Conversion to new machine

[alfansome]

I am currently running mac os 26.2 beta on non-production MacBook pro (2021 M1) and am thinking of upgrading to M4 or M5 in order to get better performance, more memory and disk space. I have seen a number of posts regarding restore of beta version onto non-beta machine, most of which seem overly complicated, so am wondering if the following scenario will work:

(1) unenroll current mac from beta program
(2) wait until 26.2 is officially released and, hopefully, then install on the current mac (via regular software update mechanism)
(3) perform a time machine backup after that install
(4) restore from that backup onto new mac
(5) (optional) enroll new mac into beta program to get beta releases on it

 

[chabig]

If you in disenroll from the beta program, I think you’ll be presented with an install option for 26.1. I also think you could:

• Enroll the new Mac into the beta program
• Update it to match the version installed on the current Mac
• Migrate

 

[Boppi]

I'd skip #5, and your steps 1-4 is exactly how I'd do it.

 

[alfansome]

If you in enroll from the beta program, I think you’ll be presented with an install option for 26.1. I also think you could:

• Enroll the new Mac into the beta program
• Update it to match the version installed on the current Mac
• Migrate

that seems like a good approach; assuming there's an easy way to set up new mac and enroll it in beta program

 

[PotentPeas]

that seems like a good approach; assuming there's an easy way to set up new mac and enroll it in beta program

This should be easy enough. If this were me I would personally set up the new Mac as a "new Mac" (no migration), using a temporary account that you plan to throw away. Then, upgrade it to the same (beta) version of macOS that is on your current Mac. After that, use Migration Assistant to move over your stuff and your "real" account, then delete the temporary account.

If you can wait a bit, macOS 26.2 final should be out in mid-December. It'll be a little bit less hoops if you don't have a beta OS in the loop.

 

[alfansome]

So, in the end, I used the approach (recommended above):
(1) update current machine to OS26.2 RC
(2) perform time machine backup
(3) set up new machine as "new machine" with throwaway admin account
(4) enroll it in developer beta (which triggered update to OS26.2 RC)
(5) migrate user accounts, data, applications etc from TM backup
delete the throwaway admin account
(6) un enroll old machine from beta program
erase everything from old machine
reinstall OS from recovery boot up (which was actually Sequoia rather than Tahoe 26.1 for some reason)

thanks for all the responses.