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.
Unless you specify otherwise, Migration Assistant creates a perfect copy of your existing Mac — right down to the wallpaper, dock location, and other preferences. That takes the majority of the hassle out of moving to your new Mac, but it can’t do everything. You’ll still need to log in to things like email accounts and other online services, and you may find that add–ons to your apps don’t copy across. When we migrated our Mac it missed some important audio plug–ins for Logic Pro X. Don't delete anything from your old Mac until you’re certain you have everything you need.
2MANUAL MIGRATION
If moving to a new Mac is like moving home, manual migration is like hiring a truck and doing the move by yourself. You have complete control and can ensure everything goes where you want it to, but it’s a lot more effort.
On the face of it, manual migration is just a matter of downloading apps on your new Mac and then copying your key files and folders from Mac A to Mac B. But it’s a little more complex than that, especially with apps that use plug–ins or link to other apps. For them, you’ll need to download not just the app but any of the components you’ve added. For example, if you’ve been using Logic Pro, you’re likely to have an army of plug–ins, loops and other tools that don’t come as standard. Identify what they are and download them again, and ensure you have any serial numbers or license keys. If apps or plug–ins require per–computer authorization you may need to de– authorize them on your old Mac before you can install them on the new one.