How to Fix a Broken Internal Microphone on a Mac

Repair your MacBook Pro's microphone by cleaning or replacing it.

All MacBook laptops come with a built-in microphone used in chat and audio recording applications. Most issues with your MacBook's microphone have to do with recording quality, or a microphone that has stopped working. Repairing the microphone usually involves removing dust from the microphone, or replacing it entirely. Replacing the microphone yourself requires completely dismantling your MacBook laptop. If you perform this procedure yourself, it will void your laptop's service warranty.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Torx screwdriver
• Antistatic wrist strap

Instructions

1. Turn off the laptop, unplug the power cord and close the display panel. Place the laptop face down on a flat surface, and rotate the computer so the front is facing you.

2. Remove the 10 Phillips-head screws from the laptop's bottom case. Grasp the bottom case and lift it off of the laptop's base to reveal the bottom surface of the motherboard.

3. Locate the battery pack situated below the motherboard. Remove the two Phillips-head screws securing the battery pack in place. Grasp the pull tab protruding from the battery pack. Tilt the battery upward, disconnect battery's cable from the motherboard and remove the battery from the laptop.

4. Remove the three Torx screws from the cooling fans located in the upper-left and right corners of the laptop. Lift each fan out of its individual compartment, and use a spudger to disconnect each fan's power cable from the motherboard. A spudger is a black, plastic tool resembling a flat-head screwdriver used in dismantling laptops and mobile phones.

5. Use your spudger to disconnect all visible cables from the motherboard's bottom side. Remove the nine Torx screws from the motherboard. Grasp the left side of the motherboard, tilt it upward at an angle, but don't remove it completely. Disconnect the microphone's cable from the opposite side of the motherboard. This is the only cable connected to the motherboard's other side.

6. Slide the motherboard out of the laptop, and relocate it to a flat surface with opposite side facing upward. Locate the microphone in the upper-left corner of the motherboard. Lift the microphone device out of its motherboard socket. Use a can of compressed air to blow out dust from the empty microphone socket.

7. Reverse this procedure to put your laptop back together.

Tips & Warnings

• If cleaning your microphone doesn't fix the sound issues, repeat the assembly and disassembly procedure to install a new microphone.

• Wear an antistatic wrist strap while dismantling your MacBook Pro. This prevents electrical damage to the motherboard.

References

• PowerBook Medic: MacBook Pro 15-inch Repair Guide
• iFixIt: Macbook Pro 15-inch Unibody Repair Manual