iMac Intel 27" Retina 5K Display Blade SSD Replacement

With the hinge free to move, the iMac will be unbalanced and hard to work on. Repairs can be completed with the iMac laying down, but are faster and easier with an iMac service wedge.

If you are using the iFixit cardboard service wedge, follow these assembly directions to put it together.

Starting on the left of the display, near the power button, insert the iMac Opening Tool into the gap between the glass panel and the rear case.

Use the tool like a pizza cutter—roll it along through the gap, and it will cut the foam adhesive through the center.

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

Continue wheeling the tool up around the top left corner.

Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.

Continue along the top of the display.

Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.

Wheel the tool down along the right side of the display.

Finish pushing the opening tool to the bottom of the right side of the display.

Set the iMac face-up on a table.

Starting from the top right corner of the iMac, insert a plastic card between the display and frame.

Gently twist the plastic card to open the space between the display and frame, and cut any remaining adhesive near the corner.

Slide the card toward the center of the display, to cut any remaining adhesive.

Put the card into the corner again and let it stay there to keep the adhesive from resettling.

Insert a second card into the gap between the display and frame in the top left corner.

Gently twist the card, slightly increasing the space between the display and frame.

Slide the plastic card toward the center, again stopping just before the iSight camera.

Insert the card back into the top left corner.

With the cards inserted as shown near the corners, gently twist the cards 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 adhesive in the problem area.

Begin to lift the top of the display up from the frame.

While holding the display up with one hand, use the other to unplug the display power cable.

Flip up the metal retaining bracket on the display data cable.

Disconnect the display data cable.

Lift the display up to a near-vertical position.

Remove as much of the adhesive as possible by grabbing it at the outer edges, and then pulling or rolling it towards the middle.

If necessary, a plastic card can be used to cut any remaining sections of the bottom adhesive strip.

Lift the display up from the frame and remove it from the iMac. Lay the display face down on a flat, soft surface.

It may be necessary to slowly lift from one side, to peel against the remaining adhesive.

If there is a wire or cable underneath adhesive tape, always pull the tape off first.

If the cable is glued to the chassis, use a heated iOpener or a hair dryer to soften the adhesive first. You can then slide an opening pick underneath the cable to loosen it. Never pull directly on the delicate connectors.

Slide an opening pick underneath the foam cushion pieces to separate them from the display, and gently pull them off. You may need some double sided tape to re-attach them to the new display.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the nine 3.2 mm screws securing the support bracket.

You may need to peel up the display adhesive lining the bottom edge of the iMac enclosure to access the screws.

Remove the lower support bracket (a.k.a. "chin strap") from the iMac enclosure.

Position the bracket diagonally.

Secure the rightmost screw enough to hold the bracket in place; keep it loose for now so the bracket can pivot.

Swing the left side of the bracket down until it sits horizontally in its original position.

Starting with the leftmost screw, install and tighten the remaining screws.

Remove two 10 mm T10 screws.

Unplug the left speaker cable by pulling it straight up out of its socket on the logic board.

De-route the cable from the gap between the hard drive and logic board.

Use a spudger to disconnect the power button connector from its socket on the logic board.

Lift the left speaker straight up, until the power button cable is exposed (about 0.5 inches).

Gently de-route the power button cable from its groove in the left speaker.

Lift the left speaker straight up and remove it from the iMac.

Push from the connector end as you pull from the speaker end to thread the cable under the hard drive's right bracket.

Pull straight up on the SATA data/power cable to disconnect it from the drive.

Remove two 7.3 mm T10 screws securing the left hard drive bracket to the rear case.

Grab the hard drive and left hard drive bracket together.

Tilt the left side up away from the rear case, and slide the assembly to the left.

Remove the hard drive and left hard drive bracket from the iMac.

Remove the left hard drive bracket.

Disconnect the power supply control cable from the power supply.

Remove the following four screws securing the power supply to the rear case (size T8 or T10 depending on the exact model):

Two 23.7 mm Torx screws

Two 7.3 mm Torx screws

Move the power supply board towards the left edge of the case and up to free it from the notch in the logic board.

Depress the tab on the DC power cable connector, then pull it straight out of its socket on the back of the logic board.

Flip the top of the power supply towards you, like opening a mailbox, to reveal the AC inlet cable connector.

Disconnect the AC inlet cable connector.

Remove two 10.0 mm T10 screws.

Gently rock the right speaker slightly to the right, to allow access to its cable's connection on the logic board.

Use a spudger to loosen the right speaker cable's connector from its socket on the logic board.

Pull the connector to the right to remove it from its socket.

Lift the speaker straight up and remove it from the iMac.

Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the fan cable's connector from its socket on the logic board.

Peel the black tape connecting the fan to the exhaust duct back slightly.

Leave the tape in place on the exhaust duct—you only need to expose the joint to free the fan.

Remove three 12.4 mm T10 screws securing the fan to the rear case.

Remove the fan from the iMac.

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect each of the four antenna connectors from the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

Leftmost

Top

Upper right

Lower right

Flip up the metal retaining bracket on the iSight camera cable.

Pull the camera cable connector straight out of its socket, toward the top of the iMac.

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the headphone jack cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

Gently push the cable out of the way.

Remove the following screws from the front of the logic board:

Two 23.7 mm T10 screws

Four 7.4 mm T10 screws

One 20.8 mm T25 spacer screw

One captive T10 screw

Pull the cable and connector through the right hard drive bracket. Move the cable to the right side of the iMac, out of the way of the exhaust port.

Remove two 5.7 mm T10 screws from the top of the heat sink exhaust duct.

Tilt the logic board slightly forward.

Lift the logic board straight up and out of the iMac. Be careful not to snag on any of the screw posts attached to the inside of the rear case.

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.

You can use a USB flashdrive or ethernet cable to ensure the logic board is seated correctly while you screw it in.

Pull up on the SATA power cable connector to disconnect it.

Unplug the SATA data cable connector by depressing its locking tab and pulling straight up on the connector.

Remove the SATA cable from the logic board assembly to get it out of the way and prevent it from being damaged.

Remove the single 5.3 mm T8 screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

Lift the end of the SSD up slightly and pull it straight out of its socket on the logic board.