iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display (2017) RAM Replacement

Written By: Evan Noronha

Comments: 178

iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display (2017) RAM Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 - 3 hours

Introduction

This guide details removing the logic board in a 2017 iMac 4K in order to remove or replace the RAM.

Some images in this guide use a 2015 iMac, which has minor visual differences. These differences do not affect the repair procedure.

This guide is marked "potentially dangerous" because it requires you to handle a power supply that contains large capacitors. Unplug the iMac and hold the power button down for at least 10 seconds to help discharge the capacitors. Handle the board by the edges and do not touch surface components.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

With the hinge free to move, the iMac will be unbalanced and hard to work on. Repairs can be completed as shown, but are faster and easier with an iMac service wedge.
If you are using the iFixit cardboard service wedge, follow these assembly directions to put it together.
Before beginning any work on your iMac: Unplug the computer and press and hold the power button for ten seconds to discharge the power supply's capacitors.
Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply. Only handle the board by the edges.

I have (21.5 inch, mid 2017, 2.3 ghz) base model same as this but not 4k. How much max ram can I install in my iMac??

Narendra Verma - 22/10/20

This guide contains many extra steps for what should be a straight forward, simple parts replacement without disturbing more than the display, left hand speaker and removal of 4 logic board screws for play. Nothing else except for the left hand speaker wire & iSight cable from logic board, the lower support bracket and loosening the speaker so as to move it around a bit.

For the ram, I bent a pair of cheap tweezers long ago supplied with these replacement kits to the perfect angle for holding, locating and inserting the ram into the slots under the logic bd after moving each retainer w/spudger and popping out the old. Pay attention to the orientation of the ram when removing/inserting the ram! An automotive mirror is handy along with a small flashlight for closeups. Once the ram is aligned properly substitute your fingers for the tweezers, ease it into the slot, push up & engage! Reinstall screws and all else. I have done this job successfully this way countless times. For a tweezers pic contact me!

Ross Elkins - 13/03/22

Additionally, if a blade is present, I install the OSx system on the blade and everything else, apps and home folders on the new SSD. You get the very fast boot off of the blade and the full ssd for all else!

Ross Elkins -

Step 2

Starting on the left of the display, near the power button, insert the iMac Opening Tool into the gap between the glass panel and the rear enclosure.
The hub on the iMac Opening Tool will keep you from pushing the wheel in too far. If using a different tool, insert no more than 3/8" into the display. Otherwise, you risk severing antenna cables and causing serious damage.
Be gentle! The glass may crack if pried too much. Use a hairdryer to heat the edges and loosen the tape if the room temperatures are low.

Always use a hairdryer!! I cracked my glass

8bit !!! - 14/11/20

Step 3

Use the tool like a pizza cutter—roll it along through the gap, and it will cut the foam adhesive through the center.
Be sure to always push with the handle behind the cutting wheel. If you pull, the wheel might get pulled out of the handle.
Run the tool up along the left side of the display.

Step 4

Continue running the tool up around the top left corner.

Step 5

Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.

Step 6

Continue along the top of the display.
You may want to run the tool back and forth through what you've already cut a few times, to ensure you get as much of the adhesive separated as possible.

Step 7

Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.

Step 8

Wheel the tool down along the right side of the display.

Step 9

Finish pushing the opening tool to the bottom of the right side of the display.
At this point, you'll want to run the tool back around the entire display, to ensure you cut as much adhesive as possible.

Step 10

While the opening tool cut most of the adhesive, the display will still be slightly adhered to the case. A plastic card will be necessary to free up the last of this adhesive.
Set the iMac face-up on a table.
Starting from the top right corner of the iMac, wedge a plastic card between the display and frame.
Be careful not to insert the plastic card more than 3/8", or you may damage internal components.

Don't forget to place the mac face up on the table. Unlike older models, there is no more flap at the bottom holding the display in place. If you do these steps with the Mac upright, the screen will pop out, hit your table, and shatter :( Don't ask me how I know.

John M - 22/03/17

So sorry. Thanks for that caution.

Ted Horodynsky - 23/04/17

Using suction cups (the ones that were made for removing the magnetic front glass on the 2011 and earlier iMacs) work well too. Place one in each top corner, while the Mac is lying face up on a table, and gently pull and it will separate the display from the main body. You might need to do a little more slicing around the edges if you did not get all the way through the first time with the roller. Then you can lift the display up at an angle to disconnect the cables.

Peter Hillman - 18/10/20

This was a great idea, worked well for me. Thanks!

Florin -

Step 11

Gently twist the plastic card sideways to create a gap between the display and frame.
Move slowly and be careful not to stress the display glass too much—you only need to make a gap of about 1/4".

Step 12

Slide the card toward the center of the display to cut any of the remaining adhesive along the top right corner of the iMac.
Be sure to stop before the iSight camera, or you may damage it.

Step 13

Wedge the plastic card into the top right corner once again and let it stay there to keep the adhesive from resettling.

Step 14

Insert a second plastic card into the gap between the display and frame located at the top left corner of the iMac.

Step 15

Gently twist the card upward, slightly increasing the space between the display and frame.
As with the other side, twist slowly to allow the adhesive time to separate, and be careful not to over-stress the display glass.

Step 16

Slide the plastic card toward the center, again stopping just before the iSight camera.

Step 17

Wedge the plastic card back into the top left corner.

Step 18

With both plastic cards inserted as shown near the corners, gently twist the cards sideways to increase the gap between display and case.
If there are any sections that seem to stick and won't separate, stop twisting and use one of the cards to cut the remaining adhesive.
Begin to lift the top of the display up from the frame.
Only lift the display a few inches—the display data and power cables are still connected to the logic board.

Ne forcez surtout pas et soulevez l’écran par les deux extrémités ! Il faut que tous les adhésifs soient bien découpés pour que l’écran se dégage du boitier sans effort. Toute torsion de l’écran peut entraîner une superbe fissure sur le verre :-/

mf - 14/11/20

Step 19

While holding the display up with one hand, use the other hand to unplug the display power cable. Make sure that you pull the cable out from the plastic tab, and not by pulling on the color wires.
Lift the display up enough to have easy access to the connector, but not so much that you stretch the cables and stress their connections (about 8").

As seen in photo:

bottom cable pulls up

top cable cable pulls right, after safety clip opened

airshack - 07/02/20

Step 20

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the metal retaining bracket on the display data cable.
Carefully pull the display data cable from its socket on the logic board.
Be sure to pull the display data cable connector straight out of its socket.

Step 21

Lift the display up to a near-vertical position.
At this point there is still a strip of adhesive along the bottom of the display, that will hold the display to the frame like a hinge. You can loosen this adhesive by working the display up and down a few times.

There are pull tabs at each side off the bottom edge to allow easy release of the tape

DarrenG - 26/05/20

DarrenG’s observation about the pull tabs saved me a ton of time trying to pry the display as per the original instructions. Thanks!

lesfam5 -

Step 22

Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply (boxed in red).
Grasp the small tab at the end of one of the bottom edge display adhesive strips and pull the adhesive toward the top of the iMac to remove it.
Repeat this step with the other adhesive strip and remove it.
If either adhesive strip breaks before it's removed, use a plastic card to slice through the remaining adhesive.

The roller tool for slicing open the display works great for this step. Get in there like using the card and roll across the bottom to slice through the remaining adhesive.

Peter Hillman - 18/10/20

Step 23

Lift the display up from the frame and remove it from the iMac.
It may be necessary to slowly lift from one side, to peel against the remaining adhesive.
Be very careful handling the display—it's big, heavy, and made of glass.
During reassembly, head over to our display adhesive guide to install the new adhesive.

After removing the display, I also removed the 3 screws for the processor fan, disconnected the power connector for it and set the fan shroud aside. Disconnecting the remaining cable (similar style to 1 of the cables for the display) that is in the way of the RAM chips is all that's left to do. I was then able to access and quickly remove the two Apple-provided RAM chips, and replace them with 3rd party RAM. Turning the iMac on its side, so that it's in a position where you're physically putting the RAM chips DOWNWARD into their respective slots is the best way to go about uninstalling and reinstalling the chips. Using a narrow but long'ish plastic spudger tool is the best way to defeat the spring-tabs which hold the RAM chips in place. After removing the LCD display, changing the RAM is about a 10 minute process!! And I'd SURE prefer not to remove all the parts and risk damage to the iMac via the standard procedure listed. As per usual, take your time and work gently :-)

Mitch K - 09/09/17

Teardown the whole machine just to change RAM? While preparing to comment on this procedure I just noticed the comment made by Mitch K above. I ran pretty much the same procedure that he describes this afternoon (steps 1-23, 43-45, and step 55). Then I swapped out the original 2x4GB RAM chips for 2x8GB chips by reaching behind the logic board, releasing the spring retaining clips one chip at a time (starting with the chip further away from the logic board), pivoting the RAM towards the back of the machine, and then carefully sliding it out of the slot. I easily slid in the new chips and then pivoted them to lock them down. No hassle, no time lost. As Mitch K states above, not only is this “shortcut” method much quicker and easier, but it provides less risk of damaging cables, sockets and other delicate components during a total teardown. Why mess with the power supply board just to change RAM? I do not advise to follow the current iFixit.com procedure written by Sam Lionheart, regardless of user skill-level.

nycsandor - 07/04/18

THAT sounds one !&&* of a lot easier than the full tear down. I wonder if there’s a video of the process described by Mitch K? Adding that to these verbal instructions would really help relieve the apprehension and anxiety around the process! I do sometimes find the additional warnings, though appreciated from a “safety first” perspective, are somewhat overstated. It’s been a very long time since I shorted out RAM, or fried a PCB, or broke a connector, regardless of how finicky, fragile or awkwardly designed and positioned. I may have WANTED to break something, and the air might be blue for a few seconds, but inevitably, things go back together, the start button gets pressed, the startup chime sounds, and we’re in business. Practice DOES make as close to perfect we are likely to get.

bruce - 06/07/18

Mitch has the exact method that works a treat. You don’t need to follow steps 24-37 and also 40-63. Step 51 is the step to remove the camera cable and is needed. Steps 38 and 39 are for the Fan. That is all that is needed. Done quite a few like this.

Be careful not to drop the RAM down the back of the logic board!

By NOT removing all the other stuff you can avoid either damaging it or forgetting to plug in a cable.

Charlie Nancarrow - 28/07/19

I just trued this shortcut and it was not successful. I was not able to seat both RAM chips with this shortcut, and managed to slightly damage one of the retainer clips. I simply could not manipulate the chips into and out of the slots effectively without taking everything apart as described in the full set of steps.. I ended up retracing my steps and following the entire procedure, carefully, and that worked without incident. So, bottomline, it is definitely more work to follow all the steps but from my experience, it is decidedly safer. Your mileage may, of course, vary. It was successful in the end, and I swapped out the hard drive with an ssd during the same procedure and my machine is very, very much faster.

jan - 09/01/20

I have completed by following the Mitch K post and it is much easier than stripping down the whole thing, just be aware that to remove and replace the ram chips means working in a tight space, you need slim fingers and don’t be tempted to use force, take your time.

Barrie Price - 23/02/20

Well, I have slim fingers, but they are 60 years old, and they don’t work like they used to! LOL.

Jan Hogle - 14/03/20

Agree with Mitch K’s procedure. The only added tip I would throw in is to use two 45 degree tweezers with their plastic covers still installed to easily pop loose the RAM. I couldn’t get the plastic spudger tool to work myself, but the tweezers easily reach the RAM clips. Just make sure the plastic covers are installed and you won’t be in danger of scratching or shorting anything out.

charlesnick -

So thankful I discovered these comments. Saved me a TON of time! Thank you!!

Adam Roberts -

Step 24

Remove the following five Phillips screws holding the lower support bracket in place:
Four 3.2 mm screws
One 1.7 mm screw
You may need to peel up the display adhesive lining the bottom edge of the iMac enclosure to access the screws.

I would recommend that those trying this have the project tray to contain all of the screws.

Mikkif - 30/03/20

2 notes for reassembly, carful with screws not to strip the heads as they are really really small, make note to cut a gap in the the adhesive over the whole for the microphone.

I managed to strip the head of one of the screws when putting it back in. So be carful with them when putting in / taking out. If you strip it on the way out you will need to take a fine drill and rill it out. Going back in, well as long as you never need to strip it down again not a problem.

The second problem is a real pain, you need to make sure to cut a gap in the adhesive just to the right of Center at the button to allow for the microphone opening. If you don’t, the adhesive tape will stop any real pick up on the Mic, so you just need to cut a small gap in it before putting on the screen. Unfortunately I didn’t find this out (or do my checked before sticking it all back down, so have to pull screen back off and reapply new adhesive with a cut out in it at an other time.

Andrew Taylor - 13/09/20

Refer her for more info on the mic / adhesive work around —> Muffled Microphone - iMac 21.5" (mid 2017) - Following Adhesive Strips

Andrew Taylor - 13/09/20

Step 25

Remove the lower support bracket (a.k.a. "chin strap") from the iMac enclosure.

Keep this long, aluminium part very straight when pulling it away or you might bend it

Froggy Manny -

que pasa si no coloca esta pieza?

CARLOS -

Step 26

Remove the following T10 Torx screws securing the hard drive brackets to the iMac:
Two 21 mm screws
One 9 mm screw
One 27 mm screw

At step 26, when reassembling, it's super easy to over-tighten the 9mm screw and strip the brass ferrule out of its hole in the plastic bracket (%#*@).

roberttrevellyan - 19/09/17

Mine has 4 different length screws, the two red colored 21mm screws in this guide are actually two differ lengths

anonymous 523 - 19/10/20

Mi imac does not have a HDrive whats the steps to follow?

Charlie - 05/02/21

buongiorno, l'imac del 2019, non monta alcuna ssd, ma monta una m2 direttamente sulla scheda madre!

pertanto nella guida andrebbe aggiunto il cavo sata con sensore temperatura da aggiungere sulla scheda madre, per poter collegare un nuovo hd ssd altrimenti rimarrete come me bloccati con un imac aperto e non assemblato, in attesa di ricevere il cavo acquistato su internet da amazon o terze parti.

vi consiglio inoltre di aggiungere una foto reale del ò'imac 2019 nella guida in cui manca l'ssd, renderà subito la problematica che avranno in molti!

Donato Altomare -

Step 27

Remove the left and right hard drive brackets from the iMac.

Step 28

The next few steps bring your hands close to the exposed face of the power supply. Do not touch the face of the power supply or any of the exposed solder. Touching it risks a high voltage shock from the many large capacitors attached to the board.
Use the tip of a spudger to push each side of the power button cable connector and gently walk it out of its socket.

I would advise that before removing the PSU unit and all other components from the bottom of the case that you remove the 5 screws at the bottom of the display which hold an insulation strip in place.

The guide shows this piece removed, but does not tell you how to remove it.

There will be 5, small J1000 screws. The middle one, which goes over Apple Logo is the shorter one of the 5, all others are the same length. Once this piece is gone removing the components is much easier, and chance of damage lessened.

[deleted] - 16/01/16

Added to the guide. Thanks for the tip!

Jeff Suovanen - 06/07/16

No need to remove power board and logic board and all other components, just remove the fan and it is quite "easily" accessable to change the RAM. Just need to use the tools to remove the old RAM and carefully install the new RAM.

I just did it without removing the logic or power board

Oleksandr Trokhymchuk - 11/08/17

could you elaborate a little more, I would love to skip the rest of these steps. How did you accomplish this?

ej P - 03/07/18

Oleksandr Trokhymchuk,

Thank you! You just saved me so much time! I wouldn’t call this “easy” but it saved me a lot of time and effort.

Joshua Ericson -

ej P: remove the fan assembly first. Then remove the connector that runs from the iSight camera to the logic board on the left.

the RAM is located right near that cable. It’s tricky to remove but you can pop open the connectors with a black nylon stick and the RAM chip will pop up at 45 degrees. Make a mental note on which way you will need to install the new ram as it’s tough to see. For the Crucial memory I got it was label side facing away you (facing towards rear metal enclosure).

the second chip has a plastic adhesive piece on it that you should probably attach to the new ram.

remove both chips then install the new ram in sequence from the board out.

Wizdom On Wheels - 10/07/19

In the photo for Step 28, the power button cable connector is placed around the power board screw hole on the top left of the power board.

However, on the iMac I upgraded, the power button cable connector was “fed” through the power power screw hole on the top left of the power board. The cable was too short to run around and below the hole.

Hence, I had to ensure the cable was “fed” through the hole during re-assembly and the screw carefully screwed back through the hole.

I guess every iMac is assembly just a bit differently, just to make repairs that much more fun.

Tim Telcik - 01/09/19

This is not correct and may have been assembled incorrectly during a previous repair.

Charlie Nancarrow -

Just replaced the hard drive and RAM with SSD and 16GB respectively and did NOT remove the power supply or logic board. Tricky is a word to describe putting the RAM in without removing the logic board. You work in the dark with little room to get your fingers in between the logic board and the back of the case. I put the first RAM chip in without a problem (the one next to the logic board), but the second to four tries and dropped it behind the logic board three times before finally getting it to position correctly. Just impossible to see and must work but feel. Still it was faster than removing all the components… though did remove the fan (needed cleaning anyway). All in all I can’t say enough about the help the guide was through the upgrade ! Thanks !

Ray Burgard - 14/12/19

I found this connector to be very tight and was afraid of breaking it off. I just kept slowly working on it—it did eventually come out.

I did try to sneak the RAM in without removing the logic board but my fingers were too big. I found it too difficult and just continued on with this guide.

Mikkif - 30/03/20

I was not able to install the memory without removing all the components. My fingers are too big and I could barely get in that tight spot to swap out the memory. The hardest part about the power supply is that one connector under the chin next to the Apple logo. Once it is out, you are home free because it is so easy to plug it back in when you are putting it all back together again. Ridiculous that Apple did not put a simple access door behind those memory slots because they are on the backside of the Mac! They did an access door on the PowerBooks and it did not ruin the appearance. They could have designed a cool looking pop out door that only had a thin seam around it so it would still look good. Then you could remove the access door to upgrade the memory easily.

Peter Hillman - 18/10/20

Does anyone know if this is the same situation as in the 2017 model? I just changed RAM in the 2017 version and also skipped taking out the logic board. I just bent a pair of tweezers and put some tape around the tips to make them less scratchy and used them to place the RAM modules into the slots. Worked supereasy and much much quicker than performing the complete tear down of the whole machine.

Nils Witte - 26/12/20

This step is impossible!

Cecily Walker - 05/01/21

@wizdomonwheels, I don’t see how I can get the RAM shield off of the logic board to access the RAM without removing the logic board. What am I missing?? I’m guessing that those of you that are suggesting this technique are working on older iMac models that don’t have the RAM shield.

jiclark - 11/03/21

Yes, you are correct. It is likely the various steps are a bit different on each model. If I recall I was likely working on a 2015 or older system. If there’s a shield in the way, I can’t think of a way you could get around it without pulling the logic board.

Wizdom On Wheels - 12/03/21

Step 29

Use the tip of a spudger to push each side of the power supply control cable connector and gently walk it out of its socket.

Step 30

Remove the two 7.2 mm T10 Torx screws securing the power supply to the rear enclosure.
In newer model iMacs these are 7.2 mm T8 Torx screws.
During reassembly, be careful not to trap the power button wire behind the board.

In my case, the left side corner of the PS was caught against the Lower Support Bracket, and I had to remove the LSB in order to get the PS freed and out.

I think the author Walter Galan should put this in the main section of his instructions. I have TWO identical iMac 14,1 / i5 2.7GHz / 21 Inch Late 2013 / Order ME086LL/A. They both required removing the LSB. Thank you very much Walter Galan & others for your contributions.

Ted Horodynsky - 15/07/20

Those screws were definitely not T10 but T9 on my unit

Vincent Monteil - 27/12/20

Those screws were T8 on my unit.

jag32mobile - 17/01/21

c'est du torx 08

pascal cacou -

Step 31

When working on the power supply, be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply. Only handle the board by the edges.
Tilt the power supply forward.

When replacing the PSU (on the re-build) take care not to trap the power button cable behind it - I did...

Dave Hallett - 10/08/17

Step 32

Pull the power supply slightly up and out from the rear enclosure.
Rotate the power supply counterclockwise, lifting the right side up about an inch higher than the left.

In my case, the left side corner of the PS was caught against the Lower Support Bracket, and I had to remove the LSB in order to get the PS freed and out.

Ted Horodynsky - 15/07/20

Step 33

Slide the power supply to the right to clear the screw posts on the rear enclosure.

Step 34

Rock the power supply forward and remove it from its recess in the rear enclosure.
Do not try to completely remove the power supply from the iMac yet—it is still connected to the logic board.

Step 35

Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply. Only handle the board by the edges.
Flip the power supply over to access the DC power cable connection behind the logic board.
Squeeze the tab on the back side of the DC power cable connector and pull it straight out of its socket on the back of the logic board.

when pulled the cable, even slightly, the actual female piece that connects to the logic board came off. am i screwed?

Racheal Major - 08/05/17

Repairing sockets that come off the logic board is possible, but very specialised work. Unless you have a magnifying lamp and the necessary desoldering and soldering skills, it will be difficult but not impossible.

Charlie Nancarrow - 28/07/19

The tab is at the far end of the connector, so you’ll need to reach farther than you might think.

lkollar - 30/12/19

When I pulled the disconnect, I pushed down on the disconnect, instead of pushing down on the tab on the disconnect and bent those pins… tried to straighten the bent pins and two of the pins broke off the logic board. Will I need a new logic board or can I purchase the pins…?

Ray AA - 04/06/20

I could not disconnect this cable without fear of breaking something (as previous posters did). I found that I could skip this and the next step by wrapping the power supply in a couple layers of a small towel (to prevent shorting with any other metal surfaces), and laying the power supply on the aluminum face of the iMac near the Apple logo. This got it out of the way enough to do what I needed on the logic board (changing PRAM battery) after completing removal of the other items in this guide.

Phil McInnis -

Step 36

You may find it helpful to set the iMac down on its back for the next couple of steps.
Use the flat end of a spudger to press the clip on the side of the AC inlet cable connector inward.
While pressing on the release clip with the spudger, grasp the AC inlet cable, and pull the connector straight out of its socket.

I didn't disconnect the input cable to the power supply. Because I had the machine lying on its back throughout, I placed it on to the metal bit at the bottom of the machine instead (with a cloth to stop the metal getting scratched). The AC inlet cable was pretty tricky to get un-locked, and the PSU sat on the case fine. It didn't hinder anything else throughout the guide.

Dave Hallett - 10/08/17

I thought from Dave’s comment that I could leave the power supply completely in place, but I was mistaken. In order to remove the hard drive assembly after you remove the center screw in it, you’ll need to at least unscrew it and the HD assembly will slip out. Like Dave said, you don’t need to unplug the AC or PSU, which I left hanging.

Getting power supply to the logic board unplugged is also tricky without unscrewing the two bottom screws. They didn’t make this part easy.

delacrj2 - 22/12/17

Kleiner Rechtschreibfehler - statt „denac“ muss es wohl „den iMac“ heißen

Gonzalo - 01/11/18

Au ja. Du kannst so was selbst ausbessern. Einfach auf “Übersetzen" gehen und loslegen.

VauWeh - 01/11/18

I would like to thanks Dave Hallett for his tip of not removing the AC inlet connector of the power supply. I simply wrapped the board in bubble wrap and taped to the iMac case, out of the way, thus giving access to the remaining disconnection procedures and preventing the board from scratching to the iMac case. It also made reassembly much simpler.

Rob Hogan - 04/08/20

Yeah, that AC inlet plug was a nasty one to unplug, mainly because I was trying not to bump the solder joints on the PSU. After a few wiggles and pulls while manipulating the spudger tool to release the clip, it finally unplugged. Made it easier by removing the PSU completely so you don’t have to worry about it. Don’t worry, plugging it back in is a breeze!

Peter Hillman - 18/10/20

With the right tool this plug comes out very easily. Forget about your tiny computer tools, go to the garage and grab a regular old needle nose pliers. Grab the clip and the plug at the same time. The plug will come right out.

Carin Ann Loewen - 08/03/21

Carin Ann— The most helpful comment on this procedure. After reading what you wrote I maneuvered the board, grabbed the clip with my left hand (a little awkward because of the cooling enclosure), squeezed the front of the plug, and got it out.

Glen Kohler -

+1 for needle nose pliers!

Sam -

Step 37

Remove the power supply from the iMac.

erreur: retirer "la carte d'alimentation" et non" le disque dur" !!!!!

Moreau - 16/04/17

Step 38

Gently pull the fan cable connector straight away from its socket on the logic board.

Step 39

Remove the three 10 mm T10 Torx screws securing the fan to the rear enclosure.
The uppermost screw has a rubber standoff adhered to its head to support the display—leave this in place.

In this photo the hard drive brackets and tray are fully assembled. But, you’ve just dismantled about half of it already in early steps. This photo is apt to confuse you a bit when you’re doing everything in reverse order.

Timothy Reynolds - 08/06/19

Another way to say what Tim said above:

For reassembly, this picture, showing the hard drive brackets back in place, is misleading. Leave them off still.

IF, at this stage, you reinstall the hard drive brackets, when you get to the time to reinstall the power supply, you will have to backtrack and take the brackets off.

Tech Medic -

Step 40

Remove the fan from the iMac.

For reassembly, this picture, showing the hard drive brackets back in place, is misleading. Leave them off still.

IF, at this stage, you reinstall the hard drive brackets, when you get to the time to reinstall the power supply, you will have to backtrack and take the brackets off.

Tech Medic -

Step 41

Lift the hard drive from the edge nearest the logic board and pull it slightly out of its recess.
The hard drive is attached by a single SATA power/data cable—do not attempt to fully remove it from the iMac yet.

The newer drives have rubber ends and an adhesive side, be careful removing them if replacing the drive and be sure they are securely pushed back into the holder

Carl Schultz -

Step 42

Use a spudger to disconnect the single SATA power and data combo cable by gently prying its large plastic connector away from the hard drive.

When reconnecting the SATA cable, there is nothing to make the connector hold still, and it is hard to reach, so it took several tries. I ended up taking off the rubber baby buggy bumpers to get more room, and then jamming them back on after getting the SATA connector snugged up.

bstaud - 28/03/18

If by rubber baby buggy bumper, you mean left speaker, then yes, I agree. Reinstall the hard drive before the left speaker.

jerrid_foiles - 31/03/19

Kudo to @jerrid_foiles! I was going crazy trying to attach the SATA cable until I took the two screws out of the left speaker and slid the top end of it aside by about 3/4 inch. Make the whole process SO MUCH easier!!

jiclark - 11/07/19

We solved this by removing the hard drive tray screw, then inserting the cable into the SATA hard drive. Then hold the hard drive a bit out of the way to insert the 7.3mm hard drive tray screw.

Marjie - 25/07/19

Agree with this method, found it an impossible task to reconnect the SATA connector until removed the tray screw, then it was relatively easy to reconnect and then replace the tray screw.

daveedwards - 20/09/19

Also agree with this method!

jmorphett5 - 30/04/20

Step 43

Remove the hard drive assembly from the iMac.

When reassembling, I found it easier to loosen the HD tray screw from Step 48 and pull the tray outwards from the left side in order to plug the SATA cable in more easily.

Cool_Breeze - 10/05/17

Thanks! I, too, had a hard time reconnecting the SATA cable.

boboswell - 16/06/17

I found this helpful too!

Anwar - 07/02/21

And DON’T do what I did, which is to remove the left speaker - which can easily lead to breaking the cable between the power on button and the power supply. The cable is routed through a hidden slot at the very bottom of the left speaker

bsmith1 - 15/12/17

I did loosen the speaker so I could get a tool behind the SATA cable to push it on to the SSD drive. Otherwise hard to align cable.

Noah Ralston - 19/07/18

I found the easiest way to connect the SATA cable was to not screw the plastic hard drive tray down until you plug the drive in. That way you can easily push the connector in and due to the cable you’ve got some wiggle room. You can position the tray then just lift one end of the drive up and secure the screw. Then just push the drive down.

Chris Caldwell - 21/03/19

This was the step that I had the most trouble with. I’m used to replacing a hard drive in a MacBook Pro, where the “plug” that you plug the drive into is a rigid thing that you can firmly press the hard drive into.

With the iMac, the plug is situated on the end of a non-rigid cord, so the plug moves back when you try to snap a drive into it. Also, those two rubber gasket things that you adhere to the side of the drive really make it difficult to maneuver the now-overly-chubby drive towards the plug.

After must frustration/concern, what I ended up doing was temporarily removing the rubber gasket things, using the “spudger” as kind of a lever behind the “plug on a cord” so that it didn’t move as much, and then pushed the gasket-less SSD into the plug.

Once I got it connected, I put the rubber gaskets back on the sides of the SSD and kind of coaxed it down into place, using the pointy end of the spudger to get the chubby corner pieces to “sit” correctly in the rigid plastic tray that the SSD kind of rests in.

Jack OnFlickr - 29/05/19

From another comment elsewhere on this repair, I *highly* recommend removing the two screws holding the left speaker in place, then sliding it just a tad out of the way to be able to easily attach the SATA cable. You don’t have to move it much to make the whole process so much easier!

jiclark - 11/07/19

Step 44

Remove the 7.3 mm T8 Torx screw securing the hard drive tray to the rear enclosure.

it`s a t10 screw..! ;)

happymac venezuela - 31/03/19

I found it easier to connect SATA cable before fixing tray.

Mārtiņš Jansons - 29/11/20

Step 45

Remove the hard drive tray.

I am following these procedures for the following: iMac Retina 4K - 21.5" - 3GHz Quad Core - Radeon Pro 555 2GB - 4GB/4GB (8GB total - 2 slots) 2400MHz DDR4 SO-DIMM - Mid 2017 - Model: MNDY2LL/A - iMac18,2 - A1418 - 3069. In my case, the SATA cable is clipped into the bottom of the hard drive tray. Pull the hard drive tray up slightly and angle to reveal clips. SATA cable pops out from the side of each clip.

iannai29 -

Better yet, after reading Step 49 - no need to remove SATA cable from the bottom of the hard drive tray.

iannai29 -

Step 46

Gently pull the right speaker cable connector straight down and out of its socket on the logic board.

Please, please, please…Please! Make sure you fix this cable somewhere where you can get to it when you put the mother board back in. it is a pain to screw it down and realize that it’s under the motherboard. Learn from my pain.

LeBarron Durant - 04/05/21

I did not learn from your pain @lebarron durant, but I’m going to read every single comment next time!!

carsonmkulp -

Step 47

Gently pull the left speaker cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.

I had to pinch the 2 sides of the left speaker cable while pulling down. I didn’t have to do this with the right speaker it came out with no problem. The left was a little tougher, but you have more clearance and can use your fingers on the left speaker cable.

LeBarron Durant - 01/05/21

Step 48

De-route the left speaker cable by pulling it straight up out of the retaining clip in the back of the rear enclosure.

Step 49

Similarly to the previous step, de-route the SATA and power cables by pulling the braid straight up out of the retaining clip.

Step 50

Peel up the piece of tape connecting the left speaker connector to the SATA power and data cables.

Step 51

Flip up the metal retaining bracket on the FaceTime camera cable connector.
Pull the FaceTime camera cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.
This is a delicate connector that can be easily damaged.

Step 52

Remove the two 4.0 mm T5 Torx screws securing the four antenna connectors to the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

Step 53

Disconnect all four antenna connectors by prying them straight up from their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

Step 54

Use the flat edge of a spudger to pry the headphone jack cable connector from its socket on the logic board.
This connector is located on the bottom right edge of the logic board, near the right speaker.
Push the cable up and out of the way of the logic board.

Step 55

Peel off the tape covering the exhaust duct.

Step 56

Remove the following T8 Torx screws securing the exhaust duct to the rear enclosure:
Two 6.2 mm screws
Two 4.7 mm screws

At least in the 2017 iMac both of the red screws are missing – removing the orange ones was enough.

Jonathan Rudow - 28/10/17

UGH! you have to have a torx screw driver long enough to hit the screw on the bottom right corner where it goes through the motherboard. Just good luck that I had a coworker that had one!!!

Sam Fung - 18/09/19

Step 57

Flip the latch on the microphone ZIF connector and pull the cable out of its socket on the logic board.
The microphone cable is delicate, so be careful not to damage it in later steps. If necessary, gently tape it down to the front of the iMac's enclosure to keep it out of harm's way.

My microphone stopped working after I put everything back together very very carefully. I am unsure whether or not I inserted the cable back incorrectly or damaged the cable. I did not find out the mic stopped working until I put everything back together and installed the operating system, so BE EXTRA CAREFUL with the cable! Hope this helps someone!!!

Sam Fung - 11/10/19

Step 58

Remove the four 7.3 mm T8 Torx screws securing the logic board to the rear enclosure.

On the iMac I’m upgrading right now, the bottom left screw in this picture had a black adhesive sticker over the screw. It was round and the size of the screw head, but it blocked you from getting a driver into it. I had to peel it off.

John M - 08/02/19

Step 59

Tilt the top of the logic board away from the rear enclosure.

As the motherboard is left on the first picture, shouldn't it be at the second place ?

Emmanuel - 09/06/17

Step 60

When removing and installing the logic board, take care not to damage the delicate microphone ribbon cable at the bottom left.
Lift the logic board straight up and out of the iMac.
Be careful not to snag the board on any of the rear enclosure's screw posts.

At step 60, when reinstalling the logic board, check to make sure the I/O ports are flush with the back of the case. It’s easy to end up with a small gap, and if you do, you won’t be able to fully insert USB-C connectors.

roberttrevellyan - 19/09/17

I’d like to second this. Screw in the four logic board screws very loosley. Then make sure all the cables are where they should be. Then push the bottom of the board back until you feel it snap into place. Then tighten the four screws. At this point, before going any further, test out all the ports with some plugs to make sure everything goes in nice and easy.

John M - 27/04/20

Especially the USB-C's, these are the most delicate ones...

Froggy Manny -

Step 61

Handling the board by the edges, flip the logic board over to access the two RAM modules.

What is the left bottom m.2 terminal?

Daewon - 23/08/17

Step 62

Two clips secure the RAM module in place, one on each side. Using your fingers, spread the clips away from the RAM module.
When released, the RAM module will pop up at a slight angle.

Step 63

Lift the RAM module to an angle of about 30 degrees and slide it out.
When handling the RAM module, touch only the outside edges. Take care not to touch the gold-colored contact points along the bottom edge.
To install a new RAM module, slide it in place at about the same angle until it is snug, and then swing it downward until the two clips snap into place.

Step 64

The original RAM module closer to the logic board has a thermal pad adhered to its top side (facing away from the logic board, between the two DIMMs).
Peel off and transfer the thermal pad from the original RAM stick to your replacement RAM before you install it in the lower slot.

Wird das Display beim späteren Zusammenbau nicht frisch verklebt? Beispielsweise mit Klebestreifen?

f.ferlemann - 05/07/19

Conclusion

To reassemble your iMac, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

Evan Noronha

Member since: 06/02/15

220127 Reputation

76 comments

An excellent guide - many thanks. The logic board was tricksy to get out - the card reader was jamming on the casing, but it came out with care. It's easy to trap the microphone cable and the power button cables when re-assembling, so they're worth looking out for. Successfully replaced the RAM and installed an SSD at the same time - many thanks.

Dave Hallett - 10/08/17

Can a SSD or fusion drive be put in the place where the normal hard drive was?

Cory Vinyard - 15/08/17

An ssd can yes - that's what I did at the same time as upgrading the ram. As long as it's a 2.5" ssd it should be fine. The Samsung ssd I used was a but thinner than the hard drive that came out but that doesn't affect anything really. You'll need to either have a bootable clone of your drive, or install Sierra from a USB stick you've already prepared (which is what I did).

Dave Hallett - 19/08/17

A Fusion drive is the terminology used by Apple when the use a board soldered 120ish Gb storage and a standard 1Tb 2.5 inch drive, and bind them together, if you throw in a 1Tb SSD in place of the existing standard hard drive you end up with 2 drives when you begin installation, you can find the instructions to merge the onboard and the new SSD back together again, and boy does it transform these machines, absolute pig with a factory fusion setup.

Grant Taylor - 15/02/18

I also upgraded my hard-drive to a 512 GB Samsung SSD successfully along with installing the 32 GB of RAM. The guide was great, but I have a two comments.

1) The screws that hold the antenna connectors (Step 52) are were very tightly screwed into the board, and it is easy to strip the head of the screw. I stripped one of the screws… Luckily, it was easy to just pull up on the bluetooth/AirPort card and slide it out from its slot on the main board. Thus, an option to removing all the antenna wires, is to just pull the bluetooth/Airport card out. It was quite easy to slip back into the correct spot when reassembling as well.

2) It was only after I completed the repair that I realized that the top of the nice screwdriver provided in the repair kit contained more hidden bits!

Brad Doble - 07/12/17

To reassemble, do you need to buy new adhesive or can you reuse what’s there?

Abish Thomas - 29/12/17

You have to buy replacement tape. It is a double sided foam tape that won’t hold again. Many times it rips apart a bit during disassembly.

Geoffrey Ricks - 30/12/17

Guys I can’t find the replacement tape anywhere online, what am I missing, I don’t want a whole repair kit, just the tape. Thanks.

Paul Elliott - 03/03/18

Take a look under Parts at the top of this page.

roberttrevellyan - 04/03/18

Just select part only, instead of the kit option [linked product missing or disabled: IF173-005-2]

Sam Goldheart - 07/03/18

Hi there! Is there a possibility to add a second hard drive in this iMac? Thank you.

FanMac - 29/04/18

There’s one SATA port, but no other options to connect a second hard drive as far as I can tell. You can connect an external hard drive, but I think that’s about it.

Adam O'Camb - 30/04/18

I’ve done a lot of testing with this. Get yourself a USB SSD that is USB3.1 second generation. You’ll know it’s correct because it’ll have the USB C connector ON the external casing itself. Or get a USBC 3.1 second generation SATA Dock. you can put ssd’s in that. when you connect a USBC to the thunderbolt 3 connection on the back of the iMac, you’ll get transfer speeds just as fast or close to that of SATA internal anyway.

This is the parts list i used to get 450-500mb read/write via external:

http://a.co/gTIoPc3 <— ssd external

http://a.co/8KkCiZv <— 6" inch USBC cable.

http://a.co/7lr5lgw <— sticky velcro to keep the external SSD attached to the back of the imac, keeping it discreet and hidden.

Longer USBC cables may (or may not. There’s no need for a long cable in this case anyway) degrade potential transfer speed. I’ve heard people use both arguments. Longer cables will and will not slow things down. Keep it short. It’s cleaner and easier to hide anyway!

Benjamin - 07/05/18

http://a.co/aXk2Ttp <— optional alternative to a external SSD hdd. This will house an ‘internal’ hard drive.

Benjamin - 07/05/18

The intel CPU reports it’s capable of 64gb of ram. Are we limited to 32gb because of only 2 ram slots? has anyone tried two 32gb chips?

Benjamin - 07/05/18

The warranty sticker for the RAM in the kit provided by iFixit challenged my ability to put the thermal padding in the right place, because it went over the sticker. I was worried that the padding would hurt the sticker and invalidate the warranty.

I took a picture of the RAM installed before putting the padding on for reference.

Robert Avelis - 21/05/18

On behalf of everyone at iFixit, please feel free to rip those warranty stickers right off—they’re stupid and carry no legal weight whatsoever. Your warranty is good with us, sticker or not. In the meantime, we’re working with our suppliers to get those warranty stickers out of circulation for good.

Jeff Suovanen - 25/05/18

Hi. After i followed your step. Done perfectly

but my thunderbold 3 did not work

any recommendation ?

best regard

Tony Vu - 31/05/18

Check to make sure the I/O ports are flush with the back of the case. It’s easy to end up with a small gap, and if you do, you won’t be able to fully insert USB-C connectors, and the Thunderbolt ports won’t work.

roberttrevellyan - 01/06/18

Thank you so much guys! The tutorial is amazing. I`m from Brazil (sorry for the bad english) and the Apple computers are so EXPENSIVE here! Because this I just can bought the iMac 4K entry, of 3.0GHz CPU. But for my work, the Mac had some problems and keep very slow sometimes. I looked for the Support of here, and then said the maximum upgradable RAM was just 16GB RAM… Thanx iFixit for sharing this amazing content.

Now I just have two doubts:

- They you shipped to Brazil?

- How I will close the iMac? hahah, doesn`t have this tutorial? Or it`s easy?

ewerton.rodriguess - 22/06/18

Hi ewerton.rodriguess! Brazil is included in our international shipping list. Once you reach the end of the guide the steps are mostly reversible, so you follow the guide backward. Then once the display is ready to be replaced, follow the note about reapplying adhesive: “After the adhesive is cut, it cannot be used to re-seal the display in place. Follow this guide to replace the adhesive strips that secure the display to the rear enclosure.”

Sam Goldheart - 25/06/18

I just bought this model and am considering doing it myself or having someone else a dealer do it for 240. Can anyone speak about the difficult if pulling cables out, for the most part I’m worried the most about pulling to hard and damaging a cable.

ej P - 03/07/18

If I remember correctly, I had the most difficulty with the power supply connectors. They require more force than most of the others. The most important thing is to pay close attention to which direction each connector must be pulled to disconnect it. Study the pictures closely and make sure you have the right tool for each step. Having an extra spudger is very handy.

Have you ever done anything like this before? Experience helps a lot because you learn to recognize the different types of connector. This informs not only the direction the cable should be pulled, but which part is the cable and which part is the socket.

If you’re not confident, it might be worth paying for the labor to have someone with experience do the job. If you ruin the logic board, it will cost a lot more than $240 to repair or replace.

roberttrevellyan - 04/07/18

To stick the screen back on, I have used ordinary double sided sellotape on three occasions now without any problems

mar - 14/09/18

Hi,

Can i use 8GB Memory which originally came with the machine and also 16GB crucial Memory together. Will the machine work fine or there will be issues in the performance or some other issues like, restarting or shutting down automatically.

Chetan Jain - 11/10/18

Actually it can be. (I suggest you using the same capacity is better. Because the problem is unknown) But remembe that, the pin and process freq. need to be the same.

阿威Wei - 11/10/18

Does anyone have a suggestion for a fast 1TB internal SSD I could do at the same time I’m adding RAM? The hard drive upgrade kit on ifixit seems generic with no separate link to order the drive (at least that I could fine).

jctracey - 22/10/18

Lately I’ve been installing Crucial MX500 SSDs and so far, so good.

roberttrevellyan - 22/10/18

would this void a warranty of apple care guys???

eminemshowy - 01/12/18

Hi, i tried to replace the RAM and install an ssd. After the repair it does not boot. The fan starts, i see led’s 1&2 turn green, but that’s it. No sound from booting and a black screen.

I also tried to start from a external bootable hard drive using the option button, but same result.

Any thoughts?

gr Alex

alexander van Wijngaarden - 07/03/19

I found it. It put the old RAM and hard disk back. Everything was working fine again. Then replaced the hard disk again for the ssd. Still working fine. Then i replaced the old RAM for the new ones and then i had the same problem. Turned out to be a set of defect RAM memory cards.

alexander van Wijngaarden - 07/03/19

Used this to add RAM and a Samsung SSD into my iMac, using all the tools from iFixit I had absolutely no issues at all. Wonderful and detailed guide on how to really give your iMac a kick. Very impressed by the quality of the tools, the RAM and the wedge to keep it from moving. Was able to start the teardown and then turn the machine back on in a little over an hour, most time consuming part was removing the old tape from the case and backside of the glass to then replace. Extremely satisfied with everything

Christopher Routh - 20/04/19

Absolutely brilliant guide, as usual. Thank you for your hard work, Evan.

But seriously, folks, am I the only one that thinks this is the absolute stupidest design ever? Sixty-four steps and a nearly complete disassembly to add one stick of RAM…and another 60+ steps to put it all back together again, not to mention having to buy additional parts like the thermal pad and foam mounting tape? Really, Apple? What drug-addled sadist dreamed up this nightmare?

Oh, wait a minute. I almost forgot Apple’s primary obligation is to its stockholders, not its legions of loyal addicts, er, users. This is a prime example of taking something so basic and simple a monkey could do it, blindfolded and in its sleep, and complicating it beyond recognition to generate more revenue for the almighty fruit. Jobs is obviously still controlling the form-over-function mantra from beyond the grave with this latest descent into the depths of absurdity. Great job, design team!

NTCG - 04/07/19

You don’t need to remove the power supply, harddrive or logic board to do a RAM upgrade on these machines.

Skip steps 24-37.

You just need to remove the fan. With the fan removed, you can access the RAM and its release tabs sufficiently to remove the RAM and install new RAM.

Also skip steps 41-61

The steps 62-64 are useful above to show you exactly whats going on on the logic board, but you really do NOT need to remove the whole board.

It is a little tricker with the limited space, but you are far less likely to damage other parts of the machine if they are not removed.

I suggest putting the iMac vertically on its side (ideally with someone else holding it), so that when inserting the RAM, it stays in the slot as you clip it back into the socket.

This goes from a 2.5hr repair to less than an hour.

Charlie Nancarrow - 28/07/19

That is correct!!

Just did it that way, took me about 1h to change RAM and HDD.

Thank you for the hint!

Der Sam - 01/04/20

I can confirm that this method works great. Thanks for the tip! I am now using CMSX32GX4M2A2666C18 and MZ-76E1T0B/EU and wow what a diffrence! Like a new machine! Don’t forget to make a bootable stick with Memtest86 to check that the RAM is ok.

Jonas - 25/07/20

Just as I read in these comments from Charlie and a couple others you can indeed change the RAM out with only the screen and then the fan removed, the fan has three T8 and a small connector as in the guide.

with the iMac on a pillow, a head torch and a spudger, out came the old ram, swopped the thermal pad and in went my new crucial RAM.

it’s terribly fiddly but even my old hands managed it.

This on a iMac 18,2 mid 2017 4K 21.5, really pleased saved all the connections being removed. Go slow and rotate the iMac to help and it’s just a case of nudging the RAM into place and lowering back to the clips.

david.waters8 - 16/02/21

Wish I had read this before reassembly Muffled Microphone - iMac 21.5" (mid 2017) - Following Adhesive Strips

Andrew Bowerman - 26/08/19

Andrew, we just realized we forgot to update this guide with the latest display adhesive installation guide that accounts for that issue! iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display (2017) Adhesive Strips Replacement I’m so sorry.

Taylor Dixon - 26/08/19

How much RAM works on this iMac? I heard something, that only 2x 8GB (16GB in total) would be possible? Or is 2x 16GB also an Option?

daniel.wernitz - 17/10/19

You can install 2x 16GB for a total of 32GB.

roberttrevellyan - 17/10/19

Bonjour

J’étais presque contente en tombant sur votre tuto, sauf que je me suis apercue que moi ce n’est pas un Intel, mais un iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017). En fait, normalement, je ne peux pas l’upgrader. Mais pensez vous que je puisse quand même le faire en suivant ce tuto ?

Loris Perrault - 27/10/19

Excellent guide, but missing the “extra steps” - like when you drop the top right exhaust vent screw into the void, and have to remove everything including the speakers to find it… LOL

I completed this under less than ideal working conditions, but still managed to get it all back together in 2.5 hrs for a first try. Not sure I’d been willing to attempt it without reading this guide, though!

Allen Jackson - 12/11/19

Je pense qu’il est préférable de configurer son i Mac à l’achat

On comprend mieux le prix de ces machines

votre guide est néanmoins de grande utilité

Gerard Derai - 07/01/20

Merci pour ce tutoriel qui ma permis de booster mon Imac avec 32 go de RAM.

J’ai pu découvrir que derrière la Roll Roys se cache la misère.

Bien à vous

Philippe Bal-Blanc - 14/01/20

I have a Mac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) 3.0 GHz Intel "Core i5" processor (7400). The Apple website says that with such a processor you can install only 16 Gb of RAM maximum, and for 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz) you can install up to 32 Gb. In the comments they ask about how much you can install as much as possible and they are always answered - 32 Gb. Does this mean that the processor model is not important?

Lezhnev - 30/01/20

Yes, the processor model is not important. The 16GB maximum seems to be an artificial limitation set by Apple for marketing purposes.

roberttrevellyan - 30/01/20

Thanks a lot, roberttrevellyan! Now I can buy 32 Gb RAM with confidence

Lezhnev - 31/01/20

Installed Kingston HyperX Impact [HX424S14IBK2/32] 32Gb. Works great!

Lezhnev - 09/02/20

i have a 2015 4K 21.5 imac, what is the max ram it can be installed ? thanks !

patho.almario - 12/02/20

This guide was great. I added a few comments under specific steps but my few tips are: (1) Use ifixit’s project tray or magnetic mat to hold all of the screws; (2) it’s an opportunity to upgrade the hard drive at the same time so plan out both by reviewing the hard drive upgrade guide as well; (3) have patience; (4) I spread out across my dining room table and pretty much used most of it so have a big surface area for this!

Mikkif - 30/03/20

I have just installed the hard disk and memory following the instructions in the guide, and now that I start the iMac, there is nothing. Blank screen!! I can see the lights on the logic board and the heat sink fan is running but nothing else happens. Thinking there is something wrong with the RAM, reinstalled the original RAM, started up, nothing again. I will now try to put the original hard disk in it, and will see how I go. Any suggestions!

ramir amir - 20/04/20

Excellent guide! I would like to ask if it is possible to leave one 4GB memory module in its place and change the other one to a 8GB module so in total I would have 12GB? Since I will be upgrading my iMac to SSD and I have a spare 8GB RAM module, it would make sense to add that the same time when I take off the screen due to SSD upgrade.

László Vencel Szabó - 07/05/20

Technically it should work. It’s sub-optimal to have mismatched modules, but more memory that doesn’t match is usually better than less memory that is matched. However, since obtaining another 8GB module is relatively inexpensive, while opening up your iMac is somewhat risky, does it really makes sense to go to all that trouble and only replace one module?

roberttrevellyan - 07/05/20

una excelente guía, muy bien ilustrada y explicada

Javier García Ramos - 17/06/20

What an amazingly thorough guide. I felt confident as a complete novice who has prior never worked on computers. Thank you so much!

Peyton Baldwin - 04/07/20

So I was replacing RAM and hard drive and cracked my display. It still worked when reassembled but the crack in the display bothered me and I went to replace it today. Everything went great until I went to test the display…nothing. My old display doesn’t work now either. (One quick note - I took a “B1” out and my new part was an “A1”)

Anyway, the first three LED’s on my logic board are fully lit, 4th is on but very dim, 5th not on at all. Any advice what to check next? Ribbon cable maybe?

Steven Phillips - 06/07/20

Thanks for the guide. Upgraded a new-to-me iMac to 32GB of memory. While it’s a straight forward procedure, the number of steps adds to the overall potential points to have something go wrong. Install went without a hitch.

Neil - 25/08/20

Super! muy practico y claro !!

Muchas gracias!!

MAURICIO - 14/09/20

Bonjour,

se tutoriel est t’il le même pour un iMac 21,5 4k Retina 2019 ? il semblerais que se soit les même machines.

merci d’avance.

Hello,

is this tutorial the same for a 2019 iMac 21.5 4k Retina? it would seem that they are the same machines.

thank you in advance.

Benjamin - 27/09/20

I have (21.5 inch, mid 2017, 2.3 ghz) base model same as this but not 4k. How much max ram can I install in my iMac??

Narendra Verma - 22/10/20

According to everymac.com, that model supports up to 16GB of RAM.

roberttrevellyan - 23/10/20

Excellent guide thank you, was going very well until I manged to break the microphone ribbon putting the logic board back in, I am struggling to find what fitting the ribbon goes in to. I have a piece of ribbon (with logic board fitting) on one end with and no sign of the other end and fitting.

Any advice would be welcome.

Chris 08/01/21

Chris Greenhill - 08/01/21

Bonjour,

Je trouve que de donner comme information de 1 à 3 heures le temps de la dépose et du remontage complet , est complément incohérent.

un minimum de 3 heures serait pertinent .

OrdiBoutiK

martial wissocq - 15/01/21

Cuando se coloquen los adhesivos para la pantalla, hay que tener cuidado de no obstruir los orificios del micrófono que se encuentran en el borde inferior a lado del tornillo central, de lo contrario no funcionará.

Alejandro Castañeda Echevarría - 08/03/21

I have one: Apple iMac 2017 Screen 21.5 "intel Core i5 dual core 2.3 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz) 8GB 1 TB Intel Iris Plus, has 02 memory slots, each with 4GB each. memory is: 8 GB 2133 MHz DDR4 integrated memory model: - Part number: MMQA2 (NOT RETINA) It is 2017. This model here: https: //support.apple.com/kb/SP758? location ... Can I install a 1 TB SSD with 32 GB of memory? I see that on the Apple website it says that the maximum I can put is a 256 GB SSD and 16 GB of memory. What do you think?

yagokennedy - 11/04/21

I think that on apple website they say you the max amount they sell, but tou shouldn’t have any problem upgrading for more, unless they have some hidden software trickery in place…

Daniele Carminati - 11/04/21

2 hours, this was perfect! Upgraded RAM from 8GB to 32GB, and replaced the Fusion drive with a 1TB SSD. Thank you guys!

stevefschaum - 01/05/21

No menciona que memorias ram son compatibles para la mac

Leonardo Magaña - 04/06/21

They are standard RAM sticks, so i guess more or less any stick will work

Daniele Carminati - 04/06/21

iMac 2017 - 21 inch and 27 inch both have the same RAM right?

Prashant Balasubramaniam -

The upgrades offered here on iFixit for the 2017 21.5” and 27” Retina iMacs both have PC4-19200 modules.

roberttrevellyan -

Hey @evan

Thanks for the awesome guide - worked beautifully. Quick question: I just went from 8 Gb to 32 Gb RAM. Is it normal for the iMac to be a bit slower booting up and running at first when upgrading like this? It’s certainly a little slower than before for the time being..

Adam -

I wasn't aware how complex the internals of my 2017 iMac were. But the hard drive isn't as fast as it once was, so either way I'm finding the ram to order now. The screen scares me the most.

Retrogame Puppy -

Arrivé au bout, mauvais choix de RAM

GRRRRtout à recommencer

Très bon tuto, patience et minutie indispensables

Merci

Myriam & Ronan Mordelet -

Un excellent tuto.

Nous avons suivi à la lettre et tout réussi bien que nous soyons débutantes.

Nous avons mis plus de temps car au remontage une vis est tombée sous la carte mère. Il a fallu recommencer les étapes que nous venions de faire. Soit plutôt 4h avec les essais.

Pour réussir, quelques conseils :

- prendre son temps et ne pas se précipiter,

- tout noter et poser les vis sur un papier avec le numéro de l’étape

Reste maintenant à savoir si le iMac sera réellement plus rapide !

Un immense merci au(x) rédacteur(s)

Bab -