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Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs

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This updated guide examines Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Method 1of 4:

Using AirDrop

  1. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 1 Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for both Macs. to use AirDrop, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be enabled on both of your Macs:
    • Wi-Fi — Click the "Wi-Fi"Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 2icon in your Mac's menu bar, then click Turn Wi-Fi On in the drop-down menu. You'll also need to select and sign into a Wi-Fi network if your Mac doesn't automatically connect to one.
    • Bluetooth — Open the Apple menuClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 3, click System Preferences... , click Bluetooth , and click Turn Bluetooth On on the left side of the window.
  2. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 4 Make sure your Macs are on and within 30 feet (9 meters) of each other. 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).[1]
    • Appliances, walls, and floors can all prevent AirDrop from working within the 30-foot range.
    • Both Macs need to be turned on to complete the file transfer.
  3. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 5 OpenClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 6Finder. Click the Finder app icon, which resembles a blue face, in your Mac's Dock.
  4. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 7 Turn on AirDrop if necessary. If AirDrop is disabled on either of your Macs, you can enable it by clicking Go at the top of the screen, clicking AirDrop in the resulting drop-down menu, clicking the AirDrop: Off link at the bottom of the window that appears, and clicking Everyone in the drop-down menu. You can then close the AirDrop window.
  5. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 8 Select files to send. Go to the location of the files you want to transfer, then hold down⌘Commandwhile clicking each file you want to transfer.
  6. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 9 Hold downControlwhile clicking a selected file. Doing so will prompt a drop-down menu.
  7. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 10 SelectShare. It's in the drop-down menu. Selecting it prompts a pop-out menu to appear.
  8. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 11 ClickAirDrop. This option is in the pop-out menu. Doing so opens the AirDrop window.
  9. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 12 Select your other Mac's username. Click the name of the account you use for your other Mac. This will send a file transfer request to the other Mac.
  10. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 13 Accept the transfer on your other Mac. When prompted, click Accept in the AirDrop notification on the other Mac. The AirDrop files should begin downloading into your Mac's Downloads folder.
  11. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 14 ClickDoneon the first Mac. Doing this will close the AirDrop menu.

Method 2of 4:

Using an External Hard Drive

  1. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 15 Plug a flash drive or external hard drive into a Mac. 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 Thunderbolt 3 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 TIPClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 16General Manager of macVolks, Inc. 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).Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 17Chiara Corsaro General Manager of macVolks, Inc.

    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: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 18 OpenClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 19Finder. Click the Finder app icon, which resembles a blue face, in your Mac's Dock.
  3. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 20 Go to the files you want to transfer. Open the folder in which the files you want to transfer are located.
  4. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 21 Select the files. Hold down⌘Commandwhile clicking each file you want to copy.
    • If you want to copy the entire folder's contents, click one file, then press⌘Command+A.
  5. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 22 Copy the files. Press⌘Command+Cto do so.
  6. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 23 Click your external drive's name. It's in the lower-left side of the Finder window. Doing so opens your external drive.
  7. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 24 Paste in the copied files. Press⌘Command+Vto do so. Your files will appear in the external drive's window.
  8. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 25 Eject and remove the drive. Click the "Eject"Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 26icon to the right of the drive's name, then unplug the drive.
  9. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 27 Plug the drive into your other Mac. This should be the Mac onto which you want to transfer your files.
  10. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 28 OpenClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 29Finder, then click your external drive's name. It's in the lower-left side of the Finder window. You should see the files you copied onto the drive here.
  11. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 30 Move the files onto your Mac. 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 TIPClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 31

    Chiara Corsaro

    General Manager of macVolks, Inc. 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).Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 32Chiara Corsaro General Manager of macVolks, Inc.

    Try using Time Machine if you want to do a full system backup or restoration. Once configured, Time Machine will backup anything and everything that is on your computer automatically, 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 (eg: photos, documents, desktop items, etc.), but also your programs, operating system, and settings.

Method 3of 4:

Using a Thunderbolt 3 Bridge

  1. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 33 Make sure both of your Macs support Thunderbolt 3. Thunderbolt 3 (also known as USB-C) ports resemble oval slots; you'll find them on the sides of your MacBook housing or on the back of your iMac monitor.
    • If your Macs don't both use Thunderbolt 3, you can't use this method.
  2. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 34 Buy a Thunderbolt 3 cable. Thunderbolt 3 cables have a USB-C connector at each end of the cable. You can find these cables online or in tech department stores.
  3. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 35 Connect the two Macs with the cable. Plug one end of the cable into one Mac's Thunderbolt 3 port, then plug the other end into your other Mac's Thunderbolt 3 port.
  4. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 36 Open the Apple menuClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 37. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
    • Make sure you're doing this on Mac from which you want to send files.
  5. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 38 ClickSystem Preferences…. It's in the drop-down menu.
  6. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 39 ClickNetwork. This option is a globe-shaped icon in the System Preferences window.
  7. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 40 Click＋. It's at the bottom of the left-hand column of connections. A pop-up window will appear.
  8. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 41 Click the "Interface" drop-down box. You'll find this near the top of the pop-up window. Clicking it prompts a drop-down menu.
  9. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 42 ClickThunderbolt Bridge. It's in the drop-down menu.
  10. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 43 ClickCreate. This is at the bottom of the pop-up window.
  11. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 44 ClickApply. It's in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
  12. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 45 Add the Thunderbolt Bridge on the other Mac. You'll do this using the same process as above:
    • Open System Preferences, then click Network .
    • Click ＋ , then select Thunderbolt Bridge in the "Interface" drop-down menu.
    • Click Create , then click Apply .
  13. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 46 Wait for both Macs to recognize the Thunderbolt Bridge connection. Once the colored dot to the left of the "Thunderbolt Bridge" heading turns from red to yellow, you can proceed.
    • If it takes more than a couple of minutes for your Mac's Thunderbolt Bridge connection to switch, close and re-open the Network window.
  14. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 47 Note the IP address on the target computer. The address to the right of the "IP Address" heading is the address you'll use to connect to the current computer.
  15. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 48 Enable file sharing for the first Mac. Make sure you're doing this on the Mac to which you want to transfer files:
    • Click the ⋮⋮⋮⋮ icon in the top-left corner of System Preferences.
    • Click Sharing .
    • Check the "File Sharing" box on the left side of the window.
  16. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 49 Connect to the Mac. On the Mac on which you did not enable File Sharing, do the following:
    • OpenClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 50Finder or click the desktop.
    • Click Go at the top of the screen.
    • Click Connect to Server... in the drop-down menu.
    • Enter your other Mac's IP address that you noted.
    • Click Connect .
  17. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 51 Sign in. Enter the username and password you use to log into the Mac to which you're connecting, then click Connect .
  18. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 52 ClickMacintosh HD. You'll see this option in the pop-up window that appears. Doing so selects your other Mac's hard drive as the target location.
    • If you have a solid state drive (SSD), you'll click the SSD option here instead.
  19. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 53 ClickOK. It's at the bottom of the pop-up window.
  20. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 54 Transfer files to the other Mac. You can copy files from anywhere on your computer and then add them to your other Mac by doing the following:
    • Click the IP address (or Mac name) in the left-hand column of Finder.
    • Go to the folder in which you want to paste the files (e.g., Desktop ) in the Finder window.
    • Press⌘Command+V.
    • Wait for the files to appear on the other Mac.

Method 4of 4:

Using a Time Machine Backup

  1. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 55 Understand when to use this method. 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 method shouldn't be used for regular file transfers.
  2. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 56 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. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 57 Attach your Time Machine hard drive to a Mac. Plug your Time Machine drive into the Mac that 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 Thunderbolt 3 adapter.
  4. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 58 Restart your Mac. Click the Apple menuClick: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 59, click Restart... , and click Restart when prompted. Your Mac will begin to restart.
  5. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 60 Press and hold⌘CommandandR. You'll need to do this as your Mac is restarting.
  6. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 61 Release the keys when you see the Utilities window appear. This window will have a few options (e.g., Restore from Time Machine Backup ) in it.
  7. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 62 ClickRestore from Time Machine Backup. It's in the middle of the window.
  8. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 63 ClickContinuetwice. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window.
  9. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 64 ClickTime Machine Backup. This option is in the middle of the window.
  10. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 65 ClickContinue. It's in the bottom-right corner.
  11. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 66 Select the backup you want to use. Click the name and date of the backup from which you want to restore this Mac.
  12. Click: How to Transfer Files Between Two Macs — contextual image 67 ClickContinue. It's at the bottom of the window. Your Mac will begin restoring your Time Machine backup; once the restore finishes, you should be able to access your old Mac's files and settings on your new Mac.

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