MOVE TO A NEW MAC

Discover the easiest and fastest ways to transfer your dusty old data to a box-fresh Mac

- Written by David Crookes

A new Mac promises to open the door to faster, smoother and more efficient computing thanks to its cutting edge chips and the awesome performance of macOS 26 Tahoe. But while you're sure to have one eye on the future, the other is likely looking to the past.

For although you could start afresh or, at least, get your Mac up and running using data from your iPhone or iPad (by selecting 'Set up with iPhone or iPad' in the Setup Assistant that appears when you start up a new Mac), you may want to consider what you're leaving behind.

Your old computer will inevitably be packed with data ranging from documents and apps to settings and user accounts - stuff you'll surely want to transfer to your shiny new machine. Even if you don't want to clutter up a fresh Mac, you may still want to preserve your existing data by backing it up. There's no telling when you may need it.

Over the next six pages, we're going to show you how you can keep a copy of the data stored on an old Mac, then migrate to a new Mac and ensure that everything is set up to your liking. The processes may involve spending a little extra cash but you could see it as an investment. There's certainly no harm in regularly backing up your files, folders and other important information, and it'll make life easier in the future.

Back up your old Mac

Be sure to protect your data by making a copy of everything on your Mac Sath

When migrating from one Mac to another, it makes sense to protect your files. This entails backing up your computer to keep your apps, photos, music, emails and documents safe and it means you'll have a copy of your data should anything go wrong during the migration process.