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Difficulty

Easy

Steps

6

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Connection
  • 2 steps
  • RAM
  • 2 steps

Flags

1

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  • BackMacBook Pro 13" Unibody Late 2011

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Remove the following ten screws:
  • Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws
  • Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws
  • Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws
  • When replacing the small screws, align them perpendicular to the slight curvature of the case (they don’t go straight down).

Remove the following ten screws:

Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws

Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws

Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws

When replacing the small screws, align them perpendicular to the slight curvature of the case (they don’t go straight down).

1024

Step 2

  • Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.
  • Remove the lower case.

Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.

Remove the lower case.

Step 3

              Battery Connection
  • Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.
  • It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to “walk” it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.

It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to “walk” it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

Step 4

  • Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

Step 5

              RAM
  • Pull the two RAM retaining arms away from the center of the RAM chip.
  • The RAM chip should “pop” up slightly from its socket.

Pull the two RAM retaining arms away from the center of the RAM chip.

The RAM chip should “pop” up slightly from its socket.

Step 6

  • Pull the RAM stick out of its socket.
  • Repeat this process to remove the second RAM chip.

Pull the RAM stick out of its socket.

Repeat this process to remove the second RAM chip.

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

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Author

                                      with 6 other contributors 


                    Phillip Takahashi

Member since: 08/22/2011

85,204 Reputation

                                      87 Guides authored                  



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carlosanttini - Aug 14, 2012

Reply

I should have two 4GB memory or 8GB?

Christopher - Nov 9, 2014

You can max out your RAM on any MacBook just about because of the quality of design. I added two sticks of 8 GB of RAM for a total of 16 GB. Apple say my MacBook Pro late 2011 can only support 8GB.

isabelortiz - Sep 21, 2013

Reply

Hello,

I just changed RAM from 4GB to 16GB in a MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Late 2011. Followed all the steps here, nothing broke. I was very careful on the instruction “the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board”, and also to connect it again.

What happens is that my computer works fine except for the battery. On the upper side (next to clock) says that there are no batteries available. It only works with AC adapter connected.

Please, Help me!!!

Christopher - Apr 7, 2019

rafsplug - Dec 11, 2013

Reply

I just upgraded my macbook pro 13" late 2011 from 4GB to 8GB RAM. It’s was very easy to do!