Migration Assistant makes it super easy to move data from your old Mac to your new one, either directly or from a Time Machine backup. You can connect two Macs with Thunderbolt, FireWire, or Ethernet, or even just using the same Wi-Fi network if you don't have one of these cables. Migrating your old data to your new computer will make it possible for you to start working on your brand new Mac without missing a beat.
- Migrating To A New Pc
- Migrating Software From One Mac To Another One
- Migrate From Mac To Pc
- Migrating Software From One Mac To Another Mac
If you are new to Mac, you can also migrate your old PC data.
USB 3.0 used by the harddrive is much faster than Ethernet for copying from one computer to the other (assuming you do not have an expensive Thunderbolt cable). In fact, this is a good best practice for owning a Mac: keep a fresh, bootable copy of your harddrive for emergency purposes.
Before you start
- Update your software - If your old Mac is running OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or earlier, you will need to update your software first.
- Name your old Mac - If you haven't done so already, make sure your old Mac has a name. Open System Preferences > Sharing > and enter a name in the Computer Name field.
- Connect your old and new computers to a power source - Both devices need to be plugged into a power source to ensure that you don't run out of juice in the middle of the migration process.
- Get your Thunderbolt, FireWire, or Ethernet cable ready - Direct connection is the fastest way to migrate your data from your old Mac to your new. If you don't have the required cable, you can use your local Wi-Fi network instead, but the process will be slower.
- May 31, 2017 Mac Migration Assistant stuck or frozen while migrating one Mac to another? This page collected some troubleshooting steps that you can try to get rid of this issue. For users who need to move from an old Mac to a new Mac, the best choice is to migrate over a wifi connection or wired connection using Migration Assistant.
- May 21, 2013 How to migrate a user account to another OS X system. There are several ways you can move a user account from one computer to another without.
How to migrate your old Mac's data to your new Mac
Start with your old Mac
- Connect the Thunderbolt, FireWire, or Ethernet cable from your old Mac to your new Mac.
- If you are using local Wi-Fi, make sure both Macs are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Open your new Mac
- Launch a Finder window by clicking on the Finder icon in your Dock.
- Click on Applications in the sidebar.Source: iMore
- Double-click on the Utilities folder.
- Double-click on Migration Assistant.Source: iMore
- Click Continue.
- Enter your administrator password if prompted.
- Click OK.Source: iMore
- Click From a Mac.. when prompted to select how you want to transfer your information.
- Source: iMore
Go back to your old Mac
- Launch a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in your Dock.
- Click on Applications in the sidebar.Source: iMore
- Double-click on the Utilities folder.
- Double-click on Migration Assistant.Source: iMore
- Click Continue.
- Enter your administrator password if prompted.
- Click OK.Source: iMore
- Click To a new Mac.. when prompted to select how you want to transfer your information.
- Click Continue.Source: iMore
Go back to your new Mac
- Migration Assistant will be looking for a source. Select your old Mac (if you are using a Time Machine backup, select your Time Machine hard drive).
- Click Continue.
- A security code will display on the screen.
Source: iMore
Go back to your old Mac
- Confirm that the code on your old Mac is the same as the one on your new Mac.
- Click Continue.P touch editor 5.0 software download mac. Source: iMore
Go back to your new Mac
- Select the files, settings, apps, and other information you want to transfer to your new Mac.
- Click Continue.Source: iMore
This will probably take a while, so grab a cup of coffee and watch your favorite movie while the process takes place.
When you're done
Migrating To A New Pc
Your new Mac should have all of the data that you selected to transfer. If you migrated everything, your new Mac will look almost exactly like your old one.
If you are planning on selling your old Mac, don't forget to clean it before transferring to its new owner.
Questions?
Let us know in the comments below!
Updated May 2020: Up-to-date for macOS Catalina.
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Migrating Software From One Mac To Another One
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