How to Upgrade the RAM on a 2012 MacBook Pro

Reasons why you should think about doing it, and a step-by-step guide.

Why Should I Upgrade the RAM on my 2012 MacBook Pro?

If you plan to upgrade the RAM on a 2012 MacBook Pro, you likely already have a reason for doing so.

Do you:

• Want to save money on upgrading by buying affordable parts over a brand new MacBook?
• Are you capable of performing simple, easy, and quick DIY on your MacBook?
• Are you able to perform a copy of macOS on your new SSD’s by following instructions?
• Have you backed up your data? This is very important, as your computer will be wiped with the installation of the new macOS.

When performing any technical upgrades to your 2012 MacBook Pro, you’ll have to be comfortable with opening up, removing, and reinstalling the new components. If this sounds a bit daunting, don’t worry, as we have a simple step-by-step guide to follow further in this article.

The main reason you should think about upgrading your RAM is that not only will you get twice as much (the MacBook Pro 2012 comes with 8GB RAM but can support up to 16GB RAM), but you’ll be saving a ton of money in the process.

Another thing to think about whilst upgrading the Ram on your MacBook is that you will be able to upgrade several other components after opening it up, should you wish to do so. For instance, you can upgrade the 750GB HDD for a smoother, faster 500GB SSD. You can also remove the optical drive, and replace it with a second 500GB SSD if you want. To top it off, it might be worth considering upgrading your battery, as it’s easy to do and you will likely benefit a lot from it.

Things To Do:

• Most important of all is to make sure you back up all of your files and data. When performing your RAM upgrade and installing the fresh version of macOS, your computer will be wiped.
• Make sure you have a new, or empty, 8GB flash drive that you can use to create a bootable version of macOS.
• Make sure you have your RAM ready to install, and you have a screwdriver handy.

Performing the RAM Replacement on Your 2012 MacBook Pro

Once you have made sure to have done everything on the checklist above, you are ready to go. We will now walk you through a simple, safe guide on how to upgrade your RAM yourself and save some precious cash.

There are six steps in total. You can expect to be done in fifteen to thirty minutes.

1 – Remove the Case

Turn your MacBook over. You will see that there are ten screws (which we have marked to make it easier for you in the picture). Remove all of these ten screws and put them in a safe place for when it comes to closing the laptop back up later.

Once you have done this and your screws are safe to one side, you can remove the case from your MacBook. To do this, place a hand near the vent, and gently pop off. It should click off and come off fairly easily. If for any reason it does not, don’t force it, and check you are doing it correctly.

2 – Remove the Battery Connection

Take extra care when performing this step. Use the edge of your screwdriver to gently pry the battery connector out of its slot on the logic board. If possible, it is recommended to use a screwdriver at either side (or anything that will fit and not damage it) and gently wiggle it out with both sides simultaneously. The connector can be a little fragile, and it will be easy to break the corners off if you don’t use a gentle touch.

3 – Move Battery Cable Safely Away

Now that the battery is disconnected, you will want to make sure it does not accidentally reconnect while you’re performing the upgrade to your 2012 MacBook RAM. Simply bend the cable slightly away while taking care not to damage anything.

4 – RAM

Your RAM will now be accessible and safe to remove. To do so, simply locate the two ‘arms’ on the side of the RAM chip and gently bend them outward. If you have done it right, the RAM chip should pop out of its socket slightly. You can now lift and remove.

Repeat the process with the second RAM chip. You can now insert the RAM you have chosen to upgrade to into the empty slots.

5 – Put Back Together

It’s that simple! Once you have inserted your upgraded RAM, simply reverse these steps to put your 2012 MacBook back together.

If you have chosen to install additional upgrades and components, you can do so now before putting the laptop back together.

6 – Format and Install Fresh macOS

Now that the manual part is over, all that’s left to do is to format and install the fresh macOS. You should already have the 8GB flash drive we mentioned earlier with your chosen version of macOS loaded onto it. Simply pop the USB in and install.

Where Can I Get the RAM to Upgrade My 2012 MacBook Pro?

You can find RAM suitable to upgrade your 2012 MacBook Pro widely across the internet, just remember that the 2012 MacBook Pro supports up to 16GB, so do not go over that. To make things a little easier for you, here are a couple of links to take you straight to some of our picks.

• On Amazon. Highly rated component from a highly rated seller. 
• OWC has a good collection of all types of MacBook upgrades at very affordable prices.

Overview

Hopefully, this article has helped you to decide if you should upgrade your 2012 MacBook Pro rather than buy a new laptop. It is an easy, affordable process and you will be saving a lot of money in the long run.