I've purchased a MacBook Air M4. I want to migrate everything from my old iMac 2019 (Intel) to the MacBook Air M4, but I don't know what cable to purchase for the fastest migration. What is your advice?
iMac 27″, macOS 15.5
A high speed Thunderbolt 3 cable.
for example: click here ➡️ Anker USB C Cable(3.3FT, 240W), USB 4 Data Cable, 40Gbps, 8K HD Display, Thunderbolt 4/3 Compatible, for iPhone 16, MacBook, Hub, Docking and More - Amazon.com
cluck here ➡️
A high speed Thunderbolt 3 cable.
for example: click here ➡️ Anker USB C Cable(3.3FT, 240W), USB 4 Data Cable, 40Gbps, 8K HD Display, Thunderbolt 4/3 Compatible, for iPhone 16, MacBook, Hub, Docking and More - Amazon.com
cluck here ➡️
To be honest the best method for migration is to migrate from the old computer's Time Machine External Hard Disk to the new computer. This has proven to be the easiest, quickest and most reliable method. Please click the Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant link for detailed instructions.
Remember in order to migrate the new Mac (in your case a MB Air) must and I mean MUST have the same or more storage as the old Mac has stored on it. So for example if the 2092 iMac has about 350 GB of data stored on it the new MB Air should be a model with 512 GB or more of storage. If your MB Air has less than what you have stored on the iMac then a migration will not work, why simply think of it as you cannot put 1 gallon a milk into a 1 quart container.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Time Machine backs up everything including settings so when you migrate MA will ask if you want to migrate the setting, select yes and that’s it. When the migration is done your new Mac will look and act like the old one. What does not migrate is Mac OS from the old to the new.
Simply connected the Time Machine External Hard Disk to the new Macusing a USB cable, it is likely you will need a USB to USB C adapter which you can get from Amazon for less than $10.
I have used the TM backup drive dozens of times and no issue restoring all including email. Also doing a Mac to Mac migration involves a few more steps which just adds additional hurdles.
I prefer using a TM backup drive to migrate ilo Mac to Mac direct connection.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm concerned that my TM doesn't have all the settings and things like emails etc backed up. It probably does, but my confidence in the TM is not strong for no other reason than I'm a bit "technically challenged" LOL . I'd rather use a cable, because I understand it better.
Thank you! It sounds like the TM backup maybe the thing. Is it an ethernet cable that connects the two? At the moment my set up uses the wifi to backup to the TM but I'd rather use cables to do the migration.
What kind of drive are you using for your TM backup? What type of wifi setup are you using to do the backups? I always recommend a drive that is connected via a USB cable from drive to USB port on the Mac.
Thank you, I'll have a look.
Which cable can I use to transfer data from iMac 2019 (intel) to MacBook Air M4 for migration
