How To Transfer Data From Mac To Pc

Migrating to a new figurer

The best manner to transfer files to a new Windows PC or Mac

Using a cloud storage service removes the hassle of transferring files to your new calculator via utilities or external drives — and it also supports mobile devices.

Galen Gruman By

Executive Editor for Global Content, Computerworld |

Congratulations! You got a new computer. If it'south your work estimator, your IT department probably installed all the business applications you lot need on it. Merely it doesn't have any of your files on it; those are however on your old computer. And then you've rolled up your sleeves and are preparing to spend a lot of time and effort moving your files from your old reckoner to your new one.

Stop! There'southward a ameliorate mode, at least nearly of the time, and it works whether your old and new computers are Windows PCs, Macs, or a combination of both.

Traditional file-transfer methods are complicated

Those old, tried-and-truthful methods to transfer files from ane computer to another are:

Using file-transfer utilities or an external bulldoze to copy your files to your new computer. But you have to find and buy a file-transfer utility (like the Windows-to-Windows Laplink PCmover), then run it. Yes, Mac users tin can apply the gratis Migration Assistant utility that resides in macOS's Utilities folder to transfer files from a Mac, a Windows 7 PC, or a Windows x PC, but you have to network the computers, which tin can exist difficult if 1 is a Windows car, plus you lot take to install Apple tree's software on the Windows PC to transfer files from it.
Getting an external hard bulldoze, thumb drive, or SD card and copying your files. If you are going from a Windows PC to a Mac and using an external drive, information technology has to be formatted for Windows' MS-DOS or NTFS, not the Mac'south APFS, and so the Mac can read it and the PC tin write to it. If you are going from a Mac to a Windows PC, you have to format the drive as MS-DOS then the PC can read it and the Mac tin can write to it. (Or y'all need to discover and buy software that reads the "alien" file system and then a Windows PC can piece of work with an APFS drive.)
Restoring your backup on your new computer. (You lot do accept a fill-in, right?)

All those methods have a lot of work, and I tin recommend them but for special circumstances:

You want to transfer your locally stored email and contacts, which Apple tree'south Migration Banana can exercise for a Mac-to-Mac or Windows-to-Mac transfer. (But chances are high that your email and contacts are stored on your corporate Exchange, Microsoft 365/Office 365, Gmail, or G Suite/Google Workspace server, so they'll transfer from the server to your new computer one time it syncs anyway.)
You want to transfer applications and settings in addition to files. Apple'due south Migration Assistant can transfer some organization preferences and applications for a Mac-to-Mac transfer. Some third-political party transfer utilities may practise at least some of this more than-than-file-transfer piece of work on Windows machines as well.
Your IT department won't install, or won't let you install, cloud storage software on your estimator.
Yous have express cyberspace access or a low data-usage cap that would brand transferring the files to the cloud and dorsum prohibitively difficult or expensive.

If those special circumstances apply to you lot, see our accompanying stories for migrating to a new Windows PC and migrating to a new Mac. Otherwise, read on!

How to use a cloud storage service to transfer files to a new PC or Mac

If you lot use a cloud storage service, all files stored on it are bachelor to all your computers and mobile devices that run that service'due south app and are signed in. It's essentially instant transfer, plus information technology saves you from having to keep the files synced across all your devices.

Popular storage services including Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Apple iCloud Bulldoze, Dropbox, and Box Drive all work on both Windows and macOS. Others do too. The major ones, also as many of the less-known ones, likewise support both iOS and Android (Apple's iCloud Drive beingness the notable exception; it does not back up Android).

Note: Your organization may already be using OneDrive or Google Drive equally part of Microsoft 365/Function 365 or Google G Suite/Workspace, respectively, or another cloud service. If so, your files will transfer for you once you are signed in on the new computer and connected to the net.

The tabular array below shows where to get the apps for Windows and macOS; go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Shop for the mobile apps.

Deject storage apps for Windows and macOS

Having the cloud storage software installed and beingness signed in are key steps, but in that location is 1 more than footstep to have: Make sure your files are stored in the cloud and not locally. If they're stored locally, they won't sync to the deject storage service.

By default, Windows and macOS steer yous to the local Documents folders (called My Documents in Windows vii), respectively, for storing your files. Those folders aren't stored in the cloud, so they and their files won't transfer automatically, though both Windows 10 and macOS have ways to do and then:

In Windows: To sync the local desktop, Documents folder, Pictures binder and their contents to OneDrive, right-click the OneDrive icon in the taskbar, click the Aid & Settings button in the popular-up window, click Settings in the contextual menu, get to the Backup pane, click the Manage Backup button, check the items you desire synced (Desktop, Pictures, and/or Documents), click the Start Backup push, and then click OK when done.
In macOS: To sync the local the desktop and the Documents folder and their contents to iCloud, click the Apple tree carte at the summit left of the screen and cull System Preferences > Internet Accounts > iCloud, click Options next to iCloud Drive, then cheque Desktop & Documents Folders in the Documents tab. The Mac'due south iCloud organisation preference besides lets you sync photos, Safari bookmarks, contacts, and other items amongst Macs, Windows PCs, and iOS devices that apply the same iCloud account. In Windows, the iCloud app lets you sync photos, spider web bookmarks, and contacts among Macs, Windows PCs, and iOS devices that use the same iCloud account.

So go far the habit of storing your files directly in the deject. All the pop cloud storage services can mount a virtual drive on your computer, and most do so by default. On your computer, y'all work with that virtual drive like any other drive. Then if you create your folder arrangement on that virtual drive and work on your files on that virtual drive, you are assured the files are all in the cloud and will sync to all your devices that employ the same cloud storage.

cloud file transfer 01 onedrive windows mac — Virtual drives look and work like physical drives in Windows (top) and macOS (bottom).

Cloud-stored files are also stored locally on your computer, and so you can utilise them if yous lose internet access. The cloud storage app takes care of syncing the local files and any changes to the master copy stored in the cloud.

Consider turning off file streaming

In the last few years, cloud storage providers have introduced a feature called file streaming, though each cloud storage service refers to it using its own term. It simply stores actively used files on your local computer, so you don't have a full set up of files on your reckoner should you lose internet admission. If your IT policies allow, I recommend y'all turn off that feature, then your local computer has a total set of your files when needed. Y'all do so in the cloud app's preferences on each computer.

OneDrive: In Windows, you must have Windows x version 1709 or later and OneDrive build 17.3.7064.1005 or afterwards installed; from the taskbar, right-click the OneDrive icon, click the Help & Settings push button in the popular-up window, click Settings in the contextual menu, and so uncheck the Save infinite and download files every bit you use them selection in the Settings pane. Click OK when done. In macOS, from the menu bar, click the OneDrive icon, click the Help & Settings button, click Preferences in the contextual carte du jour, click the Plow Off Files On-Demand button in the Preferences pane, and shut the window.
Google Drive: Utilise the Backup and Sync app instead of the Bulldoze File Stream app, if IT allows. If you must use Bulldoze File Stream, you tin only correct-click individual files to force them to exist retained locally past choosing Drive File Stream > Available offline.
iCloud Drive: In Windows ten, use OneDrive's Files On Demand settings (aye, information technology manages iCloud Bulldoze too). In macOS, uncheck Optimize Mac Storage in the iCloud system preference.
Dropbox: Do not install the Smart Sync app. Uninstall information technology if you take it (and if Information technology lets you).
Box Drive: You tin only correct-click individual folders to force them and their files to be retained locally by right-clicking the binder and choosing Make Available Offline.