The fastest way to move everything to a new Mac is Migration Assistant, which copies your files, apps, settings, and user account in one process

Migration Assistant is built into macOS and handles the entire transfer without you manually moving files or reinstalling software. You run it on the new Mac, point it to your old Mac (or a backup), and it copies your user account, applications, documents, photos, email, browser bookmarks, and system settings. The process typically takes one to several hours depending on how much data you have and your connection speed.

You have three ways to transfer: directly from your old Mac over a network, from a Time Machine backup, or from an external drive. Direct transfer is usually fastest if both Macs are on the same Wi-Fi network and reasonably close to each other. If your old Mac is no longer working or you don't have it nearby, restoring from a Time Machine backup or external drive works just as well.

Key Takeaways

  • Migration Assistant copies your entire user account, apps, files, and settings in one operation without requiring manual reinstallation.
  • You can transfer directly from your old Mac, from a Time Machine backup, or from an external drive — choose based on what you have available.
  • Back up your old Mac before starting, so you have a safety copy if something goes wrong during the transfer.
  • The new Mac should have enough free space for everything you're moving, plus at least 10 to 15 percent extra for the system to function properly.
  • After the transfer completes, check that your apps launch and your files are in the right places before you stop using your old Mac.

Preparing both Macs before you start

Before you run Migration Assistant, make sure your old Mac is fully backed up. Use Time Machine or another backup tool to create a complete copy on an external drive. This takes time but protects you if the transfer fails or something goes wrong — you can always restore your old Mac to its previous state.

Check that your new Mac has enough free space. Add up the total size of your user folder on the old Mac (you can see this by right-clicking the folder and selecting "Get Info"), then make sure your new Mac has at least that much free space plus an extra 10 to 15 percent. You can check free space by clicking the Apple menu, selecting "About This Mac," and looking at the Storage tab.

Make sure both Macs are plugged in and connected to the same Wi-Fi network if you're transferring directly. If you're using a backup, just make sure the new Mac can access it — either it's connected via USB, or it's on an external drive you have on hand.

How to transfer directly from your old Mac

Start Migration Assistant on your new Mac. You'll find it in Applications > Utilities, or you can search for it using Spotlight (press Command + Space, type "Migration Assistant," and press Enter). When it opens, it will ask whether you want to transfer to this Mac or transfer from this Mac — select "Transfer to this Mac."

On the old Mac, open Migration Assistant the same way and select "Transfer from this Mac." The two Macs will find each other on the network. When they connect, your old Mac will show a code — enter that code on the new Mac to confirm the connection.

On the new Mac, select which user account you want to transfer. You can move your main account and any other accounts you want to keep. Choose which items to transfer — typically you'll select everything: applications, files and folders, and system settings. Then click "Continue" and let it run. Don't put either Mac to sleep or disconnect them until the process finishes.

Transferring from a Time Machine backup

If your old Mac is no longer available or you prefer to use a backup, connect the external drive with your Time Machine backup to the new Mac via USB. Turn on the new Mac and go through the initial setup. When you reach the "Migration Assistant" screen during setup, select "From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk."

Choose your Time Machine backup from the list. The new Mac will show you which backups are available and when they were created — select the most recent one. Then select the user account you want to transfer and which items to copy over. The process works the same way as a direct transfer, but it reads from the backup file instead of from another Mac.

You can also run Migration Assistant manually after setup is complete if you didn't use it during the initial setup process. Open Migration Assistant on the new Mac, select "Transfer to this Mac," and then choose "From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk" when prompted.

Transferring from an external drive

If you've copied your old Mac's drive to an external drive using Disk Utility or another cloning tool, you can transfer from that drive the same way you would from a Time Machine backup. Connect the external drive to the new Mac, open Migration Assistant, and select "From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk."

The external drive will appear in the list of available sources. Select it, choose your user account, pick which items to transfer, and let the process run. This method works well if you've already created a full clone of your old Mac's drive or if you're transferring from a drive that's no longer connected to a working Mac.

What happens after the transfer completes

When Migration Assistant finishes, your new Mac will restart and log you into your transferred user account. Everything should look and work the way it did on your old Mac — your desktop background, dock, applications, and files will all be in place. Your email, browser bookmarks, and saved passwords should also transfer.

Spend time checking that everything works as expected. Open a few applications to make sure they launch properly. Check your email to confirm your accounts are still set up. Look in your Documents and Downloads folders to make sure your files are there. If you notice something is missing or an app won't launch, you still have your backup of the old Mac to restore from.

Once you're confident everything transferred correctly, you can erase your old Mac if you're selling it or recycling it. Use Erase Mac in System Settings (or Erase All Content and Settings on Apple Silicon Macs) to securely wipe the drive. Don't do this until you're absolutely sure the transfer is complete and working.

Troubleshooting common transfer problems

If Migration Assistant stops or shows an error, the most common cause is a network interruption or one of the Macs going to sleep. Make sure both Macs stay awake and connected to Wi-Fi throughout the process. If it fails partway through, you can usually restart Migration Assistant and it will pick up where it left off.

If an application won't launch after the transfer, it may need to be reinstalled or updated. Some older apps don't work on newer versions of macOS. You can reinstall the app from the App Store or the developer's website. Your files and settings will remain intact even if you need to reinstall a few applications.

If you transferred from a Time Machine backup and something is missing, check the backup date. Time Machine creates incremental backups, so if you want to restore from an earlier point in time, you can select a different backup date in Migration Assistant and run the transfer again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer to a Mac that already has files and apps on it?

Yes, but Migration Assistant will merge your transferred account with what's already there. If both the old and new Mac have the same application, you'll end up with two copies. It's cleaner to start with a fresh new Mac if possible, but merging works if you need to add to an existing setup.

What if my old Mac is broken and I don't have a backup?

If the drive is still readable, you can connect it to the new Mac using an external drive enclosure or a USB adapter, then transfer from that drive. If the drive is completely damaged, you've lost access to that data — this is why backing up regularly matters.

How long does the transfer usually take?

A direct transfer over Wi-Fi typically takes one to four hours depending on how much data you have and your network speed. Transferring from a backup is usually faster because it doesn't depend on Wi-Fi. Very large libraries (hundreds of gigabytes) can take longer.

Do I need to be online during the transfer?

If you're transferring directly between two Macs, yes — they need to stay connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If you're transferring from a backup or external drive, you don't need internet, but you do need the drive to stay connected to the new Mac.

Will my passwords and login information transfer?

Yes. Your Keychain, which stores passwords and login information, transfers along with your user account. Your email passwords, Wi-Fi passwords, and saved website passwords will all be there on the new Mac.