MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) Logic Board

Before You Begin

Warning

Read Battery Safety and follow workspace and battery handling guidelines before you begin.

Remove the following parts before you begin:

Tools

  • #00 Phillips screwdriver

  • ESD-safe tweezers

  • Kapton tape

  • Nylon probe (black stick)

  • Torx T3 screwdriver

  • Torx T5 screwdriver

  • Torx T6 screwdriver

Caution

  • This procedure requires System Configuration. After you’ve completed all removal and reassembly steps, learn how to initiate the System Configuration process.

  • If you’re installing a replacement logic board, you must also install a replacement Touch ID board.

Note: The logic board and heat sink may look different, but the procedure is the same.

Removal

  1. Use the T3 screwdriver to remove the following 17 screws:

    • Two T3 screws (923-06959) from the MagSafe 3 board connector cowling (1)

    • Three T3 screws (923-06938) from the left USB-C boards connector cowling (2)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06854) from the audio board connector cowling (3)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06938) from the right USB-C board connector cowling (4)

    • Two T3 screws (923-07046) from the Touch ID board connector cowling (5)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06854) from the display connector cowling (6)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06854) from the display connector cowling (7)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06854) from the lid angle sensor connector cowling (8)

  2. Remove the following eight cowlings and save them for reassembly:

    • MagSafe 3 board connector cowling (1)

    • Left USB-C boards connector cowling (2)

    • Audio board connector cowling (3)

    • Right USB-C board connector cowling (4)

    • Touch ID board connector cowling (5)

    • Display connector cowling (6)

    • Display connector cowling (7)

    • Lid angle sensor connector cowling (8)

  3. Lift the ends of the following ten flex cables off the connectors on the logic board:

    • MagSafe power module flex cable (1)

    • Left USB-C board flex cables (2, 3)

    • Audio board flex cable (4)

    • Right USB-C board flex cable (5)

    • Touch ID board flex cable (6)

    • Display backlight power flex cable (7)

    • FaceTime HD camera flex cable (8)

    • eDP flex cable (9)

    • Lid angle sensor flex cable (10)

  4. Lift the display flex cable clips off the internal frame of the top case. Gently fold them back to reveal the black bumpers underneath.

  5. Rotate the top case as shown.

  6. Lift the black bumpers out of the top case and save them for reassembly.

  7. Peel the polyester film tabs from the following seven flex cables:

    • Microphone flex cable (1)

    • Left speaker flex cable (2)

    • Keyboard backlight flex cable (3)

    • Keyboard flex cable (4)

    • Right speaker flex cable (5)

    • Right fan flex cable (6)

    • Left fan flex cable (7)

  8. Use the black stick to flip up the locking levers of the following seven flex cables:

    • Microphone flex cable (1)

    • Left speaker flex cable (2)

    • Keyboard backlight flex cable (3)

    • Keyboard flex cable (4)

    • Right speaker flex cable (5)

    • Right fan flex cable (6)

    • Left fan flex cable (7)

  9. Use ESD-safe tweezers to loosen the adhesive and peel the left and right fan flex cables from the logic board.

  10. Slide the ends of the following seven flex cables from their connectors:

    • Microphone flex cable (1)

    • Left speaker flex cable (2)

    • Keyboard backlight flex cable (3)

    • Keyboard flex cable (4)

    • Right speaker flex cable (5)

    • Right fan flex cable (6)

    • Left fan flex cable (7)

  11. Use ESD-safe tweezers to remove the polyester film covers from the four T5 screws. Save the covers for reassembly. Then use the T5 screwdriver to remove the four T5 screws (923-07039).

  12. Use the T6 screwdriver to remove the following three screws from the logic board in the order shown:

    • Two T6 screws (923-07035) (1)

    • One T6 screw (923-07036) (2)

  13. Use the T5 screwdriver to remove the following seven screws from the logic board in the order shown:

    • Three T5 screws (923-07040) (3)

    • Two T5 screws (923-07038) (4)

    • Two T5 screws (923-07037) (5)

  14. Fold back the thermal duct covers and fan flex cables. Use Kapton tape to hold them back as shown.

  15. Use the black stick to slightly lift the edge of the logic board as shown.

  16. Gently tilt up the logic board as shown (1). Then slide the logic board out of the top case (2). Use the black stick to fold back the trackpad and BMU flex cables as you remove the logic board.

    • Caution: Don’t damage the Touch ID board flex cable as you remove the logic board.

Important: Don’t remove the heat sink from the logic board.

Reassembly

Important: If you’re reinstalling the existing logic board, skip to reassembly step 11. If you’re installing a replacement logic board, continue to reassembly step 1.

Caution: If you’re installing a replacement logic board, don’t discard the packaging and stiffeners. The packaging and stiffeners must be transferred to the existing logic board before returning to Apple Service to prevent damage during shipping.

  1. Follow the removal and reassembly steps to install a replacement Touch ID board.

  2. Use the Phillips #00 screwdriver to fully loosen the six captive Phillips #00 screws from the top stiffeners on the replacement logic board.

  3. Lift the top stiffeners off the replacement logic board and set them aside.

  4. Lift the replacement logic board off the bottom stiffeners and set it aside.

  5. Position the existing logic board over the bottom stiffeners. Align the screw holes in the existing logic board with the screw holes in the bottom stiffeners.

    • Note: The bottom stiffeners are marked with the following:

      • BL (bottom left)

      • BR (bottom right)

  6. Position the top stiffeners on the existing logic board. Align the screw holes in the top stiffeners with the screw holes in the existing logic board.

    • Note: The top stiffeners are marked with the following:

      • TL (top left)

      • TR (top right)

    • Important: The captive screws in the top stiffeners install through the screw holes of the logic board and into the screw holes in the bottom stiffeners.

  7. Use the Phillips #00 screwdriver to fully tighten the six captive Phillips #00 screws into the four stiffeners.

  8. Place the existing logic board inside the reused ESD-safe packaging.

  9. Position the packaged board in the foam frame.

  10. Close and seal the box. Ship the box to Apple Service.

  11. Ensure that the thermal duct covers and fan flex cables are folded back and secured to the top case with Kapton tape.

  12. Ensure that the display backlight power flex cable and FaceTime HD camera and eDP flex cable are folded back over the edge of the top case.

  13. Fold back the following nine flex cables and secure them to the top case with Kapton tape as shown:

    • Right USB-C board flex cable

    • Right speaker flex cable

    • Keyboard backlight flex cable

    • Lid angle sensor flex cable

    • MagSafe power module flex cable

    • Left USB-C board flex cables

    • Audio board flex cable

    • Microphone flex cable

    • Left speaker flex cable

  14. Hold the logic board by the edges. Tilt down the edge of the logic board to position it in the top case (1). Then lower the logic board into the top case (2). Guide the Touch ID board flex cable through the gap between the thermal module and logic board (3).

    • Caution

      • Don’t damage the Touch ID board flex cable as you position the logic board.

      • Ensure that no flex cables are caught under the logic board.

  15. Gently remove the Kapton tape from the thermal ducts and flex cables.

  16. Use the T6 screwdriver to partially reinstall one T6 screw (923-07036) (1) into the logic board.

  17. Use the T5 screwdriver to partially reinstall one T5 screw (923-07040) (2) into the logic board.

  18. Use the T6 screwdriver to partially reinstall the two T6 screws (923-07035) into the logic board (1).

  19. Use the T5 screwdriver to partially reinstall the two T5 screws (923-07040) into the logic board (2).

  20. Use the T5 screwdriver to partially reinstall the four T5 screws (923-07039) into the logic board (3).

  21. Use the T5 screwdriver to partially reinstall the two T5 screws (923-07038) into the logic board (4).

  22. Use the T5 screwdriver to partially reinstall the two T5 screws (923-07037) into the logic board (5).

  23. Ensure that the logic board sits flush inside the top case.

  24. Use the T6 screwdriver to fully reinstall one T6 screw (1).

  25. Use the T5 screwdriver to fully reinstall one T5 screw (2).

  26. Use the T6 screwdriver to fully reinstall the two T6 screws.

  27. Use the T5 screwdriver to fully reinstall the 10 T5 screws.

  28. Reinstall the four polyester film screw covers.

    • Note: Replacement polyester film covers are included with a replacement logic board. If you are reinstalling the existing logic board, you may reinstall the existing polyester film covers.

  29. Rotate the top case as shown. Then position the black bumpers on the internal frame.

  30. Align the display flex cables around the edge of the bumpers (1). Then press the display cable clips down over the bumpers and onto the internal frame (2).

  31. Use the black stick to tuck the display flex cables into the gap between the display and internal frame.

  32. Use the black stick to tuck the display flex cables into the gap between the logic board and internal frame. Ensure that the display cable clips are fully clipped onto the internal frame.

  33. Press the ends of the following ten flex cables to the connectors on the logic board:

    • MagSafe power module flex cable (1)

    • Left USB-C flex cables (2, 3)

    • Audio board flex cable (4)

    • Right USB-C flex cable (5)

    • Touch ID board flex cable (6)

    • Display backlight power flex cable (7)

    • FaceTime HD camera flex cable (8)

    • eDP flex cable (9)

    • Lid angle sensor flex cable (10)

  34. Slide the ends of the following seven flex cables into the connectors:

    • Microphone flex cable (1)

    • Left speaker flex cable (2)

    • Keyboard backlight flex cable (3)

    • Keyboard flex cable (4)

    • Right speaker flex cable (5)

    • Right fan flex cable (6)

    • Left fan flex cable (7)

  35. Use the flat end of the black stick to flip down the locking levers of the following seven flex cables:

    • Microphone flex cable (1)

    • Left speaker flex cable (2)

    • Keyboard backlight flex cable (3)

    • Keyboard flex cable (4)

    • Right speaker flex cable (5)

    • Right fan flex cable (6)

    • Left fan flex cable (7)

  36. Press the polyester film tabs to the ends of the following seven flex cables:

    • Microphone flex cable (1)

    • Left speaker flex cable (2)

    • Keyboard backlight flex cable (3)

    • Keyboard flex cable (4)

    • Right speaker flex cable (5)

    • Right fan flex cable (6)

    • Left fan flex cable (7)

  37. Position the following eight cowlings in the top case:

    • MagSafe 3 board connector cowling (1)

    • Left USB-C boards connector cowling (2)

    • Audio board connector cowling (3)

    • Right USB-C board connector cowling (4)

    • Touch ID board connector cowling (5)

    • Display connector cowling (6)

    • Display connector cowling (7)

    • Lid angle sensor connector cowling (8)

  38. Use the T3 screwdriver to reinstall the following 17 screws into the eight cowlings:

    • Two T3 screws (923-06959) into the MagSafe 3 board connector cowling (1)

    • Three T3 screws (923-06938) into the left USB-C boards connector cowling (2)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06854) into the audio board connector cowling (3)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06938) into the right USB-C board connector cowling (4)

    • Two T3 screws (923-07046) into the Touch ID board cable cowling (5)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06854) into the display connector cowling (6)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06854) into the display connector cowling (7)

    • Two T3 screws (923-06854) into the lid angle sensor cowling (8)

Reinstall the following parts to complete reassembly:

Caution

After you’ve completed all removal and reassembly steps, learn how to initiate the System Configuration process.

Published Date: