MacBook Pro 13" Four Thunderbolt Ports 2020 Trackpad Replacement

Written By: Carsten Frauenheim

Comments: 11

MacBook Pro 13" Four Thunderbolt Ports 2020 Trackpad Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

25 - 40 minutes

Introduction

If your trackpad is broken or needs to be removed for easier access to the battery, follow these steps.

For your safety, discharge your MacBook Pro's battery below 25% before you begin this procedure. A charged lithium-ion battery can create a dangerous and uncontrollable fire if accidentally punctured.

Some photos in this guide are from a different model and may contain slight visual discrepancies, but they won't affect the guide procedure.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Before starting this procedure, you should disable your Mac's Auto Boot feature. Auto Boot powers on your Mac when you open the lid, and may be accidentally triggered during disassembly. Use this guide to disable Auto Boot.
If your MacBook is running Big Sur v11.1 or later, disabling Auto Boot may not work. You can proceed normally, but make sure to disconnect the battery as soon as you're inside.
Completely power off and unplug your MacBook before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.
Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove the six screws securing the lower case:
Two 6.7 mm screws
Four 3.4 mm screws
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your device.

Step 2

Apply a suction handle to the lower case near the front-center area of the MacBook Pro.
Lift the suction handle to create a slight gap between the lower case and the chassis.

Step 3

Insert one corner of an opening pick into the space between the lower case and the chassis.
Slide the opening pick around the nearest corner and halfway up the side of the case.
This releases the first of the hidden clips securing the lower case to the chassis. You should feel and hear the clip pop free.

Step 4

Repeat the previous step on the opposite side, sliding your opening pick under the lower case and up the side to pop the second clip free.

Step 5

Insert your opening pick once again under the front edge of the lower case, near one of the two centermost screw holes.
Give the pick a firm twist to pop free the third clip securing the lower case to the chassis.
Repeat this procedure near the other of the two centermost screw holes, popping the fourth clip free.

Step 6

Pull the lower case firmly towards the front of the MacBook (away from the hinge area) to separate the last of the clips securing the lower case.
Pull first at one corner, then the other.
Pull to the side—not up.
This can require a lot of force.

How much force are we talking. I am giving it hell.

Chris MacCoy -

Step 7

Remove the lower case.
To reinstall the lower case:
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.
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.

Step 8

Carefully peel up the large piece of tape covering the battery connector, on the edge of the logic board nearest the battery.
Remove the tape.

Step 9

Gently peel back the small piece of tape covering the battery board data cable connector.
The tape is integrated into the ribbon cable and will not detach completely. Simply peel it back enough to access the connector.

Step 10

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the small black locking tab securing the cable in its connector.

Be very careful here. It is easy to break the whole connector off the battery board, which is what I did. Luckily the connector is part of the replacement battery, so you just need to remove the connector from the cable. The pictures here should provide more detail so you can see better what is going on.

Mark Hayden - 15/05/21

thanks a lot !!!!! great help :)

der gute Geist -

Step 11

Disconnect the battery board data cable by sliding it out from its socket.
Slide parallel to the logic board, in the direction of the cable.

As simple as this step might seem, the golden leads will disapper the moment you remove it as it has some adhesive under the black strip that covers it. Ensure you peel it back enough to display the golden leads after swapping the batteries out.

Harish Prasanna -

Your battery may come with this ribbon cable. In that case, disconnect the other end.

bencottrill -

Step 12

Fold the battery board data cable to the side and out of the way.

I don't recall removing this cable from the laptop. I see that when actually putting the new battery in, the cable is attached already where it was detached and the right end needs to be reconnected.

durphym -

unfortunately the instructions to removing this cable are absent and I tried to pry the tab up instead of out and I damaged my board. Now no battery will work but it still functions with only with power cord. So be careful!

Laloyd -

Step 13

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 3.7 mm pancake screw securing the battery power connector.

Step 14

Use a spudger to gently lift the battery power connector, disconnecting the battery.
Lift the connector high enough so that it stays separated from its socket. If it accidentally makes contact during the course of your repair, it could damage your MacBook Pro.

To completely avoid accidental contacts I recommend to wrap this connector in a piece of paper and hold it in place with tape.

Do not put tape directly on the contact underside, as that may leave some glue that would affect the contact conductivity.

Sergio Ballestrero - 15/07/20

I put a piece of tape on the underside of the connector (sticky side up) to insure against accidental battery contact. If you put tape on the logic board side of the connection, some insulating padding material might accidentally stick to the tape when the tape is removed during reassembly.

W. Smith -

Step 15

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 1.8 mm screws securing the trackpad cable connector bracket.

Step 16

Remove the trackpad cable connector bracket with a pair of tweezers.

Step 17

Use a spudger to disconnect the trackpad ribbon cable by gently prying its connector straight up from the logic board.

Step 18

Prepare an iOpener and lay it on top of the trackpad ribbon cable for about a minute, in order to soften the adhesive securing the trackpad ribbon cable to the top of the battery.
If you don't have an iOpener, use a hair dryer to warm up the cable instead. The cable should be warm, but not too hot to touch. Be careful not to overheat the battery.

Step 19

Carefully peel the trackpad ribbon cable up off the battery, and push it out of the way.
Do not fold or tear the cable.

Step 20

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the ten screws securing the trackpad assembly:
Two 4.3 mm screws
Eight 5.8 mm screws

Step 21

Swing the display open slightly to access the trackpad.
Carefully thread the trackpad ribbon cable out through the hole in the MacBook Pro's frame.

Step 22

Remove the trackpad assembly.
Be sure not to lose the six small washers (two circular and four rectangular) resting on the underside of the trackpad.
Make sure your new trackpad has a ribbon cable installed before reassembly. If necessary, transfer the old cable, or install the one your new trackpad came with.

The trackpad flex cable that connects to trackpad side you need to be very careful how you remove it from old trackpad as if you don't do it right you pad or keyboard won't work. I had to order a new flex cable and now waiting to see if that solves my problem. Currently on the new trackpad that I replaced the Pad and Keyboard keys don't work. The touchbar is fine.

Bijan Hafezi -

I finally could do this, and the instruction was very good. One thing that is missing is the flex ribbon that needs to connect to the trackpad. The connector has a lock you must pull up to get the flex cable in there. Also, a portion of the gold connector will be exposed once it is gone, which is fine.

Bijan Hafezi -

Conclusion

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

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? Try some basic troubleshooting or search our Answers community for help.

Author

Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 10/03/20

110978 Reputation

MacBook Pro 13" Four Thunderbolt Ports 2020 Trackpad Replacement

Introduction

Tools

Parts

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