How To Install a Mac SSD into an External Enclosure

Written By: Carsten Frauenheim
  • Comments: 7
How To Install a Mac SSD into an External Enclosure

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

7

Time Required

3 - 10 minutes

Introduction

iFixit’s SSD enclosure allows you to repurpose a factory-installed Mac SSD as a portable external drive. Follow this guide to learn how to install your SSD into the enclosure.

If you still need to complete your SSD upgrade, find your Mac and look for the SSD Replacement guide.

Note: These enclosures are designed to be used with factory-installed Mac Solid State Drives, and will not work with other PCIe replacement drives and adapters, including OWC Aura Pro drives.

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    • Slide the SSD sled out of the metal enclosure to remove it.

    Very expensive enclosure…

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    • Carefully insert your Mac OEM SSD as shown, with the golden contact pads below the connector pins facing upward.

    • The SSD and enclosure are both keyed, so the SSD can only be installed one way.

    • The SSD might take a significant amount of force to insert. Make sure you have the orientation correct before you apply any pressure.

    • When the SSD is fully inserted, the notch at the bottom of the drive should be aligned with the hole for the screw in the enclosure.

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    • Use a Phillips driver to install the 4.5 mm screw securing the bottom of the SSD.

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    • Slide the SSD sled into the metal enclosure, SSD connector end first.

    • Make sure the enclosure is in the correct orientation—the sled slides in on the thin rails.

    • The USB-C port should be facing out once installed.

    what happens if the ssd sled won’t fit back in?

    Adanna Ch -

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    • Place the port cover plate onto the end of the enclosure, aligning the USB-C port with its cutout.

    • The screw hole chamfers should face outwards.

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    • Use a Phillips driver to install the two 8 mm screws onto the end of the enclosure.

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    • The drive is now ready to be connected to your computer with either of the included USB cables.

Conclusion

Once your drive is installed, you can transfer data from it, or use Disk Utility to format it and use it as a Time Machine backup.

Author

Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 10/03/20

124554 Reputation

5 comments

Danke für das Teilen. Es wäre besser, wenn Sie ein zusätzliches Video-Tutorial haben. bloxorz

Halle Promise -

The problem is that unless we're talking about a 2tb or larger SSD, the enclosure for an Apple SSD costs as much or more as just buying an external SSD (as I found out the hard way).

RD6 -

Is there any driver that needs installed for this? My MacBook Pro, a MacBook Air, and a Windows machine do not recognize any USB storage device is being connected at all. Nothing shows up with Disk Utility.

Albert Einstein -

Installed an original MacBook Air 11" Early 2014 SSD drive - doesn't work at all! Waisted €119,95

Raimondas Valuckas -

The install was successful and the drive reads just fine. However, the drive will disconnect itself after a couple minutes. Usually while I'm transferring or browsing files to see which one to transfer next. So basically about the same as all the other generic enclosures I've bought. Is there a fix and or recourse? I don't like wasting over a c-note for something that does the same as the half-priced competitors.

DuchessLadybug -