How to Upgrade the SSD in a 2015 MacBook Pro 15" - Bigger! Better!
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- čas přidán 18. 06. 2024
- In this video, I show you how to upgrade the SSD drive in a 15" 2015 MacBook Pro, from Apple's NGFF to NVMe.
Items needed:
Sintech Adapter
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My favorite tool kit for working on MacBooks and other electronics
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NVMe Drives
500gb - amzn.to/3QDgugz
1TB - amzn.to/3WcSzW8
2TB - amzn.to/3H1vd0v
How to enable TRIM after installing your SSD:
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Create a macOS Boot Disk with 4 versions of macOS!
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Other parts and tools for upgrading MacBooks:
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The 2015 15" MacBook Pro is still one of my favorite laptops. Have you upgraded your SSD yet? Let me know in the comments.
I was wondering... Can I use whatever nvme I want? Are there some nvme that aren't compatible with macbook pro? I was thinking about buying a new nvme for my macbook pro retina and I wanted to make sure that an PCIe 3.0 x 4(NVMe 1.3) is good for it.
Agreed I have one too and I am getting ready to do this upgrade...
no dont know what to buy
I've tried to install a 2tb nvme with the adaptor but there's no way disk utility recognises de ssd
Tried all kinds of terminal commands but it simply doesn't get the ssd
Very pleased with your instructions on how to replace my faulty 7 year old SSD and upgrade to 1T. Thank You!
Clear, concise, good tempo, all around excellent. I paused your vid and bought the tool kit. :)
Hi Chris here in Australia
I am getting my 2015 Macbook Pro in the next couple of days. Thanks for clear and slow instructions a lot of time instructions are given so fast that they are hard to follow.
Graet job.
Awesome. Thanks for the kind words! Enjoy your new MacBook.
My mac is the exact same model as yours. The serial numbers are almost the same too! I'm tempted to give this ago myself if I can find all the bits I need here in the UK. Thanks for this.
Thank you Sensei
Upgraded my early 2015 macbook pro with crucial 1tb ssd bought using your links. Thank u so much for the steps. The upgrade went very smooth. Only tricky part was after connecting sintec adapter, had to make sure the new ssd was inserted completely into the slot. Needed to apply some pressure. I am very happy with the extra storage and glad to own the 2015 macbook pro. Wish later models would support such kind of upgrades too. Seems wasteful to junk a machine just because of ssd failures
so this would work no problems on an early 2015 model??thx preciate you
@familyGeekery Thanks for the video. Very thorough and to the point. Well done! Question: Your link to the ssd you used in your video leads to one called Modern, but I also see other versions ie...Pro, Agile, Swift, etc, that show faster read/write speeds. Was there any other reason other than price, that you linked to the one called "Modern", or can we use any of the other faster read/write versions in the same line like Pro or Agile, and if I do, what are the risks or cons to a faster read/write, what would you suggest or advise? I have a 15", mid-2015, 512GB ssd, 16GB Ram, i7 2.5ghz.
Thank you. I could install a Kingston KC3000 in my Macbook Pro 2015 booting with Monterey.
Nicely explained 👍
Thank you 🙂
Excellent video, very well done! I have a mid-2015 MacBook Pro, same specs as in your vid. I put a 500GB Crucial SSD in mine, then reloaded it with OpenCore and 14.5 Sonoma. This machine runs Sonoma perfectly but Apple had dropped support for the MacBook Pro 11,4 for Universal Control. Even that works on it if you patch the EFI with OpenCore.
Thank you for this video! I followed all your instructions, swapped out the 256GB SSD for a 2TB NVMe SSD, reinstalled the OS, then did a full restore from my last Time Machine backup. Hardest part of the whole process has been copying files! Thank you for the clear directions. I feel like I have a new 2015 15" MacBook Pro! The physical swapping of drives, from turning the machine over to access the screws to putting the cover back on was 30 minutes, tops.
It is noticeable faster?
@D4aniB I would say the intent is more for increasing the storage. The speed itself would probably not be as much a benefit.
@@D4aniB I have not noticed a huge increase in speed. The new NVMe drive is a bit faster than the old SSD I removed. I was not going for speed, though, as I do very little work that requires lots of speed. What is great is all the room I have available! I was having to use external hard drives to store a number of important folders and files. Now, everything is on the internal SSD 2TB drive and I can use my external drives as Time Machine backup drives. This makes working so much easier as I no longer have to try and remember which drive I stuck things on.
I changed mine and the speed definitely went up
What's the difference between crucial p3 and crucial p3 plus. It's for a macbook pro early 2015 13''. Thanks! Loved your vídeo.
Best MacBook Pro ever made
is your boot up time still normal? I feel as if mine hangs for a moment too long now.Still boots and seems normal.
This was great. Just upgraded my mid-2015 macbook pro to 1TB!
Awesome! Hopefully the video helped out a lot. Enjoy the new life in your laptop!
which ssd u bought ?
Hi Chris, thanks for the video, much appreciated. My model is MacBook Pro 13" Early 2015. I saw the Sintech adapter info, it didn't mention compatibility to Early 2015. What is your insight on that? Thanks in advance!
Best MBP in history!
Thanks for ALL your AWESOME videos! One question: this won't work on a MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), correct?
Thanks for the kind words! That’s the same model I used in this video.
You’re the best! Just did my upgrade. Thank you.
Happy to help! Thanks for watching.
If I want to keep High Sierra, is the only option to buy an OWC Aura? I have some software that the last supported OS was High Sierra.
Yo this video is dope. Clear and concise. You know I can take the same machine and dual boot it with Windows?
Yes, I have a video about that which I did with a 2012 MacBook. Thanks for watching and thanks for the nice words!
i want to load the exact image of my OS along with my files and folders saved in my old SSD. how do I transfer that into the new SSD
What is the biggest size nvme that you can use. I want to replace mine as my laptop freezes on boot up at time but I don't want to purchase the one that won't fit
Love your video sir, on the usb boot drive do you have all your old files and programs on that usb thumb drive also?
I didn’t, since I was just installing a fresh macOS. You could do a Time Machine backup to a separate usb drive before you upgrade.
Hi, can i do the same upgrade to a 2015 but 13”
Thank you for the clip. I followed it to upgrade my 2015 MBP, squeezing some more life out of it.
You’re welcome! Enjoy your upgraded laptop!
Thank you the video
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Hello, thanks for the vid. Very helpful. Do you know how to transfer what’s currently on my older 256 GB drive to a new upgraded 1 TB SSD?
Well there are a few ways you can do this..
One way when I upgraded my first MacBook was just download a drive cloner and I just used a USB adapter to clone the original to the new the Just install the drive and boot up
Another is make a time machine backup and just install a new install of the os in the new drive and then restore from that backup
Hi...Thanks for this video. I have a related question. I have two 13inch Macbook Pros, a late 2013 i7 with 500gm ssd and an early 2015 i5 with 250gb ssd. Because the 2015 is more OS upgradable and a bit cleaner, I wanted to know if/how I may be able to use swap the ssds and put the 500ssd from the 2013 MBP into the 2015 MBP. If so how is this best done. If not I'll forget about it:) I don't know if the quality of the SSDs changed much from 2013 to 2015 as that could be another factor...basically is it worth doing this and if so hope best. Thanks for any guidance. Be well. Rick
I red Monterrey doesn’t work because of the diferent SSD. Is there a solution for that?
Thanks for the clear video and instructions. The time has come for me to do this upgrade rather than buy another laptop.🤑
Good luck! Enjoy your re-newed system. And thanks for watching!
hello I ordered a disk ssd Hikvision E3000 500 g for a Mac book air of 2015 with a usb adapter I can install the system Monterey but when I move it internally the mac starts to boot then it stops and it puts the folder with the question mark is this disk compatible for this Macbook please
I can't see where the problem comes from
What’s the highest size ssd I can install on this model MBP?
Hello, thank you for this video, I've a question I'm looking for a solution to partition my WD_BLACK SN770 1 TB NVMe because I getting a error code when I tried to partition. Thank you advance
Hi I'm running big sur right now can I do this with Samsung Evo 980 nvme m.2
QUESTION: what's the fastest SSD drive you recommend for this upgrade of the 2015 macbook pro?
The older 2015 MBP max out around 3000-4000MB/s because of older PCIE specs. You need PCIE 4X to get the maximum speed of 2023 SSDs.
You can put a faster SSD in without problems and it will have the advantage of sustaining that speed longer than a slower SSD. So for large data transfers you may still want a "faster" SSD.
Great video I have a few questions if somebody could answer
I have a early 2015 13" macbook pro and got a adapter off Amazon that said it worked with my drive and computer but when I put it in the computer doesn't reconise the drive but If I put the drive in the usb adapter I can see and boot from. The drive even with the ssd slot empty but ehen I put the ssd adapter and new drive in nothing I got a replacement same thing they just refunded me and ordering a slightly more expensive one hope it works but anybody have any other thoughts on what it could be
great video and love the links to the other helpful ones.
would these steps be the same for the macbook pro 13" early 2015 as well?
I was hoping to use this NVME, can't see anywhere if it's compatible for this laptop?
Crucial P3 1TB SSD M.2 NVMe 3500MB/s Black Internal Hard Drive (CT1000P3SSD8)
You’ll be able to use one but you’ll need to get an adapter to insert the NVMe.
hello , can i use an SSD with gen4? thanks
Can I put in a 2T or 4T ssd drive in my Mac 20115 15”?
thanks a million, i just ordered the adapter and a 2tb drive….
Awesome! You’re going to love it!
also , my imac has a 3tb disk aready installed , so the ssd will go in the designated slot , and still using disk for os , , thanx.
omg U wouldn't believe all the videos I have watched till I found you.. I have a 2015 MacBook Pro 13" Model A1502 can you tell me if Gamerking 512GB SSD for MacBook NVMe pie gen 3.0 x4 3d and tic m.2 ssd fit mine.. Please advise then I want to reinstall OS X as you did in one video from the App Store from flash drive.. will that work?plz advise and thank you so much for your videos..much appreciated
Well explained but would have been great to show some speeds before/after
I have a macbook air 2017 Monterey, can i upgrade my ssd? or do i need to downgrade the MacOS?
can I use ssd with heatsink or they wont fit?
Hey so I was given a 2015 MacBook pro that was previously owned by my sister. It wasn't turning on. On getting it checked at an authorised service center they informed me that the SSD was missing. The replacement part was very expensive From them. Is there any other brand that I can go for?
When boot into Monterey it says that my installer is damaged and cannot be used to install macOS
What about cloning the drive?
Can I put 4TB SSD?
lovely video, my question to you is what is the best recommendation 2 tb ssd i should use ,that is reasonably priced . p.s i am a mobile dj .dont know what to buy cause i dont want to buy the wrong thing thanks
You can't go wrong with a Samsung 980, but for much less, I've been very happy with Timetec products: amzn.to/3KDjszZ
As this one was done sans the fake "I'm going to be a star" web-poser nonsense, this ends up being a really helpful/useful video. We, too, own a machine that's very similar to the one featured in this video, so I came here, specifically, to see the adapter for mounting non-Apple NVMe SSDs. The bonus part is that I ended up learning more, so, once again, nice job! I've both liked and subscribed, so please keep up with the informative video work. 👍
Thank you for the kind words, and I’m glad you found the video helpful!
How is the performance of the Macbook after the upgrade? Does the system heat up because of the connector? Will it support Samsung 990 Pro SSD, 1TB PCle 4.0 M.2?
Samsung 990 pro is to fast for 2015 MacBook Pro , bought it on sale recently and learned it is too fast and uses too much power
Hello good video. Can't I just boot up from a Time Machine backup? Also will Big Sur work on a Mid 2015 MacBook Pro?
Yes, a Time Machine backup would work. And yes, Big Sur is also compatible with 2015 MBPs. Thanks for watching!
Great Video, one question
Do I need the adapter if I just want to replace the Internal Hard Drive. I paid extra for 500GB, and now it's toast, but I backed everything up. I just want a blank drive so my comp can work again. Thanks, if you can't tell this stuff is not my expertise.
You need the adapter to use the cheaper NVMe drive. You can replace the ssd with a true Apple drive without the adapter, but they are usually much more expensive. Good luck!
Thanks! I'll keep that in mind.@@FamilyGeekery
i have early 2015, still on high sierra.
You mention I would need to upgrade to Mojave to even be able to upgrade my SSD. Problem is I don't even have enough storage to do that! I have 108/120 GB already been sucked into "system".
I'm stuck on what to do.
You could backup any data you need then just completely wipe/reinstall High Sierra using a thumb drive or internet recovery (format your old hdd, etc). Then you could upgrade your clean High Sierra to Mojave before upgrading to the ssd. I have tutorials on most of those processes on my channel. Hope that helps.
Great video! Could 8TB ssd be installed on it? Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words! I have never tried an 8TB drive, but some quick Googling leads me to believe it should work. If you’d like to send me one, I’ll be happy to try, lol! Thanks for watching!
OMG... I love you.
Thanks for the video. Would you be able to receive and install OS updates on the newly installed nvme SSD disk? Or you will have to stuck with OS version you installed right away after upgrade?
It will work just like the original hard drive when it comes to updates. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!
@@FamilyGeekery thank you for response! Cheers!
@@FamilyGeekery i forgot to ask. I heard, there is SSD from the brand Kingspec, that doesn’t require adapter. Didn’t you test it?
Does this make the laptop faster? I was tryna use my 2015 MacBook to edit my Sony FX3 footage but it's studdery I was wondering if I upgrade it will it work better for this
Changing out the HDD to an SAD will definitely make it faster
Yes, booting up will be much faster as well as some programs. Make sure you have lots of ram as well and that will further speed up your processes
Hey, thanks for the tutorial! I wonder if any way to transferred old data from old drive to the newer drive without doing any reinstallation. I'm still not confidence to losing all my data from the old drive although I'm doing all the backup.
Time Machine is a good option. Or you can clone your old drive. I think I have a video on cloning your drive on my channel. Thanks for watching, and good luck!
@@FamilyGeekery Amazing. Gonna check the video later. Thank you!
You put two links for the SSD which one did you use ? I checked the link and they are different than the one you're using in the video
Sometimes I use various drives I have sitting around for tutorial purposes. But I usually link to brands and drives that I use and trust.
I have bootcamp installed on a hard drive (rather than partitioning my hard drive) that I plug into my MacBook Pro (2015) so I can use Windows. Do you know if upgrading my SSD will affect that? Shouldn't as long as I install the same version of MacOS that the hard drive bootcamp runs on, right?
did it work i wanna buy a ssd for more window space but i’m not sure if it’ll work
HI there! I have a 2015 macbook pro 13 . It has a 128 gig ssd. I know im stuck to 8 gigs of ram and original processor but changing disk could bump performance a bit?
I’m not sure how much of a performance difference a larger SSD would make, unless your disk is constantly full. Thanks for watching!
Dumb question...is this upgrade the same for the 2015 MacBook Pro 13" model?...and once I've done the upgrade, how do I get the latest version of Monterey on the thing? (Assuming that's the latest iOS version this model will accommodate) Thanks...great video!
The process would be very similar. And yes, Monterey will work. You could either do a full restore over the internet, or use a thumb drive. Or you could use Time Machine to backup and restore. Check out my channel playlist on other Mac tutorials for some of those tutorials. Thanks for watching! And let me know if you have any other questions.
Why don’t you install OS Sonoma in your Mac
Before I mess with a bootable USB, i've tried doing internet recovery-> time machine backup. My problem is it's not detecting my installed SSD (Samsung 970 Evo Plus). The Sintech support doc says that drive is not supported, but many others say it is. I've formatted the drive as APFS prior to installation, but still no dice.
Did your SSD just automatically show up with no formatting?
did you get this resolved?
Hi. How can I select correct M.2 SSD for mac. I have early 2015 macbook pro retina.
There are a few examples listed in the video description. If you follow the video, just make sure you get the right adapter and pretty much any NVMe drive. Thanks for watching!
I have a 2015 15" MacBook Pro with a 512GB SSD. I want to upgrade to a Samsung 4tb SSD - The question is: If I upgrade to the 990 Pro, will the drive operate at maximum performance, or will the limitations of the 2015 MacBook Pro throttle it's performance? If so, what would be the best drive for me to get for that computer, that would not be throttled by the limitations of the computer? A 980 Pro...? A 970 Pro...?
Is the Adata legend 710 SSD compatible with MacBook pro 2015?
It looks like it. Most standard 2280 NVMe drives can be adapted as shown in the video.
i do have the same mac, but with the touch bar. do you think does it matter or is the same?
thank you
Touchbarvmacbook is unfortunate not upgradable. It sucks.
The new SSD is probably faster too. Good time to change the thermal paste when you do this. Helps to run cooler with less fan noise.
Looks like your battery is starting to swell and will need to be replaced soon. Can DIY, but watch a few videos first to avoid damaging the old battery when you take it out.
How do you change the thermal paste? I installed a SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD 2TB on my mid 2015 Macbook Pro. It is working great so far, but was wondering if I need to add a thermal pad.
My first impression as well that the battery is on its way out. Change it while the cover is open.
@manojmakhijani7410 already taken care of! But thanks for looking out for me, and thanks for watching!
@@FamilyGeekery What third party battery did you end up going with? I need to replace mine.
I have the same macbook. Want to upgrade. I made the usb osx Monterey per your other video. Want to do clean install osx on SSD. Can I put ssd into macbook then boot up an format ssd to ex- journal. From boot screen? Option/utilities etc. Or do I need an external enclosure to format ssd pre putting it into the computer.
You don’t need to format it first. You can always use disk utility from the boot disk to format if you need. But if it’s a brand new ssd you shouldn’t have to.
@@FamilyGeekery many thanks. 👌
Do you recommend MacBook 2015 iris graphic for $400 today 2023?
In my area, I can find 2015s for cheaper than that. Try to get a little better deal than that if you can. Good luck!
Will it support a 4TB SSD upgrade and if so which one do you advise? Tim
It should..
Does crucial p3 work with the adapter. The adapter says p1 though
The P3 should work just fine. Thanks for watching!
is the early 2015 macbook pro the same as the mid 2015? are the upgrades the same?
Yes
Is using the extension on nvme ssd effects on speed?
There shouldn’t be any measurable effect on the speed simply by using the adapter. Thanks for watching!
I have a 128gb version. How to make a good backup so when i have a new 1TB version i have all my old files
The easiest way is to use an external hard drive (or SSD, but a 2.5” HDD from a laptop in an enclosure is a low-cost option) to create a Time Machine backup and restore all your files from that. The drive can then be used ongoing for Time Machine backup of your upgraded laptop.
I tried to upgrade my MacBook Pro Mid 2015 to 2TB and it does not recognize the disk, although it does work on my PC. Do I have to use a 1TB one instead of a 2TB one? The maximum it supports is 1TB?
I have exactly the same problem. When I change the disk, mac doesn't see it.
How much faster will it run with a newer nvme drive?
The emphasis of this video is really to get more storage. The actual speed difference would vary depending on the brand and technology. Too many variables to generalize.
is it okay to upgrade ssd on these macbook with gen 4 nvme?
I haven’t personally tried one, but they should be backwards compatible. You probably won’t see any performance difference between 3 and 4 though in the MacBook.
the only reasons i want this and to upgrade the ssd is becasue i got an E gpu and it works only with intel... so it has all the ports and 16gb of ram and cost not that much. I have a m1 mac mini , but my PC laptop blows everything away.
Awesome! I just picked up a cheap eGPU also. What games do you play with it on Mac?
i have done all steps,unfortunatelly MacBook does not recognize new drive in disc utility ,not sure why...also i had a big problem with removing cover screws as some of them were worn,not easy job
Checking all connections is the best advice I can give for the drive not showing up. As for the screws, if they were hard to take out, don’t put the same ones back in. Grab some new ones from Amazon, which usually comes with the right size Philips driver.
@@FamilyGeekery i have ordered another SSD also new set of screws,will see how it goes
Is there an reverse adapter to use the Apple ssd in a conventional socket?
Yes, but it’s not really worth the money in my opinion. Probably cheaper to just buy a new NVMe drive.
Any idea of the cost and what it is called for lookup ?
What do I do if my internal SSD isn’t showing up after I install it? Not in disk utility at all. Please advise.
Did you upgrade your macOS before you started? Also, double check all connections of course.
@@FamilyGeekery reseeded the drive no less than 6x and upgraded to Monterey on the base machine first.
Even tried an external ssd holder to install Monterey, and did and then put it in and still doesn’t recognize.
Are you using the Sintech adapter or the cheaper model?
which ssd you recomend ?
If you have a mid 2015 any gen 3 ssd should work fine, for older i think gen 2 is the best you can do.
I was able to upgrade to 2TB, but now not all my keys work on the keyboard. What can I do? Please help.
you probably unplugged trackpad cable or damaged the connector. Didn't you changed battery as well?
I upgraded to the Samsung SSD 970 EVO 1TB. I need something stronger.
a great video THANKYOU , i have just purchased a macbook pro , and will be upgrading the ssd , , the ssd coming out i will install in my imac, the question i have is , will i have to format the ssd before , or can i do that once its installed , ? and if i have to do it before How ? thankyou soo much , any advice will be much appreciated , kindest regards from the UK. ,, Gary :)😃
you can format the drive afterwards or before. Both using the disk utility. It has an "erase" feature. Just make sure you are erasing the correct drive! Good luck. Let me know if you have any more questions.
My newly replaced ssd is not getting recognised. I want to install the OS, don’t know what’s going wrong
oh no! I would first double check that the adapter is fully seated. I've seen where the SSD looks like its all the way plugged into the adapter, but its still not. I've also seen where a brand other than Sintech wasn't recognized. I hope these tips help! Good luck. Let me know how it goes!
can i ask you something
Mac2015 mid can use ssd wdblack850x ?
Yes, as long as you use the adapter I showed in the video.
one last question mac can use maxilum read & write 7000 ? with power on ssd wdblack 850x@@FamilyGeekery
@@kavincenter1 No, these 2015 MBPs have a PCIe 3.0 bus with 4 lanes so it won't be able to take advantage of the full speed of that particular SSD. I have a Silicon Power SSD in mine which was able to get ~3 GB/sec for both read and write which is still pretty great for something that old
I just replaced my SSD. Unfortunately, mine is not recognized by disk utility. I bought the Crucial 500GB P3 NVMe PCIe 3.0 M.2 Internal SSD CT500P3SSD8. Everything seems properly assembled. Any tips? Perhaps this model is not compatible?
The best tip is always to double check your connection. Make sure all the pieces are fully “seated” then try disk utility again. Other than that, I’m not sure. Good luck!
Hello! Were you able to fix this problem?
I'm having the exact same issue 😢
@@visoundpro3693 No, my theory is the adapter could be incompatible (I bought a cheaper one), so I was about to try to buy the recommended. Unfortunately, my computer fell and something happened to the screen, so until I fix this I will not investigate this other problem.
Thanks for replying.
I ordered a new adapter and it worked!
@@visoundpro3693 What adapter did you by? The same one the creator linked?
A couple of those battery cells look like they're starting to swell.
Is there a 4TB that you recommend nvme drive???
amzn.to/3t9xxiO I’ve had a lot of good experience with this brand if you’re looking to save money. Otherwise, Samsung drives are always top notch.
@@FamilyGeekeryHow long have you had it on your mac without any issues i was looking at the 980 pro for samsung but i am not sure if it will give me trouble in the future.
Can you go bigger than 1TB?
Yes, I just always try to find the best bang for the buck. But with 2TB drives dropping in price, might be a great option if you need more storage. Thanks for watching!
Does this gives any kernel panic
I haven’t had any. Thanks for watching!
The intro sound almost gave me cardiac arrest, please use a different and much more minimal sound 😭
Sorry about that! I’ve been told I have the perfect voice for putting people asleep. At least my intro woke you up! Thanks for watching, and sorry for the near heart attack!
you need a new battery dude the cells are swelling and thats bad bad news
Yes, I realized that. This video just focused on the SSD, but I’ve done many videos on changing (and diagnosing) batteries. Thanks for the concern and thanks for watching!