Fix macOS Migration Assistant Stuck

Stuck on "Calculating space" or "Connecting" for hours? Here is how to unfreeze your Mac-to-Mac transfer.

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The Symptom

The Migration Assistant progress bar hangs indefinitely, or the "Search for Mac" never finds your old device despite being connected via cable.

The Fix

1. Bypass the Peer-to-Peer Wi-Fi

macOS often tries to create an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network that fails. Turn Wi-Fi OFF on both Macs and connect them directly via Thunderbolt or Ethernet.

1. Disable FileVault and Screen Lock

On the source Mac, turn off FileVault temporarily. Migration Assistant can struggle with encrypted volumes that aren't fully unlocked. Also, set "Turn display off on battery" to Never.

1. Reset the Migration Daemon

If the app is frozen, force quit it and run this on both Macs:

sudo rm -rf /Library/Security/Trust\ Settings/Admin.plist

Then restart the Migration Assistant. This clears corrupted trust certificates that block the connection.

Pro Tip

If migrating from a Time Machine backup instead of a Mac, ensure the drive is plugged directly into the Mac, not into a hub or keyboard port.