WARNING TO ALL: When removing and putting back that small torx T6 screw that secures the antenna cable, use a magnetic screwdriver and avoid missing the mark. In my case I let the screw drop and whoosh it disappeared in thin air!! Shaking the whole mac mini did not reveal any loose screw somewhere in the whole case! I had to remove the entire mainboard to hunt for it and could not find it. I found out the reason after much worry: the speaker assembly near the antenna had sucked the screw right under the raised speaker assembly due to the strong magnet! So strong was the magnetism that I could not hear any screw rolling or shaking about in the case when I tried to locate it! Be careful all! Best to insert the screw into the metal plate at the end of the antenna cable before you place the plate over the screwhole and attempt to screw the torx screw into the receptacle.
5:40 Woahhhh strange. It's just a surface mounted connector. You can even pull straight up on the cables near the connector and it will pop straight out-or at least it should. Strange yours was so difficult. It's a piece of cake! Also, for those struggling to remove the power connector (5:17), it's a lot easier to remove it once you've slid the motherboard tray out a little bit (at 6:43). Makes it so you don't have to reach your fingers underneath the case.
I know?! it’s nuts! Was I doing something wrong? I literally tried removing this for 30 mins (pulling up to remove it from socket) and it would not budge. And just got frustrated and pulled the pins. Everything else was cake!
Maybe you tried to pull it (from left to right) instead of lifting it up (away from the motherboard). Even though the bare connectors suggest a sliding mechanism, it really needs to be lifted up - and pressed down again later.
Important to know is that the first 3 screws requires a torx t6 SECURITY screwdriver. If you buy the cheaper toolkit like I did, it may not be included and requires.a return and purchasing the special security torx screwdrivers.
Yeah this video has convinced me that if/when I upgrade to this Mac Mini I'll just be a sucker and order the RAM upgrade at the time of purchase. It'll cost me more to do so, but I am NOT going through all this trouble and potentially breaking a new computer.
Agreed. Absolutely ludicrous. Doing it myself nonetheless as I don't mind a little tinkering for fun. In Australia I was able to purchase the 32GB of RAM for AU$184 -- Apple is charging AU $960! Even more ludicrous. Seriously, what on earth could possibly be the justification for that sort of mark up?
I really don't think this is Apple changing their design to make it harder to upgrade the ram. Look at the size of the fan and exhaust, there isn't room to place the ram whereas the 2011 Mac Mini(Which I also had and manually upgraded ram and hard drives) had a much smaller fan and exhaust that left space for the ram unit.
This is the best presentation I have ever seen on youtube ... thanks for doing this video ... upgraded my 2018 following your video and it went through without a hitch ... I have watched hundreds of videos but this was the best video I have ever seen ... you should go professional If you aren't doing so already ... great job !!
Twice you’ve guided me. First with the 32 gig install when I got it and again with a 64 Gig upgrade. Your calm voice got me through it with the only hassle being the Wi-Fi wire and screw. Apple couldn’t give us an Extra inch of wire?!? You rock. Thank you again.
Worked perfectly! Thank you very much for this very easy to follow tutorial. My best advice for anyone wanting to perform this task is to ensure you have the proper tools. With following this tutorial, stopping it every time I completed the next task, it took me about 20 mins total. I probably could have finished it much sooner but I was taking it VERY slow.
Thank you for this great video. I just completed the 8GB to 32GB upgrade on my just purchased Mac mini taking it step by step watching your video. Thanks also for the recommendation on the iFixit tool kit. I bought this as well (from Amazon with same day delivery--for a small fraction of the savings of not paying Apple to configure my 32GB). I had no trouble with the LED connector--use the tweezers supplied in the tool kit and it pops right up. Probably my biggest difficulties were... 1) getting the rubber memory card protectors back in place properly, but finally figured it out. The little rubber rails slide down inside the metal clip handles. You can't see any of this until you take them off. And 2) Getting the antenna wire brace to realign with the screw hole while holding the Torx driver with one hand and the antenna with the other hand. I was always afraid of dropping one of the little screws down into the system, but the magnetic Torx tips help with that if you're gentle. I also had a momentary scare when I noticed that the original 2x4GB modules I was taking out were 2666 MHz vs the 2400 MHz 2x16's I was putting in. But I double checked and the mini calls for 2400, so Crucial got it right. The latest models from AAPL are shipping with 2666--whether they're actually running at 2666 is another question, but you probably won't notice the difference. I certainly wouldn't recommend this project to the average Joe, but if you're good with fine mechanical work and you have the right tools, go for it. At least the 2018 IS upgradeable. The 2014 was not, at all. And the Crucial 2x16GB kit is available today (12/22/19) for $116.50 on Amazon. Even with the tool kit purchase, I saved a total of $421. :-)
I have done this upgrade. This is an excellent video. Very clear instructions. my biggest dtruggle was with the power cable and getting it lined up perpendicular to the pins. If you try to angle it in, you can bend the power pins and you have anice paper weight. Otherwise fairly straight forward. Also be very careful with the LED cables. coating on wires very fragile I would suggest using tweezers only if tips covered with plastic coating. Otherwise everything worked fine.
Fantastic video.. ONE thing to note.. if you dont buy the $75 toolkit.. make sure to have a TR6 bit.. and check to make sure it has the dimple.. I was able to get most screws out with a standard T6.. but ultimately I needed the TR6. Otherwise no issues with install although (as is common with Apple components).. it does feel intimidating. I am somewhat experienced with DIY Apple upgrades also, but if you too feel intimidated, you can do it! Saved me hundreds. Thank you 9to5Mac!
Great walk-through. It worked perfectly for me. It took me about 40 minutes, but was very straightforward. (I used a magnetized screwdriver, as you did, which is a must-have for this task, I'd suggest.) I saved a bundle upgrading my 2018 mac mini to 64GB of RAM today. Thank you!
Thought I’d add my 2 cents about my install....hopefully this helps others. Took a few attempts(like 4 tries-first time the Mac wouldn’t even boot up-removed the new sticks and replaced the originals which were 2x4GB and then only one was recognized). Eventually I didn’t actually remove the rubber side bumpers on the last few attempts, just left them in place, gently pulled them (the metal brackets and the rubber bumpers together) outward and the sticks “popped” forward where I could then remove them and replace with the 16GB sticks. I added the rear stick first and gently pushed it back until the side mounts engaged the stick....making sure the top “hooks” were indeed wrapped around the stick. Finally got the computer to recognize ONE of the new 16GB sticks but obviously not what I was looking for. Opened up the Mac Mini and performed the procedure again, switched the sticks between the two slots but this time I took my plastic tool and put downward pressure on the top of the sticks so they would achieve the most contact with the pins while seated. Fired the Mini up and they were recognized. I actually ordered a second set of 16GBx2 Crucial sticks because I thought, perhaps the first set were faulty but I think now that it was just that they weren’t seated deep enough-even though, like other memory installs you can feel the “click” when they are in place, that’s not really the case with this upgrade install. Frustrating as hell but eventually good to go.
SO HELPFUL. I'm in the middle of this myself, but with 64gb = $300 worth. It is indeed frustrating, especially when all I want to do is make music that helps with my wellness.
Bought my Mac Mini a week ago and got the new RAM (32gb) from OWC this week. I installed it today and it's way more user friendly than you would think. The first time it didn't boot up because my RAM chips weren't as secure as they were supposed to be so I had to do it over but after that, it booted up just fine! You can save a little more money by purchasing a "lesser" brand electronics toolkit. It'll be more than enough to get the job done.
Warning to all: when you are putting back the entire logic board, be sure to push it in and reconnect the power side into the Mac mini first (the right side that has the plug in part). I tried sliding the entire thing in it in, and it almost bent the entire panel with all of the ports because of some “obstruction” that turned out to be this weird connection thing on the right side of the ports (power connector). I’m sorry if this doesn’t make any sense, I can’t really explain things that well.
Quality video, thanks for showing it from start to finish. Others will just say, "Now that the memory's in, just do the reverse of what you just did." No, thank you, I prefer my hand to be held for stuff like this.
Thank you for helping upgrade my i7 2018 Mac Mini. Hardest part for me was dealing with power connector - it did not want to budge; motherboard screws - I had to get locking vice grips to get enough leverage on a tiny plastic driver to get them started. Everything else was easy-peasy. I used Samsung 32GB modules, PN M471A4G43MB1-CTD. I used iFixit Essentials Tool Kit for the Torx bits and driver. Everything worked from the start, no need for installing ram single module at a time. Love dodging Apple Tax!
Excellent tutorial. Super clear. I had no problems with the LED connector. Thanks for the very clear walkthrough. Now I'm running 64 GB in this Mac Mini and it's a breath of fresh air.
Thank you so much, for very well explaining each step including reassembly. I really needed the details of how to handle each connectors. Watched a few very good videos and found yours the best to follow . I had to do the job twice as only 1 Ram was recognised. The second time was much easier and i could see straight away. The first visible Ram stick showed small gold . So it wasn’t pushed in all the way. I was a little to soft by pushing the Ram stick back so it arrests proper to the side clips at my first attempt. Everyone who reads this, still be gentle it doesn’t require force. A little firmness will do if positioned correctly. Just make sure there is no t the tiniest bit of gold connectors be seen before reassembling…. That’s all. So glad all is working now and I found your very well explained instructions. Big Thanks :)
I love how intuitive the design is. Upgrading ram on mac mini procedure is reasonable and good. I wish all devices were produced like this. It means apple really care for their customers.
Awesome man!!!, I followed this and worked 100% perfect!, now I have 32GB of ram. I didn't buy the crucial ram, because I happen to have an old ACER laptop that I don't use much which had 32 GB of ram, it was also 2666. I was nervous at first but it worked perfectly. Also the 8GB of ram that came with the Mac Mini I installed them on the ACER laptop and is working fine also. I just saved 600 bucks!, Thanks!
I have zero intentions of ever purchasing a Mac Mini, but that video was fantastic! All the detail you could need. Only thing I would maybe have done is gone into a little more depth about the RAM you purchased. Anyway, great stuff! Glad the indicator light works :P
Thank you so much for this guide! I followed it step-by-step, and it went flawlessly! My little mini is a rocket ship now! Your tutorial was fantastic and easy to follow. Well done! Thanks again!
I know I'm echoing what so many others have said here, but THANK YOU for this excellent tutorial!!! Always planned on upgrading from my base RAM, but wasn't sure when. 64 GB came up at a great price recently, I couldn't pass it up. Followed along this video and upgrade went perfectly. Excellent step-by-step, closeups on small connectors, and explanations of the disassembly and reassembly process. As a few others in the comments have mentioned, a magnetic torx set is a must. I have T6 and T10 sizes, but my T5 is non-magnetic. While those cage screws are easy enough to get to, fiddling with little screws, a tiny screwdriver, and sausage fingers, was the most frustrating part of this tinkering. Thanks again :)
As others have said, followed this and twenty minutes later, a successful much needed upgrade that didn’t cost me an arm and a leg! Great video, thank you!
Everything was pretty easy the actual problem I was having was getting the rubbers back on the sides of where the mount for the memory is. Boy did I get frustrated. I kept putting them on and they kept coming off. I continued and nothing will work. I thought maybe I was putting the left on the right or the right on the left but no that wasnt the case. Then all of a sudden after so much frustration I took a deep breath tried and again and they just went in smoothly with no issues. I was so nervous seeing a brand new mac straight out the box dissected and me running into a hiccup. 9to5 thank you for all the inspiration. I watched this video about 35 times to commit to memory and also watched it during my setup. Also learned the importance of an egpu thanks to you as well. Continue all your great work its truly appreciated.
@@nasraidub weeks before buying my mac mini I always try to watch unboxing videos and just go on a youtube binge watch of what I am buying. So I ran into this video which saved me so much money. So even before purchasing I just kept watching it over and over lol and then I watched some of it the day I got my mac mini
Just wanted to say thank you for your amazing videos. I ordered a Mac mini and I try to watch this video once a day so that I can really know what I am doing. I also went with your RAM recommendation. Picked up Crucial 32 GB for only 299 instead of Apples 600 price mark. Also went with the Razer X Core because of your eGPU video. Unfortunately I couldnt afford the Vega 64 so I went with the sapphire pulse Rx580. So again thank you for these very detailed videos. Will also be installing Windows with Bootcamp. And I also picked up the Xbox controller that you have in your other video. You are awesome. Keep up the great work. Much appreciated.
Using the eGPU that you purchased, how do you find gaming to be on your Mac mini running Windows via bootcamp? I just ordered a 2018 Mac mini with the 3.2GHz 6‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i7, 8 GB of RAM (which I plan to upgrade to 32 GB myself) and 2TB SSD storage on Friday. Can't wait until it gets here next week!
Morpheus I get my Mac mini on Tuesday. I just really trust 9to5 MAC that everything will work flawless for me. The only difference in set up is that I am going to run the Sapphire RX580 instead of the Vega 64. Once I set it up on Tuesday I will let you know.
Jacob Lallmohamad: Would it be possible for you to provide a link to the specific Sapphire RX580 eGPU you are planing on getting? I’m new to the world of GPU’s and I want to make sure I’m getting all the right stuff.
Did as you told us and works a dream... you should have added that there is a speed hike (Geekbench 4) of 10% on both single and multicores...added bonus. Love these vids.
Great tuto! Thanks a lot. Quite easy to do if you're a bit cautious. Just a little emphasis on the ram modules. You have to kinda "click" them in place. Being too gentle/cautious, I didn't insert one of the RAM module (the front one) deeply enough, so when I restarted, the mac didn't turn on. Big sweat time... I then re-did the whole operation, in twice less time, with the module in its correct fit. Worked like a charm!
Thank you so much for this video! I felt like I had a teacher right by me walking me through this. Worked like a charm, thanks so much for the tutorial!
Thanks a lot for the video. Explained in details, a nice guide. Power LED connector is just something, push the 2 wires in gently and make sure the golden leads are entirely in. Be sure you operate with a magnetic screwdriver. Live and learn.
It's funny that the little rubber bumpers are the most annoying part (in my case too). Approaching this seems very intimidating, but after doing it I realized it'd be very fast to do machine #2. But I'll just avoid that!
This is one of the best how-to videos I have ever seen on RU-vid. I truly enter the present moment while watching. Anyway, do you also have a tutorial on MacBook air, Sir?
It is easier than it seems, just be organized, the antena cable has its trick to reconect, but the led cable was easier to remove it than taking the pins away.
I destroyed my 2012 Mini trying to replace the drives. I miss the older design that made it super easy to replace the memory. Glad I saw this or I would have just returned it.
I'm thinking of a MODDED mac mini. Taking out the logic board and use a NOCTUA heatsink in a different case (bigger) I know the aesthetics are going away but I just love to recreate things :)
As others have mentioned as well, I just did this on my 2020 Mini with two 16GB Crucial slots and took me about 30 minutes. Just relax, take your time, and make sure you get a decent Torx set( T5, T6, T10 bare minimum) from amazon. With the right tools it’s a breeze. Again not sure why so many had problems on here, just be patient and go step by step. Thanks again for this video!
Just used your video guidance to update memory in My Intel Mac Mini. Your instructions were great and for the record I used your method of detaching those 2 leads. Just took patience and persistence. Thanks for a great video, Charlie Nielson
I was able to upgrade mine to 32 GB RAM first try with my 2020 Mac Mini. I gotta say, it is nerve-racking. When they say "gently" sometimes it meant forceful will power. Tip from me is try to "message" the pull and push movement, test it out with little and little force. Make sure to give it a try like 10x before you give it more power. This machine is so delicate, I can't remember when I actually think I will break the machine. And the first boot had my heart pounding like I am having a heart attack, every dark screen got me worried all the time. Because I don't want to reopen the machine and re-do the whole process again. I think this kind of ride is once a lifetime ride. (Commenting from my upgraded mac mini)
I just did mine. Replugging the WiFi Antenna was the hardest part. Also make sure you are pushing the memory all the way down, I a way that you cannot see the leads anymore. I didn't do it the first time and I had one slot empty. Now I have 64 GB, something that apple charges $1400 for.
Thank you for this video! I just recently got a mac mini from a friend and was dying to know if it was possible to upgrade the RAM and this tutorial video was clear and concise. Again thank you!!
Removing that one cable by prying up is one of the easiest things (coming from a repair technician). Removing the leads was a pretty bad idea, but it worked, but I wouldn't recommend anyone do this.
@@fisnet0 pulling the power was more difficult than I was expecting, it's a pretty tight spot for that cable. Also, I forgot to check to make sure I had the right bits, like the TR5, had to order a new set. So far everything is running smoothly
Just performed the operation (8 -> 64GB). VERY helpful video! Thanks! My tip: make sure the memory units are firmly pushed all the way in before securing them. One of mine was a little loose so when I turned it on it showed 32GB (one slot). Had to redo the whole thing :) At least it took me 15min the second time around ;)
Best tip ever. I did exactly the same by being too gentle. While it's not difficult to put it all together and take back apart again, it is time consuming....especially, if like me, you have to repeat the process several times until I found on the web that you should make sure the modules are "firmly' in place!
There is no need for brute force ripping off the LED cables, gently using the pruning tool will detach the connector. Likewise, whilst reconnecting the antenna, it helps to position it roughly in place by the attaching the securing bracket first.
Great!!! GET THE TOOLS VERY EASY to do well worth the investment. I am not handy by a long shot, but this was simple with the right tools. Took less than an hour
Great tutorial; thank you! I messed something up. Only one of my new memory cards is reading. For now, I still have twice the memory I had, so I'm not running out. I'll tear it down again and reinsert the cards. Agree with the majority -- Apple really made this tricky!
@@Mic9Lives Awesome! I actually did that too and it works now. I flipped what slots the cards are in. Hopefully this helps someone else. 64 GB of ram, nice!!
Thanks for watching! If you have any questions, please ask them and I'll try my best to answer. 👍🏽 Watch our review of the 2018 Mac mini here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IVqKmzZpyM4.html
9to5Mac I did everything on the video. Bought the toolkit and ram that was linked. Just does not work for me. Tried 3 times and every time put the original ram in and the computer worked again. With your ram linked there’s a slow blinking white light.
Followed along yesterday and completed the upgade. The four RAM shield screws on my Mini were T4s, not T5s. Other than that, EZPZ. Thanks for the help.
Great video! One thing........Maybe you could use more light! The inside of the Mini is black and lightabsorbing. A little hard.....sometimes.....to see the details!
Thanks for this Jeff. Worked like a charm. It’s nice to see the reverse/reassembly. Most people don’t. I bought the “Mac mini kit” from iFixit and the tools were perfect.
I have a bunch of 2012 Mac Mini servers still in production. This doesn't seem any more difficult than dealing with those. Thanks for the detailed tear down. Cheers, JAYTEE
Some comments - The RAM guard is held in by T4 torx screws, not T5 as the video indicates. I was also easily able to get the LED indicator connector apart with a tweezers - make sure to pull UP not OUT. Same with the fan cable, you must pull up or risk breaking the connector on the main board. Lastly, removing these screws requires SECURITY TORX drivers, at least for the case. These have a little pin in the middle to prevent regular torx from working (and a hole for the pin in the driver). Regular torx drivers WILL NOT WORK. Lastly lastly use decent RAM. I rolled the dice with the cheap stuff and it totally screwed up the machine and I had to remove it and put the regular RAM back in to get it working right.
With the 4 TB3 ports just get an external SSD and move everything except for apps and system onto it. Works like a charm and they're not very expensive.
A walk in the park thanks to your excellent video guide. I took me 20 minutes to upgrade the ram and it saved med $500. The only issue I had was the led connector but I did as Jeff did, and it worked. Thanks
Great video. I think it's worth mentioning that RAM in a 2018 Mac Mini DOES NOT click in, it simply sits and is HELD IN by the metal prongs on the side. I couldn't get the RAM that I thought had to click to click. I may have forced it in and I couldn't get the RAM to seat, had to take the Mini to the Genius bar 2 days later. Low and behold, it started up fine for them and the tests were all OK. I'm wondering if the RAM (OWC 64 gig), had to somehow seat itself after time. Please make a caption to this effect before you insert the RAM on the video. Thanks . Also, the RAM I thought would have fit in the iMac, but they are a few MM apart in size.
This is exactly why I'm still on the late 2012 model. Just popped the cover at the back and replaced the RAM modules. I get PTSD just watching people DIY their way around the MAC internals. I've been contemplating adding an SSD, but no way am I removing anything else other than the back cover by myself.
This should be at the top of or even be mentioned within the video. I just replaced my memory and broke off that little connector as well. The solder joints however seem to only hold that little connector in place. So as long as you don't rip off the actual fan connectors, you can move the fan connector in place once again. This worked for me and the fan is indeed working. For everyone else who wants to remove the fan cable, please don't tug the cable only but make sure to hold the connector in place.
After doing all you have shown my mac mini is dead. not powering up. but I only replaced one 32gb ram and took out one 4gb ram. Then I put back the old ram and still my mac mini is dead. Please help me. Thanks
Interesting how Apple tech support told me that the ram is soldered to the board. Thanks for the awesome video. No, I didn't try this yet as I'm looking at the Mac studio instead of upgrading my intel i7 2018 Mac mini.
Even in 2024 this last Intel mac mini, packed with 32 or 64 gb of ram, is a super computer for most people, including web and app developers. Runs fast, low electricity used, works with 5K screens. It's the reason why I don't upgrade yet.
When re-attaching the rubber bumpers to the metal RAM clips, each rubber bumper has two little "fingers" that are supposed to slide inside the hollow tubes of the metal RAM clips.
