In our previous article Apple Not Making A Studio Computer For You? Consider A Powerful Windows Computer For Under £3,000 Instead I talked about my recent decision to switch from a long standing Mac relationship to a Windows Computer in my studio.

This is no small undertaking. While I've been waiting for my new Windows machine to be built, I thought long and hard how to migrate my media, projects and software across from my outgoing Mac. In this article I suggest several points to consider to help you plan and transition from an Apple Mac to Windows PC in your studio. Learning a new system can be challenging, couple that with media migration and you run the risk of making a mistake or worse, losing a valuable digital asset in the process.

A lot of what we suggest below are preemptive measures, meaning a lot can be done before taking delivery of an entirely different system.

Be Prepared With Installers

I have been waiting for around three weeks for my new Windows studio computer to be built. In that time I've recognised exactly which applications I need installed on this new machine to be able to deliver projects. I thought rather than start this process when I boot up my new machine for the first time, why not gather all the windows installers for all the plug-ins, DAWs, virtual instruments and other general applications I need first?

I had a spare 128GB USB 3.0 stick in the studio which I chose to be an installer drive. Depending on your plug-in library, be prepared to put the time and work in finding all the installers necessary. This has not only helped me to get on top of the longwinded process of setting up my studio machine but taken some pressure off as well.

Make Notes Of Software Activation And Licence Locations

While you assess and download all the Windows installers you need for your studio it's worth making notes about their activations. If like me, you have a huge plug-in library, migrating to a new machine, regardless of it being Mac to Windows, can be frustrating when trying to manage hundreds of plug-ins from different developers.

If you use a physical iLok for the majority of your licences and activations a simple swap over of the dongle is easy enough to get your plug-ins working. However, many audio software developers use unique product management systems which can be a chore to use. Some are very simple for migrating licences such as Toontrack’s Product Manger. This enables users to deactivate licences from any machine remotely. Others, such as Waves will need licences moved via the cloud or a USB drive.

When writing your software installer list make simple notes about the methods you will need to follow when installing and authorising applications and plug-ins on your new Windows computer. By putting the work in early you could well save a bunch of time on the other side.

New Application Pre Training

Moving from Mac OS to Windows may mean you need to sacrifice an application or two which Windows will not support, such as Final Cut X. If you frequently cut and edit videos using Final Cut X on your outgoing Mac you will need to find an alternative editor for Windows such as Adobe Premier or Davinci Resolve. If you know you need to be up and running quickly when your new Windows machine arrives then it makes good sense to make the application switch as early as you can on your current Machine. This should help to reduce the overall learning curve you will face when getting your head around using Windows.

I've selected Davinci Resolve 16 as my new video editor. It's available for Mac and Windows which enabled me to spend a couple of afternoons to get to grips with its workflow. By putting the time and effort in now, I have given my confidence a boost and peace of mind that I shouldn't end up delaying any video projects due to not being completely clued up with the software.

Research The Basics Of Windows 10 And How It Differs From Mac OS

It makes good sense to put some research into Windows, especially if you have not used it in several years. By watching some basic how to tutorials you will at least familiarise yourself with the layout and basic functionality of Windows 10. 

Some Mac OS creature comforts don't exist in Windows 10 such as Quick View. Many Mac users find Quick View a time saver when working with media files. On a Mac, simply hit the space bar when a file is selected, and hey presto, Quick View does what it says on the tin. 

If you want something similar to this in Windows 10 you will need to get a free third-party productivity app called Quick Look available to download from the Microsoft website.

Another handy Mac OS feature now available natively in Windows is Mac Notes which many, myself included find useful if Apple devices such as iPhones are synced with iCloud. Sadly, Apple don't provide a Windows version of Notes though we can easily access our iCloud notes and other iCloud features from within a web browser which we can simply bookmark for quick and easy access.

What Do You Plan For Your Outgoing Apple Mac Studio Computer?

It's tempting to sell your old machine soon after taking delivery of a new computer. You may need some cash back quickly to boost your account or you may not want a redundant machine collecting dust in the corner of your studio. Whatever the reason, if you know you want to move your old Mac on do so after a few weeks pass with your new computer.

By planning to keep your Mac around for a while, you save yourself a lot of bother if you find you've accidentally overlooked a licence or important session file in your migration.

Are Your Current Mac Peripherals Windows Compatible?

Migrating from a Mac computer to a Windows PC can also mean Apple's own peripherals may not come along for the ride. I'm fond of Apple's Magic Mouse. My research sadly suggests that while it will work with Windows it may be limited in features which puts me off trying. 

I looked for a mouse similar in design to Apple's offering and came across Microsoft's Surface Arc which, for roughly the same price as a Magic Mouse, appears to be the closest alternative I could find. 

I prefer a mouse to have the ability to swipe left-right and up-down as this helps me to navigate a DAW quickly. You will be surprised to learn that there really isn't that many mouse products out there offering this form of control, most only have up-down scroll wheels which I feel are limiting.

I currently use a third-party wireless keyboard which is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS. For those using Apple's wireless keyboards, my research suggests there shouldn't be no issues if you intend to pair it with a Windows 10 computer via BlueTooth.

Media And File Migration From Apple Mac To Windows

Out of all the suggestions covered so far in this article, moving media, important documents and session folders from Mac to Windows can be quite a daunting task. I Have around 5TB of session folders that need moving across to my imminent Windows workflow. I cannot simply pull the drives out of my retiring Mac Pro and pop them into the chassis of my new Windows machine but there are a handful of simple ways to get this done.

Depending on the payload, you could use an online cloud service such as Amazon, Dropbox or Google Drive. All provide sizable storage options which you could subscribe to for one month while you migrate your media. When your media has uploaded, you will have access to it on any computer which means you will be able to pull it down to a Windows formatted drive easily.

An alternative option is to reformat a spare drive or format a new drive to exFAT to act as a media lifeboat. You could format to FAT32 but that has a maximum filesize of 4GB whereas exFAT works with files as large as 16 exabytes.

Like other suggestions in this article, media migration could be completed before receiving your new Windows machine.

Prioritise Important Projects Over Switching

Advice we routinely recommend to those considering an install of a new operating system is to hold fire if mission-critical projects are currently on the go. The same advice rings true to those switching from a Mac to a Windows PC during a paid gig. I plan to run both systems side-by-side for a few weeks to enable me to dip my toe into Windows when a no-pressure job is asked of me, but I will have my Mac system which I know and trust at my fingertips if any struggles come my way.