Transfer information from mac to macbook air

If you set up multiple user accounts so that more than one person can share the computer , the utility ports them all to your new Mac. Network settings: Boy, howdy, this is a real treat for those with manual network settings provided by an ISP or a network administrator!

Migration Assistant can re-create the entire network environment of your old Mac on your new laptop. System Preferences settings: Insert sound of angelic chorus: The files in your Documents folder s are copied to your new Mac.

• Mac OS X - How to use Migration Assistant to transfer files from another Mac.
• MacBook For Dummies, 4th Edition.
• How to move your content to a new Mac.
• How to Transfer all Files from one Mac to another using Apple Migration Assistant.
• download calligraphy fonts for mac.
• disk utility on mac startup.
• How to Import Files from Another Mac to Your MacBook - dummies!

You might have to reinstall some applications, anyway. Other applications transfer just fine, but you might have to reenter their serial numbers. Follow these steps to use Migration Assistant to transfer data to your new MacBook:. Migration Assistant prompts you for the account name and password that you create during the setup procedure.

Your account is an admin account, meaning that you have a higher security level that allows you to change things in Mountain Lion. Type your account name and password, and then click OK. To use this tool on a Mac:. As you can see, Migration Assistant is easy to use.

Migration Assistant setup

However, the disadvantage of using the Migration Assistant is that all your files get copied. For this reason, you might want to consider doing a clean installation. When you do a clean installation, you let OS X run its Setup Assistant and create a new, empty user account. During the process, you enter some information, such as your Apple ID, so your iCloud account is activated, but, for the most part, your Mac will be a tabula rasa. If you go this route, you then need to manually copy files from your old Mac, or from a backup.

This part of the process can be time-consuming, but it can allow you to sift through your files to find what you really need, and slim down your Mac. OS X installs a number of applications, many of which you probably use every day. But you probably use plenty of other apps on your Mac. And this is a good time to decide which of the many apps in your Applications folder you want to keep. You may find dozens of apps that you rarely use. Your Home Folder: Again, take this opportunity to check whether you need to keep all of the files in these folders.

Your Library Folder: By default, this folder is hidden, but it contains many files that you should copy. For example, all of your email is in this folder, as is the information in the Contacts app. First, you need to access this hidden folder on the new Mac. In the Finder, press Command-Shift-G, and then type: Click Go to view the contents of this folder. In another Finder window, do the same thing to view the old Library folder. Type the appropriate names for the backup disk and your user name.

I do, however, suggest that you go through that folder and copy over any files or folders for apps that you do use, especially if, when you launch them, their setup is different. However, you may just want to manually reset the preferences for your apps; this is a good way to rediscover your apps and their interfaces. So make sure you know where your serial numbers are. As you work on your new Mac, you may find that certain files are missing.

You may need to go back into that folder and copy some other files to the new Mac.

How to transfer files from your old Mac to your new Mac - CNET

What about permissions if you do a clean install? Will there be issues, and if so, how does one resolve them? There should not be permissions issues when you do a clean install and manually copy your files into a new user account.

Documents, Downloads, Music, Photos, etc. It is risky to copy third-party apps from one Mac to another. Many apps install files in several locations. It is much safer to redownload all the third-party apps you use regularly and reinstall them from scratch. Replace your new User home folder with your old User home folder. This article has perfect timing for me. HD was dying. Did a complete backup on time machine, and installed a new HD.

Connect the computers to each other

Im about to cancel that and start over fresh. It may save me a gb of space. Thanks for writing this informative article!

I have a number of high-end apps with limited installs. Neither method takes this into account and it can be easy to forget about before wiping and selling the old machine. Is there any way I can get them migrated over to the new Mac? This is an old post, but it might help some people. Preferences files are generally tiny, far too small to worry about. Great guide! What about Apple apps like Photos? Is there a preference file or any other fil I can move? I know how too but will this method corrupt something, because i have iCloud photo library?

How to transfer files from your old Mac to your new Mac

Thank you! FYI I just used migration assistant to copy all my stuff off my mac going in for repairs to the screen to a temporary mac. It did NOT copy everything.