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Retina MacBook Air Q&A
Update Published May 16, 2022
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How do you replace the battery in the Retina MacBook Air? Is it even possible?
All Retina MacBook Air models have integrated batteries. However, the batteries are not the same.
The "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air -- the MacBook Air "Core i5" 1.6 13" (Late 2018) -- has a 50.3 watt-hour lithium polymer battery. The "2019" Retina MacBook Air -- the MacBook Air "Core i5" 1.6 13" (True Tone, 2019) -- and the "2020" Retina MacBook Air models -- the MacBook Air "Core i3" 1.1 13" (2020), "Core i5" 1.1 13" (2020), and "Core i7" 1.2 13" (2020) -- share a smaller 49.9 watt-hour lithium polymer battery.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (MacBook Air)
Battery Design
As confirmed by an iFixit teardown, the battery in all Retina MacBook Air models is designed to be removable.
Photo Credit: MacRumors
Apple intends for the battery only to be replaced by a professional. However, in a welcome departure from the glued in batteries in the Retina MacBook, 13" Retina MacBook Pro, and 15" Retina MacBook Pro, the battery in the Retina MacBook Air is attached conveniently with four screws and six "pull-to-remove" adhesive strips.
The battery design in the Retina MacBook Air is vastly better than these earlier Retina-equipped Mac notebooks and Apple should be praised for returning to a design with a battery that is easier to replace.
Identification Help
If you're not sure whether you have a Retina MacBook Air or another model, different notebooks in the Retina MacBook Air series can be pinpointed by several different identifiers -- the Model Number, EMC Number, and Model Identifier.
The external Model Number and EMC Number are sufficient to collectively identify the "2020" MacBook Air models. However, because these identifiers overlap between the "Late 2018" and "2019" MacBook Air -- and they use different batteries -- the best way to uniquely identify all of these models in the long-term is by Model Identifier in software:
| MacBook Air | Model No. | EMC No. | Model ID |
| 2018 | A1932 | 3184 | MacBookAir8,1 |
| 2019 | A1932 | 3184 | MacBookAir8,2 |
| 2020 | A2179 | 3302 | MacBookAir9,1 |
Additionally, EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature also can uniquely identify each one of the Retina MacBook Air models by their serial numbers.
Official Replacement Options
Formally, when the battery no longer holds a sufficient charge it is necessary to provide Apple with the entire notebook to have the battery replaced.
Apple provides official details on the company website -- and the price varies in different countries -- but in the US it costs US$129, in Canada it costs C$169, in the UK it costs £129, and in Australia it costs A$189 to have the battery replaced.
Those who live near an Apple Store can have the battery replaced the same day with an appointment or opt for service by mail which takes 3-4 days.
Battery Replacement Instructions
Although Apple intends for the battery only to be replaced professionally, the fact that it is well designed and replaced relatively easily means that self-replacement is quite feasible, as well.
The 50.3 watt-hour lithium polymer battery in the "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air is model number A1965 whereas the smaller 49.9 watt-hour lithium polymer battery in the "2019" and "2020" Retina MacBook Air is mode number A2179.
Site sponsor Other World Computing provides a quality, 55 watt-hour lithium polymer battery for runtime equal or better than the original batteries. It is compatible with all of these models and ships with everything you need, even the correct screwdrivers.
OWC has precisely documented the replacement steps for each model, as well:
2018/2019 MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir8,1/MacBookAir8,2)
2020 MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir9,1)
After watching the video for your model, it should be clear that replacing the battery is not as easy as it could be, but it is still fairly straightforward for someone with technical skills. If you do not feel comfortable performing the upgrade yourself, hiring a professional is a very good idea.
Battery Replacement Summary
Ultimately, because the Retina MacBook Air battery is designed to be replaced, albeit by a professional, self-replacement is quite feasible for the technically inclined equipped with proper tools, as well.
It needs to be properly stressed that it is very important to purchase a quality battery. Low quality batteries may not hold a charge for as long as a quality one, but even may leak, swell, or catch on fire.
Battery Purchase Options
In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor OWC offers quality batteries for nearly all MacBook Air notebooks including Retina MacBook Air models.
In the UK and Ireland, site sponsor Flexx sells OWC batteries with free shipping.
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