Migrating Native Apple Silicon Apps

[jordii]

Oxford University provides tips on using migration assistant:

When prompted we would recommend you only migrate your account and not applications from your old Mac. Install the latest versions of applications on your new Mac. This is particularly important when you are moving from an Intel Mac to a new Mac with Apple CPU (M1/M2) as native Apple silicon complied apps are likely to offer better performance. Apps compiled for Intel CPU may run but will be running in Intel emulation mode which may be slower.

I'm actually going the other way, migrating from an M1 MacBook Pro to an Intel iMac. Will I have app problems? Can I migrate my apps, then somehow find the native Apple silicon ones I'll need to try to swap out?

 

[pacmania1982]

This app might help:

Release 1.0.5 · DigiDNA/Silicon

All settings are now persistent.

github.com

It allows you to see which apps are Intel only, Universal (which will run on both Intel and Apple Silicon) or Apple Silicon only.

You could use this list of your apps to then go and try and find Universal or Intel native version of the app you're using.

 

[jordii]

Perfect. Thanks much.

 

[jordii]

For anyone following along, only two apps appear to have upgraded to Apple Silicon Native: DropBox, and the ironically obsolete HBO app.

 

[chabig]

In System Information (option-Apple) you can select Applications in the left column and sort the right column by kind. There should not be any Apple Silicon only apps except for Rosetta. You should only see Intel, Universal, or Other.

 

[pacmania1982]

I didn't know about this! Thanks