Moving Scrivener to a new Mac using Time Machine

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

Hi everyone,

I’m getting a new Macbook and want to move Scrivener over. I found instructions to move Scrivener over manually. Are there any instructions talking about Time Machine backup?

Thank you!

KMK

2

We recommend installing a new copy of Scrivener itself, as there is machine-specific information associated with an installed copy of Scrivener.

But moving your data via Time Machine is fine. Just follow the Mac OS migration instructions, and make sure everything has transferred successfully before you dispose of the old system.

1 Like
3

Wouldn’t you just open your old projects from Dropbox - on the new machine with a new install of Scrivener?

4

Yes, if you mean opening it from the on-disk Dropbox folder. (Not from the Dropbox website.)

5

If you use Dropbox, sure. The OP didn’t mention it.

6

I never knew this, good to know.

7

Thank you. Everything went okay; I didn’t need to install a new copy.

8

I don’t have my backups on Dropbox, I have a separate drive for a Time Machine backup and Backblaze for cloud storage. fortunately, I didn’t need the latter.

9

I would strongly recommend installing a new copy of Scrivener, whether you think you need to or not. Moving an installed copy of Scrivener can lead to a variety of strange behaviors, while reinstalling it is a matter of minutes.

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10

This applies to any program on Mac. There are app-associated files in hidden directories that can be machine-specific. The built-in migration tool works well, but it cannot take this into account. While the app may work, there can be unintended outcomes.