MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 (A2338, 2020) Battery Replacement: Step by Step, and How Hard It Really Is
The M1 MacBook Pro 13 battery can be changed at home. It is a hard job, so read this first.
Unlike older MacBooks, the A2338 battery is glued in. To reach it you take out the trackpad, then loosen three battery cells with a flammable adhesive remover. This guide gives you the model names, the battery that fits, and every step, so you can decide honestly whether to do it or hand it to a technician.
The short answer
- Your Mac is an A2338, called MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) by Apple. The battery model is A2171.
- Difficulty: hard. The job has 38 steps. It needs adhesive remover, so you work in a ventilated room away from flames.
- Good news: the logic board and speakers stay in.
- If you have never opened a laptop, this is not the one to start with. Never DIY a swollen battery.
Should you do this yourself?
| You are... | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable with tiny screws and patient | A hard job: be honest with yourself | The battery is glued in, you work with a flammable remover, and the trackpad comes out. |
| Never opened a laptop, or unsure about tiny cables | Have a technician fit it | The trackpad cable and adhesive step are where DIY jobs go wrong. |
| Seeing a swollen battery or a lifted trackpad | Stop and get help | Do not open it yourself. See the warning on this page. |
| Battery is fine but the Mac still misbehaves | Fix the cause first | Check the charger, cable and the SMC or restart steps before buying a battery. |
How we put this page together
The steps and screw sizes come from our own battery listing and published repair procedures for this model. Cycle limits and the 80% figure come from Apple. Owner experience comes from public forum threads linked below, which we paraphrase rather than copy. Prices are from our own listings.
What we have not done yet: photographed this repair in our own workshop. The drawings on this page are our illustrations, not photos. We are adding real photos and will update the page.
Is your Mac an A2338? Every name, in one place
| Where you see it | What it is called |
|---|---|
| Apple’s name (About This Mac) | MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) |
| How it is often listed online | MacBook Pro 13 inch M1 2020, or MacBook Pro 13" Two Thunderbolt Ports Late 2020 |
| Model number (bottom case) | A2338 |
| Model identifier (System Report) | MacBookPro17,1 |
| EMC number | 3578 |
| Apple order numbers | MYD83xx/A, MYD92xx/A, MYDA2xx/A, MYDC2xx/A |
| Battery model that fits | A2171 (58.2Wh, 11.41V, per our listing) |
| Same battery also fits | A2159 (2019) and A2289 (2020, Intel) |
| Careful | A2338 is also the number on the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro from 2022, which our listing names separately. These steps are for the 2020 M1. |
To check which Mac you have, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. For the model identifier, hold Option, click the Apple menu and open System Information.
Is it really the battery?
Check before you buy. In System Settings, open Battery, then Battery Health. Hold Option, click the Apple menu and open System Information, Power, to see the cycle count. Apple lists a maximum of 1,000 cycles for the MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020), and designs the battery to keep up to 80% of its original capacity at that point. Apple explains the count on its cycle count page and the “Service Recommended” status on its battery service page. Apple says you can keep using the Mac with that status, and that AppleCare+ replaces a battery below 80% at no extra cost.
- Signs it is the battery: Service Recommended, a cycle count near 1,000, battery life that has dropped sharply, or shutdowns while unplugged.
- Signs it is not: the Mac fails only with one cable or charger. Try another first.
A single reading is not the whole story. Owners on forums say the percentages are estimates, and that what matters is the trend and the Service Recommended status.
Which battery to buy
You need the A2171 battery. Our listing for it covers the A2338 M1 (2020), the A2159 and the A2289, and shows Standard, Premium and Service Pack grades. Prices differ by listing and change, so check the current price on the page. Our Standard vs Premium guide explains the grades. Some replacement kits come with adhesive already on the battery, so ask us whether ours does before you order.
What it costs, and your other options
| Option | What it costs | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself with our battery | The A2171 battery, price on the listing, plus adhesive remover and tools | Prices differ by listing and change, so check the page. |
| A technician fits it | Ask for the battery brand, the warranty and the labour fee in writing | Ask how they protect the trackpad cable and the display. |
| Apple | Free with AppleCare+ below 80%. Otherwise a fee after inspection | Use Apple’s estimator for your exact model. |
| Replace the Mac | Our pre-owned M1 13-inch Pro is ₹60,400 | Your A2338 runs macOS 27, so the Mac itself is not obsolete. |
If the Mac works well otherwise, the battery is the cheaper fix. If you have never opened a laptop, paying a technician is cheaper than a damaged trackpad cable.
Before you open anything
- Back up your Mac, and check Battery Health in System Settings to confirm a new battery is needed.
- Let the battery run down. Turn the Mac on and let it discharge fully. A charged lithium battery can start a dangerous fire if it is punctured.
- Power off and unplug. Disabling Auto Boot first is the usual advice, though on Big Sur 11.1 or later it may not work. Either way, disconnect the battery as soon as the case is off.
- Prepare the room. The adhesive remover is flammable, so ventilate, and keep flames and smoking away. It contains acetone and can damage some plastics, so wear the eye protection and gloves from the kit.
A lifted trackpad, a bulging case or a puffy battery is a warning sign. Do not open the Mac yourself. Ask a technician.
What you need
- P5 pentalobe and T5 Torx screwdrivers.
- Suction handle, opening picks, spudger and tweezers.
- Plastic cards to slice the adhesive. Use plastic only near the battery.
- Adhesive remover, an iOpener or hair dryer for gentle heat, scissors, gloves and safety glasses.
- Aluminium foil and an absorbent towel to protect the display and trackpad area.
- A tray or paper for the screws, and a foam block or book to prop the Mac.
Step by step
This is a summary of the 38 steps. Keep every screw with the part it came from.
Remove the bottom case
Power off, unplug, close the lid and flip the Mac over. Remove six P5 screws: two 6.8 mm, two 5.3 mm and two 3.4 mm. Put a suction handle near the front-centre and lift slightly. Slide an opening pick around the nearest corner and halfway up the side to pop the first hidden clip, then repeat on the other side. Pop two more clips near the middle screw holes. Finally pull the case firmly toward the front, away from the hinge. Pull to the side, not up. It can take a lot of force, and the edges are sharp.
Disconnect the battery
Peel back the large tape over the battery plug, and the small tape over the battery board data cable connector. Flip up the small black locking tab on that connector with the tip of a spudger, and slide the cable out parallel to the board. Remove the 3.7 mm T5 screw holding the battery power connector, then lift the connector with a spudger and keep it lifted so it cannot touch its socket.
Remove the trackpad
Remove the two 1.9 mm T5 screws and the bracket on the trackpad cable connector, then pry the cable straight up. Warm the cable for about a minute with an iOpener or hair dryer so its adhesive softens, and peel it off the battery without creasing it. Remove ten T5 screws from the trackpad assembly (two 4.2 mm and eight 5.8 mm). Swing the display open slightly and lift the trackpad out, feeding its cable through the frame. Take care not to lose the six small washers under it.
Free the battery board
Remove the two 3.1 mm T5 screws holding the battery board. They sit under the data cable, and may have a water damage sticker on top that you lift off with tweezers first. The battery board is permanently attached to the battery, so lift it to about 45 degrees with the flat of a spudger, and make sure it can leave with the battery.
Protect the Mac, then loosen the cells
Put a sheet of aluminium foil between the display and keyboard, and a towel under the trackpad area. Loosen the bottle cap before you cut the applicator tip. Put a few drops of adhesive remover under the front edge of the cell nearest the fan, tip the front of the Mac up slightly, and wait 2 to 3 minutes. Slide a plastic card under the cell, twist it to lift the cell off the case, and leave the card in place. Repeat for the other outer cell. For the centre cell, prop up the hinge side so the liquid flows away from the logic board, apply drops along its back and side edges, wait, and lift it with a card. Use only a few drops at a time.
Lift out the old battery and clean up
Lift out the battery. Before the new one goes in, remove all the old adhesive from the case. Pull each strip out slowly with your fingers, or soak it with a little remover for 2 to 3 minutes and scrape it out with a plastic tool. Mop up any remover and let the Mac air dry for a few minutes.
Fit the new battery and rebuild
Test the fit of the new battery before you peel the film off its adhesive. Then peel the film and press each cell firmly into place. Rebuild in reverse: battery board screws, trackpad and its washers, cable and bracket, the battery connectors, then the lower case. When you refit the lower case, align the sliding clips near the hinge, slide it toward the hinge, then press down firmly until the four hidden clips snap in.
Calibrate the new battery
Calibrating a new battery helps the Mac report its charge correctly. Follow the six stages below. This Mac has Apple silicon, so there is no separate SMC reset. Apple says a restart or a shut down and power on does it.
Mistakes people make
- Flooding the cells with adhesive remover. Use a few drops at a time, and keep it away from the logic board.
- Skipping the foil and towel. They protect the display and trackpad area.
- Pulling the trackpad cable off the battery cold. Warm it first, and peel it flat.
- Losing the six small washers under the trackpad.
- Using metal tools near the cells. Use plastic only.
- Forcing a stuck cell. Wait and add a few more drops.
- Working near flames. The remover is flammable.
What owners say
These are paraphrased from public threads. Read them for the exact words.
An M1 Air owner asked whether 93% capacity after 47 cycles was normal, because Apple support said it would not replace the battery unless it failed. Other members replied that it only matters below 80%, and that the percentages are estimates that move up and down.
What to take from it: check the trend and the status, not one number. Read the thread.
An M1 MacBook Pro owner saw Service Recommended at 79% health and 1,017 cycles, and asked whether Apple would replace it free. Replies quoted Apple’s rule that AppleCare+ covers a battery below 80% at no extra cost. Another member said that without AppleCare+ you can treat the message as advice and keep using the Mac until the battery life bothers you.
What to take from it: know which side of 80% you are on, and whether you have AppleCare+. Read the thread.
An owner of a 2015 13-inch MacBook Pro pulled out a cable while replacing the battery, and the keyboard and trackpad stopped working. Replies said it was the trackpad cable, that it is easy to damage and not an expensive part, and that the owner should try reconnecting it very carefully, flipping up its tiny lock. One reply said soldering a ribbon cable had never worked for them.
What to take from it: go slowly near the trackpad cable. Read the thread (other model, same design family).
When not to do it yourself
- The battery is swollen or the case is lifting.
- You have not opened a MacBook before. This job has delicate flat cables, tiny screws and a flammable liquid.
- You cannot work in a ventilated room away from flames.
- A cell will not come free. Wait, add a few more drops and try again. Do not force it, because a damaged battery can leak or catch fire.
What to do with the old battery
Do not put it in the household bin. In India, laptop batteries fall under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, which make producers responsible for collecting and recycling them. Ask the seller of your new battery whether they take the old one back, or hand it to an authorised collection point. See the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board battery waste page. If it was swollen, keep it away from heat and from anything that could puncture it until you hand it in.
Questions we get asked
Why is this harder than a MacBook Air?
The A2338 battery is glued in, and the trackpad sits on top of it. You remove the trackpad, then dissolve the glue under each battery cell.
Do I need adhesive remover?
The usual method uses it. It is flammable and can damage some plastics and the display coating, which is why the foil and the ventilation matter.
Is my A2338 the M1 or the M2?
Open About This Mac. The M1 is the 2020 model. The 2022 M2 model also carries the number A2338, but this guide is for the 2020 M1.
Which grade should I choose?
Standard for a lower cost, Premium if you plan to keep the Mac for years. Our Standard vs Premium guide explains the difference.
How many charge cycles does the battery last?
Apple lists a maximum of 1,000 cycles for the MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020). It designs the battery to keep up to 80% of its original capacity at that point.
Will Apple replace it for free?
Apple says a battery replacement is at no additional cost with AppleCare+ when the battery holds less than 80% of its original capacity. Otherwise there is a fee, set by Apple after inspection. Check Apple’s estimator for your exact model.
Can I keep using the Mac if it says Service Recommended?
Apple says yes. The status means the battery holds less charge than when new. Service it when the shorter battery life affects you.
Want it done properly, or a second opinion?
Send Aparna your Mac’s model number from the bottom case and a screenshot of Battery Health. We will confirm that the A2171 fits, and tell you honestly whether this is a job to do yourself.
Our drawings are simplified, not photos, and we have not done this repair ourselves for this guide. A punctured lithium battery can be dangerous. Checked 30 October 2026.
- Identify your MacBook Pro model (Apple Support)
- Reset the SMC of your Mac (Apple Support)
- A2171 battery listing (Sparesonly.in)
- Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops (Apple Support)
- If you see battery “Service Recommended” on your Mac laptop (Apple Support)
- Macbook air M1 - 93% battery capacity after 47 cycles (MacRumors Forums, August 2021)
- M1 battery service recommended (MacRumors Forums, May 2024)
- I ripped out a cable when replacing battery on my Macbook Pro (MacRumors Forums, October 2020)
- Battery waste (Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board)
