Mac mini, Mac Pro and Mac Studio data recovery

Apple desktops without a built-in screen, from the 2009 Mac mini and Mac Pro tower to the Mac Studio.

Ask about data recovery Call 020 7237 6805

What decides whether the data can be reached

The older machines in this group are the easiest Macs to recover from. A Mac mini up to 2014 holds one or two ordinary 2.5-inch drives, and the Mac Pro tower up to 2012 has four standard drive bays. Many were used as servers or with RAID sets, so tell us how the drives were arranged.

The 2018 Mac mini introduced the T2 chip and soldered storage. The 2019 Mac Pro and the Mac Studio use removable storage modules, but those modules are paired with the machine and cannot be read anywhere else.

Models, years and storage

Model	Years	Model number	Storage	How data is recovered
Mac mini	2009	A1283	2.5-inch SATA drive	The drive is removed and copied directly. The Mac does not need to work.
Mac mini	2010 to 2014	A1347	One or two 2.5-inch drives, Fusion Drive or SSD module	The drives are removed and copied. A Fusion Drive needs both parts.
Mac mini	2018	A1993	Soldered, T2	Storage is soldered and encrypted by the T2 chip. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
Mac mini M1	2020	A2348	Soldered, Apple silicon	Storage is soldered and encrypted by Apple silicon. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
Mac mini M2 and M2 Pro	2023	A2686, A2816	Soldered, Apple silicon	Storage is soldered and encrypted by Apple silicon. The original logic board must be working, and the password is needed.
Mac mini M4	2024 onwards	On the base	Apple silicon	The original machine must be working, and the password is needed.
Mac Pro tower	2009 to 2012	A1289	Four 3.5-inch drive bays	The drives are removed and copied. RAID sets are rebuilt from the copies.
Mac Pro	2013	A1481	SSD module	The SSD module is removed and read with the correct adapter.
Mac Pro	2019	A1991	SSD modules, T2	The modules are paired with the T2 chip and can only be read in the original, working Mac Pro.
Mac Pro	2023	A2786	SSD modules, Apple silicon	The modules are paired with the machine and can only be read in it.
Mac Studio	2022 onwards	A2615, A2901	SSD modules, Apple silicon	The modules are paired with the machine and can only be read in it.

For a Mac Pro tower, label each drive with its bay number before removing it, exactly as you would for a NAS. See RAID and NAS recovery.

What to do now

Do not keep trying to start it. Each attempt can make a failing drive or a damaged board worse.
Have your Mac login password ready, and your FileVault recovery key if you turned FileVault on.
Find the model number: "Model A" followed by four digits, printed on the underside or the foot of the stand.
Tell us whether there is a Time Machine or iCloud backup, even an old one.

Recovery starts with a professional evaluation, charged at £94.80. It tells you what has failed and what can be recovered, and you then receive a fixed price for the recovery itself.

We collect drives and devices by insured courier from anywhere in the UK, or you can post yours tracked and insured, or bring it to the workshop in London SE1. See how to send a drive safely.

Common questions

Can I move the SSD modules from a dead Mac Studio into another one?

No. The modules hold encrypted data that only the original machine can unlock. The original has to be repaired.

My Mac mini server had two drives mirrored. Do you need both?

Send both. A mirror means either may hold a complete copy, and the healthier one is used.

Get a price from a technician

Tell us the make, the model and what has gone wrong. A technician replies with a price and the quickest way to get your laptop to us – normally the same working day.

020 7237 6805

Creative IT workshop
Unit 1, 80 Willow Walk, London SE1 5SY
Monday to Saturday, 9am–6pm