Can I upgrade my MacBook Pro (Mid 2012) memory?

Apple released several MacBook Pros in mid-2012:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) – official limit 8 GB, actual limit 16 GB
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012) – official limit 8 GB, actual limit 16 GB
• MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012) – 8 or 16 GB of soldered-in RAM, non-expandable

If you have one of the non-Retina ones, you can get RAM from Other World Computing:

Other World Computing – OWC Memory Upgrades For MacBook Pro (2012 - Late 2016) Non-Retina

Even if you upgrade the RAM, none of those machines can run anything higher than Catalina. Catalina is too old to run current software from the likes of Microsoft and Adobe. It also breaks 32-bit applications. The main upside of Catalina is that it probably is enough to let you run the current versions of Firefox, LibreOffice, and the commercial Affinity V2 applications (Photo, Designer, Publisher).

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Personally I would not spend any money on memory for such an old system....even though that was an amazing model.

I also would avoid purchasing any later Intel Macs for multiple reasons....many had design & manufacturing issues (some well known, others only known by a few), and the T2 models (2018-2020) tend to have more Logic Board problems. Besides the Intel Macs are history...Apple has moved on to the M-series Macs (many developers will only offer support for the hardware & macOS versions Apple is currently supporting). Plus any M-series Mac will run circles around any of the Intel Macs (at least the M2+ models).

If, however, you insist on a memory upgrade, then only get a single 4GB or 8GB stick which would give you a total of 6GB or 10GB when paired with one of the original 2GB sticks. I recommend only purchasing memory upgrades from OWC since Macs are very picky about the memory they use (Crucial is the other recommended option, but I don't think Crucial has memory for this model anymore).

You can upgrade the OS to Catalina, but that and the hardware are both woefully obsolete.

You will continue to bump into limitations when browsing the modern internet.

Consider that the 2012 Mac is now thirteen (!) years old. You would be wise to consider buying a newer Mac; something not older than say a 2018/2019 model. These can run the current macOS 15 Sequoia.

Certified Refurbished Products - Apple

Back up your data, check the application compatibility table, click here, and then on the download link for a newer OS. Its maximum one is Catalina.

Catalina and above won't run 32-bit software and split the functions of iTunes up; if you choose one of them, use Go64 as well.

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