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The correct transfer method depends on the destination. Use Migration Assistant to move information to a Mac from another Mac, a Time Machine backup, a startup disk, or a Windows PC. A new Mac may also offer “Set up with iPhone or iPad” during its first startup. For a new iPad, use Quick Start from a nearby iPhone or iPad, restore an iCloud backup, or restore a computer backup made with Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes. A Mac Migration Assistant transfer is not a whole-device Mac-to-iPad migration feature.
Choose the method that matches your new device
Start by identifying the destination and the source you still have. Mac and iPad setup use different systems, so choosing the wrong instructions can leave you looking for an option that does not exist.
| New device | Existing source | Method | Important conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac | Another Mac | Migration Assistant during Setup Assistant or later | Update both Macs; use Wi-Fi or, often faster, a direct Thunderbolt or Ethernet connection. |
| Mac | Time Machine backup or startup disk | Migration Assistant | Select the backup or disk as the source, then choose the categories to copy. |
| Mac | Windows PC | Migration Assistant on the Mac and Windows Migration Assistant on the PC | Apple documents wired and wireless network transfers. PC network settings and passwords do not transfer. |
| Mac | Nearby iPhone or iPad | Setup Assistant’s “Set up with iPhone or iPad” | Requires the specified recent operating-system versions, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth during initial setup. |
| iPad | Nearby iPhone or iPad | Quick Start | Keep both devices close, connected to power, and follow the onscreen prompts. |
| iPad | iCloud backup | Restore from iCloud during setup | Use a backup made from the previous iPhone or iPad. |
| iPad | Computer backup | Restore with Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes | The backup must come from the previous iPhone or iPad. |
Prepare before moving anything
- Install available operating-system updates on the source and destination Macs before starting. For iPad Quick Start, update the old device if the setup prompts require it.
- Connect laptops and iPads to power. A transfer can take a long time when the source contains many photos, videos, applications, or documents.
- Make sure you know the account passwords you may need after setup. A Windows-to-Mac transfer does not bring over Windows network settings or passwords.
- For a wireless Mac transfer, turn on Wi-Fi on both Macs and place them near each other on the same network. A wired connection can be preferable for a large transfer, but check the ports on both Mac models before buying a cable.
- If antivirus software, a firewall utility, or a VPN is installed on either Mac, Apple advises turning it off temporarily during Migration Assistant. Re-enable protection when the transfer is complete.
- Do not erase or trade in the old device until you have opened important files, signed in to essential accounts, and confirmed that the information you need is present on the new device.
Transfer from one Mac to another with Migration Assistant
Migration Assistant transfers documents, applications, user accounts, and settings from one Mac to another. It does not delete information from the old Mac and it does not replace macOS on the new Mac.
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Start during the new Mac’s first setup
- Turn on the new Mac and proceed through Setup Assistant until it asks whether you want to transfer information.
- Choose the option to transfer from a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk, according to your source.
- On the old Mac, open Migration Assistant. You can find it in the Utilities folder. Choose the option to transfer information to another Mac.
- Keep both Macs near each other with Wi-Fi enabled, or connect them directly with a suitable Thunderbolt or Ethernet cable. Apple says a direct connection is often faster than Wi-Fi, but the exact cable depends on the ports on both computers.
- When the new Mac displays the old Mac, select it. Verify the security code shown on both screens before continuing.
- Select the categories you want to copy. Available categories can include applications, user accounts, other files and folders, privacy and security settings, and system and network settings.
- Start the transfer and leave both Macs connected to power. The duration depends on the amount of data and the connection method.
- When the transfer finishes, the new Mac restarts. Review any summary of detected issues before opening your transferred accounts and applications.
Use a direct cable when it makes sense
Wi-Fi is convenient and requires no special accessory. A direct Thunderbolt or Ethernet connection is often faster for a large Mac-to-Mac migration and may be more consistent in a busy wireless environment. It is not required for every migration. Check the model and port type on each Mac before purchasing a cable or adapter; a cable that fits one computer may not provide the appropriate connection for the other.
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Transfer to a Mac after you already completed setup
You do not have to erase the new Mac to run Migration Assistant later. Open it from the Utilities folder, or use System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset and choose the migration option. Select the old Mac, a Time Machine backup, or a startup disk as the source, then choose the information categories to import.
Running Migration Assistant later can add another user account rather than merging every item into the account you are currently using. Read the account choices carefully before confirming. Existing files and applications on the new Mac remain in place unless you choose an action that changes them.
Move information from a Time Machine backup or startup disk
- Open Migration Assistant on the new Mac during Setup Assistant or later from Utilities.
- Choose the source option for a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk.
- Connect the backup drive or startup disk if it is not already available, and select it when it appears.
- Choose the user accounts, applications, files and folders, and settings you want to transfer.
- Start the migration and keep the backup drive connected until Migration Assistant reports completion.
A backup is useful when the old Mac is unavailable or cannot start, but it still represents the state captured at the time of the backup. Check the backup date and make a separate copy of any files created after that date if you can access the old computer or another storage location.
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Move from a Windows PC to a Mac
Install the Windows version of Migration Assistant on the PC that contains your data, then select From a Windows PC in Migration Assistant on the Mac. Follow the matching prompts on both computers. Apple documents both wired and wireless network transfers.
- Connect both computers to the same network, or use a suitable direct network connection if your hardware supports it.
- Open Migration Assistant on the Mac and choose From a Windows PC.
- Open Windows Migration Assistant on the PC and select the new Mac when it appears.
- Verify the code shown on both computers.
- Select the user accounts, files, folders, and other categories offered by the assistant, then begin the transfer.
- After the Mac restarts, inspect the imported files and open the applications you need.
Do not expect Windows network settings or passwords to be copied. Applications may also need Mac-compatible versions or fresh installation, and some PC applications have no Mac equivalent. Migration Assistant can show a summary when it detects compatibility or transfer issues.
Set up an eligible new Mac with a nearby iPhone or iPad
Some new Macs offer Set up with iPhone or iPad in Setup Assistant. This is an initial-setup convenience, not a replacement for a full Mac-to-Mac migration. Apple lists these requirements:
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- The new Mac must run macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later.
- The nearby iPhone must already be set up and run iOS 18.4 or later, or the nearby iPad must run iPadOS 18.4 or later.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be enabled.
- Start the new Mac and wait for the setup screen offering setup with an iPhone or iPad.
- Bring the already-set-up iPhone or iPad close to the Mac and follow the onscreen instructions.
- Approve the connection on the source device when asked.
- Review the settings that will be applied and complete Setup Assistant.
The Mac can use the source device’s iCloud settings to retrieve supported content from Apple applications such as Photos, Messages, Notes, Calendar, Passwords, and Contacts. Apple also lists settings such as Wi-Fi, Appearance, and Accessibility. The option may not appear if the operating-system versions, device state, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth requirements are not met.
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Quick Start is the direct setup route when you still have a previously set-up iPhone or iPad. It occupies the old device while the transfer is prepared and completed, so plan not to use that device for several minutes or longer.
- Turn on the new iPad and place it next to the current iPhone or iPad.
- On the current device, turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and make sure it is unlocked.
- Follow the Quick Start prompt that appears on the current device, then use its camera or passcode instructions as requested.
- When asked, enter the current device’s passcode on the new iPad and sign in with the required Apple Account.
- Choose the direct transfer option when offered, or select another available restore route.
- Keep both devices near each other and connected to power until the process finishes. Transfer time varies with network conditions and the amount of data.
An iPad enrolled in Apple School Manager or Apple Business cannot use this Quick Start route to transfer from the current device. In that situation, follow the organization’s enrollment and deployment process instead.
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Restore a new iPad from an iCloud backup
Choose the iCloud route when the previous iPhone or iPad is not available but a usable backup exists.
- Start the new iPad and continue through setup until the Apps & Data screen appears.
- Choose the option to restore from an iCloud backup.
- Sign in with the Apple Account used for the backup.
- Compare the backup dates and sizes, then select the backup from the previous device that you want to restore.
- Leave the iPad connected to Wi-Fi and power while apps, photos, and other content continue downloading.
The backup restores data and purchased content that Apple includes in the backup. Content that was only stored locally and never backed up cannot be recovered through this method.
Restore a new iPad from a computer backup
A backup made from the previous iPhone or iPad can be restored to the new iPad through Finder on a Mac, Apple Devices on a current Windows PC, or iTunes where that software is still used.
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- Open Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes on the computer that contains the backup.
- Connect the new iPad with a compatible cable and select it in the device list.
- Choose the option to restore from a backup.
- Review the available backup dates and select the one made from the previous iPhone or iPad.
- Start the restore and keep the iPad connected until the computer reports completion.
If the backup is encrypted, the software will request its backup password. Without that password, an encrypted backup cannot be restored through the normal restore process.
What will and will not transfer
Mac Migration Assistant categories
- Applications: compatible Mac applications may be copied. An application that is incompatible with the new Mac or has a newer version already installed may not transfer or may not work.
- User accounts: selected accounts and their associated home-folder data can be moved.
- Documents and folders: choose other files and folders when they are offered by the assistant.
- Privacy, security, system, and network settings: these categories may be selectable, but settings that depend on different hardware, operating-system versions, or organizational policies may need review.
- Windows-specific credentials: network settings and passwords do not transfer from a Windows PC.
iPad transfer scope
Quick Start and backup restoration are designed for iPhone and iPad setup. They are not a mechanism for copying a complete Mac user account onto an iPad. If a particular Mac file needs to be available on the iPad, use the file-sharing or cloud-sync feature supported by that file’s application and verify that the app can open the format.
Fix common transfer problems
The source computer or device does not appear
- On a Mac migration, confirm that Migration Assistant is open on both Macs, Wi-Fi is enabled for a wireless transfer, and both computers are on the same network and near each other.
- Temporarily turn off third-party antivirus, firewall, and VPN software as Apple advises, then try again.
- For an iPad Quick Start transfer, unlock the old device, turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and place it beside the new iPad.
- Check that the new Mac and nearby iPhone or iPad meet the listed operating-system requirements for the setup option.
The transfer is taking a long time
Large photo libraries, videos, applications, and many small files all increase transfer time. Keep devices connected to power and do not separate a Quick Start pair. For a Mac-to-Mac migration, a compatible direct Thunderbolt or Ethernet connection is often faster than Wi-Fi.
An application is missing or will not open
Migration Assistant provides a summary when it detects issues. Look for a compatible version of the application, reinstall it from its legitimate source, and check whether the app’s files require a separate sign-in or license activation. A newer version already present on the destination can also prevent an older copy from transferring.
The new Mac has the wrong account or duplicate data
Migration Assistant can import a separate user account when run after setup. Sign out and test the imported account before deleting anything. Keep the old Mac or backup intact until you have verified the account, documents, photos, passwords, and applications you need.
Quick Start is unavailable on a managed iPad
An iPad enrolled in Apple School Manager or Apple Business cannot use the described Quick Start transfer from the current device. Stop trying to bypass enrollment and use the management system’s assigned setup procedure.
Quick Recap
Verify the new device before retiring the old one
- Sign in to the expected user account or Apple Account.
- Open several important documents from different folders.
- Check Photos, Messages, Contacts, Calendar, Notes, and Passwords if those categories were part of the migration or iCloud setup.
- Launch the applications you rely on and confirm that they recognize their data.
- Reconnect printers, external drives, VPNs, and other hardware that may require destination-specific drivers or permissions.
- Confirm that recent files created after the backup date are present.
- Only after these checks should you erase, sell, recycle, or hand over the old device.
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