If you’re switching from a Windows PC to a Mac, it’s important to transfer all your important files so that you can continue working seamlessly. While the Migration Assistant is a great tool to transfer files from a PC to a Mac, there are times when it may not work as expected. In such cases, you need to know how to transfer files from PC to Mac without Migration Assistant.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to transfer your files manually:
1. Update your PC: Before you start, make sure that your PC is up to date. Migration Assistant works with Windows 7 or later, and you’ll need to know the administrator account name and password for the PC you are transferring from. This might be the same password you use to log into your PC.
2. Connect your PC and Mac: Make sure that both your PC and your Mac are connected to power and near each other. Check the Wi-Fi network your PC is on, and select the same network when you set up your Mac.
3. Open your web browser on your PC: Go to apple.com/migrate-to-mac and click the migration assistant link that corresponds to the version of macOS on your Mac. This will download and install migration assistant on your PC.
4. Quit any open apps on your PC: Close all open apps on your PC to prevent any data loss during the transfer process.
5. Open Migration Assistant on your PC: If it didn’t open automatically, open Migration Assistant and click continue. A message might appear recommending that you turn off automatic installation of Windows updates. When you’re ready to proceed, click continue.
6. Begin setting up your Mac: Turn on your Mac to begin setting it up. Early in the setup process, migration assistant will appear, and you’ll be asked how you want to transfer your data. Select “From a Windows PC” and click continue.
7. Connect your PC and Mac: Select the icon for your PC when it appears in migration assistant, and then click continue. A six-digit code will appear on your Mac and your PC. Confirm that they match, and then click continue.
8. Transfer your data: It might take a little while for migration assistant to gather all of the transferable information on your PC. This information will appear and be selected by default. Click continue to proceed. You’ll be asked to create an administrator password. Click set password and choose a password. Be sure to make a note of it so you can use it to log into your Mac. Select the confirm password field and enter the password again, then click set password. When a green check mark appears next to your account name, click continue, and the transfer will begin.
9. Wait for the transfer to complete: It could take several hours for large transfers to complete. Leave both computers alone during the transfer process. On your Mac, the screen might go black or dim, and the Apple logo and a loading bar might appear. This is normal.
10. Restart your Mac: Once the transfer is complete, your Mac will automatically restart, or you can click restart now to restart it manually. While your Mac is restarting, the screen will go black, and the Apple logo will appear.
11. Done: You can then click done on your Mac, and it will restart again to complete the migration assistant process. On your PC, click done in migration assistant. This computer will still have the same information it had before the transfer. Now using the password you created earlier, you can log into your Mac to complete the setup process, and the data you transferred from your PC will be there waiting for you.
If you still need help, contact Apple Support to learn more about how to use your Mac.