It seems that Windows has filled its day and the user has returned to new horizons. You may choose to switch to macOS for various reasons. better compatibility with other Apple devices or a choice its more intuitive interface. Regardless, the problem of data transfer always arises when the choice is made.
Indeed, for a long time it was not an easy task. Both operating systems relatively waterproof and finding all your files without any problems can be quite complicated. Fortunately, things have changed now, especially thanks to applications developed simultaneously for both platforms.
How to Find Your Windows Apps on Mac
The first problem to be solved is therefore the problem of applications. Both Microsoft and Apple have a series ofnative apps in the respective operating systems, and therefore switching from one to the other, it will be very difficult to find the data of the latter. On the other hand, the developers greatly improved the character. cross platform software over the years.
Indeed, most major apps are now available on both Windows and macOS. Also, if the updates are not always done at the same time, the functionality is generally the same in both operating systems. In other words, you will not have any problems opening a Photoshop file created on Windows with the Mac version of the application.
The same applies to all cloud-based or Internet-connected services such as messaging (Discord, Zoom, Skype), as well as online storage solutions (OneDrive, Google Drive). But remember this: compatibility issues may occur in some applications. Take the example of Excel on Windows and macOS that doesn’t use the same databases. Therefore, we recommend that you inform yourself well before performing the migration.
Finally, keep in mind that if you’ve used an app on Windows that isn’t available on your Mac, there are always solutions to get it working. First, you can create a second Windows partition On your hard drive with tools like Bootcamp and using a bootable key. Otherwise, you can also pass a virtual machine Inside macOS, apps like Parralels let you make them. Note that you will also need a TPM 2.0 chip if you want to emulate Windows 11.
How to Manually Transfer Your Windows Data to Your Mac
With these checks in place, it’s time to take a concrete look at your data. There are two concrete solutions to save everything during migration, the first is to handle it manually. This method may be suitable if the amount of data to be transferred is less. So you can use an external hard drive, the storage capacity of which will depend on the total amount of data. However, you will need to pay attention to the format of the hard drive for it to be compatible on both your Windows PC and Mac. Here’s how to go about it:
- connect hard disk to your PC
- Use window switch to search Create and format hard disk partitions
- In a new window right click on your hard drive
- choose option Format
- on the menu file systemclick exFAT
- Give your disk a name and then click on it. OK
Then your hard drive will be formatted – be careful, you will lose all your data stored on it! – and you can use it on both Windows and macOS.
You can also opt for a cloud storage service, for example. Google Drive, OneDrive or iCloud. All you have to do is copy the files you want to recover to the service and then find them on your Mac. Finally, if any a home server or NASYou can also use it to perform the same procedure to access your data on both devices.
How to transfer your Windows data to your Mac with Migration Assistant?
However, if you are looking for a simpler solution, or if the volume of your data is too large to transfer everything manually, keep in mind that Apple offers its own app to make life easier for new users. This is called Migration Wizard and it is used to precisely move its data from Windows PC to Mac. It is also particularly effective for recovering data such as contact lists, emails or calendars.
Before you begin, make sure your computer is running on at least Windows 7 and is connected to the same WiFi network as the Mac. Also, it is recommended to disable automatic Windows updates as they can interfere with the process. Once done, here is the procedure to follow:
- meeting day this link download Migration Wizard on your Mac
- Be sure to select the corresponding Migration Assistant version. Your version of macOS
- Open Migration Assistant and click OK
- Follow the on-screen instructions, and then from Windows PC
- choose Windows-PC worried
- After scanning, select data you want to transfer
- After the migration is complete, log in to your account. User account on your Mac
Voila, all your important data is now on your Mac. You can start your new life in the Apple ecosystem without the hassle of restarting. Feel free to share your own solutions with us in the comments!