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MacBook Pro 15" Retina Display Mid 2015 SSD Replacement

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Written By: Sam Lionheart (and 8 other contributors)
  • Comments: 35
  • Favorites: 14
  • Completions: 117

Featured Guide

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

7

Time Required

20 - 30 minutes

Sections

3

Flags

1

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Featured Guide

This guide has been found to be exceptionally cool by the iFixit staff.

Introduction

Use this guide to upgrade or replace the solid-state drive in a MacBook Pro 15” Mid 2015. This MacBook Pro uses a proprietary storage drive connector, and is therefore not compatible with common M.2 drives without the use of an adapter.

Before you perform this repair, if at all possible, back up your existing SSD. Then, either familiarize yourself with internet recovery or create a bootable external drive so you’ll be ready to install macOS onto your new drive and migrate your data to the new SSD.

Finally, we strongly recommend installing macOS 10.13 High Sierra (or a later macOS) before replacing the original SSD from your MacBook Pro. Most new SSDs require updated storage drivers not found in versions of macOS prior to High Sierra.

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  1. Remove the following pentalobe screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro:

    • Remove the following pentalobe screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro:

    • Eight 3.1 mm

    • Two 2.3 mm

    Edit

  2. Lifting from the edge nearest the clutch cover, lift the lower case off the MacBook Pro. Lifting from the edge nearest the clutch cover, lift the lower case off the MacBook Pro.

    • Lifting from the edge nearest the clutch cover, lift the lower case off the MacBook Pro.

    Edit

  3. The lower case has two plastic pegs (red) that fit into plastic clips in the upper case (orange). During reassembly, gently push down the center of the lower case to reattach the case to its two plastic clips. During reassembly, gently push down the center of the lower case to reattach the case to its two plastic clips.

    • The lower case has two plastic pegs (red) that fit into plastic clips in the upper case (orange).

    • During reassembly, gently push down the center of the lower case to reattach the case to its two plastic clips.

    Edit

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  5. Peel back the sticker covering the battery connector.

    • Peel back the sticker covering the battery connector.

    Edit

  6. Gently lift each side of the battery connector to pry the connector out of its socket on the logic board. Bend the connector back toward the battery, ensuring that the battery connector doesn't accidentally make contact with the logic board. Bend the connector back toward the battery, ensuring that the battery connector doesn't accidentally make contact with the logic board.

    • Gently lift each side of the battery connector to pry the connector out of its socket on the logic board.

    • Bend the connector back toward the battery, ensuring that the battery connector doesn't accidentally make contact with the logic board.

    Edit

  7. Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

    • Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

    Edit

  8. Lift the end of the SSD up enough to pass over the speaker directly behind it. Do not lift the SSD too high, or you could damage the contacts or socket. Pull the SSD straight out of its socket on the logic board.

    • Lift the end of the SSD up enough to pass over the speaker directly behind it.

    • Do not lift the SSD too high, or you could damage the contacts or socket.

    • Pull the SSD straight out of its socket on the logic board.

    Edit
Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

117 other people completed this guide.

Author

with 8 other contributors

Sam Lionheart

Member since: 10/18/2012

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24 Comments

Add a comment

So guys, I got a couple of questions:

1. Is this model (MBP Retina Mid 2015/MacBookPro11,4 ) really upgradable? https://www.datenreise.de/en/macbook-pro... says otherwise.

2. Samsung 850 EVO or Samsung 850 PRO would work with the model mentioned above?

Eduardo Delai Correa - Reply

Yes, it is upgradeable. At the time that article was published there was no drive on the market that would work. Now there is. No the Samsung 850 EVO or Pro would not work. As far as I know OWC is the only one that produces an after market drive that is compatible.

Chris Matlock -

I couldn't find the SSD that Chris mentioned. Would you please point out the exact model?

Jerry Zhong -

I think you could purchase a pcie to M2 adapter and fit a Samsung 950 Pro in there. 960 Pro is coming out soon though with higher performance.

tonynca7 - Reply

I also wanna try the 960 pro on, but I have read an article about the 3rd party SSD support which saying OS X deny to boot from a 3rd party NVME drive, you have to do some hack before you can use it. Is it true?

cyl19910101 g -

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