I have a 2012 iMac and just bought a 2023 Mac mini. I want to transfer select files from the iMac to the mini using migration assistant. WiFi will be too slow so I would like to use a cable. Will migration assistant work over a cable? For these two machines what should I use? I'm not sure there is way to use to two different thunderbolt ports they have? USB?
The fastest, easiest and most reliable way to Migrate, is to connect the 2012 Mac mini's Time Machine backup to the new Mac mini and Migrate from it during the initial setup.
Other Migration options like over your local Ethernet network or Wi-Fi network are slow, less reliable and prone to fail.
If you just want to manually move large files and libraries between Mac mini's, then using an external drive is the fastest and easiest way. A local Ethernet network or the slower Wi-Fi network is OK for moving smaller files.
If you want to connect the two Mac mini's in Target Disk Mode, then you will need a thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and a thunderbolt 2 cable.
Thanks. I spent 3 hours with Apple tech support and they were unable to tell me these simple facts. Specifically they could not tell me the apple solution to connect the 2 Mac minis together with a wired connection.
I tried using the migration assistant for almost 3 weeks over wifi. I have almost no files on the old Mac mini and a very very fast wifi. I’m convinced it will basically not work in most situations over wifi. I have a few songs and pictures and no other files — deleted all internet files and still can’t execute.
Cable for migration assistant
