The right way to set up a new laptop is to spend the first hour on six things, in this order: install every pending update, choose your account deliberately, confirm the drive is encrypted and you have the recovery key, turn on device tracking, start a backup, and only then move your old files over. The same checklist works on a Mac and a Windows PC; only the setting names change.
This guide walks through each step on both systems as of October 2026 (macOS 27 and current Windows 11), with the exact menu paths, what to do when a step fails, and a side-by-side table you can keep open while you work.
Key takeaways
- Update first. A laptop that sat in a warehouse is often months behind on security fixes.
- Windows 11 Home and Pro expect a Microsoft account and internet during setup; a Mac lets you sign in to an Apple Account during or after setup.
- Encryption is usually on already, but you need to know where the recovery key lives before you rely on it.
- Start a backup before you migrate files, so the new machine is protected from day one.
- Remove preinstalled trial software you will not use, but leave drivers and the maker's update tool alone.
Before you start: what to have ready
Gather a few things before you open the box so you are not hunting for them halfway through:
- Your Wi-Fi password and a power outlet. Updates and migration can take a while, and some steps refuse to run on battery.
- The password (and two-factor method) for your Apple Account or Microsoft account. If you use a password manager, have it open on your phone.
- Your old computer, charged and fully updated, if you plan to move files across.
- An external drive at least twice the size of the new laptop's storage if you plan to use Time Machine (Apple's guidance) or want a local backup on Windows.
The checklist at a glance: Mac vs Windows
| Step | Mac (macOS 27) | Windows 11 |
|---|---|---|
| Install updates | System Settings > General > Software Update | Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates |
| Account | Apple Account (can be added after setup) | Microsoft account (required at setup on Home and Pro) |
| Encryption | System Settings > Privacy & Security > FileVault | Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption (or BitLocker on Pro) |
| Find a lost laptop | System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > See All > Find My Mac | Settings > Privacy & security > Find My Device |
| Firewall | System Settings > Network > Firewall | Windows Security > Firewall & network protection |
| Backup | System Settings > General > Time Machine | Windows Backup app (or Settings > Accounts > Windows backup) |
| Move files from old computer | Migration Assistant (Applications > Utilities) | Restore from Windows Backup at setup, OneDrive, or an external drive |
Setting names as of October 2026. Menu wording can shift slightly between updates; use the search box in Settings if a path has moved. Sources: Apple Support, Microsoft Support.
Step 1: Install every update before anything else
A new laptop can spend weeks or months between the factory and your desk, so it often ships behind on security fixes. CISA's Secure Our World guidance is simple: turn on automatic updates and do not postpone them, because many updates close security holes that attackers already know about.
On a Mac: open System Settings, click General, then Software Update. Install anything listed, then click the info button next to Automatic Updates and turn on the options to download and install macOS updates and security responses.
On Windows: open Settings, select Windows Update, and click Check for updates. Install everything, restart, and check again; Windows often finds a second round after the first restart. Also look under Advanced options > Optional updates for driver updates from the laptop maker.
If an update stalls, plug in, restart and try again. If the same error repeats, look up the error code on Apple's or Microsoft's support site.
Step 2: Choose your account on purpose
The account you sign in with decides where your recovery keys, backups and device-tracking data end up, so treat this as a security decision rather than a box to click through.
Windows: a Microsoft account is now the default path
Microsoft's Windows 11 specifications page says Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro for personal use need an internet connection and a Microsoft account during initial setup. In an October 2025 Insider build, Microsoft also said it was removing the known tricks people used to create a local-only account during setup, so do not count on those workarounds on a new machine.
The upside is real: with a Microsoft account, device encryption can switch on automatically and its recovery key is saved to that account, and Find My Device and Windows Backup work. If you prefer a local account for daily use, you can add one after setup in Settings > Accounts > Other users, but keep the Microsoft account as an administrator so you still have the recovery key.
Mac: an Apple Account is optional but useful
Mac Setup Assistant lets you skip some steps and finish them later, and you can sign in to an Apple Account afterward in System Settings. Signing in is what turns on Find My Mac, iCloud Keychain and the option to store your FileVault recovery in iCloud, so most people should sign in. Whichever system you use, protect that account with a strong unique password and two-factor authentication before you rely on it; our guide to passwords, 2FA and passkeys covers how.
Step 3: Confirm encryption and save the recovery key
Encryption scrambles everything on the drive so a stolen laptop is a hardware loss, not a data breach. On most new laptops it is already on; your job is to confirm that and know where the recovery key is.
On a Mac: Apple says Macs with Apple silicon encrypt data automatically, and FileVault adds the requirement that your login password is needed to unlock it. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to FileVault and turn it on if it is off. You will choose between letting your iCloud account unlock the disk or creating a recovery key. If you create a key, write it down exactly and store it somewhere other than the Mac.
On Windows: go to Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption. Microsoft says device encryption turns on automatically when you first sign in with a Microsoft account, and the recovery key is attached to that account. Windows 11 Pro also offers full BitLocker controls. If you do not see Device encryption at all, the laptop may lack a required feature such as an enabled TPM or Secure Boot; check with the maker before assuming you are protected.
Then check that the key is really where you think it is. For a Microsoft account, sign in at account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey. Without that key, a firmware update or hardware change that triggers a recovery prompt can lock you out of your own files.
Step 4: Turn on Find My Mac or Find My Device
Device tracking lets you see a lost laptop on a map and lock it remotely. It only works if you turn it on before the laptop goes missing.
On a Mac: open System Settings, click your name at the top of the sidebar, then iCloud > See All > Find My Mac, and click Turn On. Allow it to use location when asked. Apple notes that Location Services must also be on under Privacy & Security > Location Services.
On Windows: open Settings > Privacy & security > Find My Device and turn it on. Microsoft says you must be signed in with a Microsoft account as an administrator and have location turned on. To locate or lock the laptop later, sign in at account.microsoft.com/devices.
Step 5: Check the firewall and remove what you do not need
Firewall: on Windows, open the Windows Security app and select Firewall & network protection; all three network profiles should say the firewall is on. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Network > Firewall and turn it on. It blocks unwanted incoming connections and rarely gets in the way at home.
Preinstalled software: many Windows laptops arrive with trial antivirus, games and shopping shortcuts. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, and uninstall trials and games you will not use. Leave anything from the laptop maker that handles drivers, firmware or battery health, because those tools deliver fixes Windows Update may not. A third-party antivirus trial is optional on Windows; Microsoft Defender is built in, and running two security products at once can slow the machine. Macs ship with little extra software, so there is usually nothing to remove.
Step 6: Start a backup before you move your files
It sounds backward to back up an empty machine, but setting up backups now means everything you migrate is protected from the first night. Our complete guide to backups explains how to combine local and cloud copies.
On a Mac: connect an external drive, then open System Settings > General > Time Machine and click Add Backup Disk. Apple recommends a drive at least twice the size of the Mac's storage, and you can turn on Encrypt Backup during setup. Time Machine then keeps hourly backups for 24 hours, daily backups for a month and weekly backups after that.
On Windows: open the Windows Backup app (or Settings > Accounts > Windows backup). It syncs your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music folders to OneDrive and saves a list of your apps and many settings, including Wi-Fi networks. Microsoft notes that a free account includes 5 GB of OneDrive storage, which fills quickly, so plan on a paid plan or a separate local backup to an external drive for larger libraries.
Step 7: Move your files from the old computer
Mac to Mac (or Windows to Mac)
Migration Assistant copies documents, apps, user accounts and settings, and leaves the old Mac untouched. You can run it during setup or later from Applications > Utilities.
- Update macOS on both Macs (the versions do not need to match) and plug both into power.
- Turn on Wi-Fi on both and keep them close. Temporarily turn off any third-party antivirus, firewall or VPN software.
- On the new Mac, open Migration Assistant and choose to transfer from a Mac, Time Machine backup or startup disk.
- On the old Mac, open Migration Assistant and choose to transfer to another Mac.
- Check that the security code matches on both screens, then select what to copy.
- Let it run. Apple says large transfers might need hours to complete. Afterward, sign in to the migrated account and re-add email accounts if asked.
Apple also supports moving from a Windows PC to a Mac with a Windows version of Migration Assistant; download it from Apple's support site, not a third-party mirror.
Windows to Windows
Microsoft has retired its PC-to-PC transfer tool; its support page now says to use Windows Backup and restore instead. In practice, run Windows Backup on the old PC first, then sign in to the new PC with the same Microsoft account during setup. Windows offers to restore the backup, brings back supported settings and pinned apps, and your files appear once OneDrive finishes syncing. Desktop apps that are not in the Microsoft Store still need to be reinstalled from their makers.
If your files are too large for OneDrive, copy them to an external drive on the old PC and back onto the new one. Browser bookmarks and passwords travel separately: sign in to your browser and turn on sync, or export from your password manager.
What to do if something goes wrong
- Setup will not continue without internet (Windows): connect to a different network or use your phone's hotspot. Avoid "bypass" scripts from forums; Microsoft has been closing them.
- Migration Assistant cannot find the old Mac: put both on the same Wi-Fi network, turn off VPN and firewall apps, or connect them with a cable.
- BitLocker recovery screen after an update: sign in at account.microsoft.com on another device, find the recovery key for that laptop and type it in.
- OneDrive is full: pause folder backup, move large video folders to an external drive, then resume.
When this is not the right approach
This checklist assumes a personal laptop. If your employer or school issued the machine, follow their setup instructions instead; they usually manage encryption keys, updates and backups centrally, and changing those settings can break their tools.
Migrating everything is not always smart either. If your old computer was slow, cluttered or possibly infected, consider a clean start: install apps fresh and copy only your documents, photos and other files. It takes longer but avoids carrying old problems over. For other everyday features worth knowing on your devices, see our guide to hidden built-in phone features.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use a local account or a Microsoft account on Windows?
For most home users, a Microsoft account is the better choice, and Windows 11 Home and Pro setup now expects one. It stores your device encryption recovery key, enables Find My Device and powers Windows Backup. If you want a local account for privacy, add it after setup and keep the Microsoft account as an administrator.
Is FileVault or BitLocker worth turning on?
Yes, for a laptop that leaves the house. Encryption means a thief gets hardware, not your tax returns or photos, and on modern hardware the speed cost is not noticeable. The only real risk is losing the recovery key, so save it to your account or store it somewhere safe off the laptop.
How do I move files from my old computer?
On a Mac, use Migration Assistant from another Mac, a Time Machine backup or a Windows PC. On Windows, back up the old PC with Windows Backup and restore it when you sign in to the new one with the same Microsoft account, or copy files over with an external drive.
Do I need antivirus on a new laptop?
Windows includes Microsoft Defender, which is on by default, and macOS has built-in malware protections. Keeping the system updated, using a password manager and being careful with downloads and links matter more than adding a second security product.
Sources
- Apple Support: Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant (accessed October 2026)
- Apple Support: Protect data on your Mac with FileVault (accessed October 2026)
- Apple Support: Back up your Mac with Time Machine (accessed October 2026)
- Apple Support: Set up Find My on Mac (accessed October 2026)
- Apple Support: Block connections to your Mac with a firewall (accessed October 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Device encryption in Windows (accessed October 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Back up and restore with Windows Backup (accessed October 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Transfer your files and settings to a new Windows PC (accessed October 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Find and lock a lost Windows device (accessed October 2026)
- Microsoft: Windows 11 specifications and system requirements (accessed October 2026)
- CISA Secure Our World: Update software (accessed October 2026)
Top image: "Laptop on a desk (Unsplash)" by Aleksi Tappura, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized). Charts and tables by Thank You Robot.
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