Which Mac mini models can be upgraded?
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Whether a Mac mini can be upgraded depends on the year. The Intel models up to 2012 take a standard laptop drive and memory modules; from 2014 onward Apple soldered more and more to the logic board. Of the recent models, only the Mac mini M4 and M4 Pro from 2024 keep their storage on a removable module, and our module fits exactly one of them: the base Mac mini M4. The table covers each model, and there is a two-minute check to be sure before you order.
Model by model
| Mac mini | Model identifier | Storage | Memory | Our module |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mac mini (M6, 2026) | Mac18,5 | Soldered to the logic board | In the chip package; fixed at purchase | No |
| Mac mini (M5 Pro, 2026) | Mac17,16 | Soldered to the logic board | In the chip package; fixed at purchase | No |
| Mac mini (2024), M4 | Mac16,10 | Removable module on Apple's own connector | In the chip package; fixed at purchase | Yes: the machine the module is designed for |
| Mac mini (2024), M4 Pro | Mac16,11 | Removable module, a different one from the M4's | In the chip package; fixed at purchase | Not yet: a Pro version is in development (waitlist) |
| Mac mini (2023), M2 Pro | Mac14,12 | Soldered to the logic board | In the chip package; fixed at purchase | No |
| Mac mini (2023), M2 | Mac14,3 | Soldered to the logic board | In the chip package; fixed at purchase | No |
| Mac mini (M1, 2020) | Macmini9,1 | Soldered to the logic board | In the chip package; fixed at purchase | No |
| Mac mini (2018), Intel | Macmini8,1 | Soldered to the logic board | Memory slots, but not user-installable: Apple upgrades it in store or through a service provider | No |
| Mac mini (Late 2014), Intel | Macmini7,1 | 2.5-inch SATA drive; some configurations also have Apple's PCIe flash storage | Soldered to the logic board | No |
| Mac mini (Late 2012), Intel | Macmini6,1, Macmini6,2 | 2.5-inch SATA drive (two in the server model) | Two memory slots, user-installable | No |
| Mac mini (Mid 2011), Intel | Macmini5,1, Macmini5,2 | 2.5-inch SATA drive | Two memory slots, user-installable | No |
| Mac mini (Mid 2010), Intel | Macmini4,1 | 2.5-inch SATA drive | Two memory slots, user-installable | No |
| Future Mac minis after 2026 | Any | Not known | Not known | Ask first: email before ordering |
Model identifiers come from Apple's Identify your Mac mini model, memory from Apple's memory upgrade page. Mac minis from 2009 and earlier are left out.
Check in two minutes
- Apple menu, About This Mac. The first line names the model and year: it must say Mac mini (2024).
- The Chip line must say Apple M4. If it says M4 Pro, read M4 vs M4 Pro.
- Optional: hold the Option key, open the Apple menu and choose System Information. Under Hardware, the model identifier must be Mac16,10. Mac16,11 is the M4 Pro.
Still unsure? Email a screenshot of About This Mac to [email protected] and we tell you before you pay.
Upgrading an older Intel Mac mini
The Mac mini from 2010, 2011 and 2012 takes a standard 2.5-inch SATA drive, so a regular 2.5-inch SATA SSD replaces the original hard disk, and its memory sits in two ordinary laptop slots. Those upgrades still make sense for a machine that runs an older macOS. We do not sell parts for them; any computer shop has the drive and the memory.
The 2014 and 2018 models are harder. The 2014 has its memory soldered, and the 2018 has soldered storage and memory that Apple does not rate as user-installable. On the M1, M2, M6 and M5 Pro models nothing can be upgraded after purchase: storage and memory stay at the configuration you bought.
The original capacity does not matter
Whether your Mac mini came with 256GB, 512GB or 1TB, the module replaces the original completely. There is no pairing between a specific original capacity and the replacement.
The same goes for the memory configuration: 16GB, 24GB and 32GB models all use the same module.
What it does not fit, by design
The module is not a standard M.2 SSD. It does not fit a PC or an external NVMe enclosure. The controller lives inside the M4 chip, so the module only works in the machine it was built for. If the check above confirms a base M4, compare the 1TB and 2TB upgrade options before choosing how much startup-disk space you need.
Related questions
Can I upgrade the memory in a Mac mini M4?
Can I use this module in a Mac Studio?
Does it matter in which country I bought the Mac mini?
Can I fit two modules, or more than 2TB?
Ready to upgrade?
More guides
- Is the Mac mini M4 SSD upgradeable?Yes, and this is the first Mac mini in years where that is true. What the swap involves before you order.
- 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.
- Mac mini M4 SSD DFU restore: 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.