How to Replace the Thermal Paste in your Mac mini (2024)

Fully shut down your Mac mini and unplug all cables from it.

Flip over your Mac mini and place it on a clean, flat surface to avoid scratching the chassis.

Insert a Jimmy into the gap between the bottom cover and the chassis.

Pry up the bottom cover to create a gap.

Keep the Jimmy inserted under the bottom cover.

Insert an opening pick into the gap created by the Jimmy.

Remove the Jimmy.

Slide the opening pick along the bottom cover until you feel it snag on a clip.

Twist the pick to lift the clip out of its slot.

Continue sliding and prying with the pick along the perimeter of the bottom cover to release the remaining clips.

Lift the edge of the bottom cover opposite the power button and flip it over to expose the power button cable.

Grip the power button cable close to the head and pull it away from its socket to disconnect it.

Remove the bottom cover.

Use a T5 Torx screwdriver to remove the twelve screws securing the inner plate:

Eight 3.4 mm‑long screws

Four 2.4 mm‑long screws

Insert the point of a spudger into one of the clips' slots on the inner plate.

Pry up the inner plate enough so you can grip the edge along the same side as the headphone jack.

Pull the inner plate away from the chassis to slide it out from under the lip on the heat sink.

Lift the inner plate and flip it over to expose the wireless module cable.

Use one hand to secure the wireless module during this step.

Use a Torx Plus 5IP screwdriver to remove the four 2.5 mm‑long screws securing the wireless module cover.

Remove the wireless module cover.

Use one hand to secure the wireless module during this step.

Insert the point of a spudger under one of the short edges of the wireless module press connector.

Pry up to disconnect the wireless module.

Remove the inner plate.

If you're following this guide to clean your fan, this is a good time to do so.

Remove the four screws securing the fan:

Two 2.4 mm‑long Torx Plus 3IP screws

Two 7.9 mm‑long Torx Plus 5IP screws

Lift the fan out of its recess in the chassis and flip it over to expose its wire and connector.

Let the fan rest on the chassis and heat sink.

Use tweezers to peel back the tape covering the fan ZIF connector.

Use the point of a spudger, or your fingernail, to flip up the locking tab on the fan ZIF connector.

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to slide the ZIF connector straight out of its socket.

Remove the fan.

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the two 2.2 mm‑long screws securing the headphone jack cover.

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the headphone jack cover.

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the headphone jack press connector.

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the two 4.0 mm‑long screws securing the headphone jack.

Apply a few drops of isopropyl alcohol (>90%) to the top of the power indicator's silver plate.

Wait one minute for the alcohol to flow behind the power indicator and for the adhesive to loosen.

Slide a Jimmy between the top of the power indicator and the chassis to separate the adhesive.

Lightly grip the power indicator with tweezers and pull it away from the chassis to separate the adhesive securing its cable.

Lift the headphone jack out of the chassis and remove it.

Use a Torx Plus 5IP screwdriver to remove the three screws securing the speaker:

Two 4.1 mm‑long screws

One 3.7 mm‑long screw

Grip the speaker and slide it out from under the heat sink.

Pull the speaker over the edge of the chassis to expose its cable and its connector.

Rest the speaker on the edge of the chassis.

Grip the speaker cable close to the head and pull it away from its socket to disconnect it.

Remove the speaker.

Remove the four screws securing the USB-C port cover:

Three 2.2 mm‑long Torx Plus 3IP screws

One 9.2 mm‑long Torx Plus 8IP screw

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the front USB-C port cover.

Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the front USB-C ports press connector.

Use a Torx Plus 3IP screwdriver to remove the four 4.7 mm‑long screws securing the two front USB-C ports.

Use the point of a spudger to pry the front USB-C ports from their recesses in the chassis.

Pull the front USB-C ports out of the chassis and remove it.

Remove the six screws securing the logic board:

Three 6.8 mm‑long T8 Torx screws

One 16.2 mm‑long T8 Torx screw

Two 4.2 mm‑long T5 Torx screws

Grip the heat sink and pull it away from the edge of the chassis to release the pegs in the rear ports.

Lift the rear port side of the logic board out of the chassis before sliding the opposite end out.

Turn the logic board over to expose the power supply cable connector.

Use your fingers to grip the power supply cable connector and pull it straight out of its socket to disconnect it.

Remove the logic board.

Flip over the logic board.

While securing the logic board with one hand, use the other to peel off the rubber cover.

Use one hand to secure the logic board during this step to prevent damaging it.

Use a Torx Plus 5IP screwdriver to remove the four 4.4 mm‑long screws securing the heat sink bracket.

Use tweezers, or your fingers, to remove the heat sink brackets.

Flip over the logic board.

Use a Torx Plus 5IP screwdriver to remove the two 4.0 mm‑long screws securing the heat sink.

Lift the heat sink off the logic board and remove it.

Use the flat end of a spudger to scrape off the old thermal paste from the processor.

Apply a few drops of isopropyl alcohol (>90%) to the processor and use a coffee filter or a lint-free cloth to wipe away any residue.

Repeat this step for the thermal paste on the heat sink.

Apply a small bead of thermal paste to the each of the three locations on the processor.