Mac Repair London carries out data recovery on the MacBook Air M1 from our Central London workshop, for home users and businesses.
On an M1 Mac the SSD is soldered to the board and always encrypted by the chip. There is no drive to remove, and the data can only be read by getting the original board working. That’s why we do board-level repair: it’s the only way to recover data from a dead M1 Air without a backup.
If your M1 Air was signed in to iCloud with Desktop & Documents turned on, some files may already be safe online, so it’s worth checking icloud.com before paying for recovery. We can advise on what’s likely to be there.
About this model: The M1 MacBook Air (A2337) is fanless, fast and very popular, which is why we see so many. Its weak spot is the screen: the thin lid cracks easily from pressure, often from earbuds or a pen left on the keyboard when it’s closed.
Signs it needs data recovery
- M1 Air won’t turn on
- Liquid spill
- Board fault
- Stuck in recovery
How we do it
Because the encryption keys live in the Mac’s own security hardware, a standalone copy of the storage would be unreadable. We restore the original board to working order, unlock the volume and transfer your files.
We recover documents, photos, video, Mail, Photos and iTunes/Music libraries, and project files from apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic and Adobe Creative Cloud.
At a glance
| Years | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M1, fanless |
| Storage | Soldered to the logic board |
| Memory | Unified memory inside the chip package (not upgradeable) |
| Battery | Held with adhesive |
| Power / charging | Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports |
Before you bring it in
Don’t run disk repair tools or reinstall macOS, as both can overwrite what we’re trying to save. Note which files matter most and bring your login password, which the encrypted storage needs.
Which model do you have?
This page covers the MacBook Air M1 (13-inch, 2020) (MacBookAir10,1; A2337). Look under Apple menu > About This Mac, or check the small print on the bottom case for the A-number. Not sure? Bring it in and we’ll identify it for you.
Price
Logical data recovery from £150 + VAT; physical recovery from damaged drives from £350 + VAT. All prices are subject to inspection, and nothing is done without your approval.
Questions we’re often asked
Can you take the drive out and read it in another computer?
Not on this model. The storage is encrypted with keys held by the Mac’s own security hardware, so it can only be read through the original board. That’s why we repair the board rather than replace it.
How much does it cost?
See the price section above. We always quote before starting, and if we can’t fix it, you don’t pay for the repair.
Book a repair
For a free, no-obligation quote, call 020 7394 2528 or email info@mac-repair.london.