Move to a new Mac
Let’s get moving
Everything’s ready! Now it’s time to migrate your stuff — luckily it’s easier than you think
1 MIGRATION
ASSISTANT
When you boot your new Mac for the first time, you’ll see Apple’s Migration Assistant. This can move all your data, apps and settings from your old Mac to your new one, or move documents and other personal files from a PC. It works simply and effectively, but there are a few things to be aware of. If you’re migrating from another Mac, that Mac needs to have a name — check yours in System Prefs > Sharing. Migration Assistant needs both Macs to have the same version of macOS down to the decimal point, so you may need to update the new Mac before you start.
Migration Assistant can use a peer–to–peer connection where your two Macs are connected by a cable (Thunderbolt/USB 3 is best) or on the same network, and it can access data from a Time Machine backup on an external drive. Wi–Fi can be slow, especially if you have multiple devices on the same network.