Chosen Solution

Has heating the battery compartment before removing the batteries been considered? Lithium Ions get warm when recharging. Attaching them to the case can also allow the heat to be dissipated to the case. With most adhesives, heat sometimes softens them (for example, the Aircraft epoxy called Epibond 1020 softens at 300F). The question ends up being how far you warm them w/o damaging the case or batteries. Also see if those adhesive strips conduct thermally. Could try isolating a piece of the double sided tape adhesive being used and subjecting it to heat by itself, and seeing if it softens.

iFixit has now developed a kit for removing the battery without using heat. Their release agent is acetone. I developed an answer a couple of years before them using methanol (but methanol is a more volatile chemical and more dangerous to use. Here’s the updated guide for doing it: MacBook Pro 15" Retina Display Late 2013 Battery Replacement MacBook Pro 15" Retina (Late 2013-Mid 2014) Battery

Yes, But the temperature to soften the adhesive usually goes above the temperature limit for the batteries. Overheating the batteries not only seriously degrade its performance, but also can be a serious safety threat. So you either ruin the battery hot while removing them, or tear them cold while removing them. Either way the battery is barely reusable, if possible at all Even mechanical stress during battery removal can render the battery unsafe. Apple stats clearly in the repair manual that battery removed from the iPhone should NEVER be reinstalled.

Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) in a very high concentration (>90%, if possible ~99%) will actually do the trick. I was already suspicious that it could work since I accidentally caused some (unimportant) adhesive patches on a 13’’ Unibody MBP (which had suffered a massive wine spill) to peel off after I submerged its parts in that stuff (guess what, the MBP worked fine afterwards! ;) ). So, even if you’re just taking out the battery to repair the trackpad, you can safely remove the battery without causing it any damage. Check out this video for details on the procedure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLhHSIej9…

Hi try this technique. I just removed a macbook pro A1502 battery with a card (credit card style) coated in eucalyptus oil.. removed in 3 minutes flat! No heating or prying.

I used pro strength Goof Off and dental floss.