How do you upgrade the hard drive or SSD in the "Tapered Edge" Aluminum iMac models? What type of storage do they support? Is it even possible to upgrade the storage?

This Q&A covers the "Late 2012," "Early 2013," "Late 2013," "Mid-2014," "Late 2014," "Mid-2015," "Late 2015," "Mid-2017", "2019" and "2020" Tapered Edge Aluminum iMac models (model numbers A1418, A1419, A2115 and A2116).

EveryMac.com also provides hard drive upgrade instructions for earlier Aluminum iMac models shipped from 2007 to 2012 -- both the 20-Inch and 24-Inch Aluminum iMac (model numbers A1224 and A1225) and 21.5-Inch and 27-Inch Aluminum iMac (model numbers A1311 and A1312).

Officially, Apple does not consider the hard drive and/or SSD module in any of the "Tapered Edge" Aluminum iMac models to be upgradable. The RAM in the 27-Inch models is designed to be upgraded easily, but even upgrading the RAM is an arduous process for the 21.5-Inch models in the "Late 2012," "Early 2013," "Late 2013," "Mid-2017" and "2019" lines and it is impossible to upgrade the RAM in the 21.5-Inch "Mid-2014" and "Late 2015" iMac models entirely.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (21.5" & 27" Tapered Edge iMac, Left & Right, Respectively)

Consequently, EveryMac.com cannot recommend that one upgrade the internal storage themselves, as doing so is difficult and time consuming.

However, for highly skilled individuals, it is quite possible to upgrade the storage, but the available upgrade options vary depending on the system.

Identification Help (Skip)

Because the storage upgrade options vary, it is particularly important to be able to identify the "Tapered Edge" iMac models precisely.

The "Late 2012" through "Mid-2017" "Tapered Edge" iMac models all share the A1418 and A1419 Model Numbers whereas the "2019" and "2020" iMac models use different A2116 and A2115 model numbers. Accordingly, more precise identifiers are needed.

For the purposes of upgrading the storage, these models can be sufficiently identified by the Model Identifier in software and externally by EMC Number.

To locate the model identifier in software, select "About This Mac" under the Apple Menu on your computer, click the "More Info..." button, and finally click the "System Report" button.

The EMC number is inconveniently located on the bottom of the "foot" supporting the iMac, but EveryMac.com nevertheless diligently has hand documented the EMC numbers from the hardware itself because they are a unique external identifier.

More details about specific identifiers are provided in EveryMac.com's extensive Mac Identification section.

These relevant identifiers can be particularly useful for these iMac models:

Tapered Edge iMac	Subfamily	Model ID	EMC No.
"Core i5" 2.7 21.5"	Late 2012	iMac13,1	2544
"Core i5" 2.9 21.5"	Late 2012	iMac13,1	2544
"Core i7" 3.1 21.5"	Late 2012	iMac13,1	2544
"Core i5" 2.9 27"	Late 2012	iMac13,2	2546
"Core i5" 3.2 27"	Late 2012	iMac13,2	2546
"Core i7" 3.4 27"	Late 2012	iMac13,2	2546
"Core i3" 3.3 21.5"	Early 2013	iMac13,1	2545
"Core i5" 2.7 21.5"	Late 2013	iMac14,1	2638
"Core i5" 2.9 21.5"	Late 2013	iMac14,1	2638
"Core i7" 3.1 21.5"	Late 2013	iMac14,1	2638
"Core i5" 3.2 27"	Late 2013	iMac14,2	2639
"Core i5" 3.4 27"	Late 2013	iMac14,2	2639
"Core i7" 3.5 27"	Late 2013	iMac14,2	2639
"Core i5" 1.4 21.5"	Mid-2014	iMac14,4	2805
"Core i5" 3.5 27"	Late 2014, 5K	iMac15,1	2806
"Core i7" 4.0 27"	Late 2014, 5K	iMac15,1	2806
"Core i5" 3.3 27"	Mid-2015, 5K	iMac15,1	2806
"Core i5" 1.6 21.5"	Late 2015	iMac16,1	2889
"Core i5" 2.8 21.5"	Late 2015	iMac16,2	2889
"Core i5" 3.1 21.5"	Late 2015, 4K	iMac16,2	2833
"Core i7" 3.3 21.5"	Late 2015, 4K	iMac16,2	2833
"Core i5" 3.2 27"	Late 2015, 5K	iMac17,1	2834
"Core i5" 3.3 27"	Late 2015, 5K	iMac17,1	2834
"Core i7" 4.0 27"	Late 2015, 5K	iMac17,1	2834
"Core i5" 2.3 21.5"	Mid-2017	iMac18,1	3068
"Core i5" 3.0 21.5"	Mid-2017, 4K	iMac18,2	3069
"Core i5" 3.4 21.5"	Mid-2017, 4K	iMac18,2	3069
"Core i7" 3.6 21.5"	Mid-2017, 4K	iMac18,2	3069
"Core i5" 3.4 27"	Mid-2017, 5K	iMac18,3	3070
"Core i5" 3.5 27"	Mid-2017, 5K	iMac18,3	3070
"Core i5" 3.8 27"	Mid-2017, 5K	iMac18,3	3070
"Core i7" 4.2 27"	Mid-2017, 5K	iMac18,3	3070
"Core i3" 3.6 21.5"	2019, 4K	iMac19,2	3195
"Core i5" 3.0 21.5"	2019, 4K	iMac19,2	3195
"Core i7" 3.2 21.5"	2019, 4K	iMac19,2	3195
"Core i5" 3.0 27"	2019, 5K	iMac19,1	3194
"Core i5" 3.1 27"	2019, 5K	iMac19,1	3194
"Core i5" 3.7 27"	2019, 5K	iMac19,1	3194
"Core i9" 3.6 27"	2019, 5K	iMac19,1	3194
"Core i5" 3.1 27"	2020, 5K	iMac20,1	3442
"Core i5" 3.3 27"	2020, 5K	iMac20,1	3442
"Core i7" 3.8 27"	2020, 5K	iMac20,1	3442
"Core i9" 3.6 27"	2020, 5K	iMac20,1	3442
"Core i7" 3.8 27" (XT)	2020, 5K	iMac20,2	3442
"Core i9" 3.6 27" (XT)	2020, 5K	iMac20,2	3442

EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature also can identify these models by their Serial Numbers.

Storage Details

All of these systems released prior to the "Mid-2017" models have a 6 Gb/s Serial ATA (Revision 3.0) connector that is occupied by a hard drive in the default configurations -- a 2.5" hard drive in 21.5-Inch models and a 3.5" hard drive in 27-Inch models. An SSD can be installed in this hard drive space and some systems support a smaller PCIe-based "blade" SSD, as well.

Specifically, as first discovered via teardowns from iFixit and others, if the 21.5-Inch "Late 2012" or "Early 2013" iMac models were configured with an SSD or a "Fusion Drive" at the time of purchase, the SSD module is connected via a dedicated PCIe connector and another SSD can be installed in its place. Unfortunately, if the system only was configured with a hard drive, the needed connector is not present on the motherboard and there is not a way to add a PCIe-based "blade" SSD afterwards.

As first determined by site sponsor Other World Computing, the 21.5-Inch "Late 2013" iMac models do have the connector for a PCIe-based "blade" but subsequent 21.5-Inch models -- like the entry-level iMac "Core i5" 1.4 21.5-Inch (Mid-2014) and the 21.5-Inch "Late 2015" models -- do not have the connector for a PCIe-based "blade" SSD if one is not installed at the time of initial system purchase.

By contrast, the 27-Inch "Late 2012" and "Late 2013" as well as the "Late 2014" and "Mid-2015" Retina/5K iMac models all have this connector on the motherboard even if the system only is configured with a hard drive at the time of purchase, so it is possible to add a PCIe-based "blade" SSD to these models after the initial system purchase.

For the 27-Inch "Late 2015" Retina/5K iMac models, OWC was first to report that these models have a second PCIe connector (PCIe 2.0 x4 NVMexpress interface) that accommodates the SSD if the system is configured with a "Fusion Drive" by default. A reader kindly shared that the connector is present as well even if the system only is configured with a hard drive at the time of initial system purchase. Consequently, it is possible to add a compatible "blade" SSD to these models later, too.

For the 21.5-Inch and 27-Inch "Mid-2017" and "2019" iMac models, both support a 7 mm tall SATA III (6 Gb/s) hard drive for the primary storage, but the 21.5-Inch models use a 2.5" hard drive and the physically larger 27-Inch models use a 3.5" hard drive. All of these 27-Inch models are equipped by default with a "Fusion Drive" and the corresponding small "blade" SSD via a PCIe connector. As first noted by OWC, if the 21.5-Inch models are not equipped with a "Fusion Drive" at the time of system purchase, this secondary storage PCIe connector is not present.

For the 27-Inch "2020" iMac models, OWC determined that the SSD in these models, by default, is soldered onboard and not upgradeable. However, a subsequent OWC teardown was able to confirm earlier speculation that if the higher-end iMac "Core i7" 3.8 (5K, 2020) (MXWV2LL/A) is equipped with the 4 TB or 8 TB SSD option at the time of purchase (but not smaller SSDs), half of the storage is onboard and the other half is mounted on an expansion board. Accordingly, future storage upgrades could be possible for high-end custom configured models, just needlessly complicated. Accessing the storage effectively requires you to pry off the display and disassemble the computer.

These differences are perhaps best visualized with a chart:

iMac Series	Primary Storage	Secondary Storage
Late 2012 21.5"	2.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	None*
Late 2012 27"	3.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	PCIe "Blade"
Early 2013 21.5"	2.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	None*
Late 2013 21.5"	2.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	PCIe "Blade"
Late 2013 27"	3.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	PCIe "Blade"
Mid-2014 21.5"	2.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	None*
Late 2014 27"	3.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	PCIe "Blade"
Mid-2015 27"	3.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	PCIe "Blade"
Late 2015 21.5"	2.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	None*
Late 2015 27"	3.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	PCIe "Blade"
Mid-2017 21.5"	2.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	None*
Mid-2017 27"	3.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	PCIe "Blade"
2019 21.5"	2.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	None*
2019 27"	3.5" 6 Gb/s SATA 3.0	PCIe "Blade"
2020 27"	Soldered†	None†

* If equipped with an SSD or a "Fusion Drive" at the initial point of purchase, these models will have a connector present for a PCIe-based "blade" SSD. If they are not equipped with an SSD or a "Fusion Drive" when purchased new, the connector is not present, and secondary storage cannot be added later.

† By default, the SSD storage is onboard and cannot be upgraded. If the higher-end iMac "Core i7" 3.8 (5K, 2020) (MXWV2LL/A) is equipped with the 4 TB or 8 TB SSD option at the time of purchase (but not smaller SSDs), the flash module is mounted on an expansion board with a connector to the logic board.

"Tapered Edge" iMac Storage Installation Instructions

To reiterate, Apple does not support individuals upgrading the hard drive or SSD in these models.

However, Other World Computing provides helpful videos for highly technical individuals to upgrade the hard drive and SSD alike in applicable models:

21.5-Inch "Late 2012" Through "Late 2015" iMac Hard Drive Upgrade Video

21.5-Inch "Late 2012," "Early 2013" & "Late 2013" iMac SSD Upgrade Video

21.5-Inch "Mid-2017" iMac Hard Drive Upgrade Video

Remember that if a blade SSD was not installed in the 21.5-Inch models at the time of purchase, it will not have the needed connector to install a blade SSD. It still is quite possible to swap out the hard drive and replace it with an SSD of equivalent physical size, though.

27-Inch "Late 2012" Through "2019" iMac Hard Drive Upgrade Video

27-Inch "Late 2012" iMac SSD Upgrade Video

27-Inch "Late 2013" iMac SSD Upgrade Video

27-Inch "Late 2014 & Mid-2015" iMac SSD Upgrade Video

27-Inch "2019" iMac SSD Upgrade Video

As noted above, the "2020" iMac models generally have soldered storage that cannot be upgraded, but should a video be produced for higher-end custom configured models, this Q&A can be updated.

iMac Storage Purchase & Professional Installation Options

There are no shortage of places to buy a hard drive compatible with these iMac models, but compatible "blade" SSDs are a bit harder to locate. Even for a hard drive, though; it always is best to buy from a trusted company with Mac knowledge for the most trouble-free experience.

In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells a convenient hard drive upgrade kit (including all needed tools) for these 27" iMac models and hard drives for all others.

In the UK and Ireland, site sponsor Flexx sells SSDs that are compatible with many of these iMac models with free shipping. The company provides flat rate shipping to France, Germany, and Switzerland and inexpensive shipping for all of Europe, too.