I did this to my iMac and also replaced hard drive with SSD. This video was SPOT ON. I am telling you if you watch this video and buy these tools (very inexpensive) you will be able to do it. I took me about 4 hours because I didn't reconnect the camera correctly when I was putting the screen back on, so I had to remove the screen again. This video was perfect. I kept an iPad with this video and just did it step by step. Just make sure you have all of the tools before you start, have patience and watch the video a couple of times. If you do this to change the memory, make sure you change the hard drive. This computer will run like new after these upgrades. Thanks again.
Hey Kevin glad to hear you had success with the upgrade. I agree the tools are essential, even if you have them they come with a set of tape cheaper than you'd get for buying it separately. If you ever have any questions or concerns please let us know at support@owc.com!
This is one of best install videos I have ever seen. It taught me I don't really need to upgrade the RAM for the iMac someone gave me. Seriously, it was a great video. How hard would it have been to add a door in the back of the iMac to upgrade the RAM.
It would be very easy and too easy for you to work on it yourself. They make much more on repairs than sales. It's the case in all industries, especially the auto industry.
@@CaresforAll I know this comment is a year ago but I’m reading this and relating to it after I just cloned all of my friends laptops and pc’s from hdd to ssd’s for free, then I saw online somewhere that places do that for $149.99??? Obviously businesses need money to run but I just couldn’t charge anyone anything near that 😭
Apple couldn't just slap a memory compartment door on the back like the 27" iMac. The architecture could have easily been made the same. Very good instructional video of the process here however, so cheers and thanks for that//
it's because greedy Apple want you to either throw this garbage out and buy new Apple garbage, or pay them a lot of money for them to upgrade it for you... Apple has always been like this.
Excellent video and thanks for all the details. Was hard to remove the power supply board and logic board but everything went will and I also changed the hdd to ssd. Thanks again for all the detailed info.
Worked great. Went from 8GB to 16GB. Imac much faster (since it was always shuffling memory packets) between 8-11GB of RAM use to avoid this. I am frankly surprised how much nicer it is to not see the spin wheel. You can do this, budget 3 hours and double check all cables when reconnecting. The last two can be tricky without a 2nd set of hands. And shame on Apple for not putting a little door on the back of the imac, since that is where the RAM slots are.
Yup, it worked better than I expected. A cheap solution if everything works fine but it is just slow to Multitask. I have 3 systems in my workspace, don’t use this one much anymore. Still a nice toy tho.
superbly explained and demonstrated... thanks so much for this! AMAZING THAT A SIMPLE TRAP DOOR ON THE BACK WOULD HAVE ELIMATED ALL THIS WORK BUT APPLE WENT FOR ASTHETICS OVER PRACTICALITY.
No, that's not why. It's about $$$. You don't think they want you to work on it yourself do you? They make much more on repairs than sales. It's the case in all industries, especially the auto industry.
Although late to the party for upgrading my memory like many might think the design could have been designed for easier access, maybe an access door. As an IT specialist, I've always been at ; the mercy of Microsoft with very little exposure to Apple products, but always expect such things from Apple. So, thanks OWC for this great video which, as you know was spot on! Bravo....
Excellent thought, Keith. I was wondering this myself. As a non-perfectionist regarding such things, it would be great to be able to find exactly where the ram was located and cut (careful dremel?) an access door to replace the ram without having to open the front to do it. OWC, whatcha think?
Would you recommend reattaching the display cables before attaching the adhesive so as to test that updates were done properly and that nothing was left unattached? Seems like it would be a shame to stick the display back on only to discover that you failed to complete one of the reverse steps.
Yes, test before committing! In the video previous to this one, the one I wanted for upgrading to an SSD, the recommendation is to affix the new tape onto the body but use painter's tape along the lower edge to temporarily fit the screen, connect it and install the new system. Once everything is good to go, one can continue with the refitting of the screen by continuing the removal of the second side of the double-sided tape. This is the video that helped me for the late 2015 model I'm upgrading, but the idea is the same: ua-cam.com/video/BYNFJwhuDm4/v-deo.html
ABSOLUTELY! Cannot recommend this step highly enough. PLEASE ENSURE THIS IS DONE. Absolute fricking b*stard getting it apart again, because a cable has been missed. Shame on OWC for not doing this.
This video made it easy for me to cut a body piece at the back opposite to memory location using engraving tool. It saved me time, money and risk of demaging screen and any of the boards inside.
I replaced my hard drive with one move-out and one move-in. I put my 2013 iMac out on the curb and found a 27" 2019 iMac pro retina in the trash bin at work. Simple upgrade. Thank you, Apple for trying to make this impossible to accomplish.
I just now carefully but successfully swapped out the RAM by releasing the catches in place, shimmying the modules out and then putting the new ones in place. took about 10-15 minutes of trial and error, but a lot faster and safer than disassembling the entire damn thing.
Awesome video , i got the old girl upto 16gb and also chucked in a samsung evo ssd 1tb aswell , made it really fast , many thanks for an easy to follow video
You are welcome Adam! Glad to hear we were able to provide you the RAM with a guide to do the installation, if you ever have any other questions or concerns please let us know at support@owc.com!
This videos are very helpful a special thanks to OCW for sharing I have worked on a couple iMacs that I own when trying to upgrade, I always watch the video on my PC while I’m doing it but mainly just to make sure and focus I get everything right , Apple products are always a challenge, so it needs patience, a little knowledge on what you doing and extra care Also the more you do it , the more knowledge you’ll have and will save you a lot of hassle by doing it on your own
I have a late 21.5 inch iMac (late 2012) (iMac 13,1) 3,1GHZ that has already 2x8GB RAM DDR3 1600mhz. I still can't understand if I can upgrade to 32GB RAM or not. Under "hardware" & "memory" it says that memory is upgradable, yet Im still on the fence of doing this move. Can someone help a guy out?
They couldn't just make the ram easier to get to huh. I mean on the 2008 models the ram was just under the screen with a simple cover. Super annoying. Thanks for the tutorial though guys. ----- Annnnd the ram is soldered on the board....... I hate Apple.
Right!??? That is the stupidest place they could have put the Ram … they had to have done that on purpose … i thought Apple was WOKe !?? No … they want you to throw your imac in a landfill 🤣😂😅
Jezaf Salinas we would be happy to go over the costs of increasing the RAM and/or SSD for your machine. Going forward you can email support@owc.com and our support team would be happy to further assist!
Funny side story here or not so funny. I have two iMacs. The newer one I had a access door and that was a breeze. So the time came to upgrade the other late 2012 today with a SSD and more RAM. I took the glass off and swapped out the hard drive and reinstalled. Yay, then I rotated ole'sparky around to swap the RAM and I must have had this Rodney Dangerfield stare looking at ONLY the fan vent. To my shock and horror I found this video which basically broke the news to me that I have to take the whole thing apart (again) but more. Lessons learned and do pay attention I say. Thanks for the video. I shall be referencing it.
Oh no I am sorry to hear that you had to do the install twice, good thing being you should have received a second adhesive kit with the memory. We're glad to be of assistance Todd, if you ever have any questions or concerns feel free to reach out to us at support@owc.com and I hope you have a great day!
Our pleasure, Sergio! If you would like to see our full selection of installation videos, go to OWC's UA-cam channel: ua-cam.com/channels/yzYx6oW5dXPV-xnJtA4E5w.html
@@poweredbyowc Absolutely unwise of you to not recommend attaching the display with the cables (and other cables) attached...before sticking the display back down. 😡 I followed your instructional video and still forgot a cable. Lucky I saw another tutorial that tested if everything was good BEFORE sticking the display down. Very poor form OWC.
This is better than most such videos but still does not give enough detail on the hardest part for those doing it for the first time: disconnecting and re-connecting all the cables. Apple should be ashamed for making this so difficult, and also for making the RAM so inaccessible and for taping the damn thing together instead of using screws.
Watch the video. I simply have been looking to upgrading the memory on my iMac. It is a piece of cake on any desktop. But taking apart anything and all on the iMac ... that's ridiculous. I appreciate the thorough video a lot (Thank You!!!!!). While giving the video 6 stars, Apple gets a 0 star.
We’re glad you found our video helpful and easy to follow! Many people agree that Apple could have made memory installation on the 21.5" iMac simpler. If you prefer, we offer an installation service as well. Just reach out to our support team, and they will be happy to provide you with an estimate. eshop.macsales.com/Service/
In theory you can replace both at the same time. However, just for ease of identifying problem areas (if the machine decides not to boot after install) it's easier to do them individually, so you're not scrambling to find the problem.
@@poweredbyowc Really???? It would seriously SUCK to have to take it all apart and put it back together TWICE just to upgrade both HDD and RAM! Plus, you're TWICE as likely to mess up those tiny cables/connectors by having to pull them apart and put them together TWO times! APPLE, if you're paying attention, it really sucks that you make it SO DIFFICULT to do simple upgrades! WHO Buys a computer and leaves everything as it was when you first bought it???
Thank you for this video. I successfully upgraded my RAM from 8 to 16 G. The only issue I have is this one: My iMac screen stays black. I had to hook another display to my iMac late 2013, 21,5", to be able to monitor the system startup. I suspect it could be due to a bad connection of one the four connectors at the top of the screen. Does this make sense?
Hey Stanley, It seems like the black screen issue could be related to a poor connection. We suggest removing the display and ensuring that the connector is securely seated. It's a common oversight, so we recommend testing the display before laying it in place permanently. Once you confirm that it works properly, you can secure it in position.
Edit: Fixed the problem and now it works great! After putting everything together the screen is very very dark, I can still see but only if I flash a light on the screen. When the iMac boots up it still chimes and everything works it is just very very dark. great upgrade but I took a downgrade today lol.
Hi Wish! I’m sorry to hear that the screen on your iMac is dark after the disassembly. Please check your connections; one of the screen connections may not be fully inserted. A local Apple Certified Technician may be able to help.
@@poweredbyowc Hello, I was able to fix it. One of the pins for the display got bent (I have no clue on how I managed to cause that lol). I used a very tiny tweezer to slowly bend it back into place, and now it works great! Your video was perfect and very helpful. I Installed an ssd and extra 8gb of ram (12gb total). Thank you!
I've upgraded the memory in several of these (2012-2014 models), and removing the components and logic board is NOT necessary. You just need to remove the fan and disconnect the cables right over where the memory slots are. You can then stand the imac up on its side and carefully remove the existing memory, then insert the new memory. It's a bit fiddly, and takes patience because you can only get one finger on either side of the ram when you're installing it, but it's entirely doable. It's much faster & easier than fully disassembling the system to get to the back of the logic board.
Good morning Billy! You would be able to install an NVMe to the iMac but it would be in the PCIe slot underneath the Logic Board. You would only have these connections if your computer originally came with a Fusion Drive.
Think your Mac is slow now? Wait until you brick it going through all these potential "game over" maneuvers....But got to say it's a great detailed video!
@@poweredbyowc Thank you, but I was thinking in the RAM replacement? Are they in the same spot as this video (this iMac model)? What are the DDR3 suitable for iMac 21,5 16.2 model late 2015? thanks in advance
Your videos are very well done. My problem is, I'm finding myself watching the videos SOLELY to listen to the background music. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Is the soundtrack available? The ComputerJEDI
I want to attempt this but I don't know if my iMac can do this as I have heard some have soldered ram. I have a 2014 mid 21.5 inch iMac with the intel i5 can I do this? also an incredible video! very good and easy to follow! thanks!
Hi AppleTopic! Unfortunately, in the M2014 21.5" iMac the memory is soldered to the logic board. eshop.macsales.com/blog/25084-teardown-of-lower-cost-2014-imac-reveals-memory-not-user-upgradable/
We are so sorry Israel but that iMac model number was used for 8 years and 2 of which are 2013. You can either use Mactracker.com and enter the serial number to you iMac and it will tell what the max ram is or you can in to our customer service line and provide your serial number and we would be more than happy to let you know.
Thanks for the detailed video. I’m just curious though do these steps have to be followed? It looks like you can just take the part where the RAM is and do it that way? I’m just asking because I’m more used to pc repairs and don’t want to ruin anything.
By removing the fan it is possible to access the RAM, however while I found it hard to replace it that way and so opted for the "traditional" method. It might work for others though.
Thank you for the information in this video. I would like to ask a question. Can I replace the motherboard on my imac mid 2014 with another one that can expand the memory? If possible, what is the best model to look for?
You're more than welcome we are happy to be able to provide this install video. Regrettably at this time we do not support nor carry any upgrades for the logic board/mother board in the iMac models, we do apologize.
Great video. However, I followed step by step but when I pushed the power button, the screen is black. The green light shows up on the logic board but the screen is black and there’s no power up sound.
Hey, The compatibility of the memory upgrade depends on the specific model of your iMac. If you reach out to us and provide us with the serial number or model identifier, we can assist you in selecting the appropriate memory upgrade for your late 2012 iMac. eshop.macsales.com/Service/
I've read several articles that say the Mid 2014 21.5 inch memory is not upgradable. Plus I don't find an OWC module (or any other brand) that specifies it can be installed in a mid 2014 model. I don't know why this one model is different but apparently is. If this is not true, please point me to the correct memory modules. I want to upgrade from 8 to 32 GB.
Hello Skeeten, We would be happy to assist with looking into a possible RAM upgrade for your Mid-2014 iMac. For further assistance we can be contacted directly at [support@macsales.com](support@macsales.com)
One thing to mention and that will make your life 1000 times easier. Remove the bottom horizontal bar right after removing the screen, it will allow you to get the PSU and motherboard out with less issues. I broke my motherboard by not doing so I hope you don’t make the same mistake as me
The best thing would be to find your Model Identifier and then check our site. Here is a link that may provide more help (eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/Mac_Model_Identifier)
If the iMac you’re upgrading requires the screen to be removed during the memory upgrade process, I would suggest installing the maximum you can afford, that would also benefit your usage needs. The screen removal of the iMac is considered more of an Advanced install, and not something you would want to do over and over again, if it could be avoided. So, if your machine can utilize 32gb, I would select that upgrade over the 16gb.
my iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013) fall of my table but did not broke any piece or had no crack on lcd but the screen is now black, I restarted it and tried increasing the brightness but it won't fix.. When I press the turn on button I can still hear the start up sound of mac and when pressing "esc" on keyboard I still can hear the beep sound of it. What to do? help please I beg you!
Hey there, I apologize for the difficulties you're experiencing. If you still hear the startup chime, you can attempt an SMC Reset or a PRAM reset to see if they resolve the issue. If these steps don't work, it's possible that the display data cable has become disconnected, requiring you to open the iMac. Before taking this step, I recommend contacting Apple for further advice or any additional tips that may assist you.
Yes you can! Here is a link that you can use to see the different upgrade options available (eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/owc/apple-mac-pro/2010-2012)
Great video on how to do this, but it is tragic that Apple has made it so hard to access the ram on these machines. It should not be necessary, having to disassemble the whole iMac, just to upgrade the ram.
A bit over kill and the screen remover that would come with the kit should be more than enough, However we appreciate the enthusiasm! If you ever have any other questions or concerns please let us know at support@owc.com!
hi. i cant change my hard but i installed catalina on external ssd hard> my mac model 2013 and i installed catalina (just i didnot format ssdhard with format to APRS container).but the system freezes in the middle of working for no particular reason .how can i fix it?
We are sorry to hear you are having this issue. We would recommend reaching out to our Tech Support team for further assistance, below is the link. eshop.macsales.com/Service/support/technical-support-form
Hey 케이크스, You would have to pull it off once you have removed the screen. If you can not just pull it off you can use small amounts of rubbing alcohol and rub it off completely. Now if you use this method please allow to iMac to COMPLETELY drive before applying the new adhesive. If you do not it can cause the adhesive to fail and damage the iMac if the screen falls off.
I’m about to get a 21.5in mid-2014 later today and I’ll be replacing the screen and HDD. As far as I know the RAM is integrated into the board. So, yes, it is most likely soldered on, but I can’t say for 100% without seeing it for myself.
Congrats on that iMac! After looking it appears the most this machine can handle is 16GB of RAM. Here is a link for more info: eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac/2012_21.5/DDR3L
OWC Thank you for replying. After setting up the iMac and using for a few days, it started to continuously reboot. I think there may be something wrong with the hard drive. I would like to replace it with a 1TB SSD. Which 1TB SSD do you think would be appropriate for this iMac? Thanks.
We would be more than happy to provide you with an SSD. We would need you to call in speak to one of our representative and they will be able to navigate you to the correct SSD upgrade. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions, comments, or concerns. Phone 1-800-275-4576 or +1-815-338-8685 Customer Service/Sales & Technical Support - Monday-Friday (8am-8pm CT) - Saturday & Sunday (Closed) Live Chat Technical Support - Monday-Friday (8am-8pm CT) - Saturday (9am-5pm CT) - Sunday (Closed) Live Chat Customer Service/Sales - Monday-Friday (7am-10pm CT) - Saturday & Sunday (9am-5pm CT). Thanks for choosing OWC, and have a great day!
Products as popular as our SSDs should be able to ship from our EU headquarters. Regardless, even from our home base in Chicago, we will ship to the UK. Thanks so much!
Hey we don't blame you it's a little intimidating. Good thing is we offer custom installation order. Please free to contact us directly and we can get a quote set up for you. Phone 1-800-275-4576 or +1-815-338-8685 Customer Service/Sales & Technical Support - Monday-Friday (8am-8pm CT) - Saturday & Sunday (Closed) Live Chat Technical Support - Monday-Friday (8am-8pm CT) - Saturday (9am-5pm CT) - Sunday (Closed) Live Chat Customer Service/Sales - Monday-Friday (7am-10pm CT) - Saturday & Sunday (9am-5pm CT). Thanks for choosing OWC, and have a great Day!
Of course Apple would make it this hard... I should have know. I just bough some more memory, but after seeing how involved the process is I'm pretty nervous to do it. Anyways, excellent informative video.
You've got to be kidding. This is every bit as difficult as fixing an iPhone, for what should be a simple upgrade. . Did Apple think installing a RAM access door was too expensive? Excellent video anyway.
I did this to my iMac and also replaced hard drive with SSD. This video was SPOT ON. I am telling you if you watch this video and buy these tools (very inexpensive) you will be able to do it. I took me about 4 hours because I didn't reconnect the camera correctly when I was putting the screen back on, so I had to remove the screen again. This video was perfect. I kept an iPad with this video and just did it step by step. Just make sure you have all of the tools before you start, have patience and watch the video a couple of times. If you do this to change the memory, make sure you change the hard drive. This computer will run like new after these upgrades. Thanks again.
Hey Kevin glad to hear you had success with the upgrade. I agree the tools are essential, even if you have them they come with a set of tape cheaper than you'd get for buying it separately. If you ever have any questions or concerns please let us know at support@owc.com!
This is one of best install videos I have ever seen. It taught me I don't really need to upgrade the RAM for the iMac someone gave me. Seriously, it was a great video. How hard would it have been to add a door in the back of the iMac to upgrade the RAM.
It would be very easy and too easy for you to work on it yourself. They make much more on repairs than sales. It's the case in all industries, especially the auto industry.
@@CaresforAll I know this comment is a year ago but I’m reading this and relating to it after I just cloned all of my friends laptops and pc’s from hdd to ssd’s for free, then I saw online somewhere that places do that for $149.99??? Obviously businesses need money to run but I just couldn’t charge anyone anything near that 😭
@@kdot9613 I just charge per hour. It really is the best way to do it.
LOL apple sells to schools, easy stuff to steal gets stolen.
Apple couldn't just slap a memory compartment door on the back like the 27" iMac. The architecture could have easily been made the same. Very good instructional video of the process here however, so cheers and thanks for that//
it's because greedy Apple want you to either throw this garbage out and buy new Apple garbage, or pay them a lot of money for them to upgrade it for you... Apple has always been like this.
Excellent video and thanks for all the details. Was hard to remove the power supply board and logic board but everything went will and I also changed the hdd to ssd. Thanks again for all the detailed info.
Just upgrading to the SDD is good enough for these old PC's to perform much better and adding a few extra GB's of RAM isn't going to help very much!
2024 december I will be doing this during my christmas holiday. Thankyou for providing such a detailed video
never seen a video like this before on UA-cam ...very detailed good job guys
Thank you for your feedback Sherin.
Worked great. Went from 8GB to 16GB. Imac much faster (since it was always shuffling memory packets) between 8-11GB of RAM use to avoid this. I am frankly surprised how much nicer it is to not see the spin wheel. You can do this, budget 3 hours and double check all cables when reconnecting. The last two can be tricky without a 2nd set of hands. And shame on Apple for not putting a little door on the back of the imac, since that is where the RAM slots are.
Do you have late 2012 model? What are the rest of your specs? Just wondering if my late 2012 would benefit from going from 8 to 16
Yup, it worked better than I expected. A cheap solution if everything works fine but it is just slow to Multitask. I have 3 systems in my workspace, don’t use this one much anymore. Still a nice toy tho.
brilliant! never upgraded a computer before and just managed to upgrade my Mac for just over £300 including kit rather than a new machine. Thanks
superbly explained and demonstrated... thanks so much for this! AMAZING THAT A SIMPLE TRAP DOOR ON THE BACK WOULD HAVE ELIMATED ALL THIS WORK BUT APPLE WENT FOR ASTHETICS OVER PRACTICALITY.
You're welcome! We always strive to provide the help we can so everyone can enjoy upgrading the Macs.
No, that's not why. It's about $$$. You don't think they want you to work on it yourself do you? They make much more on repairs than sales. It's the case in all industries, especially the auto industry.
LOL apple sells to schools, easy stuff to steal gets stolen.
Incredible video, I did it step by step, I already did the upgrade myself and saved $300 in labor! and my imac is now much faster!
We are happy to hear. Thank you for your feedback!
Although late to the party for upgrading my memory like many might think the design could have been designed for easier access, maybe an access door. As an IT specialist, I've always been at ; the mercy of Microsoft with very little exposure to Apple products, but always expect such things from Apple. So, thanks OWC for this great video which, as you know was spot on! Bravo....
Excellent thought, Keith. I was wondering this myself. As a non-perfectionist regarding such things, it would be great to be able to find exactly where the ram was located and cut (careful dremel?) an access door to replace the ram without having to open the front to do it. OWC, whatcha think?
OWC does not recommend doing anything other than the intended procedure for upgrading your computer
Just did this and got through the whole process.
Just to take your time and be patient.
Thanks for the video.
You welcome. I am happy it helped.
Would you recommend reattaching the display cables before attaching the adhesive so as to test that updates were done properly and that nothing was left unattached? Seems like it would be a shame to stick the display back on only to discover that you failed to complete one of the reverse steps.
Yes, test before committing! In the video previous to this one, the one I wanted for upgrading to an SSD, the recommendation is to affix the new tape onto the body but use painter's tape along the lower edge to temporarily fit the screen, connect it and install the new system. Once everything is good to go, one can continue with the refitting of the screen by continuing the removal of the second side of the double-sided tape.
This is the video that helped me for the late 2015 model I'm upgrading, but the idea is the same:
ua-cam.com/video/BYNFJwhuDm4/v-deo.html
ABSOLUTELY!
Cannot recommend this step highly enough.
PLEASE ENSURE THIS IS DONE.
Absolute fricking b*stard getting it apart again, because a cable has been missed.
Shame on OWC for not doing this.
Fantastic instructions, thank you so much, I couldn’t have done the upgrade without your help🙂
Thank you we are glad that we were able to provide a easy to follow RAM upgrade video for you to follow!
This video made it easy for me to cut a body piece at the back opposite to memory location using engraving tool. It saved me time, money and risk of demaging screen and any of the boards inside.
It's a fairly thick chunk of aluminium. How on earth would you cut through that without sending metal shards all through the computer destroying it?
sure sure
@@Pyroteq ua-cam.com/video/5Z0-B6Hwemg/v-deo.html
I replaced my hard drive with one move-out and one move-in. I put my 2013 iMac out on the curb and found a 27" 2019 iMac pro retina in the trash bin at work. Simple upgrade. Thank you, Apple for trying to make this impossible to accomplish.
Amazing how it changed! It's incredibly fast, as I also changed the old hard drive to an SSD.
I just now carefully but successfully swapped out the RAM by releasing the catches in place, shimmying the modules out and then putting the new ones in place. took about 10-15 minutes of trial and error, but a lot faster and safer than disassembling the entire damn thing.
Can you explain what you just said? How did you do it? Being serious
Awesome video , i got the old girl upto 16gb and also chucked in a samsung evo ssd 1tb aswell , made it really fast , many thanks for an easy to follow video
You are welcome Adam! Glad to hear we were able to provide you the RAM with a guide to do the installation, if you ever have any other questions or concerns please let us know at support@owc.com!
This videos are very helpful a special thanks to OCW for sharing
I have worked on a couple iMacs that I own when trying to upgrade, I always watch the video on my PC while I’m doing it but mainly just to make sure and focus I get everything right ,
Apple products are always a challenge, so it needs patience, a little knowledge on what you doing and extra care
Also the more you do it , the more knowledge you’ll have and will save you a lot of hassle by doing it on your own
Thanks to this top tutorial even I made it. Many thanks for that! Very easy to understand and all steps can be seen in the video. 👍🏻
I have a late 21.5 inch iMac (late 2012) (iMac 13,1) 3,1GHZ that has already 2x8GB RAM DDR3 1600mhz. I still can't understand if I can upgrade to 32GB RAM or not. Under "hardware" & "memory" it says that memory is upgradable, yet Im still on the fence of doing this move. Can someone help a guy out?
While the iMac 13,1 is absolutely upgradable, the max amount of memory that model will hold is 16GB, which you already have installed.
Love this video... helped me immensely ... very detailed and specific!
Excellent video and thanks for all the details & thank you very much It was a great help
They couldn't just make the ram easier to get to huh. I mean on the 2008 models the ram was just under the screen with a simple cover. Super annoying. Thanks for the tutorial though guys. ----- Annnnd the ram is soldered on the board....... I hate Apple.
On these iMacs, it isn't soldered.
@@cgi2173 on the one I had it was.
Right!??? That is the stupidest place they could have put the Ram … they had to have done that on purpose … i thought Apple was WOKe !?? No … they want you to throw your imac in a landfill 🤣😂😅
What year?
Excelent! what is the cost to do this, increase the ram and put a ssd? only the cost without the ram and ssd
Jezaf Salinas we would be happy to go over the costs of increasing the RAM and/or SSD for your machine. Going forward you can email support@owc.com and our support team would be happy to further assist!
@@poweredbyowc Thanks 👌
Funny side story here or not so funny. I have two iMacs. The newer one I had a access door and that was a breeze. So the time came to upgrade the other late 2012 today with a SSD and more RAM. I took the glass off and swapped out the hard drive and reinstalled. Yay, then I rotated ole'sparky around to swap the RAM and I must have had this Rodney Dangerfield stare looking at ONLY the fan vent. To my shock and horror I found this video which basically broke the news to me that I have to take the whole thing apart (again) but more. Lessons learned and do pay attention I say. Thanks for the video. I shall be referencing it.
Oh no I am sorry to hear that you had to do the install twice, good thing being you should have received a second adhesive kit with the memory. We're glad to be of assistance Todd, if you ever have any questions or concerns feel free to reach out to us at support@owc.com and I hope you have a great day!
Very detail and useful, thanks a lot for share it!
Our pleasure, Sergio! If you would like to see our full selection of installation videos, go to OWC's UA-cam channel: ua-cam.com/channels/yzYx6oW5dXPV-xnJtA4E5w.html
@@poweredbyowc Absolutely unwise of you to not recommend attaching the display with the cables (and other cables) attached...before sticking the display back down. 😡
I followed your instructional video and still forgot a cable.
Lucky I saw another tutorial that tested if everything was good BEFORE sticking the display down.
Very poor form OWC.
This is better than most such videos but still does not give enough detail on the hardest part for those doing it for the first time: disconnecting and re-connecting all the cables. Apple should be ashamed for making this so difficult, and also for making the RAM so inaccessible and for taping the damn thing together instead of using screws.
Thank you! It helped me a lot! I just need to place the screen again.
Hi Spino Prime,
We are glad to hear that our Install video helped you do your installation.
Great Step by Step Video 👍🏼
I would suggest to reapply thermal paste while you are there 😊
EXCELLENT how to video.
😁🤗
Great video thanks!
Watch the video. I simply have been looking to upgrading the memory on my iMac.
It is a piece of cake on any desktop. But taking apart anything and all on the iMac ... that's ridiculous.
I appreciate the thorough video a lot (Thank You!!!!!). While giving the video 6 stars, Apple gets a 0 star.
We’re glad you found our video helpful and easy to follow! Many people agree that Apple could have made memory installation on the 21.5" iMac simpler. If you prefer, we offer an installation service as well. Just reach out to our support team, and they will be happy to provide you with an estimate.
eshop.macsales.com/Service/
Thanks for the amazing video.👍🏻
@OWC you should update the title. The Mid-2014 iMac A1418 has soldered RAM so only the late-2013 has upgradable RAM. The title might mislead others.
We will give that feedback to our Video team.
Muito bom esse vídeo, me tirou toda vontade de aumenta a memória do pc
digo o mesmo kkkkkk
How about it, OWC, got a broken one of these you could make a layout or something on where to cut back off to access the ram?
OWC does not recommend doing anything other than the intended procedure for upgrading your computer
Can the hard drive be replaced simultaneously? Or does the computer need to recognize each item individually or something?
In theory you can replace both at the same time. However, just for ease of identifying problem areas (if the machine decides not to boot after install) it's easier to do them individually, so you're not scrambling to find the problem.
@@poweredbyowc Really???? It would seriously SUCK to have to take it all apart and put it back together TWICE just to upgrade both HDD and RAM! Plus, you're TWICE as likely to mess up those tiny cables/connectors by having to pull them apart and put them together TWO times! APPLE, if you're paying attention, it really sucks that you make it SO DIFFICULT to do simple upgrades! WHO Buys a computer and leaves everything as it was when you first bought it???
Thanks OWC!
Thank you for this video. I successfully upgraded my RAM from 8 to 16 G. The only issue I have is this one: My iMac screen stays black. I had to hook another display to my iMac late 2013, 21,5", to be able to monitor the system startup. I suspect it could be due to a bad connection of one the four connectors at the top of the screen. Does this make sense?
Hey Stanley,
It seems like the black screen issue could be related to a poor connection. We suggest removing the display and ensuring that the connector is securely seated. It's a common oversight, so we recommend testing the display before laying it in place permanently. Once you confirm that it works properly, you can secure it in position.
Edit: Fixed the problem and now it works great!
After putting everything together the screen is very very dark, I can still see but only if I flash a light on the screen. When the iMac boots up it still chimes and everything works it is just very very dark. great upgrade but I took a downgrade today lol.
Hi Wish! I’m sorry to hear that the screen on your iMac is dark after the disassembly. Please check your connections; one of the screen connections may not be fully inserted. A local Apple Certified Technician may be able to help.
@@poweredbyowc Hello, I was able to fix it. One of the pins for the display got bent (I have no clue on how I managed to cause that lol). I used a very tiny tweezer to slowly bend it back into place, and now it works great! Your video was perfect and very helpful. I Installed an ssd and extra 8gb of ram (12gb total). Thank you!
Thank you for following up! Glad to hear you were able to fix it and get it up and running and our video helped you! :)
Superb video. Thank you.
Hi Disala! Thank you for the compliment!
Is it possible to add more than 16gb?
Regrettably, 16GB is the Max amount of memory for the 21.5-inch iMacs in the 2012-2015 models
@@poweredbyowc thank you!
👍😉 You're very welcome!
I've upgraded the memory in several of these (2012-2014 models), and removing the components and logic board is NOT necessary. You just need to remove the fan and disconnect the cables right over where the memory slots are. You can then stand the imac up on its side and carefully remove the existing memory, then insert the new memory. It's a bit fiddly, and takes patience because you can only get one finger on either side of the ram when you're installing it, but it's entirely doable. It's much faster & easier than fully disassembling the system to get to the back of the logic board.
Buenos dias, se puede utilizar e instalar un disco solido en el M2 que aparece el la tarjeta? Muchas gracias por la respuesta
Good morning Billy! You would be able to install an NVMe to the iMac but it would be in the PCIe slot underneath the Logic Board. You would only have these connections if your computer originally came with a Fusion Drive.
Think your Mac is slow now? Wait until you brick it going through all these potential "game over" maneuvers....But got to say it's a great detailed video!
If you are not careful with the installation you have a point but if you are careful and do everything as instructed you will have a revived Mac. 😉😇
bailed at 2'08 ... thanks for confirming!
is this viable for the iMac 25.1 inch late 2015? Nice job
We do have other videos that work with 21.5" 2013-2019 iMac computers. See those videos here eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/imac-21.5-inch/2013-2019
@@poweredbyowc Thank you, but I was thinking in the RAM replacement? Are they in the same spot as this video (this iMac model)? What are the DDR3 suitable for iMac 21,5 16.2 model late 2015? thanks in advance
Hey Andy, unfortunately, the iMac 16,2 doesn't support RAM upgrades, which is why we don't offer any RAM upgrade options or videos for it.
Really good video
After the upgrade is there anything to be done in disk utility, any reformatting or erasing or can I just restart the mac normally after?
Nope. Nothing else is needed. Just seal up the Mac and enjoy the new increased speed! Vroom!!!!!! lol
Excuse me, what is the maxium of GB that this mac support? Is possible to install 2x16gb ddr3 at 1600mhz?
No the max is 16 GB
Your videos are very well done. My problem is, I'm finding myself watching the videos SOLELY to listen to the background music. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Is the soundtrack available?
The ComputerJEDI
Thank you! Unfortunately we do not have the soundtrack available for the music in our videos.
The song is called "working solutions" by Olive Musique
Amazing job . Thank ya so much
You're most welcome! Please reach out to us at anything if you should need any direct assistance. We can be reached at support@owc.com.
I want to attempt this but I don't know if my iMac can do this as I have heard some have soldered ram. I have a 2014 mid 21.5 inch iMac with the intel i5 can I do this? also an incredible video! very good and easy to follow! thanks!
Hi AppleTopic! Unfortunately, in the M2014 21.5" iMac the memory is soldered to the logic board. eshop.macsales.com/blog/25084-teardown-of-lower-cost-2014-imac-reveals-memory-not-user-upgradable/
@@poweredbyowc oh no 😢 well i gues im stuck with 8gb of ram thanks for the reply!
@@poweredbyowc also thanks for the link it was very useful
You're most welcome! If you need any additional assistance we can be contacted at support@owc.com
@@poweredbyowc thanks
Thanks for the Vid 👍🏻 do you know the Max RAM upgrade can i do to an iMac 2013 21.5” A1418? Thank you!
We are so sorry Israel but that iMac model number was used for 8 years and 2 of which are 2013. You can either use Mactracker.com and enter the serial number to you iMac and it will tell what the max ram is or you can in to our customer service line and provide your serial number and we would be more than happy to let you know.
Amazing! Does this process can be applied to iMac 21.5-inch, Late 2015 iMac 16,1
The iMac 16,1 would have built in memory modules. We do not offer memory upgrades for this model, I do apologize.
The shipping is available to Italy?
We ship all over! Italy too! :)
Thank you very much
EXCELENT VIDEO THANKS MASTER
Thanks a lot. Just a question, How and where i find the adhesive tape?
Here is a link to the adhesive tape: eshop.macsales.com/search/?q=adhesive+
@@poweredbyowc thanks
Thanks for the detailed video. I’m just curious though do these steps have to be followed? It looks like you can just take the part where the RAM is and do it that way? I’m just asking because I’m more used to pc repairs and don’t want to ruin anything.
Exactly my thoughts. Have you tried it yourself?
By removing the fan it is possible to access the RAM, however while I found it hard to replace it that way and so opted for the "traditional" method. It might work for others though.
OK. I did this according to directions and now it won't power up. Where should I look for the problem, or how do I troubleshoot?
Thank you for the information in this video. I would like to ask a question. Can I replace the motherboard on my imac mid 2014 with another one that can expand the memory? If possible, what is the best model to look for?
You're more than welcome we are happy to be able to provide this install video.
Regrettably at this time we do not support nor carry any upgrades for the logic board/mother board in the iMac models, we do apologize.
Such a pain in the rear end to make memory upgrades to invasive. Like the compact design but hate the restrictions.
Hi Jedi vs Sith! Agreed; the taped iMacs have made both memory and storage upgrades so complicated!
Does this also apply to the Early 2013 model (21.5" i3 3.3) that was only available for sale to educational institutions?
Great video. However, I followed step by step but when I pushed the power button, the screen is black. The green light shows up on the logic board but the screen is black and there’s no power up sound.
Did you find a fix? Having the same problem
Hi what sort of ram does the late 2012 mac use?
Hey, The compatibility of the memory upgrade depends on the specific model of your iMac. If you reach out to us and provide us with the serial number or model identifier, we can assist you in selecting the appropriate memory upgrade for your late 2012 iMac.
eshop.macsales.com/Service/
I've read several articles that say the Mid 2014 21.5 inch memory is not upgradable. Plus I don't find an OWC module (or any other brand) that specifies it can be installed in a mid 2014 model. I don't know why this one model is different but apparently is. If this is not true, please point me to the correct memory modules. I want to upgrade from 8 to 32 GB.
Hello Skeeten,
We would be happy to assist with looking into a possible RAM upgrade for your Mid-2014 iMac.
For further assistance we can be contacted directly at [support@macsales.com](support@macsales.com)
One thing to mention and that will make your life 1000 times easier. Remove the bottom horizontal bar right after removing the screen, it will allow you to get the PSU and motherboard out with less issues.
I broke my motherboard by not doing so I hope you don’t make the same mistake as me
Hey what type of Ram can I get what works the best? Can I upgrade from 8g as well?
The best thing would be to find your Model Identifier and then check our site. Here is a link that may provide more help (eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/Mac_Model_Identifier)
on the 1311 you just remove a small cover on the bottom. Weird that apple did this.
dont forget to runtest first sir, make sure ram is working well. bye the way, its excellent tutorial
Can anyone recommend a good tape kit please?
I would be happy to assist! So if we are looking for 21.5 inch Adhesive we can find that here eshop.macsales.com/item/Apple/0761419/
2 Grey vertical stripes help!!!
Thank you for the comment. The adhesive placement is extremely important!
Hi I accidentally broke the power button cable are you able to ask your technician how to remove this before replacing it?
Regrettably, does not seem we have a specific guide available for power button cable removal/replacement. Thanks for the message!
@@poweredbyowc it was adhered to the body
solution heat gun for a minute or two to loosen it
resoldere the wires
Hi Fred! Thank you for letting us know how you were able to get the cable situation cleared up for you.
Do you think it's worth it upgrading from 8 to 16gb or should o go full 32gb?
If the iMac you’re upgrading requires the screen to be removed during the memory upgrade process, I would suggest installing the maximum you can afford, that would also benefit your usage needs. The screen removal of the iMac is considered more of an Advanced install, and not something you would want to do over and over again, if it could be avoided. So, if your machine can utilize 32gb, I would select that upgrade over the 16gb.
How do you know if it can support 32 or even 64 gigs of ram? Also where would you suggest getting a new screen?
my iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013) fall of my table but did not broke any piece or had no crack on lcd but the screen is now black, I restarted it and tried increasing the brightness but it won't fix.. When I press the turn on button I can still hear the start up sound of mac and when pressing "esc" on keyboard I still can hear the beep sound of it. What to do? help please I beg you!
Hey there,
I apologize for the difficulties you're experiencing. If you still hear the startup chime, you can attempt an SMC Reset or a PRAM reset to see if they resolve the issue. If these steps don't work, it's possible that the display data cable has become disconnected, requiring you to open the iMac. Before taking this step, I recommend contacting Apple for further advice or any additional tips that may assist you.
can someone tell me where can i buy that kind of tape??
If you're talking about the Display tape then we have it at the following link: eshop.macsales.com/item/Apple/0761419/
Hi @OWC can you upgrade a late 2012 imac i5 21.5 to 32gb?
Yes you can! Here is a link that you can use to see the different upgrade options available (eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/owc/apple-mac-pro/2010-2012)
Great video on how to do this, but it is tragic that Apple has made it so hard to access the ram on these machines. It should not be necessary, having to disassemble the whole iMac, just to upgrade the ram.
no door in the back? *looks at dremel*
hold my beer
A bit over kill and the screen remover that would come with the kit should be more than enough, However we appreciate the enthusiasm! If you ever have any other questions or concerns please let us know at support@owc.com!
Thanks.
hi. i cant change my hard but i installed catalina on external ssd hard> my mac model 2013 and i installed catalina (just i didnot format ssdhard with format to APRS container).but the system freezes in the middle of working for no particular reason .how can i fix it?
We are sorry to hear you are having this issue. We would recommend reaching out to our Tech Support team for further assistance, below is the link.
eshop.macsales.com/Service/support/technical-support-form
until when can i expand my RAM on iMAC late 2015? thank you
Do you mean how much RAM can you put into your iMac late 2015? If that is the case if your iMac is a 27" with Retina 5K it can go up to 64GB of RAM.
How do I get the adhesive off if it doesn't just pull off?
Hey 케이크스,
You would have to pull it off once you have removed the screen. If you can not just pull it off you can use small amounts of rubbing alcohol and rub it off completely. Now if you use this method please allow to iMac to COMPLETELY drive before applying the new adhesive. If you do not it can cause the adhesive to fail and damage the iMac if the screen falls off.
very nice video but Waw what a pain ! what a disposable product... shame, why do they have an easy access on the 27 inches and not these 21...
Great!
how much RAM can i upgrade? is 32gb possible?
So what happen to 2014 imac 14,4?????? No upgrades for this model?
Regrettably, Apple soldered the memory to the logic board on this iMac thus the reason for us not having an installation video for it.
@@poweredbyowc i understand thanks
i mac m1 me bhi sakta hai
Mine is (21.5-inch, mid2014) with 8 Gb 1600 mhz ddr3. Is the memory is welded to the mother board?
I’m about to get a 21.5in mid-2014 later today and I’ll be replacing the screen and HDD. As far as I know the RAM is integrated into the board. So, yes, it is most likely soldered on, but I can’t say for 100% without seeing it for myself.
@@RealHypeFox Thanks! I look forward to seeing your video.
Hi, My son just handed me down his iMac. What is the maximum memory I can upgrade my new to me late 2012, 21.5”, 2.7 GHz, 1TB, model label iMac 13,1.
Congrats on that iMac! After looking it appears the most this machine can handle is 16GB of RAM. Here is a link for more info: eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac/2012_21.5/DDR3L
OWC Thank you for replying. After setting up the iMac and using for a few days, it started to continuously reboot. I think there may be something wrong with the hard drive. I would like to replace it with a 1TB SSD. Which 1TB SSD do you think would be appropriate for this iMac? Thanks.
We would be more than happy to provide you with an SSD. We would need you to call in speak to one of our representative and they will be able to navigate you to the correct SSD upgrade. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions, comments, or concerns.
Phone 1-800-275-4576 or +1-815-338-8685
Customer Service/Sales & Technical Support - Monday-Friday (8am-8pm CT) - Saturday & Sunday (Closed)
Live Chat Technical Support - Monday-Friday (8am-8pm CT) - Saturday (9am-5pm CT) - Sunday (Closed)
Live Chat Customer Service/Sales - Monday-Friday (7am-10pm CT) - Saturday & Sunday (9am-5pm CT).
Thanks for choosing OWC, and have a great day!
@@poweredbyowc Hi, Thank you so much. I’m in the UK, would that present a problem in purchasing? Thanks.
Products as popular as our SSDs should be able to ship from our EU headquarters. Regardless, even from our home base in Chicago, we will ship to the UK. Thanks so much!
Yah not sure if I want to mess with this myself.
Hey we don't blame you it's a little intimidating. Good thing is we offer custom installation order. Please free to contact us directly and we can get a quote set up for you.
Phone 1-800-275-4576 or +1-815-338-8685
Customer Service/Sales & Technical Support - Monday-Friday (8am-8pm CT) - Saturday & Sunday (Closed)
Live Chat Technical Support - Monday-Friday (8am-8pm CT) - Saturday (9am-5pm CT) - Sunday (Closed)
Live Chat Customer Service/Sales - Monday-Friday (7am-10pm CT) - Saturday & Sunday (9am-5pm CT).
Thanks for choosing OWC, and have a great Day!
Hi for iMac late 2015 which memory can update? Gb
Hello Antonio, here is the RAM you can upgrade for the iMac late 2015: eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac/Retina-5K2015/DDR3L
Why o' why Apple? Why couldn't you do the same as the 27" model
show thank you
Of course Apple would make it this hard... I should have know. I just bough some more memory, but after seeing how involved the process is I'm pretty nervous to do it. Anyways, excellent informative video.
You've got to be kidding. This is every bit as difficult as fixing an iPhone, for what should be a simple upgrade. . Did Apple think installing a RAM access door was too expensive? Excellent video anyway.
or cut a king hole and access that way
@@derick3482 the case is aluminum