How to Upgrade eMMC to M.2 [Step-by-Step Guide]

Overview of how to upgrade eMMC to M.2:

⏱️Duration	10 - 20 Minutes (Step-by-step Tutorial)
💻Applies to	Upgrade eMMC to M.2 on Windows 11/10/8/7
🖌️ Stages	1️⃣Connect M.2 to Your PC 2️⃣Clone eMMC to M.2 3️⃣Replace eMMC with M.2 4️⃣Boot From M.2
⛏️ Tools	✔️USB cable ✔️M.2 SSD ✔️Windows PC
🔍Required Software	Disk Cloning - Qiling Disk Master

Can eMMC be replaced by M.2? Which is better? Qiling noticed that many users are asking this question; there is a real case from Quora:

Can I remove my 32GB eMMC and replace it with a 64GB SSD?

Of course, you can. In this article, we will provide you with detailed guidance to help you change eMMC to M.2.

eMMC is limited to consumer digital services and ultra-mobile applications. It doesn't have multiple flash chips, fast interfaces, firmware, and high-quality hardware.

Therefore, for faster transmission speed and larger capacity, M.2 is better. In this way, users will get an excellent experience when playing games or retaining large storage capacity. It is also suitable for booting the operating system and working with very large files. Let's explore how to replace eMMC with M.2.

📖Further Reading: eMMC VS HDD

Stage 1. Connect M.2 to Your PC

Physically connect M.2. Put it in a case or connect it to a USB to SATA adapter, then use a USB cable to connect the M.2 SSD to your PC/laptop.

connect M.2 to PC

Stage 2. Clone eMMC to M.2

To upgrade eMMC to M.2, the most efficient way is to use Qiling Disk Master. You can use the tool's "Clone" function, which can help you upgrade eMMC to M.2 without data loss. Its clone function can migrate everything, including the OS, from the old eMMC to an M.2 SSD. Its clear interface makes it easy to use even if you are not a pro in computing. Download this tool on your PC and start to try it.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, 100% Secure

Before we start, read the notice below:

 Notice:

Ensure that target M.2 has enough space for your data.

If your M.2 is new, you need to initialize it before you can use it.

If eMMC contains a Windows operating system, you need to access the BIOS and change the boot order to set the M.2 as the boot disk.

Let's learn how to use Qiling Disk Master to clone eMMC to M.2:

Step 1. Select the source disk.

Click the "Clone" from the left menu. Select the "Clone OS Disk" or "Clone Data Disk" and click "Next".
Choose the source disk and click "Next".

Step 2. Select the target disk.

Choose the wanted HDD/SSD as your destination and click "Next" to continue.
Read Warning message and confirm "Yes" button.

Step 3. View the disk layout and edit the target disk partition size.

Then click "Continue" when the program warns it will wipe out all data on the target disk. (If you have valuable data on the target disk, back up it in advance.)

You can select "Autofit the disk", "Clone as the source" or "Edit disk layout" to customize your disk layout. (Select the last one if you want to leave more space for C drive.)

Step 4. Click "Start" to start the disk cloning process.

Then, Qiling Disk Master migrated all data to the M.2. Now, let's see more features of this tool:

Upgrade HDD to SSD
Upgrade Steam Deck SSD
Add storage to Steam Deck/PS5
Clone SSD to larger one
Initialize a hard drive or an SSD

Download this tool to help if you plan to upgrade your hard drive or SSD. This tool helps you upgrade without losing any data.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, 100% Secure

Stage 3. Replace eMMC with M.2

After migrating the data, you can replace the old eMMC with an M.2. Follow the instructions below:

Step 1. Shut down the computer or laptop and remove the rear panel.

Shut down the laptop, then disconnect the power cord and any other connected cables -- including the M.2 just now. Then unscrew the back panel and remove it to access your eMMC drive.

Step 2. Take the eMMC off your PC. Instead, install the SSD and put it on the rear panel.

Stage 4. Boot From M.2

As mentioned above, you need to change the boot order in BIOS to make the Windows(if it is installed on the old eMMC and cloned to the M.2) boot from the M.2 SSD. To change the boot drive order, follow the steps below:

Step 1. To access the BIOS, restart the computer and press F2/F8/Del.

Step 2. Under the Boot Priority section of the Boot menu, set the M.2 as the boot drive.

Step 3. To complete this procedure, save your adjustments and leave.

set the boot drive

After the four stages, you have successfully upgraded eMMC to an M.2 drive. In the next part, we explain why we replace eMMC with M.2. Continue to read.

Why Upgrade eMMC to M.2

Although eMMC is cheap, compact, energy-saving, quiet, and durable, it is widely used in mobile phones, tablet computers, and some economical notebook computers. However, compared with M.2, eMMC has no advantages in transmission speed and capacity selection.

Without firmware, multiple flash chips, high-quality hardware, and fast interfaces, eMMC is limited to ultra-portable and consumer digital devices.

In any case, M.2 has a relatively larger capacity and faster transfer speed; compared to eMMC, it is the best choice for full-featured laptops and desktops, whether it is booting the operating system, playing games, processing large files, Or retaining large-capacity storage, can provide a better user experience. To learn more about the differences between eMMC and M.2 SSD, click the link below.

eMMC vs. SSD: What's The Difference and How to Replace eMMC with SSD

We reviewed eMMC vs. SSD in several critical aspects, such as storage components, capacity, price, speed, application, performance, etc.

With the tutorial above, you can replace your eMMC with M.2 smoothly. If this article helps you, share this article to help more users.

Conclusion

Users may want to replace eMMC with M.2 for higher capacity and faster speed. So can you upgrade eMMC to SSD effortlessly? Well, it's possible, and it's not that hard to do. We only need to prepare a trustworthy cloning tool, a qualified M.2 SSD, and other installation tools. This article provides you with a detailed tutorial. With the help of the tutorial, you can easily complete the eMMC replacement. After that, you can still use Qiling Disk Master to manage your M.2 SSD, such as:

Upgrade eMMC to M.2 FAQs

It can be an easy task to upgrade eMMC to an M.2 NVMe SSD with the tutorial we provide, but here, we still list some other common issues to help. Read the following content:

1. Can eMMC be upgraded?

Yes, of course. With a reliable disk cloning tool, you can upgrade the eMMC with an SSD as well. An SSD usually provides more choices in disk capacity and higher read/write speed.

2. How do I move my Windows OS from eMMC to an SSD?

You may need a reliable disk cloning tool, Qiling Disk Master. It can clone OS from eMMC to an SSD. Here is how:

Step 1. Launch Qiling Disk Master and navigate to the Disk Clone section.

Step 2. Choose the Migrate OS option and click "Next."

Step 3. Select the destination where you want to migrate the OS to.

Step 4. Click next and then "Yes" to migrate.

3. Is M.2 NVME faster than eMMC?

Yes. eMMC is a memory card similar to an SD card. Only it's soldered directly to the PCB. As a result, eMMCs are cheaper, slower, and less powerful than SSDs, and cannot be replaced without advanced soldering equipment. NVMe, on the other hand, is a type of SSD that uses PCIe instead of SATA for the interface to achieve very high transfer rates.