iPad Air 13-inch (M3) Speakers

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

  • 13-inch repair tray

  • Adhesive removal tool

  • ESD-safe tweezers

  • Ethanol wipes or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipes

  • JCIS bit for crosshead screws

  • Nitrile or lint-free gloves

  • Nylon probe (black stick)

  • Torque driver (black, 0.35 kgf cm)

Refer to a full list of tools required for all repairs.

Caution

If you remove a speaker, you must replace it.

Note: Skip to the removal or reassembly steps for the speaker you're replacing:

Bottom Left Woofer

Removal

  1. Use a torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove three crosshead screws from the USB-C connector cowling. Set aside the screws. Remove the cowling. Save the cowling for reassembly.

  2. Lift the end of the speaker cable off the connector.

  3. Use the adhesive removal tool to pry the speaker out of the enclosure.

Reassembly

  1. Use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes to clean all residual adhesive from the enclosure.

  2. Peel the adhesive liner from bottom of the replacement speaker.

  3. Place the speaker in the enclosure.

  4. Press and hold the top of the speaker for 20 seconds to ensure that it adheres to the enclosure.

  5. Press the end of the speaker cable to the connector.

  6. Press along the length of the speaker cable (1-3) to adhere it to the enclosure.

  7. Use the black torque driver and the JCIS bit to install three new crosshead screws (452-06580) into the USB-C connector cowling.

Bottom Right Tweeter

Removal for Wi-Fi models

  1. Peel the air loop gaskets from the antenna frame.

  2. Use a torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove three crosshead screws from the USB-C connector cowling. Set aside the screws. Remove the cowling. Save the cowling for reassembly.

  3. Lift the end of the speaker cable off the connector.

  4. Use a torque driver and the Micro stix bit to remove six trilobe screws from the antenna frame.

  5. Use a torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove nine crosshead screws from the antenna frame.

  6. Gently move the antenna frame to the side.

  7. Use the adhesive removal tool to pry the speaker from the enclosure.

Reassembly for Wi-Fi models

  1. Use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes to clean all residual adhesive from the enclosure.

  2. Peel the adhesive liner from the bottom of the replacement speaker.

  3. Place the speaker in the enclosure.

  4. Press and hold the top of the speaker for 20 seconds to ensure that it adheres to the enclosure.

  5. Position the antenna frame over the tweeter. Then use the black torque driver and the JCIS bit to install nine new crosshead screws (452-06580) into the antenna frame.

  6. Use the black torque driver and the Micro stix bit to install six new trilobe screws (452-06580) into the antenna frame.

  7. Press the end of the speaker cable to the connector.

  8. Use the black torque driver and the JCIS bit to install three new crosshead screws (452-06580) into the USB-C connector cowling.

  9. Adhere three new air loop gaskets to the antenna frame.

Removal for Wi-Fi + Cellular models

  1. Use a torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove three crosshead screws from the USB-C connector cowling. Set aside the screws. Remove the cowling. Save the cowling for reassembly.

  2. Lift the end of the speaker cable off the connector.

  3. Flip up the locking lever and slide the antenna flex cable out of the connector.

  4. Use a torque driver and the Micro stix bit to remove two trilobe screws from the antenna.

  5. Use a torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove four crosshead screws from the antenna.

  6. Gently bend the antenna flex cable out of the way.

  7. Use the adhesive removal tool to pry the speaker from the enclosure.

Reassembly for Wi-Fi + Cellular models

  1. Use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes to clean all residual adhesive from the enclosure.

  2. Peel the adhesive liner from the bottom of the replacement speaker.

  3. Place the speaker in the enclosure.

  4. Press and hold the top of the speaker for 20 seconds to ensure that it adheres to the enclosure.

  5. Gently fold the antenna back into place. Then use the black torque driver and the JCIS bit to install four new crosshead screws (452-06580) into the antenna.

  6. Use the black torque driver and the Micro stix bit to install two new trilobe screws (452-06580) into the antenna.

  7. Slide the end of the antenna flex cable into the connector. Then flip down the locking lever.

  8. Press the end of the speaker cable to the connector.

  9. Use the black torque driver and the JCIS bit to install three new crosshead screws (452-06580) into the USB-C connector cowling.

Top Right Woofer

Removal for Wi-Fi models

  1. Use the torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove two crosshead screws from the camera connector cowling. Set aside the screws. Remove the cowling. Save the cowling for reassembly.

  2. Lift the end of the speaker cable off the connector.

  3. Use the adhesive removal tool to pry the speaker out of the enclosure.

Reassembly for Wi-Fi models

  1. Use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes to clean all residual adhesive from the enclosure.

  2. Peel the adhesive liner from the bottom of the replacement speaker.

  3. Place the speaker in the enclosure.

  4. Press and hold the top of the speaker for 20 seconds to ensure that it adheres to the enclosure.

  5. Press the end of the speaker cable to the connector.

  6. Position the camera connector cowling over the connector. Then use the black torque driver and the JCIS bit to install two new crosshead screws into the camera connector cowling.

    • One crosshead screw (452-06436) (upper)

    • One crosshead screw (452-05343) (lower)

Removal for Wi-Fi + Cellular models

  1. Use the torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove two crosshead screws from the camera connector cowling. Set aside the screws. Remove the cowling. Save the cowling for reassembly.

  2. Lift the end of the speaker cable off the connector.

  3. Peel the speaker foam off the speaker.

  4. Lift the end of the antenna flex cable off the connector. Then peel the antenna flex cable off the speaker.

  5. Use the adhesive removal tool to pry the speaker out of the enclosure.

Reassembly for Wi-Fi + Cellular models

  1. Use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes to clean all residual adhesive from the enclosure.

  2. Peel the adhesive liner from the bottom of the replacement speaker.

  3. Place the speaker in the enclosure.

  4. Press and hold the top of the speaker for 20 seconds to ensure that it adheres to the enclosure.

  5. Press the end of the speaker cable to the connector.

  6. Position the antenna flex cable over the speaker, then press the end of the antenna flex cable to the connector.

  7. Adhere the new speaker foam and shim to the speaker.

  8. Position the camera connector cowling over the connector. Then use the black torque driver and the JCIS bit to install two new crosshead screws into the camera connector cowling.

    • One crosshead screw (452-06436) (upper)

    • One crosshead screw (452-05343) (lower)

Top Right Tweeter

Removal

  1. Use the torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove two crosshead screws from the camera connector cowling. Set aside the screws. Remove the cowling. Save the cowling for reassembly.

  2. Lift the end of the speaker cable off the connector.

  3. Wi-Fi + Cellular models only:

    • Use a torque driver and the Micro stix bit to remove one trilobe screw from the grounding spring. Set aside the screw. Remove the grounding spring and save it for reassembly.

    • Use a torque driver and the JCIS bit to remove one crosshead screw from the antenna coaxial cable.

  4. Use the adhesive removal tool to pry the speaker from the enclosure.

Reassembly

  1. Use ethanol wipes or IPA wipes to clean all residual adhesive from the enclosure.

  2. Peel the adhesive liner from the bottom of the replacement speaker.

  3. Place the speaker in the enclosure.

  4. Press and hold the top of the speaker for 20 seconds to ensure that it adheres to the enclosure.

  5. Wi-Fi + Cellular models only:

    • Position the grounding spring in the enclosure. Then use the black torque driver and Micro stix bit to install one new trilobe screw (452-08732) into the grounding spring.

    • Use the black torque driver and JCIS bit to install one new crosshead screw (452-06442) into the antenna coaxial cable.

  6. Press the end of the speaker cable to the connector.

  7. Position the camera connector cowling over the connector. Then use the black torque driver and the JCIS bit to install two new crosshead screws into the camera connector cowling.

    • One crosshead screw (452-06436) (upper)

    • One crosshead screw (452-05343) (lower)

Reinstall the following part to complete reassembly:

Published Date: