Transferring stuff on Apple computers

[ratty]

Hello

I'm hoping that someone with more knowledge than I have can help me.

I have old Apple desk top and lap top computers. I have bought new ones and I want to transfer some info from the old ones to their new replacements.

I only want to transfer some of the info on the old ones though. I want to transfer the iTunes content and the photos content. The content of the iTunes has been down loaded from CDs, I do not stream music.

I know that you can transfer all of the info from old to new but I don't want to fill up the new memory with old unwanted info.

Can someone tell me if this is possible and, if so, how please?

PLEASE do not underestimate my lack of knowledge of computers! If it can be done, can someone give me the idiot's guide to how please?

Thanks very much.

Graham

[Bluside]

I am by no means a computer guy but I recently did this.

I bought an external hard drive and downloaded the stuff I wanted, mainly some documents and photos from my old laptop. Then I just uploaded (copied and pasted) those to the new laptop.

Like you, I did not want to transfer all the junk from the old one.

There may be a better way, but this worked for me.

[Blansky]

That's what I'd do as well. Transfer everything to external hard drives and then bring in what you want and need to the new machines.

I'd probably still keep the unwanted stuff on the externals because you never know if you'd may want something later.

External hard drives are pretty inexpensive as well.

[-dustin]

I somewhat understand computers and after trying to be crafty, just decided to get external SSDs and transfer that way.

[Maleg]

Can’t you use the icloud instead of an external drive?

[77T]

Migration assistant is the utility built into all Macs to help you.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/102613

You don't have to transfer everything. That support article tells you when to choose what you want migrated.


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[77T]

Originally Posted by Maleg

Can’t you use the icloud instead of an external drive?

Yes but it's slow if your internet connection isn't very fast.

I do suggest everyone use Time Machine to backup their Mac to an external drive. And then put that drive in a safe place.

But Mac-to-Mac file migration is an easy method.


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[Giovannibravo]

Originally Posted by ratty

Hello

I'm hoping that someone with more knowledge than I have can help me.

I have old Apple desk top and lap top computers. I have bought new ones and I want to transfer some info from the old ones to their new replacements.

I only want to transfer some of the info on the old ones though. I want to transfer the iTunes content and the photos content. The content of the iTunes has been down loaded from CDs, I do not stream music.

I know that you can transfer all of the info from old to new but I don't want to fill up the new memory with old unwanted info.

Can someone tell me if this is possible and, if so, how please?

PLEASE do not underestimate my lack of knowledge of computers! If it can be done, can someone give me the idiot's guide to how please?

Thanks very much.

Graham

I would say Time Machine is your best bet.

[Al1969]

Originally Posted by Giovannibravo

I would say Time Machine is your best bet.

Another vote for Time Machine. By the way, why did Apple stop making them?

[Giovannibravo]

Originally Posted by Al1969

Another vote for Time Machine. By the way, why did Apple stop making them?

It's this whole push to the cloud. Apple sees people buying their storage subscriptions as more profitable than developing and keeping physical products in the store. I always back up my devices to a hard drive just in case. I have heard stories of PhD student lossing their work a year or two into their degrees.

[Krash]

External drives are a great idea. That’s what I’ve always done but iCloud works great, too.


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[VictorGMT]

Originally Posted by Giovannibravo

I have heard stories of PhD student lossing their work a year or two into their degrees.

There are more obvious explanations of those stories!

I waited until I had ten rock solid years of iCloud, then stopped bothering with physical backups.