When you want to move information from an erstwhile Mac to a new one, the almost reliable method is to use Apple'southward Migration Banana. Found in the Utilities binder of your Applications binder, Migration Assistant copies all of your files from your old Mac to your new Mac, so you don't have to transfer them manually.

migration
The outset set up of steps in this commodity assume that you lot have both the old Mac and the new Mac available. The second prepare of steps explain how to restore your data on a new Mac using a Time Car backup, which is a slightly different process.

Earlier Y'all Start

Before you start the data transfer process, make sure both Macs take their software upwards to engagement (Organization Preferences -> Software Update), and identify them well-nigh each other with Wi-Fi turned on. Lastly, on your old Mac, open System Preferences -> Sharing, and make sure a proper noun appears in the Estimator Proper noun field.

How to Use Migration Assistant

  1. On your new Mac, open Migration Assistant (Applications/Utilities/), so click Go on.
  2. When Migration Banana asks you for permission to make changes, enter your administrator password, then click OK.
  3. When asked how you want to transfer your information, select the option to transfer From a Mac, Time Auto backup or startup deejay, then click Continue.
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  4. On your old Mac, open Migration Banana (Applications/Utilities/), then click Continue.
  5. When asked how you want to transfer your data, select the option to Transfer to some other Mac, then click Continue.
  6. On your new Mac, when asked to select a Mac, Fourth dimension Machine fill-in or other startup disk, select the other Mac, then click Continue.
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  7. If y'all see a security code on your onetime Mac, brand sure it'due south the same as the one displayed on your new Mac, then click Go along.
  8. On your new Mac, select the information yous desire to transfer from your old automobile. Your name refers to your user account.
    migrate
  9. Click Continue to starting time the transfer. This could have several hours to complete, and so make certain you've got something else to do in the meantime.
  10. When the migration has finished, close Migration Assistant on both computers, so log in to the migrated account on your new Mac.

How to Migrate to a New Mac From a Fill-in

If you fabricated a Time Machine fill-in of your old Mac, Migration Assistant can use that backup to restore your personal files, including your apps and everything in your user account.

  1. Brand certain your Time Automobile backup disk is connected to your new Mac and turned on.
  2. Open up Migration Assistant (Applications/Utilities/), and then click Continue.
  3. When asked how you lot desire to transfer your information, select the selection to transfer From a Mac, Fourth dimension Car backup or startup deejay, and so click Go along.
    macos big sur migration assistant transfer from mac
  4. Select your Time Machine backup, then click Proceed.
    migrate
  5. Cull a backup from the list of timestamped backups, then click Keep.
    macos big sur migration assistant choose time machine backup
  6. Select the information you desire to transfer from your erstwhile machine. Your name refers to your user account.
    migrate
  7. Click Continue to outset the transfer. This could take several hours to consummate, so brand sure you lot've got something else to practise in the concurrently.
  8. When the migration has finished, shut Migration Assistant, then log in to the migrated business relationship on your new Mac.

If yous're not keeping your erstwhile Mac and plan to give it abroad, sell it, or trade information technology in, be certain to erase the data on it and perform a factory reset.

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