Transfer your data to your new MacBook Air
It’s easy to move your files and settings from another Mac or PC to your MacBook Air. You can transfer information to your MacBook Air from an old computer—or from a Time Machine backup on a USB storage device—either wirelessly, or with an Ethernet cable and adapters.
Tip: For best results, make sure your MacBook Air is running the latest version of macOS. Open System Preferences, then click Software Update to check for updates.
Transfer wirelessly. To transfer the data when you first set up your MacBook Air, use Setup Assistant. To transfer data later, you can use Migration Assistant. Open a Finder window, go to Applications/Utilities, then double-click Migration Assistant to do a wireless migration. Follow the onscreen instructions.
Tip: To transfer the information wirelessly from your old computer to your MacBook Air, make sure both computers are connected to the same network. Keep both computers near each other throughout the migration process.
If you used Time Machine to back up your files from another Mac to a storage device (such as an external disk), you can copy the files from the device to your MacBook Air. See Back up and restore your Mac.
Copy files from a USB storage device. Connect the storage device to your MacBook Air using a USB-C to USB Adapter (see MacBook Air accessories). Then drag files from your storage device to your MacBook Air.
Transfer using Ethernet. To transfer your data over Ethernet, use an adapter (available separately) to connect the Ethernet cable to your MacBook Air. Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to your other computer (you might need another adapter, if your computer doesn’t have an Ethernet port). Before transferring your data using Ethernet, make sure your MacBook Air battery is fully charged.
For complete details about all the migration methods, see the Apple Support article How to move your content to a new Mac.