How to transfer files with the Mac Sharing Mode feature

Mac Sharing Mode essentially shares many similarities with a feature formerly known as Target Disk Mode.

With the launch of the ARM Mac series of Macs running on the 'homegrown' M1 processor, Apple has also replaced Target Disk Mode with a new feature called 'Mac Sharing Mode'. This feature promises to give users a useful tool to copy data from one Mac to another, especially on devices using the new M1 chip.

What is Mac Sharing Mode?

Mac Sharing Mode essentially shares many similarities with a feature formerly known as Target Disk Mode. However, this mode will only apply to Apple Silicon Macs that serve as the shared source.

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Apple says users will need a 'USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt cable' to perform file transfers with Mac Sharing Mode. Just make sure that the connection cable you use is compatible with older Macs (For example, you may need an adapter for Thunderbolt 2).

Using Mac Sharing Mode

To get started, connect the two Macs you want to share files with using a USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt cable. Now turn your attention to the source machine (Apple Silicon).

Unlike Target Disk Mode, Mac Sharing Mode can be accessed through Recovery Partition. To boot an Apple Silicon-powered Mac into recovery mode, first power off the device. Then, hold down the power button and wait until you see the message " Loading startup options " appear on the screen, then select Options > Continue to boot into Recovery Mode.

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Once macOS is loaded, you'll see several options to launch apps like Disk Utility or to reinstall the operating system. Click on Utilities > Share Disk , then select the hard drive you want to share (eg 'Macintosh HD' for the main internal hard drive), and click ' Start Sharing '.

Now turn your attention to the Mac you want to receive the data on. Launch a new Finder window and scroll down to the ' Locations ' section in the menu on the left side of the screen. Here you will find the Network shortcut . Click it to see a list of Network locations, including the hard drive you just shared.

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Double-click the hard drive that you want to access. Then tap Connect As , select Guest and then Connect . You now have access to the hard drive contents and can copy files back and forth quickly.