How to Transfer Data from Old Mac to New Mac MacBook Air M1 to MacBook Pro M5 – Complete Step-by-Step Guide(Easy and safe method)

Welcome to The Indian Guy.

As you may have seen in my previous video, I recently upgraded to a brand new MacBook Pro M5. At The Indian Guy, we follow a simple rule: we only create content and guides based on gadgets that we or our team personally use. That’s why this video on how to transfer data from an old Mac to a new Mac is completely based on real-world experience, not just specs or theory.

We also purchased the MacBook Pro M5 series, and a detailed review of this machine will be available soon on the channel. However, before sharing this review, I would first like to show you how to transfer data from your old Mac to a new Mac safely and correctly, because this is one of the most important steps when setting up a new MacBook.

Purpose of this video

So why am I making this video?

This is not a complete review. This video is a complete practical guide for anyone who wants to transfer data from an old Mac to a new Mac quickly and easily.

If you’re upgrading from an older Mac, such as:

• MacBook Air M1.
• MacBook Pro (Intel).
• Any older macOS machine.

and you are confused about:

• How to move your files How to transfer apps.
• How to migrate your user profile.
• How long does the process take then this guide is exactly for you.

Devices used in this video

Let me quickly explain the setup used in this video:

• Old Machine: MacBook Air M1.
• New machine: MacBook Pro M5 (1TB storage variant).

I upgraded mainly because I needed more internal storage, and the 1TB version meets my needs perfectly. The performance improvements are a bonus, but storage was the main reason for this update.

Right now my new MacBook Air M1 is connected to an external monitor and the goal is to transfer all the data from my MacBook Air M1 to the new MacBook Pro M5. So let’s get started.

Step 1: Booting the new MacBook

When you turn on your new MacBook for the first time, macOS will guide you through the initial setup process.

You will see:

• Country selection.
• Language selection.
• Accessibility options.

After selecting your preferred country and language, macOS will show the Migration Assistant screen.

Here, select the option:

“Transfer information from a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk”

Then click Continue.

Step 2: Wi-Fi and Privacy Settings Next

macOS will ask you to:

• Select your Wi-Fi network.
• Enter your Wi-Fi password.

Make sure your old Mac and new Mac are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This helps the two machines discover each other easily.

After that:

• You will see the data and privacy information.
• Read it once and click Continue.

Now your new Mac will be discoverable and will start searching for nearby Macs.

Step 3: Preparing your old Mac

Now go to your old MacBook Air M1.

Log in using your password.

Once logged in:

• Press Command + Space.
• Open Spotlight search.
• Enter Migration Assistant.
• Open it and click Continue.

macOS will ask for the system password again.

Enter it. At this stage:

• All applications running on your old Mac will be closed temporarily.
• This is completely normal and necessary for migration.

Now you will see several options.

Select:

“To another Mac”

Do not select:

• From the Time Machine backup & Startup disk.
• From a Windows PC.

Click Continue.

Step 4: Connecting the Two Macs

When both machines are ready:

• The new MacBook Pro M5 will display the old MacBook Air M1 as a discoverable device.
• Select your old Mac from the list.
• Click Continue.

A 6-digit security code will appear on both screens.

Make sure you:

• The code shown on both Macs is the same.

Once confirmed, click Continue on both machines.

This step ensures a secure and encrypted connection between the two Macs.

Step 5: Selecting Data for Transfer

Now macOS will be released:

• Searching for apps.
• Scanning documents.
• Checking user profiles.
• Calculation of system and network configurations.

You will see options to transfer:

• Applications.
• User Accounts.
• Documents and files.
• System Settings.

Select everything you want and click Continue.

At this point, the actual data transfer process begins.

Step 6: Data transfer in progress

In my case:

• Total data size: 250 GB.
• Transfer Source: MacBook Air M1.
• Destination: MacBook Pro M5.

Initially, macOS does not show:

• Exact remaining time.
• Transfer Speed.

Instead it shows:

• Number of files processed.

For example:

• Around 82,000 files processed.
• The same count appears on both Macs.

This can be confusing, but don’t worry – this is normal behavior.

After some time, macOS starts displaying an estimated time remaining.

At one point he showed:

• 6 hours and 40 minutes remaining.

Later, the estimate kept changing:

• Sometimes 5 hours.
• Sometime takes more time.

This happens because macOS dynamically recalculates speed based on file size, file type, and system load.

Important Note

Apple does not consistently show:

• Accurate transfer speed.
• Fixed ETA.

The estimate continues to be adjusted during the process.

So don’t panic if:

• Remaining time suddenly increases.
• Or suddenly decreases.

This is absolutely normal.

Real-world transfer time result

Initially:

• macOS estimated at around 4 hours.

But in reality:

• The entire migration was completed in about 1.5 hours.

Yes – much faster than expected.

Transfer speed depends on:

• File types.
• SSD performance.
• System load.
• Network or cable connection.

In my case, the performance was excellent.

Final configuration after migration

Once the migration is complete:

• macOS restarts.
• Your full user profile appears.
• The desktop looks exactly like your old Mac.
• Apps, files, wallpapers and settings are all restored.

You will be asked to:

• Accept Apple’s Terms and Conditions.

(And yes, you have to agree 😄)

After that, your new MacBook Pro M5 will be completely ready to use, with all your old data intact.

Final Considerations

This video was a little different from my usual style.

It was more:

• A practical vlog-style guide.
• Not a traditional review.

But the goal was simple:

To help you safely and easily transfer data from one Mac to another without any confusion.

If you are upgrading:

• From M1 to M5.
• From Intel to Apple silicon
• Or setting up a new Mac.

This is the best and safest method to move your data.

Next video

Very soon I will bring:

• Full review of the MacBook Pro M5.
• Performance Test.
• Battery Life Analysis.
• Thermal performance.
• Real-world usage experience.

So be sure to subscribe to The Indian Guy for honest, real-world tech reviews.

Questions?

If you have:

• Any questions.
• Any issues during migration.
• Any Mac-related questions.

Leave them in the comments section.

I will be more than happy to help you.

Thanks for watching and following The Indian Guy 🙏

See you in the next video!