{"id":"external-drives.can-i-read-a-drive-from-my-old-mac","url":"/faq/external-drives/can-i-read-a-drive-from-my-old-mac","category":{"id":"external-drives","title":"External drives"},"subcategory":{"id":"other-devices","title":"Using drives with PCs, iPads and other Macs"},"question":"Can I plug my old Mac's drive into my new Mac and get my files?","alt_questions":["Read old Mac hard drive on new Mac","Recover files from old MacBook drive","Old iMac drive in an enclosure","access files from old mac internal drive"],"short_answer":"Usually yes — newer Macs read Mac drive formats, so the old drive mounts like any external one. Copy what you need or use Migration Assistant. Expect permission prompts on the old user folder, and the old password for an encrypted drive.","answer_markdown":"Usually yes. Mac drive formats are readable by newer Macs, so an old Mac's drive — in an external enclosure or adapter, or the old Mac connected in target or sharing mode — mounts like any external drive. Copy what you need, or use **Migration Assistant** to bring over accounts, apps and settings properly.\n\nThings to expect:\n\n- Files in the old user folder may need your password, or show permission prompts.\n- An encrypted (FileVault) drive asks for the old account's password.\n- The newest Macs' internal drives can't be removed, so use Migration Assistant or a backup from them instead.\n\nFor loose drives from old computers, see [connecting a bare internal drive](/faq/external-drives/connect-a-drive-from-an-old-computer).","answer_html":"

Usually yes. Mac drive formats are readable by newer Macs, so an old Mac's drive — in an external enclosure or adapter, or the old Mac connected in target or sharing mode — mounts like any external drive. Copy what you need, or use Migration Assistant to bring over accounts, apps and settings properly.

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Things to expect:

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For loose drives from old computers, see connecting a bare internal drive.

","answer_text":"Usually yes. Mac drive formats are readable by newer Macs, so an old Mac's drive — in an external enclosure or adapter, or the old Mac connected in target or sharing mode — mounts like any external drive. Copy what you need, or use Migration Assistant to bring over accounts, apps and settings properly.\n\nThings to expect:\n\n- Files in the old user folder may need your password, or show permission prompts.\n- An encrypted (FileVault) drive asks for the old account's password.\n- The newest Macs' internal drives can't be removed, so use Migration Assistant or a backup from them instead.\n\nFor loose drives from old computers, see connecting a bare internal drive.","tags":["old mac","migration","enclosure"],"related":[{"id":"external-drives.connect-a-drive-from-an-old-computer","question":"How do I connect an internal drive from an old computer to my Mac?","url":"/faq/external-drives/connect-a-drive-from-an-old-computer"},{"id":"external-drives.can-an-older-mac-read-my-apfs-drive","question":"Can an older Mac read my APFS external drive?","url":"/faq/external-drives/can-an-older-mac-read-my-apfs-drive"},{"id":"external-drives.what-is-ignore-ownership-on-this-volume","question":"What is \"Ignore ownership on this volume\" on my external drive, and does it matter?","url":"/faq/external-drives/what-is-ignore-ownership-on-this-volume"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can I plug my old Mac's drive into my new Mac and get my files? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Usually yes — newer Macs read Mac drive formats, so the old drive mounts like any external one. Copy what you need or use Migration Assistant. Expect permission prompts on the old user folder, and the old password for an encrypted drive.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"External drives","path":"/faq/external-drives/"},{"name":"Can I plug my old Mac's drive into my new Mac and get my files?","path":"/faq/external-drives/can-i-read-a-drive-from-my-old-mac"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/can-i-read-a-drive-from-my-old-mac","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I plug my old Mac's drive into my new Mac and get my files?","alternateName":["Read old Mac hard drive on new Mac","Recover files from old MacBook drive","Old iMac drive in an enclosure","access files from old mac internal drive"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Usually yes. Mac drive formats are readable by newer Macs, so an old Mac's drive — in an external enclosure or adapter, or the old Mac connected in target or sharing mode — mounts like any external drive. Copy what you need, or use Migration Assistant to bring over accounts, apps and settings properly.\n\nThings to expect:\n\n- Files in the old user folder may need your password, or show permission prompts.\n- An encrypted (FileVault) drive asks for the old account's password.\n- The newest Macs' internal drives can't be removed, so use Migration Assistant or a backup from them instead.\n\nFor loose drives from old computers, see connecting a bare internal drive.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/can-i-read-a-drive-from-my-old-mac"}}]},"fragment":"
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External drives · Using drives with PCs, iPads and other Macs

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Can I plug my old Mac's drive into my new Mac and get my files?

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Short answer: Usually yes — newer Macs read Mac drive formats, so the old drive mounts like any external one. Copy what you need or use Migration Assistant. Expect permission prompts on the old user folder, and the old password for an encrypted drive.

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Usually yes. Mac drive formats are readable by newer Macs, so an old Mac's drive — in an external enclosure or adapter, or the old Mac connected in target or sharing mode — mounts like any external drive. Copy what you need, or use Migration Assistant to bring over accounts, apps and settings properly.

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Things to expect:

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  • Files in the old user folder may need your password, or show permission prompts.
  • An encrypted (FileVault) drive asks for the old account's password.
  • The newest Macs' internal drives can't be removed, so use Migration Assistant or a backup from them instead.
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For loose drives from old computers, see connecting a bare internal drive.

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Last reviewed

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