the areas of bare aluminum
on the upper case. Prying up from the keyboard area may damage the keyboard and
the speaker itself.
Remove
the left speaker from the upper case.
Use
the tip of a spudger to pry the microphone away from the side of the upper
case. Remove the microphone from the upper case.
