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Move only select files from Time Machine to new Mac

Hi there!


I just got a new MacBook Pro and want to move only certain files from my last Mac's time machine onto my new machine. Migration Assistant seems to only allow migration of categories of data- not select files, for example a particular Logic Pro project.


When I try another method- to enter the old Time Machine drive manually on my new Mac, I'm having trouble locating such files. Could that be because the old Mac was running a previous OS?


Thanks for your help

Posted on Jun 23, 2022 7:22 AM

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Posted on Jun 23, 2022 8:24 AM

Are you trying to navigate the Time Machine drive directly in the Finder? Don't.


Hold down the Option key and from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar, choose Browse Other Backup Disks...

and choose the one you want. Then you will access to the usual TM interface to navigate your backup and copy files from there to your working drive.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 23, 2022 8:24 AM in response to grabbingatair

Are you trying to navigate the Time Machine drive directly in the Finder? Don't.


Hold down the Option key and from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar, choose Browse Other Backup Disks...

and choose the one you want. Then you will access to the usual TM interface to navigate your backup and copy files from there to your working drive.

Jun 23, 2022 9:47 AM in response to grabbingatair

Your screenshot was removed, but I tried doing the same on my mac with and older Time Machine drive. I understand that it does not put the present and old drive side by side, as we might have expected.


However, it is not hard to navigate, either with the Time Machine interface or using the Finder directly.

I have to revise my previous advice.

Is you know that the files you want were in the last backup in that drive, just use the Finder:

1) Click the backup drive in a Finder window Sidebar

2) Navigate down Backups.backupd>(Computer Name)>Date>Macintosh HD-Data>Users>(yourname)>....

and find the files you want. There will be the usual folders: Pictures, Music, Desktop, Documents...

3) Copy to your working drive



Move only select files from Time Machine to new Mac

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