New Mac Setup Checklist

A new Mac is exciting. It can also be hard to know what to do first.

This is the checklist I use when I set up a Mac for a client. Work through it top to bottom. Skip anything that doesn’t apply to you.

Tip: Print this page and check things off as you go. There’s a print button on the right.

1. Get the basics in place

1. Run every update. Apple menu → System Settings → General → Software Update. Install everything, restart, and check again until it says your Mac is up to date.
2. Sign in with your Apple Account (what Apple used to call your Apple ID). System Settings → Sign in at the top of the sidebar.
3. Set up your user account with your name and a password you will remember. Write the password down somewhere safe.
4. Add other user accounts for anyone else who shares the Mac. System Settings → Users & Groups → Add User. Everyone gets their own.
5. Connect to Wi-Fi. Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and pick your network.

2. Turn on iCloud and Find My

1. System Settings → your name → iCloud.
2. Turn on iCloud Drive, and inside it turn on Desktop & Documents Folders. Your files are now saved to iCloud automatically.
3. Turn on Contacts, Calendars, Photos and Notes so they match your iPhone and iPad.
4. Turn on Find My Mac. If your Mac is ever lost or stolen, you can locate, lock or erase it.

3. Set up your web browsers

1. Safari is already installed and works well. If you prefer, install Google Chrome or Brave.
2. Choose your default browser: System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Default web browser.
3. Bring over bookmarks from your old computer. In Safari: File → Import From.
4. Add the 1Password extension to each browser you use (more on 1Password below).

4. Protect it

1. Install Malwarebytes for Mac. The free version is fine for scanning when something seems off.
2. Turn on the firewall: System Settings → Network → Firewall.
3. Make sure FileVault is on: System Settings → Privacy & Security → FileVault. This encrypts everything on the Mac if it’s ever stolen.

5. Make it yours

1. Dock: drag the apps you use most into the Dock. Drag out the ones you never use.
2. Printers and scanners: System Settings → Printers & Scanners → Add Printer. Most newer printers show up on their own. Set your default printer at the bottom of that screen.
3. Mail: open Mail and add each email account. Gmail, iCloud, Outlook and most others sign in with your normal email and password.
4. Office apps: sign in to Microsoft Office with your Microsoft account, or use Apple’s free Pages, Numbers and Keynote.
5. Music: open the Music app and sign in to see your purchases and Apple Music library.

6. Bring over your files

If your old computer was a Mac, use Migration Assistant (Applications → Utilities) the first time you set up. It moves everything for you.

If you’re coming from a PC, or Migration Assistant isn’t an option, copy over anything that isn’t already in iCloud or OneDrive: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures and Music.

7. Set up a password manager

1. Install 1Password and sign in (or create an account).
2. Install 1Password on your iPhone and iPad too, so your passwords are everywhere.
3. Import passwords saved in Chrome or Safari into 1Password.
4. Turn off Safari’s own password autofill so the two don’t compete: Safari → Settings → AutoFill.

Need a strong master password? Read How to Create a Strong, Memorable Password for 1Password.

8. Back it up, two ways

1. Local backup: plug in an external drive and turn on Time Machine: System Settings → General → Time Machine → Add Backup Disk.
2. Online backup: install Backblaze. It backs up everything to the cloud automatically, so a fire or theft doesn’t take your files with it.

One backup is good. Two is safe.

9. The finishing touches

• Remote support: install Splashtop SOS and keep it in your Dock. If you ever call me for help, I can see your screen and fix things remotely.
• Extra apps: install the apps you use every day, such as Zoom, Dropbox, Kindle or Spotify. Download them from the Mac App Store or the company’s own website, never from a pop-up ad.
• Power protection: for a desktop Mac, plug it into a battery backup (UPS) from APC or CyberPower. It protects against outages and power surges.

That’s it. Your Mac is updated, protected, backed up and ready to go.