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iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement

Qué necesitas

  1. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Install the iMac service wedge: paso 1, imagen 1 de 1
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    • With the hinge free to move, the iMac will be unbalanced and hard to work on. Place an iMac service wedge, in the stand to stabilize the iMac.

    • 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.

    Maybe your directions should suggest fixers to buy RAM cards in pairs. I wanted 32 Gig of RAM, and I bought and installed one 32 G RAM and while it seems fine, one source told me it would be 5-10% faster if I had put in two 16 RAM cards. Is that accurate?

    BRUCE CLARKE - Contestar

    it would at least be that much faster, in theory some applications should run twice as fast

    blakebest -

  2. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Insert the opening tool: paso 2, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Insert the opening tool: paso 2, imagen 2 de 2
    • Starting on the left side 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.

  3. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Slice through the display adhesive: paso 3, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Slice through the display adhesive: paso 3, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Slice through the display adhesive: paso 3, imagen 3 de 3
    • Use the tool like a pizza cutter—roll it along the gap, cutting the foam adhesive in between the frame and display.

    • Be sure to always push with the cutting wheel forward. If you pull, the wheel might get pulled out of the handle.

    • Run the tool up along the left side of the display.

  4. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 4, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 4, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 4, imagen 3 de 3
    • Continue running the tool up around the top left corner.

  5. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 5, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 5, imagen 2 de 2
    • Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.

  6. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 6, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 6, imagen 2 de 2
    • Continue along the top of the display.

    • You may want to run the tool back and forth a few times to ensure you completely cut through the adhesive.

  7. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 7, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 7, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 7, imagen 3 de 3
    • Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.

  8. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 8, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 8, imagen 2 de 2
    • Push the tool down along the right side of the display.

  9. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 9, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 9, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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.

  10. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 10, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 10, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 10, imagen 3 de 3
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    • 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.

    9.5mm in the rest of the world

    Tal Glazer - Contestar

  11. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 11, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 11, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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".

    Which is around 6.5mm

    Tal Glazer - Contestar

  12. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 12, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 12, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 12, imagen 3 de 3
    • 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.

  13. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 13, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 13, imagen 2 de 2
    • Wedge the plastic card into the top right corner once again, and leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resticking.

  14. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 14, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 14, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 14, imagen 3 de 3
    • Insert a second plastic card into the gap between the display and frame near the top left corner of the iMac.

  15. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 15, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 15, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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.

  16. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 16, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 16, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 16, imagen 3 de 3
    • Slide the plastic card toward the center.

    • Stop sliding just before the iSight camera to avoid damaging the camera.

  17. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 17, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 17, imagen 2 de 2
    • Wedge the plastic card back into the top left corner.

  18. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 18, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 18, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 18, imagen 3 de 3
    • 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.

    Ich habe den unteren Klebestreifen gar nicht gelöst! --> Monitor (Glasscheibe) nach vorne auf ein dickes Kissen gelegt - so dass das Glas nur ca. 80° Winkel nach vorne zu liegen kommt und dann habe ich die Festplatte getauscht! So konnte ich die untere Klebeleiste wieder verwenden und hatte genügend Platz um die senkrechten und oberen Leisten zu verkleben!
    Tip: Klebestreifen zuerst auf dem Alugehäuse befestigen......

    Fridtjof Schüssler - Contestar

  19. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Display Assembly Cables: paso 19, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Display Assembly Cables: paso 19, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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").

    • Hold the display with one hand while using your other hand to unplug the display power cable.

    It was difficult to remove this connection. I ended up having to gently pull-up vertically a little on the wire side to unsnap it about 1mm and then horizontally wiggle it out.

    delacrj2 - Contestar

    I had a difficult time removing this connection. I had to lift the wire-side about 1mm before it unsnapped and then carefully wiggle it out horizontally.

    delacrj2 - Contestar

    Can this cable be replaced? I am worried mine is damaged. I have no display after the screen fell and stressed the display flex cables following an SSD upgrade.

    Jeremy Brainard - Contestar

    This step should be done with extreme caution and care, as this step 19 is not described in great detail (sorry, author).

    The first (most outward) cable will slide out by gently pulling it by its tabs. The second (inner) cable is more tricky, as the locking lever must be moved backward first, before gently pulling backward on the cable connector. The angled tweezers are useful here, to help lift that locking lever, because fingers are too big for this.

    Ernst - Contestar

    be VERY careful and SLOW...take your time. These displays crack VERY easily when removing and they'll spider web on you. I've done probably 20 or so of these and cracked 3 being super careful.....ugh.

    Faslane - Contestar

    I found the best way to unplug this display power cable was to use my right hand, and the fingernails of my index finger and thumb to grab the ends of the tabs on either side of the connector, squeeze, and pull the connector out gently.

    Phil McInnis - Contestar

    i think the cable nearest the case edge is held in by friction and can be gently pulled, maybe with fingernails or a spudger. The next cable is held by a wire lever clip as described above it unlocks so the cable can be removed. These cables are also fiddly to re-insert, I didn't get one of them home and had no display after power-up, so at the end, don't re-seal the screen until tested.

    Peter Taffs - Contestar

  20. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 20, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 20, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 20, imagen 3 de 3
    • Continuing to support the display with one hand, 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, keeping it parallel to the motherboard, to avoid damaging it.

    Cannot seem to find a replacement cable for this, as I suspect mine is damaged. Can’t even find a part number. Anyone know what it might be?

    Jeremy Brainard - Contestar

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TTL...

    That's the part I ordered for mine and it seems to work ok. I did make a point of contacting the seller and advising them of my requirement and they ensured I got the right part and it matches the description of the link. Bear in mind I bear no responsibility if yours does not work since I am just sharing what I did and what I ordered. Thanks.

    Jim Stanford -

    I also need that cable.

    cameronjpu - Contestar

    It's a little difficult to tell... but looking at the connection to the logic board on the video data cable, are the pins faced up or down?

    On the display, same question since it appears you have to "twist" the cable during the reconnection step.

    Jim Stanford - Contestar

    For this particular cable, take a good look before pulling on anything. Plug is locked on its socket with a bracket. You can lift this bracket by holding the small, flat black plastic handle that is attached to it. If you're struggling to grab it, use the end of the pizza roller handle to lift it, or the tweezers. Cable then comes off by pulling parallel to the main board.

    Froggy Manny - Contestar

    How can I tell if either of this cable is bad? My iMac display won't turn on after reconnecting it. I'm using an external display and everything is working except for the iMac display. If I go to settings - display the built-in display is recognize. But again nothing shows up in the screen - not even the apple logo when turning it on.

    Carlos Sosa - Contestar

  21. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Separate the display: paso 21, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Separate the display: paso 21, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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.

    I was fretting that i would break my screen, it's really hard to see what is holding the screen in place and i was ready for it to snap the last 1/2 inch or 12mm of the glass I worked slowly and as you say, keep lifting and working it gently until you can see and cut the remaining adhesive.

    Peter Taffs - Contestar

  22. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 22, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 22, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 22, imagen 3 de 3
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    • If necessary, a plastic card can be used to cut any remaining sections of the bottom adhesive strip.

    The bottom adhesive strips have small tags at a 90 degree angle that can be used as handles to strip them out at this point. https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/ig...

    Dom - Contestar

  23. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 23, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 23, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 23, imagen 3 de 3
    • 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.

    • 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.

  24. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Remove the lower support bracket: paso 24, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Remove the lower support bracket: paso 24, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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.

    These screws are VERY small and very easy to lose. Ideally you use a magnetized screw driver to help here.

    Charlie Nancarrow - Contestar

  25. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 25, imagen 1 de 1
    • Remove the lower support bracket (a.k.a. "chin strap") from the iMac enclosure.

    The 'chin strap' is very easily bent, which makes it difficult to put the very small screws back in place.

    Charlie Nancarrow - Contestar

    Questa staffa a cosa serve ?

    Nicola Demetrio - Contestar

    Non rimetterlo che cosa comporta?

    Nicola Demetrio - Contestar

  26. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Brackets: paso 26, imagen 1 de 1
    • 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 - Contestar

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

    anonymous 523 - Contestar

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

    Charlie - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    Hi, mine doesn’t HAVE an HD/SSD to remove, the bay is empty (yes it was fully working yesterday. So what do we do ? I see someone else with the sane issue above….

    Jeroen Speak - Contestar

  27. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 27, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 27, imagen 2 de 2
    • Remove the left and right hard drive brackets from the iMac.

  28. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: paso 28, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: paso 28, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: paso 28, imagen 3 de 3
    • 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] - Contestar

    Added to the guide. Thanks for the tip!

    Jeff Suovanen -

    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 - Contestar

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

    ej P -

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    This step is impossible!

    Cecily Walker - Contestar

    @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 - Contestar

    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 -

  29. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 29, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 29, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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.

  30. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 30, imagen 1 de 1
    • 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 - Contestar

    Those screws were definitely not T10 but T9 on my unit

    Vincent Monteil - Contestar

    Those screws were T8 on my unit.

    jag32mobile - Contestar

  31. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 31, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 31, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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 - Contestar

  32. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 32, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 32, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 32, imagen 3 de 3
    • 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.

    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 - Contestar

  33. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 33, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 33, imagen 2 de 2
    • Slide the power supply to the right to clear the screw posts on the rear enclosure.

  34. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 34, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 34, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 34, imagen 3 de 3
    • 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.

  35. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 35, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 35, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

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

    lkollar - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

  36. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 36, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 36, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 36, imagen 3 de 3
    • 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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

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

    Gonzalo - Contestar

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

    VauWeh - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    +1 for needle nose pliers!

    Sam - Contestar

  37. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 37, imagen 1 de 1
    • Remove the power supply from the iMac.

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

    Moreau - Contestar

  38. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Fan: paso 38, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Fan: paso 38, imagen 2 de 2
    • Gently pull the fan cable connector straight away from its socket on the logic board.

  39. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 39, imagen 1 de 1
    • 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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

  40. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 40, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 40, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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 - Contestar

  41. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Assembly: paso 41, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Assembly: paso 41, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Assembly: paso 41, imagen 3 de 3
    • 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 - Contestar

  42. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 42, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 42, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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 - Contestar

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

    jerrid_foiles -

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 -

    Also agree with this method!

    jmorphett5 -

  43. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 43, imagen 1 de 1
    • 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 - Contestar

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

    boboswell -

    I found this helpful too!

    Anwar -

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

    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 - Contestar

  44. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Remove the hard drive tray: paso 44, imagen 1 de 1
    • Remove the 7.3 mm T8 Torx screw securing the hard drive tray to the rear enclosure.

  45. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 45, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 45, imagen 2 de 2
    • Remove the SATA cable from the clips on the back of the hard drive tray.

    • Remove the hard drive tray.

  46. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Disconnect the logic board: paso 46, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Disconnect the logic board: paso 46, imagen 2 de 2
    • Gently pull the left speaker cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.

  47. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 47, imagen 1 de 1
    • De-route the left speaker cable by pulling it straight up out of the retaining clip in the back of the rear enclosure.

  48. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 48, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 48, imagen 2 de 2
    • Similarly to the previous step, de-route the SATA and power cables by pulling the braid straight up out of the retaining clip.

  49. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 49, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 49, imagen 2 de 2
    • Peel up the piece of tape connecting the left speaker connector to the SATA power and data cables.

  50. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 50, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 50, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 50, imagen 3 de 3
    • Flip up the metal retaining bracket on the FaceTime camera cable connector.

    • Pull the iSight camera cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.

    • This is a delicate connector that can be easily damaged.

  51. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 51, imagen 1 de 1
    • Remove the two 4.0 mm T5 Torx screws securing the four AirPort/Bluetooth antenna connectors.

    On my A2116 iMac19,2 3.0 GHz i5, these two screws were T4 Torx (same as the T4s securing the RAM cover in step 62) not T5 Torx.

    Zarino Zappia - Contestar

  52. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 52, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 52, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 52, imagen 3 de 3
    • Rotate the top of the AirPort/Bluetooth connector bracket away from the logic board, then lift the bracket straight up and remove it.

    • During reinstallation, make sure to line up the tabs on the bottom of the bracket with the holes in the EMI shield. These tabs should seat fully inside the holes before the bracket is installed.

  53. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 53, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 53, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 53, imagen 3 de 3
    • Use the point of a spudger to pry all four antenna connectors straight up from their sockets and disconnect them from the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

  54. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 54, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 54, imagen 2 de 2
    • Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to pull the right speaker cable connector straight down and out of its socket on the logic board.

  55. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 55, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 55, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 55, imagen 3 de 3
    • Use the flat edge of a spudger to pry the headphone jack cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

    • Push the cable slightly to the right to move it out of the way of the logic board.

  56. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 56, imagen 1 de 1
    • Peel off the tape covering the exhaust duct.

  57. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 57, imagen 1 de 1
    • Remove the following T8 Torx screws securing the exhaust duct to the rear enclosure:

    • Two 6.2 mm screws

    • Two 4.7 mm screws

  58. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 58, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 58, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 58, imagen 3 de 3
    • Use the tip of a spudger to flip open the retaining flap on the microphone ribbon cable ZIF socket.

    • Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    • Use tweezers to gently pull the microphone ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

  59. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, Remove the logic board: paso 59, imagen 1 de 1
    • Remove the four 7.3 mm T8 Torx screws securing the logic board to the rear enclosure.

    On my 2019 A2116 (i3), there is a black vinyl sticker over the lower left screw, possibly a tamper-detection sticker like the ones on the CPU bracket on the 2013 Mac Pro.

    Rana Raychoudhury - Contestar

    I think that sticker is just to protect the microphone cable from possible shorting out on the screw, since it lays across it.

    jiclark - Contestar

  60. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 60, imagen 1 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 60, imagen 2 de 3 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 60, imagen 3 de 3
    • When removing and installing the logic board, take care not to damage the delicate microphone ribbon cable at the bottom left of the board.

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

    • As you tilt the logic board, pull the right speaker connector to the right and out of the way of the board.

    • 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.

    this would have been a great place to include a picture of the other side of the motherboard. to see the PCIe slot, for instance.

    David - Contestar

  61. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 61, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 61, imagen 2 de 2
    • When reassembling your iMac, be very careful to align the exterior I/O ports correctly. The logic board can sit crooked even when secured with all its screws.

    • Use a USB flash drive and/or ethernet cable to keep the logic board seated correctly while you tighten the screws.

  62. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement, RAM: paso 62, imagen 1 de 1
    • Handling the board by the edges, flip the logic board over to access the two RAM modules.

    • Use a T4 Torx driver to remove the four 2.4 mm screws securing the RAM shield.

  63. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 63, imagen 1 de 1
    • Remove the RAM shield.

  64. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 64, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 64, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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.

  65. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 65, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 65, imagen 2 de 2
    • 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.

  66. iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 66, imagen 1 de 2 iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display 2019 RAM Replacement: paso 66, imagen 2 de 2
    • The original RAM module closer to the logic board may have a thermal pad adhered to its top side (facing away from the logic board, between the two DIMMs).

    • If your RAM includes a thermal pad, peel it off and transfer it from the original RAM stick to your replacement RAM before you install it in the lower slot.

    I did this! and changed the HD to SSD. And it works much faster than before. I chose to just use some painters tap to temporarily hold the glass display in place while I tested the computer to make sure it worked fine. The only problem Ive had is some lagging and occasional temporary drops (a second at most) by the mouse. Could this be the result of anything I did? Maybe the antenna? My keyboard seems fine, so that seems to rule out a problem with the antenna, unless the mouse and keyboard use different parts of the antenna. Getting the antenna wires back onto those sockets before attaching the bracket was more difficult than these instructions make it seem.

    BRUCE CLARKE - Contestar

Conclusión

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.
To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

32 personas más completaron esta guía.

Adam O'Camb

Miembro Desde 04/11/15

195,397 Reputación

416 Guías creadas

19 comentarios

I attempted this upgrade myself because iFixit labeled this as Moderate difficulty. The entire process took me seven hours from start to finish, and when I was done my computer would not turn on. I tried to do this repair myself because my local computer company wanted $400 to do this upgrade using Apple RAM, and I couldn’t afford that at the time. I had to take the iMac in to be serviced when it wouldn’t turn on, and the computer company just quoted me a price of $600 for a new logic board if it was damaged during the upgrade.

I am posting this to warn anyone else who is considering doing this upgrade to hire a certified technician. Do not go by iFixit’s difficulty rating. If you do, you may risk even greater expense if something goes wrong, like it did with my own attempt.

Perhaps iFixit should consider changing the rating on this task to Extremely Difficult, or Advanced, or LOL DON’T EVEN TRY IT to warn any other unsuspecting customers who are looking to save a little money.

Cecily Walker - Contestar

It is very likely you just missed plugging in the cable from the power button to the power supply. Very easy to do and very easy for the very small cable to slip behind the power supply and you never notice.

Always a good idea to check each step as you go and read the whole guide from start to finish before you start and also in the process of reassembly.

Charlie Nancarrow -

I did this in about 3-4 hours over a Saturday afternoon. I had previously done hard rive upgrades in a 2009 iMac and a 2012 MBP. I was encouraged by a tech friend and pored over the guide for a few times to get my courage up and then discussed the step by step with him first on a zoom call. The courage is required to remove the screen. After that the guide is very solid and clear and the steps are easy to comprehend though removing the power supply is a bit tricky and the microphone cable can be elusive. The only mistake I made is when reapplying the screen, having already checked function, I got into a sweat and banged to sick it on with the VDU cables not properly connected. I would recommend have some help for the screen re application and talk it through so you avoid that kind of schoolboy error. Having removed the screen and re-applied it I am very happy. A great guide.

Jon H Smith

Jonathan Smith - Contestar

Sehr gute Beschreibung, jedoch stellt sich mir eine Frage nach dem Wieder zusammen setzen benötige ich doch einen Vergleichsweisen Kleber der meinen Bildschirm auf den Rahmen setzt. Damit er nicht herunter fällt. Gibt es da welche zu kaufen oder hält das wieder von alleine?

Ich habe einen IMAC 4k 21´Zoll 2019 und möchte gerne Arbeitsspeicher und CPU tauschen.

Michael Meschenat - Contestar

id did it in 3,5 hours, no problems at all, everything works as described.

Josef Niggemeyer - Contestar

I used this instructions to upgrade my iMac with 32Gbytes RAM and 1Tbyte SSD. Everything went well in about 4 hours of hard work. You’ll need the right tools, adhesives to put the screen back and, above all, be very careful with the cables and the logical board, otherwise you’ll have a huge problem! May God bless who created this tutorial!!!! Thank you very much. By the way, fusion drive sucks!

Othon Batista - Contestar

Hey Othon, I also want to upgrade the hard drive to SSD because I have the fusion drive. Did you use another guide from this website?

Andrew Oliver -

Possibly a sad story, possibly a happy ending. I upgraded my iMac with an Intel i9 9000 CPU, 32 GB of ram and a 1Tb SSD - Not too difficult apart from the microphone cable which is a b*gg*r. I did shut down the computer (and disconnect the power supply 24 hours before attempting the upgrade. Knowing how one can ‘miss something, I initially assembled the computer screen and held it is place with masking tape so that I could check everything out. Started up first time and ran as sweet as a nut. Good - I obtained the official adhesive strips and this afternoon installed the screen permanently. Now it will not switch on (the computer starts OK with the Apple Hmmm sound). I have been really gentle with the display cables and now I am at a loss of how to proceed. Taking it to a local repair shop next week.

Rod Peel - Contestar

Reseat the cables, they can take an extra (very careful) nudge to really seat home and square.

Charlie Nancarrow -

Hey Rod, I'm looking to do all 3 for the upgrade as well. Was the other two guides (SSD & CPU) on here as well?

Andrew Oliver -

Great guide! I replaced the fusion drive with an SSD in while I was in there, and this was a really pleasant repair. Having the ifixit opening tools and guide made it all go very smoothly. Thanks!

Mark Pruett - Contestar

This repair is cake. Changed the ram, hard drive and cpus in the last five iMacs. How come cpu switch isn’t on here?

blakebest - Contestar

Successfully used this guide, after using similar guides for a 2017 version of this iMac to replace both RAM and hard drive in both models. SATA SSD drive greatly improves speed of the machine. Having done this sequence of steps multiple times now, it does get easier each time. I have it down to about 1.5-2 hours now. I was a bit surprised, however, to find the RAM shield on this model (not present on the 2017 model), mostly because the tool required to remove it was not listed in the required tool list. Luckily I did have a T4 Torx in my toolbox so it did not cause a delay in completing the fix. (Tried to add it, not sure if my edit saved or not.) Thank you for this guide!

jan - Contestar

After having seen this very well illustrated guide and watched the very good video from OWC, what I can say is: God! Why the heck couldn't Apple's designers just provide a backdoor on the iMac to make upgrading RAM easier (like on some older iMacs)? We're talking about... RAM upgrade, not CPU upgrade! We miss those old Steve Jobs days so much!

Arty - Contestar

What kind of ram needs the Mac to upgrade it? Now I have 2x4GB but I want to upgrade to 16 or 32 because Photoshop doesn't run good with 8gb

Daniele Vecchi - Contestar

I try with crucial 2x16GB and corsair 2x32GB they are labled as mac memory. Owc is good choce too.

cumledomla -

Like first comment I made a mistake and my iMac not started .Re assembled it again 15 times changing ram in one place to other, old one, new one.Only original moduls working and top one .At last it was that slot near pcb was to tide and ram partly fitted. Even it locks at place needed some force to get inside. Finlay started and everything is ok. Just you may advise to look how deep is module inserted in slot.

What type of thermal pad is used between ram modules?

cumledomla - Contestar

Hole saw drill bit, I can cut the time down to minutes. Great guide, looking forward to replacing my clunky HDD.

Marcar Elliott - Contestar

This project is a bear; not for the faint-of-heart. But, doable. Haven taken apart iMac screens before, that part was not difficult. The things to watch for are: grouping and labeling every screw/bolt you take out (I stuck them in PostIt notes), and detaching/reattaching all the tiny, delicate little cables.

If you have it, I'd recommend jeweler's magnifying glasses and some tweezers to help re-attach cables. And keep in mind the more stuff you pull apart, the more risk you incur. Though the odds are in your favor if careful, be prepared to potentially have a useless brick at the end of the process if something goes wrong (or require expensive professional help).

Randall Perry - Contestar

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