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Photos Transfer

Hi there! I have an old MacBook Pro (mid 2011) and want to transfer my “pictures” folder to my new MacBook Air. I did the migration assistant which said it was successful. However, none of my pictures or documents transferred over to my new laptop. I emailed myself the old documents I needed, to save directly to my new laptop. But as you know, I cannot email hundreds and hundreds of pictures. Is there a solution to this? I keep seeing suggestions for using iPhoto, however these pictures are stored under the “pictures” folder in finder, not in iPhoto. In fact, when I go to “applications” in finder and click iPhoto, it does not even open because my computer is so old and unable to have further upgrades. I have tried airdrop and my old laptop does not even recognize any other devices. I’m stuck on what to do and how to send these photos to my new laptop.

Posted on Jan 21, 2021 7:47 PM

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Posted on Jan 21, 2021 8:00 PM

If you cannot transfer photos and files via Migration Assistant, you can try to use iCloud to transfer your data (note: you will need to subscribe if you have a total size of over 5GB), or you can try to back up your MacBook and then restore your backup directly onto your new MacBook (it's just a big copy and paste of all your files and info).


Here is the link to how to Back up your Mac with Time Machine (you will need an external hard drive to do this). Or you can Set up iCloud Drive to do the same.


Hope this helps! :)

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 21, 2021 8:00 PM in response to SHB515

If you cannot transfer photos and files via Migration Assistant, you can try to use iCloud to transfer your data (note: you will need to subscribe if you have a total size of over 5GB), or you can try to back up your MacBook and then restore your backup directly onto your new MacBook (it's just a big copy and paste of all your files and info).


Here is the link to how to Back up your Mac with Time Machine (you will need an external hard drive to do this). Or you can Set up iCloud Drive to do the same.


Hope this helps! :)

Jan 21, 2021 7:50 PM in response to SHB515

I should add that I was talked through the process of using migration assistant over the phone with costumer service. I made it clear the only things I wanted from my laptop were about 10 documents and everything in my pictures folder. When the migration assistant was running it said it copied over 20,000 things and transferred them over. I have no idea what it transferred but it was not necessary. The only things I wanted were my documents and pictures and those are the only things I did not get.

Photos Transfer

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