Migrating from old 2015 iMac to a new 2024 iMac

·       Always connect your old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk prior to startup, this will allow a migration from your TM backup and it will be dead simple! When you start the new Mac for the first time it will startup Setup Assistant (SA), SA will get to a point where it asks if you are migrating from another computer, select Yes and follow the on-screen prompts and it's done! It is that simple! This is the easiest, quickest and most reliable method to migrate from the old Mac to the new Mac is to simply connect the old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk to the new Mac using a USB cable before you turn on the new Mac. 

·       NOTE 1: You will likely need a USB A to USB C adapter, you can find them on Amazon for $10 or less. Something like: USB to USB C adapter

·       NOTE 2: If you have already done SA on the new computer then simply connect the Time Machine External Hard Disk using a USB cable and launch Migration Assistant (MA) which is located in Applications - Utilities - MA. Then follow the on-screen prompts.

·       The ONLY difference between MA and SA is MA will create a new user account that you need to log into.

Both SA and MA migrate applications (not 32 bit apps), data files & settings. They do not migrate Mac OS itself. Some professional apps such as Adobe and Microsoft apps may require re-installing their apps as they will not allow them to be migrated. As long as you kept the security keys for installing their apps, it is not an issue. 

Finally, my recommendation is not using Wi-Fi when doing Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant. Why, it simply fails in a lot of the cases reported in these forums. A wired connection is more reliable and the last thing you need is a failed migration when there are safe methods readily available. Please read and follow the directions in Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant. If you do not have a Time Machine backup of the older Mac then create one!If you are not aware of Time Machine, please read Back up your Mac with Time Machine and finally if you need an External Hard Disk to use as a Time Machine External Hard Disk then many experience users on these forums prefer the OWC Mercury Elite Pro due to it's reasonable price, high level of quality and ease of use. 

You can use migration assistant to transfer data from your Time Machine backup to a new iMac. Follow this Apple support article on how to do so: Restore your Mac from a backup - Apple Support

Cheers,

Jonasilver137

Your late 2015 iMac has USB-A ports. A new one will have USB-C ports.

You won't be able to plug your old cables directly into the new iMac, but since both types of connectors support USB 3, there are many ways to overcome the difference.

These include:

• The Apple USB-C to USB Adapter, which takes up one USB-C port to provide one USB-A one.
• Inexpensive USB-A hubs that provide several USB-A ports, but that connect to a computer via a USB-C cable.
• USB-C and Thunderbolt hubs and docks that provide several types of expansion ports, including USB-A ones.
• USB-A to USB-C cables and USB 3.0 Micro B to USB-C cables which can substitute for the ones you currently use with your drives. (Make sure the cables are rated to carry data at USB 3.0 or better speed.)

Steve Scherf1 wrote:

• Thank you for the information. The new iMac I'm looking at getting comes with Four Thunderbolt 4 ports. So a USB-C cable can connect to the thunderbolt ports?

Yes. Those ports are USB-C ports that support multiple protocols, including

• USB 3.* (up to 10 Gb/s)
• USB4 (up to 40 Gb/s)
• Thunderbolt 4 (up to 40 Gb/s)
• DisplayPort

Think of them as being like "Swiss Army knives" with multiple blades. They adapt to whatever you plug in, as long as they, and whatever you plug in, speak some language (in this case, USB 3.*) in common.

Apple likes to refer to them as "Thunderbolt" ports or "USB4 / Thunderbolt" ports, even though it is frequently the more mundane USB 3.* and DisplayPort "blades" that you use to connect accessories. The high-end "blades" are something that's nice to have in case you ever want to do any kind of expansion that needs them.

Your welcome, hope that you use this process it really is the most reliable, fastest and easiest method. I have used it many over 6 times and have never had a failure.