Is the Mac Mini M4 SSD upgradeable?
Yes. Unlike every Mac Mini since 2018, the base Mac Mini M4 keeps its storage on a small removable module. Swap that module for a larger one, restore macOS, and the machine runs with the new capacity. This page explains what that involves before you order.
What Apple changed in the 2024 Mac Mini
On the Mac Mini M1 (2020) and M2 (2023), the flash memory is soldered to the logic board. There is nothing to replace. The Mac Mini M4 (2024) moved the flash chips to a separate module that plugs into the board underneath the fan.
That module is not a standard M.2 drive. It uses Apple's own connector and layout, and the storage controller lives inside the M4 chip. A regular NVMe SSD from a computer shop does not fit, and the replacement has to be built for this connector specifically.
What the upgrade involves
- Back up your Mac with Time Machine. The upgrade wipes the machine.
- Open the Mac Mini: bottom cover, inner plate, fan, then the old module. The installation guide shows every step with photos, and the tools come with your order.
- Fit the new module and close the Mac Mini.
- Restore macOS in DFU mode with Apple Configurator from a second Mac. The DFU restore guide walks through it.
- Bring your data back with Migration Assistant from the Time Machine backup.
Count on 45 to 60 minutes for the hardware and 30 to 60 minutes for the restore, most of which is waiting for a download.
What it costs compared to Apple
Apple only sells larger storage at the moment of purchase, as a build-to-order option. Our 2TB module costs €399.30 and the 1TB €302.50, both including VAT, shipped from the Netherlands. The product page shows the comparison with Apple's upgrade prices and the date we checked them.
Your original module is not lost. Keep it: put it back and the Mac Mini is exactly as delivered, which matters if you ever send the machine to Apple.
Who should not do this
- You have an M4 Pro. The Pro uses a different module; see M4 vs M4 Pro.
- You have no second Mac and nobody to borrow one from. The restore cannot be done from a PC or an iPad.
- You would rather not open a machine that is under AppleCare. Read the guarantee section of what is in the box first.
Related questions
- Does the new module work with any original capacity?
- Yes. The module replaces the original completely, so it does not matter whether your Mac Mini came with 256GB, 512GB or 1TB.
- Is soldering involved?
- No. The module is held by one Torx screw and a connector. No soldering, no cutting, no firmware tools beyond Apple Configurator.
- Can I clone macOS and my files onto the new module?
- No. A new module is blank and has to be initialised by Apple's restore process, which installs a fresh macOS. Your files come back from the Time Machine backup afterwards.
- Will the Mac Mini be slower or faster?
- The module is an NVMe design rated at up to about 4400 MB/s, in the same class as the original. In daily use you notice the extra space, not a difference in speed.
Ready to upgrade?
More guides
- M4 vs M4 Pro: why the storage module is differentTwo Mac Minis from the same year, two different modules. Check which one you have before you order.
- DFU restore with Apple Configurator, step by stepThe part of the upgrade that happens on a second Mac. Exact steps, the black-screen moment, and the fixes when nothing appears.
- Which Mac Mini models are compatible?One model fits. The rest do not, and here is why, year by year.
- What is in the box, and the 2-year guaranteeThe module, the tools, the plain packaging, and what happens if something is wrong.
- Mac Mini M4 as a home server: why storage runs out firstLow idle power, quiet, and small enough to disappear on a shelf. What a home server actually stores, and why the base 256GB is gone before the real job starts.
- Running local AI models on a Mac Mini M4: the storage mathMemory decides which model you can run; storage decides how many you keep, plus the caches that grow beside them. Sourced download sizes and a computed storage budget for 256GB, 512GB and 2TB.
- A remote AI coding setup on a Mac Mini M4 with Tailscale, mosh and herdrTailscale connects the two machines without port forwarding, mosh keeps the shell alive across sleep and Wi-Fi changes, and herdr keeps AI coding agents running between sessions. Setup steps, honest caveats, and a computed storage budget.