📋 Verified Walkthrough
Computers • Everyday Basics

How to transfer everything from your old Mac to a new Mac (Migration Assistant)

Direct Answer

Plug both Macs into power and connect both to your home Wi-Fi network. On your new Mac, open "Migration Assistant" during setup (or in Applications > Utilities). Choose "From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or Startup disk" and click Continue. On your old Mac, open Migration Assistant, select "To another Mac," confirm the 6-digit security code matches on both screens, and let Apple transfer your entire photo library, desktop, and user accounts.

Why You Might Want to Do This

  • To transfer your entire Apple Photos library, user account, desktop files, email inboxes, and Safari saved passwords in one go.
  • To have your new MacBook or iMac look and feel identical to your familiar old Mac.
  • To move everything automatically without needing to buy cables or thumb drives.

Before You Start

  • Both your old Mac and new Mac connected to power chargers.
  • Both Macs connected to the same home Wi-Fi network (placing them close together helps speed up the transfer).
  • Your Mac administrator username and password.

The transfer can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on how many gigabytes of family photos and videos you have. Do not close the MacBook lids until finished.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Connect both Macs to power and open Migration Assistant

    Turn on your new Mac. When you reach the screen titled "Migration Assistant," click Continue. (If your new Mac is already set up, open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Migration Assistant). On your OLD Mac, open Migration Assistant in Applications > Utilities as well.

    👀 Migration Assistant icon (two computer screens sharing an arrow).

  2. 2

    Select "From a Mac" on the NEW Mac

    On your NEW Mac, select the option: "From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or Startup disk" and click the blue "Continue" button in the bottom right corner.

    👀 Radio button option: "From a Mac."

    3. ✅ Success Checkpoint: You're Doing Great

    If your screen matches the description above, you have followed the steps correctly. Continue to the next step.

  3. 3

    Select "To another Mac" on the OLD Mac

    On your OLD Mac, select "To another Mac" and click Continue. If prompted, type your Mac user password to allow the assistant to access system files.

    👀 Radio button option: "To another Mac."

  4. 4

    Confirm the security code matches on both screens

    Your new Mac will discover your old Mac over Wi-Fi. Click on the name of your old Mac. A 6-digit security code will appear on both screens. Check that the numbers match, then click Continue on your old Mac.

    👀 6-digit matching verification code.

  5. 5

    Check the boxes for Applications, User Account, and Documents

    On your new Mac, check the boxes for: Applications, your User Account (which includes your entire Photos library, Desktop, and Downloads), and System Settings. Click "Continue" to begin the transfer.

    👀 Checklist of User Accounts and Applications.

  6. 6

    Wait for the progress bar to finish and restart

    Leave both computers open and undisturbed. Once the screen displays "Migration Complete," click "Done" on your old Mac. Your new Mac will restart and present your familiar login screen with all your photos and files intact.

    👀 Screen displaying "Migration Complete."

If You Don't See It / Troubleshooting

The two Macs cannot find each other over Wi-Fi

Make sure both Macs are on the exact same Wi-Fi network (not one on 5G and one on Guest Wi-Fi). If you have a USB-C or Thunderbolt charging cable, plug it directly between the two Macs for an even faster wired transfer.

My old Mac has an older version of macOS

Migration Assistant works smoothly across different versions of macOS (even transferring from a 2014 Mac to a brand-new Apple Silicon Mac). Just make sure software updates are installed on both.

My Photos library is syncing slowly with iCloud

If your Photos app shows "Syncing with iCloud...," plug your Mac into power overnight and leave the Photos app open in the background so it can finish indexing.

Good to Know

  • Migration Assistant preserves your Safari bookmarks, reading list, email signatures, desktop wallpaper, and Keychain passwords.
  • Your old Mac remains 100% operational with all your files unchanged until you manually decide to erase it.
  • We recommend keeping your old Mac for at least 2 weeks before performing a factory reset.