MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023) Trackpad and Trackpad Flex Cable
Before You Begin
Warning
Read Battery Safety and follow workspace and battery handling guidelines before you begin.
Remove the following part before you begin:
Tools
Adjustable torque driver (10–34 Ncm)
ESD-safe tweezers
Gap offset tools
Nylon probe (black stick)
Kapton tape
Sticky notes (3 by 3 inches)
Torque driver (blue, 0.65 kgf cm)
Torx Plus 3IP 44 mm half-moon bit
Torx Plus 5IP 50 mm bit
Important
Trackpad foam pads and tape are included with a replacement part but can also be ordered separately.
This procedure may require a trackpad shim kit, which is available only with a replacement trackpad. It's not a separate orderable part.
Removal
Open the display. Place the computer on the edge of the table with the display hanging down.
Use ESD-safe tweezers to gently peel both ends of the polyester film from the trackpad connector cowling to access the two 3IP screws.
Important: Don’t remove the polyester film from the cowling.
Use the blue torque driver and 3IP bit to remove the two 3IP screws (923-08925) from the trackpad connector cowling.
Lift the end of the trackpad flex cable off the connector.
Use the 10–34 Ncm adjustable torque driver and 5IP bit to remove eight 5IP screws (923-08979) from the trackpad.
Hold the battery cover by the edges and lift it off the top case.
Use the flat end of the black stick to lift one end of each piece of tape off the top case.
Use ESD-safe tweezers to peel the two pieces of tape off the trackpad screws. Discard the tape.
Use the adjustable torque driver and 5IP bit to remove two 5IP screws (923-08979) from the trackpad.
Gently peel the trackpad flex cable off the top case in the two areas shown (1 and 2).
Lift the computer off the table (1). Allow the trackpad flex cable to pass through the opening in the top case (2). Leave the trackpad flat on the table to keep the shims in place.
Set aside the trackpad and trackpad flex cable for reassembly.
Important: If the shims fall out, they must be reinstalled in their original locations. If you can’t determine the shims’ original locations, replace them. A replacement shim kit is available only with a replacement trackpad.
Place the battery cover on the battery. Then press the black tabs into the clips on the top case until you feel a click.
Place the computer right side up. Use ESD-safe tweezers to peel the two foam pads off the top case. Discard the foam pads.
Important: If the trackpad flex cable is damaged, flip up the locking lever on the flex cable connector (1). Peel the end of the flex cable off the trackpad. Then slide the end of the flex cable out of the connector (2).
Reassembly
Important
If you’re installing a replacement trackpad flex cable on the existing trackpad or on a replacement trackpad, complete reassembly step 1. Otherwise skip to reassembly step 2.
Slide the end of the replacement trackpad flex cable into the connector on the trackpad (1). Then flip down the locking lever (2).
Use ESD-safe tweezers to peel a new foam pad from the liner.
Align the foam pad with the screw hole in the top case. Then repeat steps 2 and 3 to align a second foam pad on the other screw hole.
Press and hold the foam pads for 30 seconds to adhere them to the top case.
Use ESD-safe tweezers to gently peel the release liner from each foam pad.
Lay the computer keyboard-side down. Let the display hang over the table edge. Then hold the battery cover by the edges and lift it off the top case.
Ensure the trackpad shims are in place on the trackpad. If you need to install replacement shims, continue to reassembly step 8. Otherwise, skip to reassembly step 9.
Use ESD-safe tweezers to install the shims in the appropriate locations on the trackpad (see the following image).
Note: The replacement trackpad shim kit includes three sizes of shims (0.075 mm, 0.125 mm, and 0.175 mm). Start with the 0.125 mm shim.
0.075 mm (806-06495)
0.125 mm (806-06497)
0.175 mm (806-06499)
0.075 mm round (806-05805)
0.125 mm round (806-05807)
0.175 mm round (806-05809)
Lift the computer and guide the end of the trackpad flex cable through top case as shown.
Continue to gently pull the track pad flex cable through the opening in the top case (1). Slowly lower the computer over the trackpad and align the screw holes in the top case with the screw holes in the trackpad. Let the display hang over the table edge (2).
Press the end of the trackpad flex cable to the connector on the logic board.
Place the battery cover on the battery. Then press the black tabs into the clips on the top case until you feel a click.
Use ESD-safe tweezers to gently peel both ends of the polyester film from the trackpad flex cable cowling.
Use the blue torque driver and 3IP bit to reinstall the two 3IP screws (923-08925). Then press polyester film over both screws.
Use the 10–34 Ncm adjustable torque driver and 5IP bit to partially reinstall the 10 5IP screws (923-08979) into the trackpad.
Turn the computer right side up. Insert one gap offset in each of the four corners of the trackpad. Then secure each gap offset with a piece of Kapton tape.
Important: While positioning the gap offsets, use a single piece of Kapton tape as a lever to shift the trackpad incrementally.
Lay the computer keyboard-side down. Let the display hang over the table edge.
Set the torque value on the adjustable torque driver to 16 Ncm. Use the adjustable torque driver and 5IP bit to fully reinstall the four outer corner 5IP screws.
Turn the computer right side up. To verify the top of the trackpad is at the correct height, align one sticky note on the trackpad’s top edge. Ensure that the sticky note is flush with the top case.
To verify that the bottom of the trackpad is at the correct height, align a stack of two sticky notes on the trackpad’s bottom edge. Ensure that the two sticky notes are flush with the top case.
If the trackpad is at the correct height, continue to step 22. If the trackpad edges are higher or lower than the top case, or if the gaps around the trackpad and top case are uneven, remove the sticky notes, gap offsets, and Kapton tape. Place the computer on the edge of the table with the display hanging down. Repeat removal steps 2 through 13. Then follow reassembly steps 7 through 21.
Important
If the trackpad is higher than the top case, install the thinner 0.075 mm shims.
If the trackpad is lower than the top case, install the thicker 0.175 mm shims.
Turn the computer keyboard-side down. Let the display hang over the table edge.
Keep the adjustable torque driver value at 16 Ncm. Use the adjustable torque driver and 5IP bit to fully reinstall the remaining six 5IP screws.
Hold the battery cover by the edges and lift it off the top case.
Press the two areas shown to adhere the trackpad flex cable to the top case.
Use ESD-safe tweezers to peel a new piece of trackpad tape from the liner and position the middle of the tape over one of the two middle trackpad screws, as shown.
Use the flat end of the black stick to press the ends of the tape onto the top case.
Repeat steps 26 through 27 to apply tape over the other middle trackpad screw.
Place the battery cover on the battery. Then press the black tabs into the clips on the top case until you feel a click.
Turn the computer right side up. Use the flat end of the black stick to lift the gap offsets and Kapton tape off the trackpad.
Reinstall the following part to complete reassembly: