What is Migration Assistant on Mac and how does it work

One of the major challenges while upgrading or switching from one device to another is transferring all your files, apps, and settings. However, if you are upgrading to a new Mac, Apple wants to make this process easier with a dedicated utility called Migration Assistant. So, if you brought home a new Mac or upgraded to one, here’s everything you need to know about Migration Assistant and how it works.

Migration Assistant: What is it and why it matters

As the name implies, Migration Assistant is a built-in utility on macOS that helps users transfer files, applications, user accounts, and settings from one Mac to another. With Migration Assistant, you can move content from one Mac to another, from a Time Machine backup to a Mac, or even from a Windows PC to a Mac.

When you use it, the tool establishes a connection between the two machines using Wi-Fi, but you can also use Ethernet or USB Type-C cable. When you run Migration Assistant on your Mac, the tool will also let you choose which folders, files, or content you wish to transfer to your new computer.

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For years, tech consumers have struggled with the idea of data portability and have resorted to storing all their important files and documents on portable drives to allow for easy transfer between devices. The Migration Assistant makes it possible to connect two machines and transfer content without facing any technical hardship.

Migration Assistant: How does it work

Before we get to how Migration Assistant works on Mac, it is important to ensure that both devices are connected to a wireless network and are running the same version of macOS. You should also ensure that both Macs are near each other and disable your antivirus or firewall. 

Once you have done that, the next step would be to log in to your Mac, tap Go >> Utilities and then double-click the Migration Assistant. Once the tool opens, click Continue, enter your Mac password and click Ok. You will then be asked to choose how you plan to perform the transfer.

For the transfer of your files, you can choose from a Mac, Time Machine backup, or a startup disk and click Continue. Now, follow the same steps on the Mac from which you are transferring files. Open Migration Assistant and then select “To another Mac” and click Continue. Once selected, your new Mac should display the name of your old Mac. Click the icon for your old Mac and then click Continue.

In the next step, confirm that the same six-digit code is being displayed on both Macs and click Continue on your old Mac. This will initiate the transfer of files with your old Mac searching for all the applications and documents to transfer to your new machine while your new Mac will display a list of applications, documents, and accounts to transfer. Deselect the ones you don’t want to copy over and click Continue.

During this process, macOS may prompt you to set up a password for your own account on the new Mac. Click Set Password to create a password and you will also get an option to set any of the additional accounts being transferred into admin accounts. Click Continue once you have selected all the files and accounts you want to transfer as well as added a password based on the macOS prompt.

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Once the transfer begins, you will see a status screen indicating how many files have been transferred and how long it will take for the migration of data between devices. Once the process is complete, your old Mac will indicate that the migration is completed while your new Mac will bring you to the login screen. Now, log in to your new Mac and sign into iCloud with your Apple account if asked, set up Touch ID, and begin using your new machine.

Other ways to use Migration Assistant

While migrating from one Mac to another is made convenient thanks to Migration Assistant, you can use the tool to migrate data even if you don’t have your older Mac handy. If you have a recent backup of your old Mac then you can choose Time Machine as the option for transferring data. The requirement here is that you should have your Time Machine backup available on an external drive or other source.

You can also download Migration Assistant on your Windows PC to migrate data from Windows to Mac. When moving from Windows to Mac, make sure you download the right version of Migration Assistant since Apple offers the software based on the version of macOS on your new machine. Once you have installed the right version of Migration Assistant, open the tool and wait for the program to search for your Mac.

On your new Mac, open Go >> Utilities and then double-click the Migration Assistant. At the screen showing how you want to transfer the information, choose the “From a Windows PC” option and click Continue. Select your Windows PC and then click Continue. From here, the steps are nearly identical to migrating from an old Mac.

Enjoy a hassle-free transfer of data and apps from your old machine to your new Mac.