MacBook Pro 16" M3 Logic Board Repair

Allow your MacBook's battery to drain below 10% before starting this repair. A charged battery may catch fire if damaged during the repair.

Fully shut down your MacBook, close the lid, and flip it over. ***Keep the lid closed*** until you've physically disconnected the battery.

Unplug the MagSafe cable and any accessories connected to your MacBook.

Completely power off and unplug your MacBook Pro before you start. Close the screen and flip the entire laptop upside-down.

Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove eight screws securing the lower case:

Four 9.3 mm screws

Four 5 mm screws

Throughout this repair, [product|IF145-491|keep track of each screw|new_window=true] and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your device.

Press a suction handle into place near the front edge of the lower case, between the screw holes.

Pull up on the suction handle to create a small gap under the lower case.

Insert an opening pick into the gap you just created.

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.

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

Firmly pull the lower case away from the back edge, one corner at a time, to disengage the sliding clips.

Keep the lower case flat to the MacBook. Don't pull upward until it's completely separated.

Remove the lower case.

To reinstall the lower case:

Lay it down and align the sliding clips with the back edge of the MacBook. Press down on the lower case and slide it toward the back edge to engage the clips.

When one side is engaged, it may push the other out of alignment. Check both sides as you push.

Once the back corners of the lower case are secured and flush with the frame, press down along the middle of the lower case to engage the four remaining clips.

You'll hear and feel each clip snap into place.

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

Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the [guide|25629|ZIF connector|stepid=64969|new_window=true] for the battery board data cable.

Disconnect the battery board data cable by sliding it out from its socket on the logic board.

Use a 3IP Torx Plus driver to remove the two 2.1 mm‑long screws securing the trackpad cable bracket to the logic board.

Use [product|IF145-020|tweezers], or your fingers, to remove the trackpad cable bracket.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the trackpad cable's press connector secured to the logic board.

To re-attach [guide|25629|press connectors|stepid=70308|new_window=true] like this one, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Don't press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend, causing permanent damage.

The trackpad cable is lightly adhered to the frame.

Peel the trackpad cable away from the device, making sure to separate the adhesive.

Peel back any tape covering the battery board data cable connector under the large pancake screw.

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

Disconnect the battery board data cable by sliding it out from its socket on the battery board.

The battery board data cable is lightly adhered to the device.

Slide blunt nose tweezers under areas with adhesive to separate the cable from the device.

Remove the battery board data cable.

Use a 5IP Torx Plus driver to remove the 3.8 mm wide-head screw securing the battery power connector.

Use the flat end of your spudger to lift the battery connector away from the battery board, disconnecting the battery.

Lift the connector high enough that it doesn't accidentally make contact during the repair, but no more than 45 degrees to prevent damaging its hinge.

For added safety, place a barrier, such as a piece of a playing card, between the connector and board.

Use a 3IP Torx Plus screwdriver to remove the three 2.1 mm screws securing the antenna board bracket and coaxial cable cover to the frame.

Use [product|IF145-020|tweezers], or your fingers, to remove the cover on top of the antenna bar's coaxial cables.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the antenna bar's coaxial cable.

Repeat for the two other cables.

During reassembly, these can be tricky to reconnect. Hold each connector in place over its socket and press down with the flat end of a spudger. The connector should snap into place.

Use a 3IP Torx Plus driver to remove the four 2.1 mm screws securing the screen cable covers.

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the two screen cable covers from the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the right-most screen cable press connectors secured to the logic board.

Repeat the previous disconnection process for the remaining press connector at the top left of the logic board.

Don't pry against the surface-mounted components near the press connector.

Peel back any tape covering the microphone cable connector.

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

Disconnect the microphone cable by sliding it out from its socket on the logic board.

Use a 3IP Torx Plus driver to remove the nine 2.1 mm screws securing the right cable covers to the frame:

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the five right cable covers.

Peel back any tape covering the right speaker cable.

Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connector for the right speaker cable.

Disconnect the right speaker cable by sliding it out from its socket on the logic board.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the headphone jack's press connector.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the right USB-C ports' press connectors.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the MagSafe port's press connector.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the lid angle sensor's press connector.

Use a 3IP Torx Plus driver to remove the four screws securing the left cable covers to the frame:

Two 2 mm screws

Two 2.1 mm screw

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the two left cable covers.

Peel back any tape covering the left speaker cable.

Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connector for the left speaker cable.

Disconnect the left speaker cable by sliding it out from its socket on the logic board.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the left USB-C port's press connector.

Use a spudger to pry up and disconnect the Touch ID sensor's press connector near the top left of the device.

The Touch ID sensor cable is adhered to the frame. If the adhesive doesn't separate when you disconnect the press connector, slide an opening pick under the cable to separate it.

Peel back any tape covering the [link|https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/6DS1JdPhjbu2lNTH.full|keyboard and keyboard backlight cable connectors|new_window=true].

Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connectors for the keyboard cables.

Disconnect the keyboard and keyboard backlight cables by sliding them out from their sockets on the logic board.

Peel back any tape covering the right fan cable connector.

Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connector for the right fan cable.

Disconnect the right fan cable by sliding it out from its socket on the logic board.

The right fan cable is lightly adhered to the logic board.

Pull the fan cable away from the logic board with tweezers to separate the adhesive.

The fan cables are incredibly delicate and prone to tearing; use caution when bending them with tools.

Repeat the previous disconnection and reposition procedure for the left fan.

Remove the four black screw covers from the logic board.

Use a 5IP Torx Plus driver to remove the 11 screws securing the logic board:

Four 3.6 mm screws

Two 4.5 mm screws

Two 5.2 mm screws

Two 3.8 mm screws

One 3.9 mm screw

Use a T6 Torx driver to remove the three screws securing the logic board:

Two 4.7 mm screws

One 5.7 mm screw

Insert a spudger between the right side of the logic board and the frame.

Pry up with the spudger to release the logic board from its clips.

Insert a spudger between the bottom of the logic board and the frame.

Pry up with the spudger to release the logic board from its clips.

Gently lift up the logic board by its right side to release it from its alignment pegs.

If it feels like it's not coming out, check that all the cables are disconnected.

Pull the logic board away from the left side of the device to separate the [link|https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/Ji3htP6lWQIsg1l6.full|HDMI and SDXC ports|new_window=true] from their slots in the frame.

Remove the logic board.

During reassembly, perform the following:

Make sure all 18 connectors are above the logic board before securing it back into the frame.

If you're having trouble positioning the connectors, use tape to keep them out of the way.

Hold the rubber spacers out of the way so the fins can drop into their recesses.

When reinstalling the logic board, insert the left side first to reposition the [link|https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/Ji3htP6lWQIsg1l6.full|HMDI and SDXC ports|new_window=true].

Use your fingers to slightly compress the HDMI port to fit it into its recess. Otherwise, the logic board won't sit correctly.

Turn the logic board upside-down so that the heat sink screws face upwards.

Use a 5IP Torx Plus driver to remove the four 3.9 mm screws securing the heat sink to the logic board.

Gently hold the screws as you remove them, as the tension brackets may eject them.

During reassembly, loosely tighten these screws, then align the brackets and heatsink before fully tightening them in an X-pattern.

Use [product|IF145-020|tweezers], or your fingers, to remove the heat sink brackets.

Use your fingers to lift the logic board up and off of the heat sink.

You may feel a bit of resistance. This is normal, since [link|https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/pbdKFvx1IMVyZY3n.full|the heat sink is slightly bonded to the logic board with thermal paste|new_window=true].

Remove the heat sink.

A thick, grey thermal compound bridges the gap between the logic board and the heat sink underneath. Whenever the heat sink is removed, refer to our [guide|744|thermal paste guide|new_window=true] to remove the old thermal compound and replace it with an [product|IF145-528|appropriate compound|new_window=true].

You're now left with the logic board.