Introduction
Use this guide to replace an aging battery. If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.
Tools
Parts
-
-
Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:
-
Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.
-
Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.
-
-
-
Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.
-
Remove the lower case and set it aside.
-
-
-
Use the tip of a spudger to bend back the finger of the "Warning: Do not remove the battery" sticker while you remove third five-point Pentalobe screw hidden underneath.
-
-
-
Lift the battery by its plastic pull tab and slide it away from the long edge of the upper case.
-
-
-
Tilt the battery back enough to access the battery cable connector.
-
Pull the battery cable connector away from its socket on the logic board and remove the battery from the upper case.
-
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
18 comments
Just installed a new battery from Anker. This tutorial was very helpful to me. iFixit was out of stock on the battery I needed, or I would have ordered from you.
Anker did include the special 5 prong tiny screwdriver needed.
JohnB -
I bought and installed the ifixit.com battery for my Mid 2009 15 inch MacBook Pro and it was easy and is working great. Much better than the dying battery it had. It was very easy. I did purchase the required tools which made it simple. Thanks.
1tom2go -
Ordered the battery from iFixit, forgot to order the Pentalobe screwdriver. Nevermind, if you only do that stuff once (as I expect after 6 years with one battery) - don't spend the money on special equipment that cannot be used for anything else :)
Opening the macbook is easy (I have done that before to exchange the superdrive with a larger harddisk and the original HD with an SSD drive, and a couple of times to clean the fans), but the 3 screws on the battery are a pain.
What did the job for me: an old mini-flathead-screwdriver (approx. 2mm? - just slightly larger than the pentalobe) and a file. As none of my other screwdrivers would work with the ....pentalobes, i filed down the flathead (-)screwdriver so that it could get hold in 2 of the lobes - which did let me open and close these screws without a problem. My screws were not closed very tight though - if they are there is probably no way around the right tool.
May be helpful to have more distinct colors to identify the different screws.
Victor Caamano -