Setting up your MacBook
Get your refurbished MacBook ready in a few minutes. Sign in, transfer your data across, and you’re working.
First switch-on
Press the power button (or open the lid on newer MacBooks). macOS Setup Assistant walks you through language, Wi-Fi, terms, Apple ID, and Touch ID. Allow 10–15 minutes the first time.
Plug into the magnetic or USB-C charger before you start setup — some MacBooks arrive at low charge after testing.
Moving your data from another Mac
Migration Assistant moves apps, files, accounts and settings from another Mac, a Time Machine backup, or a Windows PC.
- During setup, choose Transfer information to this Mac.
- Pick the source (another Mac, Time Machine, or PC).
- For Mac-to-Mac, both machines need to be on the same Wi-Fi (or connected by Thunderbolt for the fastest transfer).
- Pick what to transfer: applications, user accounts, files, settings. Bigger transfers take longer — a full migration of a heavily-used Mac can take 4+ hours.
Signing in to Apple ID
Your refurbished MacBook is fully wiped and not tied to anyone else’s Apple ID. Sign in with yours during setup, or skip and add it later via System Settings → Apple ID.
Setting up Touch ID
If your MacBook has Touch ID, setup will offer to register a fingerprint. Hold your finger on the sensor and follow the prompts. You can add more fingers later in System Settings → Touch ID & Password — handy for index + thumb of each hand.
iCloud sync
Sign in to your Apple ID to sync iCloud Drive, Photos, Mail, Contacts, Calendar and Notes. Manage what syncs in System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud. Watch your storage — free iCloud is only 5GB.
macOS updates
Once you’re online, run System Settings → General → Software Update. We ship with the OS your MacBook supports, but Apple may have released a point update since.
More setup guides per model are in the advice centre.
