{"id":18646,"date":"2022-07-22T18:37:03","date_gmt":"2022-07-22T16:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=18646"},"modified":"2022-12-28T16:15:41","modified_gmt":"2022-12-28T15:15:41","slug":"missing-m-2-screw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/","title":{"rendered":"Missing M.2 Screw? Here\u2019s What You Can Do"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684533292371\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684533292371\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684533292371\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Double-Check_Your_Motherboard\" title=\"Double-Check Your Motherboard\">Double-Check Your Motherboard<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Double-Check_Your_Motherboard_Box\" title=\"Double-Check Your Motherboard Box\">Double-Check Your Motherboard Box<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Buy_Some_New_ScrewsWhat_Size_Screw_Do_You_Need_for_M2\" title=\"Buy Some New Screws\/What Size Screw Do You Need for M.2?\">Buy Some New Screws\/What Size Screw Do You Need for M.2?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#MacGyver_it_Not_Recommended\" title=\"MacGyver it (Not Recommended)\">MacGyver it (Not Recommended)<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Look_for_Old_Small_Screws_in_Your_Home\" title=\"Look for Old Small Screws in Your Home\">Look for Old Small Screws in Your Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Tape_the_M2_Drive_Down\" title=\"Tape the M.2 Drive Down\">Tape the M.2 Drive Down<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Stick_Some_Non-Conductive_Material_to_Hold_It_in_Place\" title=\"Stick Some Non-Conductive Material to Hold It in Place\">Stick Some Non-Conductive Material to Hold It in Place<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Screw_Your_M2_Heatsink_Down\" title=\"Screw Your M.2 Heatsink Down\">Screw Your M.2 Heatsink Down<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Skip_the_M2_Screw_entirely\" title=\"Skip the M.2 Screw entirely\">Skip the M.2 Screw entirely<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Do_You_Need_a_Standoff_for_M2_SSDs\" title=\"Do You Need a Standoff for M.2 SSDs?\">Do You Need a Standoff for M.2 SSDs?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Do_M2_SSDs_Come_With_Screws\" title=\"Do M.2 SSDs Come With Screws?\">Do M.2 SSDs Come With Screws?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Do_You_Need_to_Screw_in_M2_SSDs\" title=\"Do You Need to Screw in M.2 SSDs?\">Do You Need to Screw in M.2 SSDs?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/missing-m-2-screw\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>M.2 screws, a relatively new addition to the menagerie of things that you have to screw into your motherboard.<\/p>\n<p>As the name implies, they're screws designated to screw in M.2 drives into your motherboard. And they can be a right nuisance at times because they have a tendency to magically disappear when you actually need them.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18654\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"M.2 SSD screw\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-1024x611.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-768x459.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-1536x917.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-2048x1223.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18654 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202560%201528%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"M.2 SSD screw\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1528\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202560%201528%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-1024x611.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-768x459.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-1536x917.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-2048x1223.jpg 2048w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-screw-scaled.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>So, in this article, I'll help you figure out where your M.2 screws might be, and if you really can't find them, I'll give you some solutions to MacGyver it (or buy new screws) in the meantime.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Double-Check_Your_Motherboard\"><\/span>Double-Check Your Motherboard<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The screw you're looking for might already be attached to your motherboard. This is a cheeky little thing that some people trip over, so it's the first thing you should check.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a newer motherboard with integrated M.2 covers\/heatsinks, unlatch\/unscrew them and look under them! You will most likely find a small screw already in the motherboard.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18648\" style=\"width: 822px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18648\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-18648\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-2.png\" alt=\"Asus motherboard with M.2 cover\" width=\"822\" height=\"688\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-2.png 822w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-2-300x251.png 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-2-768x643.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18648\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-18648 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20822%20688%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Asus motherboard with M.2 cover\" width=\"822\" height=\"688\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20822%20688%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 822w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-2.png 822w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-2-300x251.png 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-2-768x643.png 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-2.png\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-18648\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: ASUS<\/p><\/div>\n<p>After that, you can simply unscrew it, install your M.2 drive (<a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-m2-drives-slots\/\">as long as it's the proper size<\/a>), and then screw it in.<\/p>\n<p>However, if you see something like this, don't unscrew them!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18656\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18656\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18656\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed.jpg\" alt=\"M.2 Standoffs (Pre-installed)\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18656\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18656 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"M.2 Standoffs (Pre-installed)\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Standoffs-Pre-installed.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-18656\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asus.com\/Motherboards-Components\/Motherboards\/TUF-Gaming\/TUF-GAMING-B660M-E-D4\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ASUS<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>That is not an M.2 screw; that's an M.2 <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-standoffs-guide\/\">standoff<\/a>. It's the thing that you screw the M.2 screw <em>into<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Pretty much every motherboard that has M.2 support has these pre-installed, so don't remove them\u2014unless, of course, you need to move the standoff to another position.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Double-Check_Your_Motherboard_Box\"><\/span>Double-Check Your Motherboard Box<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This is the most important step if you're missing an M.2 screw.<\/p>\n<p>Your M.2 screws come with your motherboard, so make sure to check the box your motherboard came in.<\/p>\n<p>It'll most likely be in a very small plastic baggie or cardboard box. If your motherboard is really fancy, it might even be in a plastic case.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18650\" style=\"width: 1125px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18650\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18650\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-4.png\" alt=\"M.2 screw from motherboard box\" width=\"1125\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-4.png 1125w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-4-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-4-768x1024.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1125px) 100vw, 1125px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18650\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18650 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201125%201500%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"M.2 screw from motherboard box\" width=\"1125\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201125%201500%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1125w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1125px) 100vw, 1125px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-4.png 1125w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-4-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-4-768x1024.png 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/word-image-18646-4.png\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-18650\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/linustechtips.com\/topic\/1149711-what-is-this-teeny-tiny-screw-that-came-with-my-motherboard-for\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Linus Tech Tips Forums<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you have a hard time figuring out what or where your M.2 screw is, make sure to look at your manual.<\/p>\n<p>It'll have a table of contents that'll most likely tell you where the M.2 screw is and show you what it looks like.<\/p>\n<p>You won't get an M.2 Screw with the (NVMe) M.2 Drive you purchased, it'll be included with your motherboard.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Buy_Some_New_ScrewsWhat_Size_Screw_Do_You_Need_for_M2\"><\/span>Buy Some New Screws\/What Size Screw Do You Need for M.2?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you still can't find an M.2 screw after all that, the best thing to do is to just buy some.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18657\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18657\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18657\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications.jpg\" alt=\"M.2 SSD Screw Specifications\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18657\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18657 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"M.2 SSD Screw Specifications\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-SSD-Screw-Specifications.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-18657\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">M.2 screw size, Source: <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"M.2 SSD Screw SOLID STATE HDD MOUNTING SCREWS FOR M2 Card MICRO SSD SCREWS 12 (Corsair)\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/recommends\/m-2-ssd-screw-solid-state-hdd-mounting-screws-for-m2-card-micro-ssd-screws-12-corsair\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener noreferrer\">Amazon<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>They really aren't all that expensive, and for just five to ten bucks, you could have enough M.2 screws to last you a <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-to-build-a-pc\/\">lifetime of PC building<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So if you want to buy some screws for M.2 standoffs, what you need are M2 screws. Specifically, you want to get the following <strong>M.2 screw size<\/strong>: &#8220;<a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"uxcell M2x3mm Phillips Screw Fastener Black 3.8mm Dia Screw Head for Laptop PC TV Fan Switch 50pcs\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/recommends\/uxcell-m2x3mm-phillips-screw-fastener-black-3-8mm-dia-screw-head-for-laptop-pc-tv-fan-switch-50pcs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener noreferrer\"><strong>M2x3mm<\/strong><\/a>&#8220;.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"MacGyver_it_Not_Recommended\"><\/span>MacGyver it (Not Recommended)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now, sometimes, we just have to wing it and find a way to make it work. You're missing that M.2 screw but you still want to finish setting up your PC <strong><em>now<\/em><\/strong>, and not in 3 days when the new screw arrives, right?<\/p>\n<p>These are some tips to make it work (temporarily), but I don't recommend doing them if at all possible, and if you do, make sure that you don't just leave it like that.<\/p>\n<p>Get some actual M.2 screws and do it right. But in the meantime\u2026<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Look_for_Old_Small_Screws_in_Your_Home\"><\/span>Look for Old Small Screws in Your Home<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you're handy at all in any way, you most likely have an assortment of screws you've collected over the years.<\/p>\n<p>So there's a non-zero chance that there might be a screw that could fit an M.2 standoff in your collection.<\/p>\n<p>So give it a search and see if you can find something. You probably won't find something perfect, but even a close enough fit is fine.<\/p>\n<p>Just make sure you don't destroy anything by trying to jam in a screw that's way too big.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tape_the_M2_Drive_Down\"><\/span>Tape the M.2 Drive Down<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A simple solution is to just tape your M.2 drive down to your motherboard.<\/p>\n<p>Obviously, make sure to use non-metallic, non-conductive tape for this. Scotch tape or electrical tape works great.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stick_Some_Non-Conductive_Material_to_Hold_It_in_Place\"><\/span>Stick Some Non-Conductive Material to Hold It in Place<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Another simple solution is to just stick some sort of non-conductive material into the screw.<\/p>\n<p>This isn't a great solution, but M.2 drives don't really need a lot of force holding them down.<\/p>\n<p>If you just want to make sure the drive stays where you put it and want something that's lowkey. This is an option.<\/p>\n<p>Some options for what you could stick into it would be, a small wooden piece, rolled-up tissue\/toilet paper, etc.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Screw_Your_M2_Heatsink_Down\"><\/span>Screw Your M.2 Heatsink Down<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>And the best option here, if you have it available, is to screw down your heatsink\/cover.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18659\" style=\"width: 940px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18659\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18659\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Heatsink.jpg\" alt=\"M.2 Heatsink\" width=\"940\" height=\"543\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Heatsink.jpg 940w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Heatsink-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Heatsink-768x444.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18659\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18659 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20940%20543%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"M.2 Heatsink\" width=\"940\" height=\"543\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20940%20543%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Heatsink.jpg 940w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Heatsink-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Heatsink-768x444.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/M.2-Heatsink.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-18659\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gigabyte.com\/Motherboard\/Z690-GAMING-X-DDR4-V2-rev-10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GIGABYTE<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>It'll hold your drive down just fine, to the point where you don't even need to bother with the M.2 screws when you do find them. Though the drives might come loose If you move your PC around a lot.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Skip_the_M2_Screw_entirely\"><\/span>Skip the M.2 Screw entirely<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, this is a possibility, but one that should be done with utmost care, if you don't want to loose your data or fry you parts mid-session.<\/p>\n<p>M.2 Drives don't really need to be screwed down flat onto the motherboard, they <strong>temporarily (!)<\/strong> work perfectly fine just hovering at an angle of 30\u00b0.<\/p>\n<p>This is certainly not recommended for any serious or long-term use, but can be done for short sessions of data copying or if your screw is arriving the next day.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_You_Need_a_Standoff_for_M2_SSDs\"><\/span>Do You Need a Standoff for M.2 SSDs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It depends. It's up to the manufacturer to decide how they want to do it.<\/p>\n<p>Some motherboards don't have standoffs. Some do, and you need to install them. Some come with them pre-installed. And so on.<\/p>\n<p>So it really depends on your motherboard. Check your motherboard manual and it'll tell you exactly whether you need to fuss with M.2 standoffs or not.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_M2_SSDs_Come_With_Screws\"><\/span>Do M.2 SSDs Come With Screws?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Some M.2 drives might come with screws, but the majority don't.<\/p>\n<p>Your M.2 screws will come with your motherboard.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_You_Need_to_Screw_in_M2_SSDs\"><\/span>Do You Need to Screw in M.2 SSDs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Not necessarily. As long as the drive is secure and isn't moving around, it should be fine.<\/p>\n<p>Screwing it in is just a precaution to make sure that the drive doesn't get dislodged if you accidentally bump into your PC or something.<\/p>\n<p>So you don't <strong><em>need<\/em><\/strong> to screw them in, but it's such a simple and easy safety measure, there's no point not doing it.<\/p>\n<p>A minute of laziness isn't worth all your data potentially getting corrupted.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Hopefully, that explained everything you wanted to know about what you can do if you lose an M.2 screw!<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Have any other questions about PC components? Feel free to ask us in the <a href=\"#comments\">comments<\/a> or our <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\"><strong><em>forum<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>M.2 screws, a relatively new addition to the menagerie of things that you have to screw into your motherboard. As the name implies, they're screws designated to screw in M.2 drives into your motherboard. And they can be a right nuisance at times because they have a tendency to magically disappear when you actually need...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2343,"featured_media":18651,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[303],"tags":[121],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18646"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2343"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18646"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21313,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18646\/revisions\/21313"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}