Upgrade using Bottom Cover Upgrade Kit

Unplug all cables and fully shut down your laptop from the OS.

While pressing down the release button, grip the lip of the Expansion Card and pull it out of its slot to release it.

This might take some initial force. If you're having trouble, make sure you're fully pressing down the release button.

Slide the Expansion Card out of its slot and remove it.

Remove the remaining Expansion Cards.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to loosen the five captive T5 Torx screws securing the Input Cover.

The screw will make an audible "clicking" sound once it's fully loosened.

Flip over the laptop and open it.

Use your fingers to lift the Input Cover up and release it from its magnets.

Don't fully remove the Input Cover yet, as it's still attached by the Touchpad Cable.

Flip the top of the Input Cover so the Keyboard is facing down.

Rest the Input Cover over the Battery, making sure the Touchpad Cable isn't being strained.

If the LEDs on the left and right sides of the Mainboard are flashing, then your laptop is still powered on. Make sure your laptop is completely powered off before continuing.

Insert your finger into the Touchpad Cable press connector loop.

Lift up to disconnect the Touchpad Cable from the Mainboard.

Remove the Input Cover.

When disconnecting the Battery, make sure you slide its connector straight out of its socket or else you risk bending the socket's pins.

Use your fingers to grip the edges of the Battery connector and slide it straight out of its socket to disconnect the Battery.

Use your fingers to grip the edges of the Speaker cable connector.

Pull the connector straight out of its socket to disconnect it.

Use the flat end of your Framework Screwdriver, or a clean fingernail, to lift up the locking tab on the Audio Board ZIF connector on the Mainboard.

Use your fingers to lightly grip the Audio Board cable and slide it straight out of its socket.

Use the flat end of your Framework Screwdriver to peel off the grounding tape on the left Hinge.

Grip the Display eDP Cable connector by its pull tab and lift up to disconnect it.

Lift the Display eDP Cable out of its slot in the Bottom Cover.

Grip the Webcam Cable connector by its pull tab and lift up to disconnect it.

Use your fingers or the flat end of the Framework Screwdriver to lift the two Antenna Cables out of their clips on the Mainboard.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to loosen the captive T5 Torx screw securing Wi-Fi module.

The module might pop up at a shallow angle when you loosen the screw.

Grip the end of the Wi-Fi module with the screw hole and slide it out of its socket.

Don't pull the module too far from its socket, as it's still connected by two cables.

Keep the plastic bracket attached to the module to prevent the cables from disconnecting.

Position the Wi-Fi module to the right of the laptop to keep it out of the way of the Mainboard.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to remove the five 1.5 mm‑long T5 Torx screws securing the Mainboard.

Since these screws aren't captive, put them in a safe place.

Use your fingers to lift the bottom edge of the Mainboard enough to grip its edges.

Lift the Mainboard off its alignment pegs and remove it.

While supporting the Top Cover with one hand, use your Framework Screwdriver to remove two 4.0 mm‑long T5 Torx screws on each Hinge connected to the Bottom Cover (four total).

Lift the Top Cover off its two sets of alignment pegs on the Bottom Cover and remove it.

Unbox your Bottom Cover Upgrade Kit and make sure you've received the following items:

Bottom Cover Kit

Keyboard

Input Cover Frame (including the Keyboard Bracket and Fingerprint Reader Cable)

Speaker Kit

Battery

Audio Board Kit

Fastener Kit – Input Cover and Keyboard (only the Keyboard and Keyboard Bracket screws are needed—the rest can be kept as spares)

Separate the Speakers from each other if they're attached.

Place the left Speaker into its slot on the Bottom Cover, making sure it's aligned with its screw posts and threaded through its alignment peg.

The left Speaker has an "L" labeled on it.

Repeat the previous step for the right Speaker.

The right Speaker has an "R" labeled on it.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to tighten the two T5 Torx screws on each Speaker (4 total).

Starting from the right Speaker, press the speaker cable into its metal and plastic clips on the Bottom Cover.

Pull the cable taut against the Bottom Cover as you do this, as you'll need slack along the left edge.

If you're having difficulty pressing the speaker cable into its plastic clips, twist the cable so it's vertical and use the flat end of your Framework Screwdriver to press it down.

Repeat the previous two steps for the section of the speaker cable near the left Speaker.

Remove the blue liner from the black tape near the left Speaker.

Slide the flat end of your Framework Screwdriver under the black tape and separate one of its long edges from the Chassis.

While holding the tape out of the way, lay the Speaker Cable into the channel underneath it.

Press the tape over the Speaker Cable to adhere it to the Chassis.

Before continuing, check the pins on the Battery socket and make sure they aren't bent.

If any of the pins are bent, reach out to Framework Support.

Grab the Mainboard by its edges and place it into the Bottom Cover and onto its alignment pegs.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to install the five 1.5 mm‑long T5 Torx screws securing the Mainboard.

Angle the left edge of the Audio Board downward and slide the headphone jack through its hole in the Bottom Cover.

Align the screw hole in the Audio Board with its post and press it flat to the Bottom Cover.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to install the 3.0 mm‑long T5 Torx screw securing the Audio Board.

Insert the Battery into its cutout, making sure its plastic tabs are slotted into the Bottom Cover.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to tighten the three captive T5 Torx screws securing the Battery.

Place the Top Cover on its two sets of alignment pegs on the Bottom Cover.

Make sure all of the cables are above the Bottom Cover before continuing.

While supporting the Top Cover with one hand, use your Framework Screwdriver to install two 4.0 mm‑long T5 Torx screws on each Hinge connected to the Bottom Cover (four total).

Place the Display eDP Cable into its slot on the Bottom Cover.

Press the Display eDP Cable connector straight down into its socket to connect it.

Press the grounding tape onto the left Hinge to adhere it.

Slide the Audio Board cable straight into its socket.

Use the flat end of your Framework Screwdriver, or a clean fingernail, to press down the locking tab on the Audio Board ZIF connector.

Slide the Speaker connector straight into its socket.

Use your finger to guide the Webcam Cable into its metal pegs on the Bottom Cover.

Refer to this photo for how the cable should look when properly routed.

Press the Webcam Cable connector straight down into its socket to connect it.

Use your finger to press the Antenna Cables into their metal clip on the Bottom Cover.

Rotate the cables around the raised corner at the top right of the Mainboard so they point towards the Wi-Fi module.

Refer to this photo for how the cables should look when properly routed.

The Bottom Cover comes with a pre-installed Wi-Fi Module cover. It's optional to swap your cover with this replacement.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to loosen the captive T5 Torx screw securing Wi-Fi module cover.

Remove the Wi-Fi module cover.

Hold the Wi-Fi module by its edges. Don't touch the gold contacts with your fingers. If you do, wipe the contacts with a clean, lint-free cloth to remove any finger oils.

Align the Wi-Fi module's gold contacts and notch with the socket on the Mainboard.

Insert the Wi-Fi module into the socket at a shallow angle. The gold contacts should mostly be covered by the socket.

The Wi-Fi module fits into the socket in one orientation. If it doesn't fit, try flipping the module.

If the Antenna Cables got accidentally disconnected, follow this step to reconnect them. Otherwise, skip this step to continue the guide normally.

Hold the Wi-Fi module down with your finger.

Position the black antenna cable connector over the Wi-Fi module's coaxial socket indicated by the black arrow.

If you're unsure which cable goes where, refer to the arrows on the Wi-Fi Module for which color cable matches with its connector.

Tweezers can help position the connector.

Use your finger to press the connector into place. You should feel a faint click, and the cable will stay attached to the socket by itself.

These connectors are very delicate! If the connector doesn't feel like it's clicking in place, reposition the connector and try again.

Repeat the procedure with the white antenna cable.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to tighten the captive T5 Torx screw securing Wi-Fi module.

Use the flat end of your Framework Screwdriver to press the two Antenna Cables into their rubber clips on the Mainboard.

Use your fingers to align the Battery connector with its socket and slide it straight in to reconnect the Battery.

Place the Keyboard into its cutout in the Top Cover.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to install the forty-six 1.2 mm‑long black PH0 screws securing the Keyboard.

The screw holes for the Keyboard are labeled with "KB" and an arrow pointing to them.

Place the Keyboard Bracket onto its alignment pegs.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to install the twenty 1.3 mm‑long silver PH0 screws securing the Keyboard Bracket.

Use the flat end of your Framework Screwdriver, or a clean fingernail, to lift up the locking tab on the Fingerprint Reader ZIF connector located on the Fingerprint Reader board.

Slide the Fingerprint Reader Cable straight into its socket.

Use the flat end of your Framework Screwdriver, or a clean fingernail, to press down the locking tab on the Fingerprint Reader ZIF connector.

Repeat the previous three steps to connect the Fingerprint Reader Cable on the Hub Board.

Your old Input Cover is not compatible—only use the new one.

Position the Input Cover, keyboard down, on top of the laptop so it just covers the Battery.

This allows the Touchpad Cable to be folded over and reconnected without straining it.

Insert your finger into the Touchpad Cable press connector loop.

Align the press connector over its socket and press down with your finger.

You should hear it "click" into place. Don't try to force the connector into place. If you're having trouble, reposition it and try again.

Flip the Input Cover over the laptop and align the bottom edges.

Lay the Input Cover over the laptop and let the magnets snap it into place.

The bottom right corner of the Input Cover won't sit flush with the laptop until you tighten its screws.

Close the laptop and flip it over.

Use your Framework Screwdriver to tighten the five captive T5 Torx screws securing the Input Cover.

Don't overtighten the screws—just make sure they're snug.

For Expansion Card compatibility, check here.

Slide an Expansion Card into an Expansion Card slot.

You don't need to unlock the latch to install the Expansion Cards—only when you want to remove them.

The Expansion Cards should click into place, and the front edge should be flush with the Laptop.

Repeat for the remaining Expansion Cards.

Use your finger to flip both latches and lock the rows of Expansion Cards.

You've finished upgrading your Framework Laptop! Check out this page to update to the latest drivers, firmware, and software.

You'll need to update to the latest BIOS for the battery to reach full capacity.