iMac Intel 27" Retina 5K Display 2020 Fan Replacement

Written By: Sam Omiotek

Comments: 9

iMac Intel 27" Retina 5K Display 2020 Fan Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

20 - 40 minutes

Introduction

Follow this guide to replace the fan on a 2020 iMac 27" Retina 5K.

Some photos in this guide are from a different model and may contain slight visual discrepancies, but they won't affect the guide procedure.

Removing the display on the 2020 iMac Intel 27" Retina 5K Display requires cutting adhesive with a specialized iMac opening tool. After you've completed your repair, you'll need to follow our display adhesive guide to scrape off the old adhesive and replace it with new double-sided adhesive strips.

Before beginning any work on your iMac: Unplug the computer and press and hold the power button for ten seconds to discharge the power supply's capacitors.

Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply.

Tools

Parts

iMac Intel 27" (2012-2019) Adhesive Strips

Step 1

With the hinge free to move, the iMac will be unbalanced and hard to work on. Repairs can be completed with the iMac laying down, but are faster and easier with an iMac service wedge.
If you are using the iFixit cardboard service wedge, follow these assembly directions to put it together.

Step 2

Starting on the left of the display, near the power button, insert the iMac Opening Tool into the gap between the glass panel and the rear case.
The hub on the iMac Opening Tool will keep you from pushing the wheel in too far. If using a different tool, insert it no more than 3/8" (9.5 mm) into the display. You risk severing antenna cables and causing serious damage if you insert the tool too far.

Step 3

Use the tool like a pizza cutter—roll it along through the gap, and it will cut the foam adhesive through the center.
Be sure to always push with the handle behind the cutting wheel. If you pull, the wheel might get pulled out of the handle.
Run the tool up along the left side of the display.

Step 4

Continue wheeling the tool up around the top left corner.

Step 5

Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.

Step 6

Continue along the top of the display.
You may want to run the tool back and forth through what you've already cut a few times, to ensure you get as much of the adhesive separated as possible.

Step 7

Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.

Step 8

Wheel the tool down along the right side of the display.

Step 9

Finish pushing the opening tool to the bottom of the right side of the display.
At this point, you'll want to run the tool back around the entire display, to ensure you cut as much adhesive as possible.

Step 10

While the opening tool did the lion's share of the work, the display will still be slightly adhered to the case. A plastic card will be necessary to free up the last of this adhesive.
Set the iMac face-up on a table.
Starting from the top right corner of the iMac, insert a plastic card between the display and frame.
Be careful not to insert it more than 3/8" (9.5 mm), or you may damage internal components.

Step 11

Gently twist the plastic card to open the space between the display and frame, and cut any remaining adhesive near the corner.
Using too much force will crack the glass. Work carefully, and don't try to create a gap any larger than about 1/4" (6 mm).

Step 12

Be sure to stop cutting before the iSight camera in this step, or you may damage it.
Slide the card toward the center of the display, to cut any remaining adhesive.

Step 13

Put the card into the corner again and let it stay there to keep the adhesive from resettling.

Step 14

Insert a second card into the gap between the display and frame in the top left corner.

Step 15

Gently twist the card, slightly increasing the space between the display and frame.
As with the other side, move slowly to allow the adhesive to break, and be careful not to over-stress the display glass.

Step 16

Slide the plastic card toward the center, again stopping just before the iSight camera.

Step 17

Insert the card back into the top left corner.

Step 18

With the cards inserted as shown near the corners, gently twist the cards to increase the gap between display and case.
If there are any sections that seem to stick and won't separate, stop twisting and use one of the cards to cut the adhesive in the problem area.
Begin to lift the top of the display up from the frame.
Only lift the display a few inches—it is still attached to the iMac by data and power cables.

Step 19

While holding the display up with one hand, use the other to unplug the display power cable.
Lift the display up enough to have easy access to the connections, but not so much that you stretch the cables and stress their connections (about 8").

This is not a picture of the 2019 model. On the 2019, the cable is angled and very close to a metal part that looks like it could be a wireless card. This makes it difficult to squeeze in the edges required to release the cable. I was able to unfasten it using my fingernail, doing one side at a time.

maccentric -

Same issue. You can't just pull it out. I used a plastic "spudger" to push the clips in. The photo here shows where to press

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0qG...

Step 20

Flip up the metal retaining bracket on the display data cable.
Disconnect the display data cable.
This is a delicate connection that can easily be broken. Be sure to pull the display data cable connector straight out of its socket, toward the top of the iMac.

on the 2020 model there is also a connector from the camera that is connected ted to the screen.

Erwin Biermans -

This isn't the photo of my IMac 27 2019.

To remove this clip, lift up the plastic tag sticking down & the metal clip will lift too

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0qG...

Bill4321 -

Step 21

Lift the display up to a near-vertical position.
At this point there is still a strip of adhesive along the bottom of the display that will hold the display to the frame like a hinge. You can loosen this adhesive by working the display up and down a few times.

Step 22

Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply (boxed in red).
Grasp the small tab at the end of one of the bottom edge display adhesive strips and pull the adhesive toward the top of the iMac to remove it.
Repeat this step with the other adhesive strip and remove it.
If either adhesive strip breaks before it's removed, use a plastic card to slice through the remaining adhesive.

Step 23

Be very careful handling the display—it's big, heavy, and made of glass. The display has fragile edges. Avoid lifting the display by the corners.
Lift the display up from the frame and remove it from the iMac. Lay the display face down on a flat, soft surface.
It may be necessary to slowly lift from one side, to peel against the remaining adhesive.
After the adhesive is cut, it cannot be used to re-seal the display in place. Follow the adhesive replacement guide for your model when your repair is complete to replace the adhesive strips that secure the display to the rear enclosure.

Step 24

Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the fan cable's connector from its socket on the logic board.

Step 25

Use your fingers to peel the black tape connecting the fan to the exhaust duct back slightly.
Leave the tape in place on the exhaust duct, you only need to expose the join to free the fan.

Step 26

Use a T10 Torx screwdriver to remove the three 12.4 mm screws securing the fan.

Step 27

Remove the fan from the iMac.

Excellent concise instructions with photos!!

Henry Zieman -

Conclusion

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Author

Sam Omiotek

Member since: 25/02/19

72005 Reputation

4 comments

Hey Sam I came across this post today and I believe this is not an iMac 2020 model more looking like a 2019 model. as you may know the 2020 model doesn’t come with the HDD at all they have only SSD soldered on the board

Babak -

Hi Babak, thanks for noticing this and pointing it out. When a new model has an identical repair procedure to an older one we sometimes reuse photos from prior guides to save time. Guides like this will always have a disclaimer in the introduction: “Some photos in this guide are from a different model and may contain slight visual discrepancies, but they won't affect the guide procedure.”

As long as the steps are followed exactly as written there shouldn’t be any issues, but please let us know if you come across any.

Sam Omiotek -

This article is great and links to all the tools needed, which is awesome -- however, there's nothing telling me how I can find the right replacement fan for my iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020) display.

Is there a recommended fan to use to replace the default fan? And is replacement really the best solution if there is a tremendous amount of fan noise? Thanks a lot.

Steve Goldberg -

Does the adhesive strip kit that is recommended on this page work just fine. I have a 2020 model and the kit says up to 2019. Also where do I purchase the replacement fan?

Rene Guajardo - 19/06/23