11/13/2026
Your new MacBook is running, your desktop looks familiar, and the old one is ready to sell. Before you erase it, spend a little time checking the things you would struggle to replace. Seeing your wallpaper on the new computer is reassuring. Opening the files you actually need is a much better test.
You do not need to keep two laptops indefinitely. You need a clear point at which you know the new one can take over. This checklist helps you reach that point without turning a straightforward upgrade into a search for missing documents.
Apple's Migration Assistant can transfer documents, apps, user accounts, and settings. It leaves the information on the old Mac in place, so you can check the new computer before erasing the old one. Sign in to the account you migrated and let the transfer finish before you start comparing files. Apple explains how Migration Assistant works.
Keep a short list of anything you discover is missing. Resolve that list on the new Mac rather than using the old one as an open-ended backup plan. If you continue saving new work to both computers, it becomes harder to tell which copy is current.
Start with the work you would need tomorrow: an active project, your latest spreadsheet, a family document, or a school assignment. Open the files in their usual apps. Check that they contain the latest changes and that linked images, attachments, or project assets are available.
Then look through Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and any folders you created outside those locations. Downloads is particularly easy to overlook because it often contains files that were never deliberately organized elsewhere.
For a large folder, sample several recent files and several older ones. A matching folder name alone does not tell you that its contents are complete. If something is stored on an external drive, connect that drive to the new Mac and confirm that you can read what you need.
Open your photo library on the new Mac and look for a few specific memories: a recent event, an older album, and a video. Check any separate libraries or folders you have used for photo storage, too.
If you rely on a cloud service, confirm that the files you expect are accessible through the account you intend to keep using. A thumbnail is a useful sign, but opening the photo or playing the video gives you a more practical check. Make sure you understand which files you have stored locally and which depend on that service.
Launch the apps that matter to your routine. Try opening and saving a document. Check whether paid software needs a fresh sign-in, license activation, plug-in, or download. A familiar app icon is not proof that the app is ready for work.
Send and receive a test email. Open an attachment. Check any locally stored mail folders you depend on. Apple notes that you may need to set up an email account again after migration. See Apple's migration guidance.
Also verify that you can access your password manager and the accounts you use to recover other accounts. Keep recovery information in a secure place you control. Do not put passwords or recovery keys into the package with the Mac you are selling.
A completed transfer and a backup serve different purposes. The transfer gets you working on the new Mac; the backup gives you another copy to recover from if something later goes wrong.
If you use Time Machine, check the date and time of the latest completed backup and keep track of the drive that holds it. If the backup is encrypted, store its password securely. Apple's instructions explain both how to check completion and why that password matters for recovery. Back up your Mac with Time Machine.
For an extra practical check, recover a noncritical sample file to a separate location using your backup tool's instructions and open it. Avoid replacing your current working copy during the check. This gives you more useful evidence than a completion timestamp alone.
You are ready to prepare the old Mac for sale when your important files open on the new one, your everyday apps and accounts work, and you have a backup you can locate. If an essential item is still missing, resolve it before erasing.
Once those checks pass, follow Apple's current instructions for preparing a Mac for a new owner. Use the procedure that applies to your Mac and macOS version.
When you are ready to sell, check your MacBook's current quote with GoRoostr. Having the new Mac settled first lets you move the old one along with confidence instead of leaving it in a drawer because of one unanswered question.