How to Pack an Imac Without the Original Box

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References

When it comes to moving or shipping electronics, it’s always advisable to pack them in their original boxes. However, if you’re like many of us who don’t have the space to store tons of large boxes at home, you may be looking for another solution to pack your iMac. Take a look at this article with answers to some of the most common questions iMac owners have about packing their computers.

Question 1 of 5:

How do I safely transport my iMac?

1
Wrap the power cord up and put a rubber band around it. Turn off your iMac and unplug the power cable from the wall. Coil the cord up neatly and slide a rubber band over it to keep it tidy while you move your iMac.^{[1]
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- Put the cord along with the wireless mouse and wireless keyboard in a small box or another safe place to keep them together during the move.
2
Secure a T-shirt over the monitor with 2 large rubber bands. Slide the shirt horizontally over the monitor, so the sleeves are on the top and bottom edges of the screen. Put 1 rubber band over the neck end of the T-shirt and 1 over the bottom end to hold it in place over the iMac.^{[2]
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- If you want to protect your iMac even more while it’s in transit, put more than 1 T-shirt over the screen.
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3
Put the monitor in the seat of a car and buckle it in. Stand the monitor up carefully in the passenger seat or one of the back seats of a car. Gently place the seatbelt around the front of the iMac and snap the buckle into place to keep the computer from moving around while you transport it.^{[3]
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- If you’re driving the car to move your iMac, drive slowly and keep an eye on it to make sure it’s safe and secure the whole time.

Question 2 of 5:

What’s the best way to ship an iMac?

1
Go to a professional shipping store and ask them for a shipping box. Tell them how big the iMac you need to ship is to get the right size of box for the monitor. They can also provide you with other packing materials, such as bubble wrap and tape.^{[4]
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- Note that these are not official recommendations from Apple, but some customers suggest this is the best way to ship your iMac if you don’t have the original box anymore.
2
Get 1 slightly larger shipping box to double-box the iMac. Double-boxing the iMac to ship it makes it much stronger and less likely to get damaged in transit. Ask the shipping store employees for a second shipping box that is about 2 in (5.1 cm) bigger on all sides than the first box.^{[5]
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- You can bring your iMac with you to the store and pack it there or take the boxes home with you and pack it there.

Question 3 of 5:

How do I pack my iMac in the box?

1
Wrap the iMac in lots of bubble wrap. Cover the whole screen in several layers of bubble wrap. Secure the bubble wrap in place with packing tape.^{[6]
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- Aim to use enough layers of bubble wrap that the computer won’t move around inside the shipping box.
- Note that these recommendations for packing an iMac are from owners and shipping store employees, not from Apple themselves.
- You can even have the employees at the shipping store pack your iMac safely for you, if you don’t mind paying an extra fee.
2
Place the iMac inside the smaller shipping box. Slide the computer into the box. Fill in the spaces with more bubble wrap to ensure that it doesn’t move around at all in transit. Close the box and tape it shut with packing tape.^{[7]
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- If you’re out of bubble wrap, you could also fill in spaces around the computer with crumpled newspapers or another type of padding material.
3
Put the box inside the larger one and fill in the gaps with packing peanuts. Slide the box with the computer in it gently inside of the second shipping box. Position it right in the middle, so it has roughly the same amount of space around it on all sides. Pour styrofoam packing peanuts around all sides of the box, right up to the top, and seal the box with tape.^{[8]
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- The extra pocket of air and padding around the first box helps protect the computer in the event that the box gets dropped or has a lot of weight on top of it during shipping.
- Put some “FRAGILE” stickers all over the outside of the box to try and avoid rough handling during shipping.

Question 4 of 5:

How much does it cost to ship an iMac?

At least $50 USD. The cost of shipping totally depends on where you’re shipping the iMac to, but expect to spend this much at the very least. For longer distances, you might end up paying much more than that.^{[9]
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- Note that this is what some owners have stated it cost them to ship their iMacs in the United States. The exact price may vary a lot based on what service you use to ship yours and where you are located.
- If you have a professional shipping company pack your iMac for you, the fee may be about $40, in addition to shipping costs.

Question 5 of 5:

Does the stand on an iMac come off?

Removing your iMac’s stand is not recommended. Only some models of iMacs have removable stands, and even then they aren’t designed to be taken off for transportation. Leave your iMac’s stand on to pack and ship it or transport it in any way.^{[10]
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- Note that this is according to iMac users and is not official information from Apple.