Mar 13, 2020

Migrating data from one MacBook to another

Here’s a practical checklist for moving your data when switching from one Mac to another.

Browser: Export passwords from Brave

Open Brave on your old Mac
Go to Settings → Passwords
Click the ⋮ menu → Export passwords
Save the CSV file somewhere accessible (e.g., Desktop)
On the new Mac, go to the same place and choose Import

Keychain: Transfer saved passwords

Your macOS Keychain stores email passwords, Wi-Fi keys, and more.

Source code: Remove node_modules before transferring

Before copying your projects, delete all node_modules folders to avoid transferring gigabytes of dependencies:

1	find . -name "node_modules" -type d -prune -exec rm -rf '{}' +

Reference: Clear node_modules recursively on Mac/Linux

Slack workspaces are cloud-based — just sign in again on the new Mac. Your messages and history sync automatically.

Reference: Transferring Slack to a new computer

Email and Google Drive: Use Google Takeout

Export all your Google data (Gmail, Drive, etc.) at:
takeout.google.com

Tip: Use AirDrop for file transfer

AirDrop is significantly faster than copying files over USB or a shared drive. Use it to move large folders between Macs.