How to Transfer Data from Old PC to New Mac or Old Mac to New Mac 2024

Here are the Best Methods to Transfer Data from Old PC to New Mac or Transfer Old Mac to New Mac in alternate Ways. With & Without Migration Assistant.

Every new MacBook user shifting from an old Windows PC has a primary concern about safe and straightforward ways for transferring the data from their Windows computer to the newly bought MacBook. Several applications and software available on the internet serve as a medium for transferring data from your old Windows PC to the new MacBook. However, most of these third-party apps are not trustworthy, and there is a risk of your data getting breached.

This article will feature only the default system applications offered by Apple for transferring the data between your computer and the MacBook. These methods include using the Windows Migration Assistant, using the Windows PC as a host, using your Mac as a host, using an external hard drive or Pendrive, and Microsoft Onedrive.

Method. 1→ Using Windows Migration Assistant

The Windows Migration Assistant is a utility app already present in every MacBook’s utility folder. The Mac customers shifting from an old Windows PC can use the Windows Migration Assistant to transfer the email, contacts, calendar information, System settings, Outlook, Pictures, iTunes content, Windows Live Mail, Windows Mail, Bookmarks and other files to their new MacBooks.

Before transferring the data from your PC to your new Mac, kindly note that the Windows Migration Assistant only works for computers working on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11, and above operating systems. In contrast to the Assistant being already present in the MacBook, you will have to download it on your Windows computer or laptop. Click on the links given below based on the operating system of your MacBook to download the Windows Migration Assistant on your Windows computer.

Also, please connect both the MacBook and the Windows computer to the same network, WiFi or ethernet. The file transfer process can take up to hours, depending on the size of the data you are transferring and your internet speed. A wired Local ethernet network connection is faster and more stable than a wireless connection; hence, it is recommended to use an ethernet cable for the transfer process.

  • Things to Keep in Mind before Transferring the data from your computer to the Mac
  1. Keep in mind your computer admin username and password linked to the computer with you.
  1. Must check a drive performance to use the Migration Assistant software properly. You can perform this check in the following ways.
  • Step. 1→ Click on the Windows logo or Start menu of your computer.
  • Step. 2→ Open the RUN window [Command + R], type “cmd”, “and enter.
  • Step. 3→ Finally, type “chkdsk” in the Command tab and hit the enter key.

The Windows computer will perform a drive performance check and look for issues. If it discovers or finds some problems with the disk, you will be required to run a drive performance check. Otherwise, skip these steps. To initiate the drive performance check, follow the instructions given here.

  • Step. 1→ First, type “chkdsk drive: /F” in the Command window and press enter. (Change the “drive” name to the name of your Windows startup disk.)
  • Step. 2→ Tap on the “Y” key when asked and restart your computer.

Repeat both the steps multiple times until all the issues have been fixed by the drive performance check. Now use the Migration Assistant to transfer the data from your computer to your Mac.

How to Transfer Data from Windows PC to Mac using Migration Assistant

Once you have followed everything mentioned earlier in this post, go through the instructions below to transfer data from the computer to your Mac using the Migration Assistant.

On the Computer or PC

Important: Don’t run this Downloaded file on Mac, Download it on Windows PC according to your installed macOS Version on Mac [On your Mac, Go to Apple Logo from top left corner > About This Mac > MacOS name]. You have to install it on Windows PC. Migration Assistant is Pre-installed on your Mac. Otherwise, you will get error: You can’t open the application “WindowsMigrationAssistantSetup.exe” because Microsoft Windows applications are not supported on macOS.

Step. 1→ Download and install the Migration Assistant on your PC – Given above. Open and Continue.

open-windows-migration-assistant

Step. 2→ Open the Migration Assistant on your computer. (Note that you can only transfer your files from the laptop to the MacBook and not vice versa.)

waiting-for-your-mac-to-connect-on-migration-assistant

On Your Mac

Step. 3→ Open the Finder application.

Step. 4→ Then, in the sidebar of the Finder app, click on the “Applications” folder.

Step. 5→ Now, select the “Utility” folder by control-clicking or double-clicking on it.

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Step. 6→ After that, tap on the “Migration Assistant” option and hit the “Continue” button.

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Step. 7→ When asked to choose how you want to transfer the data, select “From a PC.”

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Step. 8→ Finally, hit the “Continue” button.

On the Computer or PC

Step. 9→ Make sure the security code showing up on your computer’s screen is the same as displayed on your MacBook.

verify-pin-on-your-windows-pc

On Your Mac

Step. 10→ Now, choose the files, pictures and any other data you want to transfer to your Mac from the PC and press the “Continue” button.

data-is-available-for-move-from-pc-to-mac

There are various other methods apart from using the Windows Migration Assistant to transfer the data from your PC to the MacBook, which we will discuss below.

Share windows folder with Mac with the help of the following methods

Method. 2→ Through network using the Windows PC as the host

Transferring the folders or files from your old computer to a new MacBook over the network by using the computer as a host requires you first to enable file sharing on your Windows device. The process of enabling file sharing differs for each of the Windows versions.

Step. 1→ Enable the File Sharing option on your Windows PC.

  • For Windows 7:
  1. Head over to the Control Panel.
  1. Double-click with your mouse on the “Network and Sharing Center” option.
  1. Select the “Homegroup and Sharing Options.”
  1. Click on the “Advanced Sharing” Settings.
  1. Then, go to “File and Printer Sharing.”
  1. Check the box in front of “Turn on File and Printer Sharing” by clicking on it.
  1. Save the changes.
  • For Windows 8:
  1. Open the Control Panel.
  1. Select “Network and Internet.”
  1. Choose the “Network and Sharing Center” option.
  1. Double-click on the “Advanced Sharing Settings” action.
  1. Move to “File and Printer Sharing.”
  1. Enable “Turn on File and Printer Sharing.”
  1. Save the changes.
  • For Windows 10:
  1. Open the Windows Settings.
  1. Click on the “Network and Internet” tab.
  1. Tap on “Network and Sharing Center.”
  1. Choose the “Change advanced sharing settings” option.
  1. Head over to File and Printer Sharing and select “Turn on File and Printer Sharing.”
  1. Save the changes.

Step. 2→ Now, connect the Windows PC to your new Mac in the following ways.

  • Standard process
  1. Launch the Finder app. 
  1. In the left tab of the Finder app, select “Network.” (Usually, this option can be found in the Favourites or Recent tab. If you cannot see the network in the Finder app, tap on Go in the Menu Bar at the top left corner of your Mac and click on network.)
  1. Look for the name of your Windows computer.
  1. Tap on your computer’s name to drag and drop files from the shared folder.
  • Advanced process
  1. Open the Finder app on your Macbook.
  1. Tap on “Go > Connect to Server.” (You can also use the “Command + K” keys which is the shortcut for the same.)
  1. Enter the IP address or Hostname of the Windows PC after the prefix “smb://” (For instance, you can use: smb://192.168.1.102 or smb://MyPC)

Method. 3→ Through network using macOS as the host

Step. 1→ Enable File sharing on your new MacBook by the following process.

  1. Navigate to the System Preferences window.
  2. Tap on the “Sharing” option.
  3. Check the box in front of “File Sharing.”
  4. Click on “Option” and check the box beside “Share files and folders using SMB (Windows).”

Step. 2→ Note down the Mac’s IP address or Hostname. (You can find this at the top of the sharing window.)

Step. 3→ Finally, connect the MacBook to the Windows pc.

  1. Tap on the Start menu or Windows icon.
  2. Enter Hostname or IP address or Hostname of the MacBook after the \\ in the quick search bar. (Like: \\MyMac or \\192.168.1.102)

Method. 4→ Using a USB flash drive or an external hard drive

Mac users can also use a USB flash drive or an external hard drive for transferring their data from the old PC to their MacBook. Before undergoing this process, you need to keep in mind that the disk format of the external hard drive or a USB flash drive should be compatible with both the Windows PC and the MacBook. It is advised to use a flash drive or change the external hard drive format to NTFS, exFAT or FAT32, as these disk formats are supported by both Windows and Apple devices. But if you are transferring large files, the FAT32 format should be avoided as it does not support file sizes above 2 GB.

Method. 5→ Using Microsoft OneDrive for transferring the data

Step. 1→ Go to the Office 365 portal on the Windows computer and sign in to your email account. 

Step. 2→ Select the “OneDrive” and hit the “Upload” button.

Step. 3→ Now, choose the folder or files you want to transfer to your MacBook.

Step. 4→ You can check the status of the files being uploaded by looking at the “Uploading item(s) in the top right corner of OneDrive

Step. 5→ Ensure that the uploading of files was successful by verifying the contents of OneDrive.

Step. 6→ Now repeat the first and second steps on your MacBook. Check the boxes in front of the folders you want to save on your Mac.

Step. 7→ Finally, click on the “Download” button and save the folder to any location.

Don’t hesitate to try the quick and simple methods for transferring the data from your old PC to the new MacBook, as we have listed only the most reliable and safe ways in this post. All the procedures described in this post hail from hours of research and compilation of hundreds of customer reviews and feedback and will help ease your worries regarding the secure transfer of data from your computer to the new MacBook.

Q&A→

Can you transfer files from Windows to Mac via USB?

→ You can transfer the files from your Windows computer to the Mac via a USB flash drive or an external hard drive.

How to move files from PC to Mac using a USB cable?

→ All you need to do is connect the external drive’s USB cable to your Windows computer and copy the data to this drive. Then disconnect the external drive from your computer and plug it into your MacBook. Finally, copy the files from the external drive to your MacBook.

How to transfer files from Windows to Mac using an Ethernet cable?

→ The first method listed in this post ideally describes transferring files from Windows to Mac using an ethernet cable or WiFi.

Can you connect a Mac to a PC to transfer files?

→ Yes, you can connect a MacBook to a PC to transfer files. This process can be completed by going through the section’s contents under methods number two and three of this article.

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Karly Wood

Karly Wood is a journalist based in Ohio who specializes in covering Apple and technology trends. With a varied experience in reporting on public safety, government, and education, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, providing readers with a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at [email protected] or through (Facebook)

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