Unable to clone internal SSD on MacBook Air to external 256GB SSD

OK so just for an update.

I went back last week to try and complete the clone and to test out your idea that the version of repair console was unable to do an APFS format, I plugged in an external SATA HDD and it formatted to APFS no problem, but when I put the M.2 SSD in the caddy that originally used, (not an Apple SSD but a PC M.2 SSD with a PC SSD to MAC SSD adaptor fitted) it wouldn't format APFS.

So, it seems this PC M.2 SSD, with an adaptor, can't be formatted APFS.

I also booted the system up and tried again but no APFS option available which is a bit strange as I could erase it using any of the other formats.

Anyway, all's well that ends well, as the bard use to say, so thanks guys for trying to help me out, regardless I learned from both of you something new about cloning on a Mac. My main work is on PC's and Servers, Win 10, Win Server, home broadband etc. etc. so being called out to Macs is very rare and I have been able to pretty much fix all the problems I have had except one that I have on a friends Mac that's playing hard to fix. Ill post in a new thread and send you guys the link if you like if you fancy a crack at it.

PS I did clone successfully to the SATA SSD, then swapped the 128GB M.2 to a 256GB, booted off the external SATA SSD and used Disk Utility to clone - at last :)

I put in so much effort on this as the lady client I'm doing it for is quite poor, thanks to lockdowns, so I only charged her 3 hrs (Which took three visits in the end) in the end which she was chuffed about as she hasn't got the money for a new all shiny Mac.......

Thanks to both of you for taking the time and trouble to reply, and just for some

further information I have put a screenshot of the offers of format type when I

have a chance to erase the drive.

For a bit of further info normally most of my work as a technician with my clients

involves WinServer, Windows 10, sometimes Windows 7 and Linux systems although

I have some quite considerable Mac experience from the past but a bit too far

in the past to be particularly useful today.

Also again just for your information this is only the second time that I’ve actually

cloned a Mac disk, the first time was on a 21 inch iMac with a failing internal

hard disk drive that I close to an external SATA III SSD drive without any

problems.

Not sure why this is causing a problem at all as just checking out vids on YouTube

this seems to be quite a common way to initiate a disk clone however I will be

advised by both of you and just this time I will try out Carbon Copy Cloner.

Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply, much appreciated, I would be interested to

know why though on the screenshot there is no offer of APFS as a format type?

Thanks for that HWTech, extremely useful don't worry about delay I don't need to go back to hers for a few days but I will try what you suggest and if no joy setting the format type I will try as previous posters have suggest CCC and report back - once again profuse thanks ;)

sorry for some reason this didn't load in the last message