Using Migration Assistant for Macs with Addigy

Overview

Migration Assistant transfers user accounts, applications, files, and settings from an existing Mac, a Time Machine backup, or another startup disk to a new Mac. It can run during Setup Assistant on a brand-new (or freshly wiped) Mac, or at any point afterward from System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset.

Migration Assistant works well alongside Addigy on modern versions of macOS. This article explains how Migration Assistant interacts with MDM and the Addigy agent, how to control the migration experience with the Managed Migration payload on macOS 26.4 and later, and what the process looks like for the end user.

Note for Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) devices: The Migration Assistant pane ("Transfer Your Data to This Mac") is part of Setup Assistant. If the Skip Setup New or Restore skip key is enabled in your ADE configuration, this pane is suppressed and end users will not be given the option to migrate during setup. Make sure this skip key is disabled in the ADE settings assigned to the device before it runs Setup Assistant.

Dictionary:
Host = Original/old device that will transfer data to the new Mac
Client = New Mac being migrated to

Before continuing

Before reading further, you must first think and determine which scenario is most applicable. Each option links to the relevant section within this article.

Client will do ADE and meet the requirements for the Managed Migration Assistant Payload
Client is not using ADE, or all apps from the Applications folder must be migrated
- With the Managed Migration Assistant payload, the Applications folder will always be grayed out and not transferred to the client. This is determined by Apple.

1 - Using the Managed Migration Assistant Payload

Requirements

macOS 15 or later on the source Mac
macOS 26.4 or later on the new Mac
The new Mac needs to be registered in Apple Business/School Manager and assigned to an MDM server linked with Addigy

Starting with macOS Ventura, Migration Assistant on a Mac enrolled in MDM automatically disables the transfer of System & Network settings to avoid management conflicts. See Apple's documentation: What's new for enterprise in macOS Ventura. Historically, there have been some problems with MDM mix-up and data transfer during a device migration. However, with the addition of the Managed Migration Assistant payload, migrations are done more cleanly.

In practice, using the Managed Migration Assistant payload means:

The source Mac's MDM enrollment profile will not be carried over to the new Mac. The new Mac should keep its own enrollment.
The contents of /Library/Addigy/ are not copied from the source Mac. The new device receives a fresh, correct Addigy agent through its own enrollment, so there is no risk of the old device's identity, inventory values, or architecture-specific agent (Intel vs. Apple Silicon) ending up on the new machine.
During the "Choose what to transfer" step, users will see the Applications and System & Network options grayed out. This is expected when deploying this payload and cannot be overridden by the user, as this is controlled by Apple.

Notes on Configuring the Payload

The payload applies only to Migration Assistant when it runs during Setup Assistant on a device enrolling through Automated Device Enrollment (ADE). It does not apply to devices enrolled through other methods, and it does not govern Migration Assistant runs performed after setup is complete.
Only the destination device (the new Mac receiving the data) needs to be on macOS 26.4 or later.
Should Migrate Security Privacy Settings controls the Migration Assistant setting pictured below.

For the full technical reference, see Apple's developer documentation: MigrationAssistantSettings.

The end-user experience

The following walkthrough shows a migration performed during Setup Assistant on an ADE-enrolled Mac.

1. Choose a transfer method. After the initial Setup Assistant screens, the user reaches Transfer Your Data to This Mac and selects From a Mac, Time Machine, or startup disk, then clicks Continue. (This is the pane that is hidden if the Skip Setup New or Restore key is enabled.)

2. Enroll in device management. On ADE devices, the Device Management pane appears and the user clicks Enroll. Enrollment completes before any data is transferred, which is what allows the System & Network exclusion (and the Managed Migration payload, where applicable) to take effect during the migration.

3. Select the source. The user selects the source Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk. Both devices need to be on the same network or connected with a cable. If transferring from another Mac, the user opens Migration Assistant on the source Mac by clicking the notification that appears or by opening it from Transfer or Reset settings.

4. Choose what to transfer. The user selects the user accounts and files to bring over.
System & Network appears greyed out with the label Managed by Administrator.
Privacy & Security Settings will be checked or unchecked depending on what you have configured for 'Should Migrate Security Privacy Settings'.
Applications will be grayed out - this is controlled by Apple and cannot be changed.

5. Transfer runs. The transfer proceeds and shows its progress and connection type (for example, Peer-to-Peer). Transfer time depends on the amount of data selected and the connection method; a wired connection is faster and more reliable for large migrations.

6. Migration completes. The user clicks Continue and finishes the remaining Setup Assistant screens. The device then appears in Addigy under its own new device record, and the assigned policy deploys the Addigy agent, profiles, and managed software.

2 - Device is not ADE-enrolled, or Applications Must be Migrated

If the client Mac will not do ADE, or you absolutely require all Applications from the host Mac, then we recommend completely removing Addigy and then performing the migration. If Addigy is not removed and the migration is performed without the Managed Migration Assistant payload, the MDM and Addigy agent from the host Mac will transfer to the client Mac and likely cause issues with communication between Addigy and the Mac.
Note: If you are using a backup, you will need to remove Addigy and then perform a backup on the host Mac before migration.

While Apple mentions that "Migration Assistant on a Mac enrolled in MDM automatically disables the transfer of System & Network settings to avoid management conflicts", there will likely be issues if Addigy is kept during the migration. This is why we suggest using the new Managed Migration Assistant payload if at all possible, as migrations do not encounter this problem when the payload is in place.

FAQ

Can Migration Assistant be used on a device with Addigy Identity? The Addigy Identity login page is not compatible with Migration Assistant; it would be necessary to remove Identity from the device before running Migration Assistant, as it will cause problems with the Migration Assistant app starting.

End users don't see the option to migrate during setup on an ADE device. Why? The Skip Setup New or Restore skip key is most likely enabled in the ADE configuration assigned to the device. Disable the skip key and re-run Setup Assistant (this requires erasing the device, since Setup Assistant panes only appear during initial setup).

Why is "System & Network" grayed out and labeled "Managed by Administrator"? This is expected on macOS Ventura and later when the destination Mac is enrolled in MDM. Apple intentionally excludes System & Network settings from migration to prevent management conflicts. It ensures the new device keeps its own enrollment and receives a fresh Addigy agent.

Do applications transfer? Applications are only copied over if you are not using the Managed Migration Assistant payload. Software, profiles, and settings that Addigy manages are deployed separately by the new device's assigned policy, so there may be no need to copy the Applications from the host Mac.
If you wish for this behavior to change, we highly suggest submitting an Apple Feedback.