MacBook Pro 16" 2019 Battery Disconnection

Step 1

Before starting this procedure, you must 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 or follow the abbreviated instructions below to disable Auto Boot. This command may not work on all Macs.
Power on your Mac and launch Terminal.
Copy and paste the following command (or type it exactly) into Terminal:
sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00
Press [return]. If prompted, enter your administrator password and press [return] again. Note: Your return key may also be labeled ⏎ or "enter."
You can now safely power down your Mac and open the bottom case, without it accidentally powering on.
When your repair is complete and your Mac is successfully reassembled, re-enable Auto Boot with the following command:
sudo nvram AutoBoot=%03

Is this step necessary? I can’t perform this step as I am attempting to repair water damage and need to remove logic board & most likely replace the battery.

Macrepair SF - 02/07/19

@mac_medic You definitely don’t want the power coming on while the board is wet. In your case, I think powering on the machine to disable Auto Boot would do more damage than it prevents. I agree, skip this step and be prepared to disconnect the battery quickly if the laptop automatically powers on. Good luck!

Jeff Suovanen - 03/07/19

Thats right! You don't want power running while working on your logic board.

Dan -

This did not work when running High Sierra.

Kyle B - 22/10/19

Tried this on a 2018 MBP 13” Touchbar (there’s no iFixit guide for this model yet). Need to replace a broken screen.

Luckily I managed to connect to an external screen (Cmd-Down Brightness to switch displays) and enter above command. Seems to work, but there’s another problem with this model - it powers up as soon as any key is pressed……. ffs <gnashes teeth>

Cool_Breeze - 19/11/19

I unscrew the battery first and wrap electrical tape over the logic board battery connector before attempting any repairs to the board. Haven’t had any problems yet and I’ve worked on about 10 of these models already. Also when you open the bottom case use a suction cup at the bottom and pull up then run a plastic spudger along the edges to disconnect the clips. Also only use a plastic spudger on the board. Saw a youtube video from a repair shop and he did not disconnect the power and used all metal tools during the entire process of removing the board. His last step was to disconnect the battery terminal.

Brian - 07/02/20

Is this step necessary if my mac can turn on? Battery fully dead(

Nursat b - 26/08/20

BEFORE YOU START: The included torx head stripped off before I was done (and you might need an additional T4) so stop now and go buy a good one. Also they fail to warn you above to get some blue threadlocker ahead of time.

Jason Sherron - 09/10/20

This command did not work for me and I read that sometime in later 2020 Apple stopped this command from working…any ideas on a work around?

Patrick Machacek - 27/11/20

Not able to do that with damaged screen

richardjgreen - 15/12/20

If you have a damaged screen you can still use a converter from thunderbolt (USB 3) to HDMI and plug your Macbook Pro to your TV as monitor display. Just make sure to chose the right Source (HDMI IN) in your TV. I did it and to make it work I unplug and plug again in my Macbook and so I could disable the Auto boot

Roberto Sanchez Bustos -

Hi. This does not work on 2018 13” MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. I did exactly this to disable auto boot. But when I check by using nvram -p it says: auto-boot true. Am I doing something incorrectly? I did everything step by step. Copied and pasted the sudo command, pressed enter and then entered my password. I have Big Sur 11.1 installed. Is there any other way since I need to replace the screen. Thank you. Adrian

Adrian Vizik - 16/01/21

Hi everyone. This is also a little pointless if you can’t see anything on the screen, and you don’t have a display adapter to USB C to display it. I agree with Brian about removing the back and disconnecting the battery cable before you even think about opening the lid of the MacBook. Applying the insulation tape is also a handy little tip that just makes sure there is no way to discharge from either the board or battery.

Roberto Enrieu - 22/01/21

running `nvram -p | grep 'AutoBoot'` in terminal verifies that it was accepted

result: `AutoBoot %00`

Marek Polák - 01/02/21

Running Big Sur 11.6.7 on a 2019 16" MBP, it's "auto-boot". So it's: nvram -p | grep 'auto-boot' to display the current state, the default is true - and then to change it, sudo nvram auto-boot=false which turns it off.

Ed Mechem - 24/06/22

This step is completely unnecessary if you follow the guide to disconnect the battery properly. Just put some tape between the battery and logic board connection to prevent it from accidentally touching and therefore powering on the laptop.

Grant Ormsby - 11/03/21

It took me a few tries to make this command work, as I was able to copy and paste the command into Terminal, but could not type in my laptop’s password. I finally typed my password into a text document, copied it (command C), and then pasted it into Terminal and it worked.

tommy404 - 28/04/21

I didn’t do this. Mine never auto-booted before I replaced the battery. Now it does.

hatuxka -

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING - CHECK THE BATTERY!

I-fixit sent me a bad battery, which I didn’t realize until it was already install. They sent me a new one, but I wasted hours uninstalling and reinstalled.

Get a volt meter and measure the voltage on the output of the battery pack. If it reads 0 V, SEND IT BACK. It should read over 2 V.

bcardanha -

I've just received my replacement battery and it reads 0,042V between the two main connectors. Do you think it's dead?

peter sussex -

When I did this from Terminal.app within Recovery Mode, the “sudo” was not recognized but I could invoke it without the sudo part. It seems to have been accepted when looking at “nvram -p”

johann beda -

When in Recovery Mode, you already have superuser powers. So you don't need to prefix commands with the sudo command to invoke them with root privileges; you already have them. Do a pwd (print working directory) after opening Terminal in Recovery Mode, and you'll see that you're in the root user's directory.

Ed Mechem - 24/06/22

I received the battery kit for my 2018 MacBook Pro and as per the above comment from bcardanha - Oct 12, 2021, I checked the voltage on the pads marked + and - . It was zero volts so I panicked a bit.

I sent a message on the iFixiT Facebook page and I got no reply. I finally found the customer service email for Ifixit Europe and sent them an email voicing my concern as I was not keen to work for couple of hours just to discover that the battery is faulty. I had an almost instant reply on the email (kudos to them) and they adviced me to go ahead and install the new battery as the voltage measured when battery is not connected is not relevant.

I took a leap of faith and after two hours… the new battery showed 50% charge and everything seems to be working just fine. I am happy it worked.

Mircea Comanici -

After removing the old battery and installing the new battery I powered up the MBP before screwing the bottom on. I discovered the my keyboard would not function. It took a few hours of investigation and frustration that I discovered the track pad power ribbon had become partially dislodged from the trackpad. I was able to see that this through the little machined slot where the battery sat. I had to remove the trackpad to reinsert the power ribbon back into the connector in the trackpad. after reassembling and reinstalling the battery etc the keyboard worked. Just food for thought if your run into the keyboard issue.

Ed Mease -

This should be the default. IMO I tell you to power on - not the lid.

G Sena -

Est ce que cela fonctionne sur un macbook pro 2017 sans touchbar ?

maël muzelet -

Bonjour Maël, oui, ce tutoriel concerne "les MacBook Pro 2016 (et plus récents) et les MacBook Retina 12" 2017 (et plus récents)"

Claire Miesch -

Excellent instructions. I was able to follow and install the new screen. I recommend that you get a good set of tools before you begin. I started with an inexpensive repair kit bought online. The Penta and torx bits failed. I bought an IFIXIT kit with quality bits and I was able to do everything I needed.

Tom Markham -

If you're not running an admin account the sudo command won't work (which honestly, you should not be running admin). Rather than logging in to your admin amount via the OS, in the terminal type "login [admin username]," then the password and you'll be able to do the sudo command as described above. Once you're complete, type "logout [admin username]" and you'll be good to go. Obviously replace [admin username] with whatever the account name for your admin user is.

arichard2401 -

For those unable to complete this step because the screen is too damaged I recommend leaving your macbook on until the battery dies.

Nicholas R Licato -

Just replaced my 2018 15" MBP battery. Running Sonoma.
I found no way to disable AutoBoot (The status can be checked in the Power section of system report).

Anyway, i left my battery completely drain before opening the MBP, and had no issues during the process.

Cédric Bontems -

After sending this command in terminal when I checked what happens if I now open the lid, instead the screen lit slightly up (still black) then a battery symbol showing the charging state showed up.

Now, after replacement of the battery, this is all I get to see.

No reset of NVRAM nor PRAM helped.

Currently the new battery charges (58% atm) and it feels like it‘s mocking me.

webrockers -

I suspected the keyboard or TouchID sensor wouldn’t work, so I went on and checked every connector.

I missed connecting the left TouchID sensor from step 31.

webrockers -

Step 2

Completely power off and unplug your MacBook Pro before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.
Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove six screws securing the lower case, of the following lengths:
Four 3.7 mm screws
Two 7.3 mm screws
Note how the screws come out at a slight angle—you must reinstall them the same way.
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 3

Press a suction handle into place near the front edge of the lower case, between the screw holes.
Pull up on the suction handle just enough to open a small gap under the lower case.

Step 4

Slide the corner of an opening pick into the gap you just created underneath the lower case.
Slide the opening pick around the nearest corner and then halfway up the side of the MacBook Pro.
This releases the first of the hidden clips securing the lower case. You should feel and hear the clip pop free.

I recommend being careful while sliding as you can scratch the speaker. The actual clip is about halfway up the side, whereas the speaker is closer to the front (further from the hinge). So stay very shallow with just the tip of the pick until you get halfway up the side.

Eric Gauderman -

Step 5

Repeat the previous step on the other side, using an opening pick to to release the second clip.

Same advice that I gave for the other side — be careful not to scratch the speaker which is close to the bottom. Keep the pick shallow until you get halfway up the side.

Eric Gauderman -

Step 6

Lift the front edge of the lower case (the side opposite the display hinge) enough to slide your fingertips underneath and get a good grip on it.
Two additional hidden clips near the middle of the cover should pop free at this point, if they haven't already.
Don't lift more than an inch or so, and don't try to remove the lower case yet.

Step 7

Pull firmly to slide the lower case towards the front edge 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 may require a lot of force.

This was made a lot easier by using a lever in the hinge area in combination with pulling. The amount of force required was more than the grip I could get on the metal allowed for my macbook.

James Andariese - 22/04/21

Thank you for this comment! 🙏
For me it was the same way, wasn't able to get enough grip to pull sufficiently - but gently levering near the hinge with a spudger to "push" the bottom panel away worked well!

BavarianBamboo -

There is no pulling required. Use an opening pick or a spudger at the hinge area to gently and easily nudge the bottom panel off the clips. It should be effortless.

Marc Jacobson -

If you do pull on the bottom case be careful of where you place the hand supporting the Mac, otherwise you'll make a blood sacrifice to the Mac gods! I placed my other hand too close to the feet on the bottom case and while removing it, the sharp edge of the bottom case sliced into my thumb.

o355 -

Step 8

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 9

Peel up and remove the insulating sticker covering the battery board, on the edge of the logic board nearest the battery.
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.

Step 10

Peel back any tape covering the battery board data cable connector.

Step 11

Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connector for the battery board data cable.

Step 12

Disconnect the battery board data cable by sliding it out from its socket on the logic board.
Slide parallel to the logic board. Don't pull up.

들어올려서 떨어지면 어떻게 해야하나요…ㅠㅠ

obbamanse87 -

Step 13

Peel back any tape covering the battery board data cable connector.
Pry up and disconnect the locking flap on the connector at the opposite end of the battery board data cable.

Be very careful - the locking flap is very easy to break.

Vaughan -

I’ve seen versions of this battery board that the cable goes around and to the back of the board, so this step is not always necesary.

Carlos Morales -

Step 14

Slide the battery board data cable out of its socket on the battery board, and remove it completely.
Take care not to reinstall this cable backwards or upside-down.

I’ve seen versions of this battery board that the cable goes around and to the back of the board, so this step is not always necesary.

Carlos Morales -

Putting a mark on the cable will be helpful when reinstalling so you don't put it backwards or upside down.

maccentric -

This isn't necessary for many repairs, such as the Screen Replacement. I just lift the cable out of the way enough to do the next few steps and leave it attached.