I need to backup my late 2011 MacBook Pro using El Capitan to an external HD so that I can set up my new 2021 16” M1 MacBook Pro. How should I proceed?

Hi,

• First I would recommend specifically looking for a SSD rather than a HDD. SSD’s are a little more expensive than HDD’s however they are much faster and more durable than a HDD. You should also get a SSD or HDD that connects via USB-A. This way it will connect directly to your 2011 mac. However, the 2021 16” MacBook pro does not have a USB-A port so you will need a USB-A to USB-C adapter or hub. You can purchase this from Apple or another trusted brand. Here are all the compatible drives with Time machine: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT202784
• Second, yes you need to use Time Machine to backup your 2011 mac. Here is an article on how to backup with time machine on your 2011 mac: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201250
• Third, you should plug in the SSD or HDD into your new mac when you set it up. This way you can use the migration assistant to easily restore the new mac. Here is an article on how to restore with Time Machine: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT203981

If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to reply.

As an alternative to backing up via Time Machine and restoring the backup to your new MacBook Pro, you can also use Migration Assistant:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350