I want to purchase a new 24"-Mac. I currently have a MacBook Air (2021) and an older (2017) 27"-Mac. I want to be able to transfer files and data between the three units. What cable and/or adapter will be compatible with all three units
A Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable? A Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable? Or use a USB-C to USB Adapter with a Dual Drive (USB-C & USB-A) Thumb Drive?
MacBook Air (2020 or later)
Any of those options will work. Comes down to what is more convenient to you and what you want to do exactly. A Dual USB drive may be easier than hard wiring them together, or simply a set of USB-C to USB-A adapters and a regular USB drive.
The TB 3 or TB 4 cables will work fine between them for Migration assistant or Target Disk mode. The Macs will drop down to thew lowest common connection. TB3 for all 3 Macs.
Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support
If you don't want to have to reboot the source Macs into Target disk mode, you can use a USB drive instead between them.
There is of course the Network sharing option, if all 3 are connected to the same Ethernet or Wi-Fi network they can share their files without extra cables:
Set up file sharing on Mac - Apple Support
Any of those options will work. Comes down to what is more convenient to you and what you want to do exactly. A Dual USB drive may be easier than hard wiring them together, or simply a set of USB-C to USB-A adapters and a regular USB drive.
The TB 3 or TB 4 cables will work fine between them for Migration assistant or Target Disk mode. The Macs will drop down to thew lowest common connection. TB3 for all 3 Macs.
Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support
If you don't want to have to reboot the source Macs into Target disk mode, you can use a USB drive instead between them.
There is of course the Network sharing option, if all 3 are connected to the same Ethernet or Wi-Fi network they can share their files without extra cables:
Set up file sharing on Mac - Apple Support
The easiest way to transfer content is wirelessly, but if you don't want to do that then a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter will result in the fastest possible transfer.
Both new iMac and the MacBook Air have USB-C ports. The newer Macs can use a USB-C cable.
Get a Thunderbolt cable for the older iMac and you're all set:
Cables needed for data transfer between apple products
