How to Transfer Data From Mac to Mac With Migration Assistant

Easily migrate to a new Mac from an old Mac or Time Machine backup

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Updated on November 1, 2021

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What to Know

Connect the computers. On the new Mac, go to Utilities > Migration Assistant > Continue. Choose From a Mac and select Continue.
On the old Mac, open Migration Assistant and select Continue. Select To another Mac for transfer method and select Continue.
On the new Mac, go to the Transfer Information to This Mac window, choose your old Mac icon, and select Continue. Follow the prompts.

This article explains how to transfer your data from an old Mac to a new Mac using the Migration Assistant app. The information in this article applies to Macs with OS X Lion or later and all macOS versions.

Use Migration Assistant to Move Your Data

When you buy a new Mac, transferring all your current Mac's data is a straightforward process using the Apple Migration Assistant. Before you start, install all available Apple software updates to both Macs and connect both computers to AC power. Your old Mac must be using OS X Lion or later, and it has to have a name. To make sure it has a name, go to System Preferences > Sharing and check the computer name field.

Connect the computers.

If both computers are using macOS Sierra or later, they just need to be near each other with Wi-Fi turned on. If either is using OS X El Capitan or earlier, connect them to the same network using Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
On your new Mac, go to the Utilities folder, and open Migration Assistant. Or, type Migration Assistant into Spotlight Search.
Select Continue.
Migration Assistant will ask how you want to transfer your information. Select From a Mac. (Other options include Time Machine backup or startup disk.)
Select Continue.

If you're migrating from your old Mac's Time Machine backup, skip to step 9.
On your old Mac, open Migration Assistant and select Continue.
When asked how you want to transfer your information, select To another Mac.
Select Continue.
On your new Mac, from the Transfer Information to This Mac window, select the icon for your old Mac (or the Time Machine backup icon if that's what you're transferring from).
Select Continue. You may see a security code.
On your old Mac, if you see a security code, make sure it's the same code as on your new Mac, and then select Continue. (Skip this step if you're transferring from a Time Machine backup.)
On your new Mac, you'll see a list of backups organized by date and time. Choose the backup you want to use and then select Continue.
Still on your new Mac, select the information you want to transfer, such as applications, files and folders, and network settings.
Select Continue. The transfer process may take a few hours.
When Migration Assistant is finished, log in to the migrated account on your new Mac to see its files.

It's also possible to transfer certain files directly if you need to move only some of your data. For example, move your Apple Mail files to a new Mac, move Calendar data, move Contacts or Address Book data, or transfer Safari bookmarks to a new Mac.

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