Transfer info to Mac from another computer or device
If you didn’t transfer your information to your Mac when you first set it up, use Migration Assistant available in OS X 10.6.8 or later to transfer your information at any time.
You can transfer your user account — including all your pictures, music and files — from a Mac or PC. You can also transfer information from a disk or a Time Machine backup. For best transfer results, upgrade to the latest version of macOS before you transfer information.
Transfer info from a Mac
Before you transfer information from a Mac, connect the two computers with a cable (Ethernet, FireWire or Thunderbolt) or make sure they are connected to the same wired or wireless network.
In the Migration Assistant app
on your Mac, click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions to transfer info from a Mac.Open Migration Assistant on the other Mac, then follow the onscreen instructions to transfer info to a Mac.
Select what to transfer.
Apps: Select the Applications tickbox.
Incompatible apps or apps with newer versions already installed may not be transferred or may not be usable.
User accounts: Select the tickbox next to the name of each user account you want to transfer.
Click the disclosure triangle next to the tickbox to select the specific information to transfer, including the user’s apps, documents, pictures, movies, desktop, Downloads folder and more.
Documents and files from apps: Select the “Other files and folders” tickbox.
Computer settings: Select the Computer & Network Settings tickbox.
Your desktop picture, network settings and more will be transferred.
You can also click the disclosure triangle next to the tickbox to select which computer or network settings to transfer.
To begin the transfer, click Continue.
For more information about transferring information to a new MacBook, see the Apple Support article How to move your content to a new Mac.
Transfer info from a PC
You can transfer info over a wired or wireless network, as long as your computers are connected to the same network.
Close all other apps on your PC, open Windows Migration Assistant, then follow the onscreen instructions.
If you don’t have Windows Migration Assistant, download it from the Apple website.
Select what to transfer.
User accounts: Select the Users tick box to transfer all user accounts. To select a specific user, click the disclosure triangle next to the Users tick box, then select the tick box next to the user’s name.
Click the disclosure triangle next to a username to select the information to transfer, including the user’s pictures, movies, music, desktop, documents, downloads, email (from POP and IMAP accounts), settings and more.
Note: If you’re transferring from Windows, these items are transferred only for the logged-in user: email from a POP account in Microsoft Outlook, and Contacts from Microsoft Outlook.
Computer settings: Select the Settings tickbox (in a user account). The desktop picture, selected language and location will be transferred. Network settings and passwords aren’t transferred.
Additional shared files, apps, other files and documents, and more: Select the Other Files tickbox. Click the disclosure triangle next to the tickbox to select the information to transfer.
To begin the transfer, click Continue.
For more information about transferring information from a PC, see the Apple Support article Move your data from a Windows PC to your Mac. For information about where your info was transferred, see Transfer info from a PC to Mac.
Transfer info from a Time Machine backup or other storage device
You can transfer information from another disk on your Mac, a disk connected to your Mac, a disk on the same network, or another Mac with OS X 10.8 or earlier connected to your Mac using a Thunderbolt cable.
If you’re using a Thunderbolt cable, connect the cable to the computers, hold down the T key while restarting the Mac that has the info to transfer, then follow the steps below on the Mac you want to transfer information to.
In the Migration Assistant app
on your Mac, click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions to transfer info from a Time Machine backup or other disk.Select what to transfer.
Apps: Select the Applications tickbox.
Incompatible apps or apps with newer versions already installed may not be transferred or may not be usable.
User accounts: Select the tickbox next to the name of each user account you want to transfer.
Click the disclosure triangle next to the tickbox to select the specific information to transfer, including the user’s apps, documents, pictures, movies, desktop, Downloads folder and more.
Documents and files from apps: Select the “Other files and folders” tickbox.
Computer settings: Select the Computer & Network Settings tickbox.
Your desktop picture, network settings and more are transferred.
To begin the transfer, click Continue.