MacBook Air data recovery

From the 2009 MacBook Air with its tiny hard drive to the M-series models with everything soldered down.

Ask about data recovery Call 020 7237 6805

What decides whether the data can be reached

The MacBook Air has used three completely different kinds of storage. The earliest models have a miniature 1.8-inch drive. From late 2010 to 2017 the SSD is a removable module. From 2018 it is soldered to the logic board and encrypted.

Liquid damage is the most common reason an Air arrives here. On models up to 2017 the SSD usually survives and can be read separately. On later models the board itself has to be repaired.

Models, years and storage

Model	Years	Model number	Storage	How data is recovered
MacBook Air 13-inch	2008 to 2009	A1304	1.8-inch hard drive or SSD	The drive is removed and copied directly. The Mac does not need to work.
MacBook Air 11-inch	2010 to 2011	A1370	SSD module	The SSD module is removed and read with the correct adapter.
MacBook Air 13-inch	2010 to 2011	A1369	SSD module	The SSD module is removed and read with the correct adapter.
MacBook Air 11-inch	2012 to 2015	A1465	SSD module	The SSD module is removed and read with the correct adapter.
MacBook Air 13-inch	2012 to 2017	A1466	SSD module	The SSD module is removed and read with the correct adapter.
MacBook Air Retina	2018 to 2019	A1932	Soldered, T2	Storage is soldered and encrypted by the T2 chip. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
MacBook Air Retina	2020	A2179	Soldered, T2	Storage is soldered and encrypted by the T2 chip. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
MacBook Air M1	2020	A2337	Soldered, Apple silicon	Storage is soldered and encrypted by Apple silicon. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
MacBook Air M2 13-inch	2022	A2681	Soldered, Apple silicon	Storage is soldered and encrypted by Apple silicon. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
MacBook Air M2 15-inch	2023	A2941	Soldered, Apple silicon	Storage is soldered and encrypted by Apple silicon. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
MacBook Air M3	2024	A3113, A3114	Soldered, Apple silicon	Storage is soldered and encrypted by Apple silicon. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
MacBook Air M4	2025 onwards	On the base	Soldered, Apple silicon	Storage is soldered and encrypted by Apple silicon. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.

The SSD modules changed shape and interface several times between 2010 and 2017. A module from one year will not fit or read in another, which is why the model number matters.

What to do now

Do not keep trying to start it. Each attempt can make a failing drive or a damaged board worse.
Have your Mac login password ready, and your FileVault recovery key if you turned FileVault on.
Find the model number: "Model A" followed by four digits, printed on the underside or the foot of the stand.
Tell us whether there is a Time Machine or iCloud backup, even an old one.

Recovery starts with a professional evaluation, charged at £94.80. It tells you what has failed and what can be recovered, and you then receive a fixed price for the recovery itself.

We collect drives and devices by insured courier from anywhere in the UK, or you can post yours tracked and insured, or bring it to the workshop in London SE1. See how to send a drive safely.

Common questions

My 2015 MacBook Air is dead after a spill. Are the files safe?

Very likely. The SSD module in that model is separate from the logic board and usually survives. It is removed and copied.

My M1 MacBook Air will not turn on. Can you take the SSD out?

No. It is soldered and encrypted. The logic board is repaired until the Mac starts, and the data is copied then.

Get a price from a technician

Tell us the make, the model and what has gone wrong. A technician replies with a price and the quickest way to get your laptop to us – normally the same working day.

020 7237 6805

Creative IT workshop
Unit 1, 80 Willow Walk, London SE1 5SY
Monday to Saturday, 9am–6pm