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I have purchased a new Macbook air and want to use the migration assistant to migrate from a mid 2012 Macbook Pro. I think the OSs need to match. So my question is 1) am I correct or 2) can I install Catalina on the Air and then migrate everything. From there I would update the OS up to Monterey.
Hi Daniel,
The macOS versions shouldn't need to match for Migration Assistant. I could be incorrect about that, but regardless even if you try to migrate, you won't hurt the data stored on your 2012 MacBook Pro.
If you have the correct cables (Thunderbolt 2 cable + Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter), you could also put your 2012 MacBook Pro into Target Disk Mode (hold down the T key at startup, hold down the power button to shut down when you're finished) and connect it to your M1 MacBook Air. With Migration Assistant open on the M1 MacBook Air, that should be guaranteed to work.
Unfortunately it's outright impossible to run macOS Catalina or earlier on an Apple silicon Mac, such as your M1 MacBook Air. Not only does it violate the rule that you can't downgrade from the shipping macOS version, but macOS Catalina and earlier only support Intel processors (not the M1 chip).
Hi Daniel,
The macOS versions shouldn't need to match for Migration Assistant. I could be incorrect about that, but regardless even if you try to migrate, you won't hurt the data stored on your 2012 MacBook Pro.
If you have the correct cables (Thunderbolt 2 cable + Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter), you could also put your 2012 MacBook Pro into Target Disk Mode (hold down the T key at startup, hold down the power button to shut down when you're finished) and connect it to your M1 MacBook Air. With Migration Assistant open on the M1 MacBook Air, that should be guaranteed to work.
Unfortunately it's outright impossible to run macOS Catalina or earlier on an Apple silicon Mac, such as your M1 MacBook Air. Not only does it violate the rule that you can't downgrade from the shipping macOS version, but macOS Catalina and earlier only support Intel processors (not the M1 chip).
danielfromloudon Said:
"Can Catalina be installed on a 2020 Macbook Air, with an M1 processor: I have purchased a new Macbook air and want to use the migration assistant to migrate from a mid 2012 Macbook Pro. I think the OSs need to match. So my question is 1) am I correct or 2) can I install Catalina on the Air and then migrate everything. From there I would update the OS up to Monterey."
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Use of Migration Assistant:
Your questions answered in respect to how you posted them:
The Migration assistant worked just fine, thank you very much. I was able to transfer from Catalina on a mid 2012 machine to a 2020 Air with Monterey.
What caused me to question it was the day before I attempted to use the Migration assistant with the 2020 Air with Monterey to a 2019 16" Macbook Pro with Big Sur and the Migration Assistant told me I had to update the Big Sur to Monterey for the Assistant to work. Once I updated it, it worked.
As I said, I was able to get it done and I'm happy.... so isn't the wife. But what at the moment strikes me as interesting is that programs based on an Intel chip wont run on the silicon M1. When I finished her migration there was a message of incompatibility with Quicken Essentials, and I would need to get an updated version for it to run. However, when the migration was now finished I clicked on Quicken and was given a message that I needed to install a Rosetta patch (or whatever) to make it compatible with the silicon M1. The patch installed in only a couple of seconds and now the Quicken works. Go figure!
Anyway, thank you all for your help.
I was able to get this done, see my reply to the next answer below. Thank you very much.
You are welcome.
Can Catalina be installed on a 2020 Macbook Air, with an M1 processor
