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Step-by-step migration plan — Old Mac → new M5 MacBook Pro

A practical, ordered checklist to move everything from your older Mac to your new M5 MacBook Pro. Follow the sections in order: Preparation → Backup → Migration → Post-migration → Cleanup.

Preparation (do this on your old Mac first)

1. Inventory & licenses
   • Make a short list of critical apps and services you use (Adobe, Microsoft 365, Xcode, Parallels, VPN, password manager, audio/video editing apps, etc.).
   • Note activation/license keys or logins — many apps use online activation and will reactivate but confirm accounts to avoid surprises.
2. Update macOS & apps
   • Update your old Mac to the latest macOS it supports and update critical apps to reduce migration incompatibilities.
   • Note Intel-only apps you rely on (you may need Rosetta on the new machine).
3. Clean up obvious junk
   • Empty Downloads, Trash, and remove apps/files you won’t move to speed backup and reduce clutter.
   • Optional: use About This Mac → Storage → Manage to identify large files to prune.
4. Sign out & deauthorize
   • Sign out of Apple Music / iTunes and deauthorize any services that limit device activations.
   • Sign out of iCloud only if you plan to migrate without Migration Assistant copying iCloud content. If using Migration Assistant, you can keep iCloud signed in.
   • Deauthorize apps that require it (e.g., Adobe, some audio apps) if their license limits devices.
5. Note system settings you care about
   • Take screenshots or record System Preferences settings to match on the new Mac (Dock, trackpad gestures, Finder options, keyboard shortcuts, timezone, etc.).

Backup (essential — do this even if you plan to use Migration Assistant)

1. Full Time Machine backup (recommended)

   Connect an external drive and create a Time Machine backup: System Settings → General → Time Machine (or older macOS: System Preferences → Time Machine).

2. Optional: Bootable clone

   For extra safety create a bootable clone with Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper. This is useful if you want a bootable copy of your old macOS + apps.

3. Export critical files separately
   • Export browser bookmarks for Safari/Chrome/Firefox.
   • Export Mailboxes (Mail → Mailbox → Export Mailbox) if you use local mailboxes.
   • Export contacts and calendar if you have local copies.
   • Export application settings and developer dotfiles (see Developer section).
4. Verify backup integrity

   Mount the Time Machine backup or browse the drive to verify Documents, Desktop, Photos library and other key items are present.

Prepare developer & power-user data (if applicable)

• SSH keys
  cp -a ~/.ssh /Volumes/<backup>/ssh-backup

  Backup ~/.ssh and preserve permissions. Keep private keys secure.

• GPG keys / passkeys
  gpg --export-secret-keys --armor > secret-keys.asc

  Export GPG keys and store encrypted backups.

• Dotfiles & environment

  Push dotfiles to a private Git repo or copy to backup. Dump Homebrew packages with:

  brew bundle dump --file=~/Brewfile
• Docker / VMs

  Save/export Docker images/volumes you need (docker save) or push to a registry. Export Parallels/VMWare images if used.

Final checks on the old Mac before migration

• Ensure Time Machine backup is recent and completed successfully.
• Keep the old Mac charged and available until the new Mac is verified.
• Print or save this checklist somewhere accessible.

Setup the new M5 MacBook Pro (first boot)

1. Initial setup

   Power on, connect to Wi‑Fi and sign in with your Apple ID (or skip and sign in later). When asked about transferring data, Migration Assistant options will appear — see below.

2. Install Rosetta (if needed)

   Some Intel-only apps require Rosetta 2. If macOS prompts you when launching an Intel app, allow it to install. Or install manually:

   /usr/sbin/softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license

Migration options (choose one)

Pick the approach that matches how you backed up. Options ranked by convenience:

1. Migration Assistant from Time Machine backup — recommended if you created a Time Machine backup.
2. Migration Assistant directly from old Mac — use Thunderbolt or the same network if both Macs are nearby.
3. Manual restore (clean install) — best if you want a fresh system and prefer to reinstall apps and copy files selectively.
4. Restore from bootable clone — if you created a clone and want an identical environment.

A. Migration Assistant from Time Machine (recommended)

1. Connect the Time Machine drive to the new Mac.
2. Open Migration Assistant (Applications → Utilities) or use the setup assistant’s transfer option.
3. Choose the Time Machine backup and select the user account(s), applications, settings and files to migrate.
4. Start the transfer and wait until it completes. Do not interrupt.
5. Restart and log into your migrated account.

B. Migration Assistant from the old Mac (direct)

1. Connect both Macs via the same network or a Thunderbolt/USB‑C cable for speed.
2. Run Migration Assistant on both machines and follow prompts to pair them.
3. Choose what to transfer (user account, apps, settings) and complete the transfer.

C. Manual migration (clean install)

1. Complete initial setup without migrating.
2. Sign in to Apple ID and enable iCloud sync if desired.
3. Copy essential folders from your Time Machine or external backup (Documents, Desktop, Photos Library).
4. Reinstall apps from the App Store, vendor websites, or using Homebrew with your Brewfile.
5. Restore developer files, dotfiles, SSH keys and import mail/contacts as needed.

Post-migration tasks (do these immediately after migration)

1. Verify user data

   Check Documents, Desktop, Photos library, Mail, Calendar, Contacts and open large projects to confirm they work.

2. Reauthorize apps

   Sign back into apps that require activation (Adobe, Microsoft Office, Dropbox, Slack, VPNs). Check audio/video plugins and drivers—audio interfaces may need updated drivers for Apple Silicon.

3. Restore SSH keys and GPG safely
   cp -a /Volumes/<backup>/ssh-backup ~/.ssh chmod 700 ~/.ssh chmod 600 ~/.ssh/*

   Import GPG keys and ensure correct permissions.

4. Install Homebrew & packages

   Install Homebrew for Apple Silicon (see brew.sh) and reinstall packages:

   brew bundle --file=~/Brewfile
5. Reinstall Mac App Store apps

   Sign into the App Store and download purchased apps. Use the mas CLI to script this if you maintain a list.

6. Check privacy & security permissions

   Grant Full Disk Access, Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions to apps that need them in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

7. Enable FileVault

   Turn on FileVault for disk encryption: System Settings → Privacy & Security → FileVault.

8. Set up Time Machine on the new Mac

   Configure backups to your chosen drive or network target.

9. Enable Find My and iCloud sync

   Confirm Find My Mac, iCloud Drive, Photos and Keychain sync are on if desired.

10. Test peripherals

    Verify printers, scanners, audio interfaces and external monitors work; install drivers if necessary.

Developer-specific checks

• Install Xcode / Command Line Tools
  xcode-select --install
• Reinstall language runtimes

  Reinstall Python (pyenv), Node (nvm), Ruby, etc. Prefer native Apple Silicon builds where possible.

• Restore Docker images / VMs

  Load saved images or pull from your registry. If you exported images earlier with docker save, load them with docker load.

• Test builds

  Compile a couple of projects to confirm toolchains and libraries function as expected on Apple Silicon.

Cleanup & rollback plan

• Keep the old Mac and backups intact until you've verified everything, licenses reactivated, and data confirmed.
• If something’s wrong you can re-run Migration Assistant, restore from Time Machine, or boot your clone to revert.
• When satisfied, wipe the old Mac and sign out of Apple ID; use System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content and Settings to prepare it for resale/trade-in.

Troubleshooting tips (quick hits)

• App crashes after migration — check for Intel-only apps needing Rosetta. Install Rosetta if prompted.
• Licensing problems — deauthorize on the old Mac then authorize on the new one; contact vendor support if issues persist.
• Missing files — browse the Time Machine backup directly to copy missing files manually.
• Keychain issues — open Keychain Access and check the login keychain; you may need to approve keychain sync via Apple ID.
• External drive not mounting — check System Settings → Privacy & Security and verify filesystem compatibility (APFS recommended for boot drives).

Quick printable checklist

• Time Machine backup completed and verified
• App license / account list prepared
• SSH keys, GPG keys, dotfiles backed up
• Old Mac updated & deauthorized where necessary
• New Mac: Apple ID signed in (or plan to sign in later)
• Migration method chosen (Time Machine / direct / manual)
• Post-migration: apps reactivated, Homebrew & dev tools installed, FileVault enabled
• Peripheral & printer tested
• Old Mac wiped only after final confirmation