September 2022: Migrating from Mac to PC (Part1)
Welcome to PC
This is
it; you’re making the jump from Mac* to PC, and you’ve got questions. This
in-depth guide has everything you need to know about making the switch from Mac
to Windows* PC. We’ve got you covered with guidance on converting and
transferring your files as well as setting up your new experience. It’s simpler
than you might think.
Apple ID, Meet Microsoft Account
Although
not absolutely required in most circumstances, a Microsoft Account helps you get the most out of
Windows* and your PC, enabling more secure access and a host of convenient
features.
You may
already have a Microsoft Account from a previous PC, a former Outlook.com
account, or even from your Xbox*. If you don’t have one or want to set up a
new account, do it early in the transition process. Doing so, and associating
it with your Windows login, automatically sets up access to services such as
OneDrive*, the Microsoft Store, Teams*, and Skype*. If you’re interested, you
have quick and easy access to optional services like Microsoft* 365 or Xbox
Game Pass.
And no,
you don’t really need to say goodbye to Apple ID. Many of Apple’s iCloud*-based
services can be accessed from Windows via the web or select built-in apps.
How to Transfer Files from
Mac to Windows PC
Although
Macs* and Windows* PCs use different file systems, most file types are
cross-compatible between operating systems. It’s just a matter of moving the
data to your new PC, and there are several ways to do it1.
Transfer
Files Using an External Drive
An external storage device (external hard drive or USB flash drive) can be used to copy data between your Mac and your new PC. For the broadest compatibility, you can format that drive with the exFAT* file system, which both macOS* and Windows* can write to.
Before
you format an external storage device, first back up any data on the device. If
it’s not a brand-new drive, formatting it erases all existing files. Once
that’s done, you can format the drive to exFAT in macOS or Windows.
Using
Mac:
- Launch
the Disk Utility application and select the external drive as the source.
- Choose Erase from
the list of icons near the top of the window.
- Name the
drive as desired, use the Format drop-down menu to
select exFAT, and click Erase.
- Once the
process is complete, the drive is mounted in Finder.
- Use
Finder to drag-and-drop files and data from your Mac to the external drive.
- Connect
the drive to your PC and launch File Explorer to access the drive.
- You can
now drag or copy your files from the external drive to your PC.
Using
Windows:
- Connect
the drive to your PC and launch the Start Menu.
- Type Create
and Format Hard Disk Partitions.
- Click the
matching result to launch the Windows Disk Management utility.
- Find your
external drive listed in the lower half of the window.
- Right-click
on its primary partition and choose Format.
- From
the File System drop-down menu, select exFAT.
- If
desired, add a name for the drive in the Volume Label field and click OK.
- Click OK on
the popup window to confirm again and start the disk formatting process.
- Once the
process is complete, connect the drive to your Mac.
- Use
Finder to drag-and-drop files and data from your Mac to the external drive.
- Connect
the drive to your PC and launch File Explorer to access the drive.
You can now drag or copy your files from the external drive to your PC.
Note:
Depending on the size of your external storage device, you may not be able to
fit all your data onto the external drive at once. In this case, delete data
from the external drive after it has been copied to your PC to clear space, and
repeat the process as necessary.
Transfer Files Using a Cloud Service
You can
use a cloud service if you don’t have many large files like videos. This option
works best if you have an internet connection with fast upload speeds. Online
file synchronization services such as OneDrive*, Dropbox*, or even iCloud* can
sync your data from your Mac to your new PC.
1. Make sure
that the service is configured to sync the desired folders.
2. Check
that the syncing process is up to date.
3. Then
install the corresponding app on your new PC.
4. Once you
sign into your account, sync all the files over to the PC.
Transfer
Files Using a Local Network
If both
your Mac and your PC are on the same local network, you can use a network
transfer to copy data between the two systems.
Starting
on your Mac:
1. Go
to System Preferences > Sharing and check the box for File
Sharing.
2. In
the Shared Folders section, click the plus icon.
3. Add the
folders that you want to copy.
4. Repeat
this process to add as many folders as desired.
5. Make note
of your Mac’s network address, which starts with smb://.
6. Click Options to
verify that the check box next to your username is checked. This step enables
network transfers via the SMB protocol.
And now
from your Windows PC:
1. Click
the Start button and type Run.
2. Select
the Run command to open the utility. In the text box, type two
backslashes followed by your Mac’s network address.
Example: For network address smb://192.168.1.100, enter \\192.168.1.100 (note
the change to backslash).
3. Hit Enter to
attempt the connection.
4. When
asked for a username and password, select More Choices > Use a
Different Account.
5. Enter
your Mac account username and password and select OK. Your Mac
username is the name of your Home folder in Finder.
6. Once the
shared folders window pops up, drag your data from the Mac to the PC.
Note: The
transfer speed can vary depending on your network and the connection strength
of each device. To help ensure superior performance, use wired Ethernet or the
latest compatible Wi-Fi version. For Wi-Fi networks, position both PC and Mac
devices close to the Wi-Fi router.
Where to
Put Your Files on Windows PC
Like
macOS, Windows user account offers default folders such as Documents, Pictures,
Music, and Videos. While optional, using these folders helps keep your data
organized, accessible, and safe, since most backup and online syncing services
protect these folders by default.
The File
Explorer sidebar includes shortcuts to these folders, and you can always navigate
directly to them via your account’s user folder at C:\Users\[user]\.
As you copy files to your new PC, you can move documents, MP3s, and images to
their appropriate folders.
How to Transfer Documents
from Mac to Windows PC
If you
use Microsoft Office* for Mac*, all your documents, worksheets, and
presentations are already compatible with Office for Windows*. However, if you
have files in Apple’s iWork* format (Pages, Numbers, Keynote), you must convert
those files to an Office-compatible format. You can convert files easily on
your Mac or the web via iCloud*.
How to
Convert iWork Files to Microsoft Office Files
To view
your iWork Pages*, Numbers*, and Keynote* files in Microsoft Office Word*,
Excel*, and PowerPoint*, you need to convert them.
On your
Mac:
1. Open your
files in the corresponding iWork app and select File > Export To.
2. Select
the applicable Office format (for example, Pages to Word). You may also select
a compatible format such as plain text, EPUB, or PDF.
3. Once converted, copy the files over to your PC as described previously.
Or from
iCloud:
1. If your
documents are on iCloud, you can convert your iWork files over the internet.
2. Log in to
your account at iCloud.com and select the iWork apps.
3. Select
the desired file to open it.
4. Click
the wrench icon from the toolbar at the top of the document.
5. Select Download
a Copy and the option to convert the file to the applicable Office
format.
How to Transfer Bookmarks
from Mac to Windows PC
Depending
on the browser you use, transferring bookmarks is quick and easy. You can
instantly sync your bookmarks to your PC from Edge*, Chrome*, or Firefox*:
install the same browser and sign into the same account you used on your Mac.
If you
used Safari*, you can manually export bookmarks to an HTML file that can be
imported by almost any other browser.
1. Launch
Safari on your Mac and select File > Export Bookmarks.
2. In the
popup window, choose a save location for your exported bookmarks and then
click Save.
3. Copy this
HTML file to your PC using one of the file transfer methods.
4. Follow
the instructions for your preferred web browser on how to import bookmarks.
Edge: Select Settings
and More (three dots) > Settings > Import or Export > Import from
File.
Chrome: Select More
(three dots) > Bookmarks > Import Bookmarks and Settings.
Firefox: Select Menu
(three lines) > Bookmarks > Manage Bookmarks > Import Bookmarks from
HTML.
How to Transfer Email from
Mac to Windows PC
There’s no transition to worry about if you’re already using a web-based email service such as Outlook.com or Gmail. Simply log into your account via your preferred browser in Windows.
The
transition is still easy with the Apple Mail* app with a POP account or IMAP
account; the built-in Windows Mail* app can handle the same accounts. Check
with your email account provider for the appropriate settings and server
addresses. For common web services such as Yahoo Mail* or even iCloud*, the
Windows Mail app can automatically configure your account with just your email
address and password.
How to Transfer Music from
Mac to Windows PC
All your
favorite music streaming services3 - Spotify*, Pandora*,
TIDAL*, and many more—are available on Windows. If you have a collection of
locally saved music files, you can play them locally with Microsoft Groove*.
You can also add your files to OneDrive and access your music from other PCs,
the web, and your Xbox console.
And if
you’re an Apple Music* or iTunes* user, you can stick with the fully-supported iTunes for Windows*. You
can even copy an entire iTunes library to Windows.
How to
Transfer iTunes Library from Mac to Windows PC
In recent
versions of macOS, the music portion of iTunes now exists in a separate Music*
app. Whether you use iTunes or the Music app, the steps for copying the library
to iTunes for Windows are nearly identical. By default, your iTunes music is
stored in the Music folder of your User folder, and it’s best to consolidate
your music files here before moving the library.
Starting
from your Mac:
1. Launch
iTunes or the Music app and select File > Library > Organize
Library.
2. Check the
box for Consolidate Files and click OK.
3. Wait for
the consolidation process complete. It may take a while depending on your
library’s size and location.
4. Use
Finder to navigate to User > Music.
5. Copy the folder to your PC using one of the data transfer methods described earlier.
Watch out for Part ii
