Clean transfer to new Macbook Air

Hi gwesq,

You can choose what types of data you want to restore from your Time Machine backup in the Setup/Migration Assistant on your new MacBook Air: Restore your Mac from a backup - Apple Support (CA)

To restore your apps while avoiding potentially unneeded background stuff, try deselecting the "Other Files & Folders" option when restoring your data. Keep everything else checked.

Regarding the photos, it should be fine to drag and drop the photos (or Photo Library) from the external drive into your Pictures folder. If you're transferring a whole library, make sure to double-click on the library when it's transferred over, then set it as the System Photo Library: System Photo Library overview in Photos on Mac - Apple Support (CA)

gwesq wrote:

Why would the apps that work on my old computer not work on the new computer, when the OS has been updated on the old one and is the same as the new one will be?

A good way to know what kind of apps you have on your old Mac is to go to Apple Menu-->About This Mac-->More Info-->System Report, then click on Applications in the System Report. In this screen you'll see all the apps (or programs, if you prefer) on your Mac. There is a column titled "Kind". In this column you'll see 32-Bit (maybe?), Intel, Universal, Apple Silicon, iOS, and Other. 32-Bit apps won't run, of course. Intel apps will only run on Macs with Intel processor, or thru Rosetta. The odds are, though, that most Intel apps have been updated to either Universal (they'll run on either Intel or Apple Silicon Macs) or Apple Silicon. So any apps you see listed as Intel most likely have been updated by now. Universal or Apple Silicon apps will run fine on the new Macs, and won't require Rosetta. (BTW, Rosetta is an "interpreter" of sorts that Apple developed that allows Intel apps to run on Apple Silicon Macs. It's very handy to have...but there is a slight performance hit if the app has to run in Rosetta).

My advice is not to transfer "programs". Old "programs" will not run on a new Mac. Install new compatible versions of the apps you need on your new computer. I recommend only copying over the data you want onto your new computer.

You are asking about "apps". Apple terminology is "apps" not "programs".

My advice, others may disagree, do not transfer apps. Why would you want to mess up your new computer with incompatible or unnecessary apps?

Install compatible versions of the apps you need. Depending on the app you may need to re-register the app.

Probably a little late, but the answer is they might. Some will. But historically there have been issues simply moving some applications over to a new machine (particularly with a new OS). Generally that is a result of the creator of the software not really following the rules/guidelines and scattering resources and files (critical ones) around the folder structure where they oughtn't to be. (I'm looking at you Adobe)

On the other hand, this day and age a lot of folks 'apps' are from the app store. They will resinstall in a jiff - fresh - clean. Not more trouble really than transferring them.

I tend to do it mostly so I can lose the apps I have lingering from the long long ago - which I haven't used in years and am not sure why I still have. (because I forgot about them). I do like a fresh start from time to time, myself.