The Best Ways to Transfer Files Between Two Macs

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Send files between Macs with this easy-to-follow guide
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This wikiHow teaches you how to move files from one Mac computer onto another Mac computer.

Easy Ways to Transfer Files Between Macs

  • Target Disk Mode or Share Disk Mode allows you to connect two Macs with a cable and copy files between them.
  • If your Macs are connected to Wi-Fi and have Bluetooth enabled, AirDrop allows you to send files wirelessly between Macs with a few clicks.
  • To transfer all your data from one Mac to another, use Migration Assistant.
Method 1
Method 1 of 7:

Using Target Disk/Share Disk Mode

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  1. This method “tricks” one Mac into thinking the other is an external disk drive, making it super easy to drag and drop files between your Macs. [1] To get started, connect your Macs together with a USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt cable.
    • You’ll need to use a Thunderbolt cable if either of your Macs is running macOS 11 or later. Depending on what kind of ports your Macs have, you might need to use an adapter.
      • Check this page if you need help identifying the ports on your Macs. Most modern Macs have ports that support both USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 or 4 cables.
    • The rest of the steps for this method vary slightly depending on whether the Mac you’re using as an external disk has an older Intel processor or the newer Apple silicon (M1, M2, or M3) chip. Either way, you’ll start by connecting your Macs with a cable.
      • To look up what kind of processor your Mac has, go to
        Mac Apple
        Apple menu > About This Mac .
  2. You’ll need to do this with the Mac that you’re using as an external disk . The right method depends on what kind of chip your Mac has.
    • For a Mac with an Intel processor , start your Mac up while pressing the T key. Or, if you haven’t shut the Mac down yet, go to
      Mac Apple
      Apple menu > System Settings > General > Startup Disk > Restart in Target Disk Mode . [2]
    • For a Mac with a silicon chip , shut down your computer, then press and hold the power button until you see a message that says Loading startup options . Then:
      • Click Options > Continue and select a startup disk. Click Next .
      • Enter your administrator password if prompted. Your Mac will boot into Recovery Mode.
      • Click Utilities > Share Disk , then choose the disk or volume that you want to share (e.g., “Macintosh HD”). Click Start Sharing .
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  3. Again, the process is a little different depending on what kind of chip the first Mac has.
    • If the external Mac has an Intel chip , this is super simple: [3]
      • Look for a disk icon on the desktop of the second Mac. This represents the computer that you connected in Target Disk Mode. Double-click the icon to browse your files.
      • Drag and drop files to or from the disk to transfer them between the two Macs.
    • If the Mac has an Apple silicon chip , there are a few more steps involved: [4]
      • On the other Mac, open a Finder window and click Network in the left sidebar (under the Locations header).
      • Double-click the Mac you just connected as an external disk in the Network window, then select Connect As > Guest > Connect .
      • Drag and drop any files you want to move from one computer to the other.
  4. Once you’ve moved all the files you wanted to transfer, you can turn off the connection.
    • For Macs with an Intel chip , simply drag the disk icon for the computer in Target Disk Mode to the Trash to eject it. Press the power button to shut the external Mac down, then disconnect the cable. [5]
    • For Macs with an Apple silicon chip , click Stop Sharing on the Mac that’s in Share Disk Mode. Disconnect the cable. [6]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 7:

Using AirDrop

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  1. To use AirDrop, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be enabled on both of your Macs: [7]
    • Wi-Fi — If you’re not already connected to Wi-Fi, click the "Wi-Fi"
      Mac Wifi
      icon in your Mac's menu bar and toggle on the switch next to Wi-Fi at the top of the dropdown menu. You'll also need to select and sign into a Wi-Fi network if your Mac doesn't automatically connect to one.
    • Bluetooth — If you see the
      Mac Bluetooth
      Bluetooth icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen, click it and make sure the switch is toggled on next to Bluetooth . If you don’t see the icon:
      • Go to
        Mac Apple
        Apple menu > System Settings > Bluetooth and toggle the switch on next to Bluetooth .
  2. Since AirDrop won't work reliably past around 30 feet, you'll need to make sure that your Macs are near each other (preferably in the same room). [8]
    • Appliances, walls, and floors can all prevent AirDrop from working within the 30-foot range.
    • Both Macs must be turned on to complete the file transfer.
  3. Click the Finder app icon, which resembles a blue face, in your Mac's Dock.
  4. If AirDrop is disabled on either of your Macs, click the
    iPhone Settings CC
    Control Center icon at the top right side of your screen. If the AirDrop icon is gray, click it and toggle AirDrop on. If it’s set to “Contacts Only,” click Everyone to ensure that you can easily transfer files between the two Macs.
  5. Go to the location of the files you want to transfer, then hold down ⌘ Command while clicking each file you want to transfer. This will allow you to select multiple files at once.
    • You can also click and drag your cursor over the files or press Shift and click the first and last files in a range.
  6. Doing so will prompt a drop-down menu.
  7. It's in the drop-down menu. Selecting it prompts a pop-out menu to appear.
    • You can also click the
      iPhone Share
      Share icon at the top of the Finder window.
  8. This option is in the pop-out menu. Doing so opens the AirDrop window.
  9. Click the name of the account you use for your other Mac. This will send a file transfer request to the other Mac.
  10. When prompted, click Accept in the AirDrop notification on the other Mac. The AirDrop files should begin downloading into your Mac's Downloads folder.
    • If both your Macs are signed into the same Apple ID, you won’t need to accept the transfer. The file(s) will be automatically shared to the second Mac. [9]
  11. Doing this will close the AirDrop menu.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 7:

Using an External Hard Drive

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  1. Using the drive's USB cable or connector, attach the drive to one of your Mac's USB ports.
    • If you have a newer MacBook, you may not have a traditional rectangular USB port. If so, you'll need a USB to USB-C/Thunderbolt 3/Thunderbolt 4 adapter.
    • If this is your first time plugging in the hard drive, you may need to format it . If so, make sure you choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format.
    EXPERT TIP

    Chiara Corsaro

    Computer Specialist
    Chiara Corsaro is the General Manager and Apple Certified Mac & iOS Technician for macVolks, Inc., an Apple Authorized Service Provider located in the San Francisco Bay Area. macVolks, Inc. was founded in 1990, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, and is part of the Apple Consultants Network (ACN).
    Chiara Corsaro
    Computer Specialist

    Using a USB device is one of the easiest ways to backup and/or transfer files. To copy files to a USB device, connect your USB flash drive or external hard drive to your computer, locate the file you want to copy, then drag the file to the USB device. When you are ready to transfer that file to another system, connect your USB device to the other computer, click on the USB device icon, and drag the file to the other machine's desktop.

  2. Click the Finder app icon, which resembles a blue face, in your Mac's Dock.
  3. Open the folder where the files you want to transfer are located.
  4. Hold down ⌘ Command while clicking each file you want to copy. This will allow you to select several files at once.
    • If you want to copy the entire folder's contents, click one file, then press ⌘ Command + A .
  5. Press ⌘ Command + C to do so.
  6. You should see it under the Locations header in the left-side menu bar in Finder. Clicking it opens your external drive.
    • You should also be able to open the drive by double-clicking the disk icon on your desktop.
  7. Press ⌘ Command + V to do so. Your files will appear in the external drive's window.
  8. Eject and remove the drive . Click the "Eject"
    Mac Eject
    icon to the right of the drive's name, then unplug the drive.
  9. This should be the Mac onto which you want to transfer your files.
  10. It’s in the lefthand menu bar in the Finder window, below the Locations header. You should see the files you copied onto the drive here.
  11. Click and drag the files from the drive onto your desktop (or into your preferred folder). This will place the files on your Mac.
    EXPERT TIP

    Chiara Corsaro

    Computer Specialist
    Chiara Corsaro is the General Manager and Apple Certified Mac & iOS Technician for macVolks, Inc., an Apple Authorized Service Provider located in the San Francisco Bay Area. macVolks, Inc. was founded in 1990, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, and is part of the Apple Consultants Network (ACN).
    Chiara Corsaro
    Computer Specialist

    Try using Time Machine if you want to do a full system backup or restoration. Once configured, Time Machine will automatically backup everything on your computer, each time you connect your external hard drive to your computer. If you use Time Machine, please make sure you get an external hard drive that is twice the size of your internal hard drive, as Time Machine backs up not just your data files (e.g., photos, documents, desktop items, etc.) but also your programs, operating system, and settings.

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Method 4
Method 4 of 7:

Using File Sharing

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  1. File sharing allows you to easily share files, folders, or your entire computer with others on the same network. To get started, click
    Mac Apple
    Apple menu > System Settings . [10]
  2. In the left-hand menu, click General , then select Sharing .
  3. It’s at the top of the menu. Toggle the switch to the On position (it will turn blue).
  4. This will open the file sharing settings for your Mac.
  5. To make it easy to access anything on your Mac from your other Mac, you can toggle on Allow full disk access for all users . You can also add or subtract folders to the Shared Folders menu using the + and - buttons. In the Users menu, add or subtract users you’d like to share with, and adjust their read and write privileges with the dropdown menus. You’ll need to enable Read & Write to allow these users to copy files to and from shared folders.
    • When you’re finished making these changes, click Done .
    • To make it as easy as possible to connect your two Macs, you may wish to allow guest users to connect. To do this, Ctrl-click the folder you want to share in the file sharing menu, select Advanced Options , and make sure Allow guest users is toggled on.
  6. Both Macs will need to have file sharing turned on so you can connect. [11] Go through the same steps on the second Mac.
    • You’ll also need to make sure both Macs are connected to the same network.
  7. You should see it in the left sidebar under the Locations header. [12]
    • If you don’t see the other computer, click Go > Connect to Server… in the menu bar at the top of the screen and enter the network address for the other Mac. Click Connect .
  8. Depending on how your file sharing settings are configured, you can choose Guest , Registered User , or Using an Apple ID .
    • You may need to enter a username and password if you set that up in your file sharing settings.
  9. Click on the shared drive or folder you’d like to connect with. If read and write privileges are turned on for the second Mac, you should now be able to copy files to and from the shared folder to easily transfer them between computers! [13]
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Method 5
Method 5 of 7:

Using iCloud

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  1. This is a great option if you’re sharing between two Macs on the same Apple ID account. You can easily sync all Apple devices on the same account to share photos and files stored in your iCloud drive. To get started, go to
    Mac Apple
    Apple menu > System Settings… . [14]
  2. In the top left corner of the System Settings menu, you should see your Apple ID name and user icon. If you’re not logged in, do so now.
  3. You’ll see this under the Apps using iCloud header.
  4. It will be the first option in the pop-up window.
  5. This will allow you to share the files in your Desktop and Documents folders across all Apple devices that are linked to the same Apple ID. Click Done to save your settings.
    • If you also want to share images across all your connected devices, make sure Photos is set to On under the Apps Using iCloud header.
  6. On another Mac signed into the same Apple ID, open a Finder window and click iCloud Drive in the left sidebar. If you like, you can select any file in your iCloud Drive folder and copy it to another location on your Mac.
  7. You can also create shared files and folders in iCloud if you want to share your files with other Mac users. To do it: [15]
    • Go to https://www.icloud.com/and sign in, then click Drive .
    • Select the file or folder you want to share and click the ••• button.
    • Click Collaborate with Others… .
    • Choose one of the options for sharing your folder or file. You can either send an email or copy a link to send to the person you’d like to share with.
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Method 6
Method 6 of 7:

Using Migration Assistant

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  1. 1
    Update both your Macs. This process will work best if both Macs are running the latest version of macOS. If possible, update them both before you begin. [16]
    • Use this method to transfer all your data, including files and apps, from an old Mac to a new one.
  2. 2
    Make sure both Macs are connected to Wi-Fi. If either Mac is running El Capitan or earlier, they’ll both need to be on the same network. For later versions of macOS, it shouldn’t matter.
  3. 3
    Turn off any antivirus software or firewalls. Security software such as antivirus apps, firewalls, or VPNs may interfere with Migration Assistant. Turn these off before you continue. You can turn them on again when you’re done.
  4. 4
    Open Migration Assistant on your new Mac. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities and open Migration Assistant. You can also find it by using the
    Mac Spotlight
    Spotlight search tool in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Double-click the app and click Continue .
    • You may have to grant permission for the app to make changes. Enter your admin password and click OK .
  5. 5
    Select From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or Startup disk . You may be prompted to select how you want to transfer your information to your new Mac. Select the top option ( From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or Startup disk ), then click Continue .
  6. 6
    Open Migration Assistant on your old Mac. You’ll need to have it open on both computers. Click Continue , then grant permission for Migration Assistant to make changes if prompted.
  7. 7
    Select To another Mac . On the next screen, specify that you will be transferring information to another Mac. Click Continue .
  8. 8
    Select your old Mac on the new Mac. Go back to your new Mac. You should see your old Mac in the Migration Assistant window. Select it and click Continue .
  9. 9
    Check for a security code on your old Mac. Look back at your old Mac and see if there’s a security code on the screen. If so, double-check that it matches the code on your new Mac. Then, click Continue .
  10. 10
    Choose which information you want to transfer. Go back to the new Mac and look at the list of items you can transfer from your old Mac. For example, you may see applications, user profiles, files and folders, and your system and network settings. Check the boxes next to anything you want to transfer.
  11. 11
    Click Continue . At this point, the transfer will begin. It may take several hours to complete, especially if you have a slow internet connection or you’re transferring a large quantity of data. You might want to let the process run overnight.
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Method 7
Method 7 of 7:

Using a Time Machine Backup

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  1. If you want to migrate your Mac's preferences, files, and other information onto a new Mac, you can use a Time Machine backup from your old Mac to do so. This can be a good option if you don’t have a Wi-Fi connection that is good enough to do a wireless transfer with Migration Assistant.
    • This method shouldn't be used for regular file transfers.
  2. Create a Time Machine backup . If you don't already have a Time Machine backup, create one using a blank hard drive before proceeding.
  3. Plug your external drive into the Mac you want to set up using the Time Machine backup.
    • If you have a newer MacBook, you may not have a traditional rectangular USB port. If so, you'll need a USB to USB-C/Thunderbolt 3/Thunderbolt 4 adapter.
  4. Click the Apple menu
    Mac Apple
    , click Restart... , and click Restart when prompted. Your Mac will begin to restart.
  5. 5
    Open Migration Assistant. You can find it in the Utilities folder in Applications , or search for it using
    Mac Spotlight
    Spotlight search . [17]
    • Follow any onscreen prompts to set up Migration Assistant if you’re using it for the first time.
  6. 6
    Select From a Mac, Time Machine backup or Startup disk . Migration Assistant will ask you how you want to transfer the information to your new Mac. Select From a Mac, Time Machine backup or Startup disk , then click Continue .
  7. 7
    Choose your Time Machine backup. On the next screen, you should see the disk drive that has your backup. Select it and click Continue .
    • You may see multiple backup files listed on the next screen. Select the most recent one—or an earlier one, if there’s a specific backup you want to use—and click Continue .
  8. 8
    Select the info you want to transfer. Next, you’ll see a list of different types of data you can transfer to your new Mac, such as applications, user profiles, files and folders, and system and network settings. Check the boxes next to any of those you want to transfer, then click Continue .
    • It might take a few hours for the process to complete.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What if the USB is not appearing on my other Mac?
    Community Answer
    You can use Airdrop by turning on Bluetooth and WiFi, control-clicking on the file, going under Share, and clicking AirDrop. A pop-up will appear with names of some devices that have Airdrop on. This may take a minute, but wait until the name of the Mac you're sharing to pops up. Click on the name of the other Mac and wait for it to share! This is a workaround to the USB issue.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2
  • Question
    Will this "restore from backup" option be safe if my Macs are on 2 different versions of MacOS?
    Fancyghost
    Community Answer
    This will work. It may change the version of MacOS, depending on which backup you choose.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    Will an external hard drive power on a non-responding iMac?
    Fancyghost
    Community Answer
    No. This is a separate issue. You should look up other troubleshooting steps to fix this.
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    Thank you for your feedback.
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      Warnings

      • Consider disabling AirDrop when you aren't using it, and only accept files from people or computers you trust.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/transfer-files-mac-computers-target-disk-mode-mchlp1443/mac
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/transfer-files-mac-computers-target-disk-mode-mchlp1443/mac
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/transfer-files-mac-computers-target-disk-mode-mchlp1443/mac
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/transfer-files-a-mac-apple-silicon-mchlb37e8ca7/14.0/mac/14.0
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/transfer-files-mac-computers-target-disk-mode-mchlp1443/mac
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/transfer-files-a-mac-apple-silicon-mchlb37e8ca7/14.0/mac/14.0
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/airdrop-mac-send-files-devices-mh35868/mac
      8. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203106
      9. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/airdrop-mac-send-files-devices-mh35868/mac
      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/set-up-file-sharing-on-mac-mh17131/mac
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/servers-shared-computers-connect-mac-mchlp3015/14.0/mac/14.0
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/connect-mac-shared-computers-servers-mchlp1140/mac
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/set-up-file-sharing-on-mac-mh17131/14.0/mac/14.0
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/109344
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/share-files-and-folders-mm708256356b/icloud
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102613
      8. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102551

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