Transfer Files Between Two Macs

Transferring large files or an entire hard drive between two mac computers can by a cinch if you know how to do it right.

Steps

Airdrop Method

  1. Use airdrop if both macs have OS X Lion or later. Detailed instructions at Share Files With Airdrop on a Mac
  2. Click the “AirDrop” icon located in the Finder. It is the second icon down on most Macs. Make sure you have AirDrop open on both Macs that you will be transferring files between, or this will fail to work.
  3. Once in AirDrop, you’ll find icons for Macs that are connected on the Wi-Fi network or are in close range. The Macs will be represented by the user’s image on each Mac.
  4. Drag and drop the file you want to share onto the AirDrop icon in Finder. You’ll be prompted inside of the AirDrop folder to select which Mac you’d like to send the file to.
    • Once the file begins sending, a file transfer progress bar will appear on the user icon where you can watch the progress of the transfer.
  5. Confirm sending the file by clicking the “Send” button. Go to the Mac you sent the file to. and click “Save” or “Open” to download the file that was sent over AirDrop. The file will be saved by default to your “Downloads” folder.

Firewire Method

  1. Turn off the computer you want to transfer the files from. Turn on the computer you want to transfer the files to.
  2. Connect both computers with a firewire cable.
  3. Turn on the computer you will transfer the files from, while holding down the letter T on its keyboard. Notice that the computer will then display the firewire symbol moving around your screen. You have now opened that computer to access its hard drive.
  4. Go to the other computer (the one you will transfer the files to) and open finder. Look for the "Macintosh HD" which will be yellow under "devices". That Macintosh HD contains the other files.
  5. Drag the files you wish to transfer over to the folders on the target computer as you would move any files around a mac.
  6. Upon completion, eject the source computer's hard disk by pressing the eject button next to the Macintosh HD logo or press cmd-E.

USB Drive Method

  1. Insert a USB drive into the computer you want to transfer the files from. Open finder and move the files to the USB Drive. Unplug and eject the USB drive when complete.
  2. Plug the USB drive into the Mac you wish to transfer the files too. Drag and drop the files from the USB drive to the target computer as desired on your new Mac. Unplug and eject the USB drive.



Tips

  • Only accept files from people or computers you trust.

Warnings

  • You won't be able to transfer the files if the target hard drive doesn't have enough free space.

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Things You'll Need

  • 2 Mac computers
  • Firewire or Ethernet cable or USB Drive or Serial cable
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