How to move from Mac to Windows or from MacOS to Windows. Tutorials and moving help and tips between Windows 7, 8 or even 10 to Mac OS are many – but hardly any help that explains how to move from a MacBook, iMac or MacBook Pro to a Windows based laptop or desktop. How do I effectively move my data, how do I secure my personal data, and what is there to consider when switching back from Mac OS to Windows. Due to my move from a MacBook to ASUS Zenbooks, I was faced with the question and would like to explain my experience to you step-by-step.
Tutorial about the move from MacOS to Windows
If you have been using Apple laptops for six years, you will have to make the switch. My last Windows versions used were Windows Vista and Windows 7 and things have changed a lot in that time. Those who started with Windows XP on a laptop or desktop computer many years ago will still find their way around quickly – regardless of the “@” sign. This at least no longer closes windows when switching from Mac OS to Windows, but nothing happens.
For me, it was important to first back up the data from a MacBook Air (2013 generation) and a MacBook Pro (2015 generation) and consider what data should be transferred when I switch from Mac to Windows.
Instructions for switching from Mac to Windows – External hard drive
The first mistake that happened to me was, I wanted to transfer the data using my 2GB external SSD hard drive that was connected to my MacBook all the time. The space on the disk still at well over 1 gigabye – so it should fit without a problem. In advance – an automatic backup with TimeMachine and the most important data noted, or already filed on the desktop.
In total, about 60 gigabytes of personal data, documents, Photoshop templates and Adobe Premiere video files had to be backed up, which took some time and should then be restored to the USB 3.0 ports of my ASUS Zenbook UX 501 and ASUS Zenbook UX 305, which I have already presented to you in more detail.
What I also tried – it did not work. The hard disk was recognized as an external disk, the size of the disk was also displayed correctly, but my data was not displayed correctly. The hard disk was officially empty. After a trip of brief panic, the cross-check – on the MacBook the hard drive was recognized, all data present.
Problem: The file system of the external hard drive was formatted as “OS X Extended” under Mac OS. A format that Windows generally cannot read and thus is not suitable for a backup between two different operating systems.
Solution: At short notice, I ordered an external Intenso HD hard drive from Amazon for just 60 EUR, which is formatted with the Windows format “FAT32” and is recognized both on a MacBook, as well as on a Windows computer without any problems. So be sure to use an external hard drive that was not created in MAC OS format, but has the FAT32 format. These will also work without problems later on smart TVs or even Playstation and XBOX One.
Tips for switching from Mac to Windows – Adobe applications
After my switch from Windows to Mac OS more than five years ago, there was the problem with the licenses for the applications at that time, such as Photoshop, Dreamweaver, After Effects and Adobe Premiere. Those who had bought licenses for the Windows versions at that time could not easily continue to use them on an Apple computer, but required a call to ADOBE customer support (phone DE: 0800 752 2580) and could then buy the licenses for Mac OS again at discounted versions (or upgrade prices).
Fortunately, with the advent of Adobe’s Creative Cloud, this problem has now gone away. Applications can be downloaded directly for the Windows system at no extra cost, the “login” remains valid, and all apps are available. The files that you have already created under Mac OS, you can simply transfer as described above. Alternatively, you can save your files in the Adobe Cloud and download them again from there.
Keynote and Pages applications when switching from Mac to Windows
Problem: Many of my presentations on Blogger Relations for businesses and also for bloggers have been created on Apple Keynote. Currently there are over 2,000 different slides that can be exported to Microsoft Power-Point, but the formats change. So, in order to continue using the slides without any problems, some time of layout post-processing would be necessary for each presentation.
Solution: As an Apple user, you automatically have an iCloud or Me email address and thus access to the iCloud. There you will also find the programs Pages, Keynote and Numbers and can easily process the files in the browser. Simply upload the presentations to the cloud before your move and they will be available in the browser on Windows and on your ASUS Zenbook. Note that depending on the size of your Keynote presentations, you may need to increase your free storage in iCloud.
Tips when switching from Mac to Windows – Switching email program
Problem when switching from Mac to Windows: If you’ve worked with Apple Mail as your mail program for years, you’ll have cursed the program at times, especially when you have a large number of emails, but you’ll also have appreciated it just as much in many ways. I have maintained my several 10,000 emails for years using the Mail.app and it has been perfect. There is no identical app for multiple mailboxes for Windows and my ASUS Zenbooks.
Solution: I reviewed the different mail programs for the Windows system and besides the free Thunderbird mail program from the Modzilla Foundation, there is of course the well-known “Outlook” from Microsoft. Even with all the different extensions that are available for Thunderbird, I chose Outlook. Microsoft offers Outlook, together with the Office package with Excel, Word, PowerPoint also, similar to Adobe, for monthly rent in the cloud. The cost for this is EUR 10.00 per month. Should I later find another email solution when switching from Mac to Windows, I can easily still switch and cancel the package with Microsoft.
Instructions for switching from Mac to Windows – virus program / security
Problem: The topic of viruses was practically not a big issue with Mac OS and was almost not needed. One might have a free virus app running in the background. The risk of a virus or a dangerous EXE file was not present, or was intercepted directly by Apple’s system.
Solution: With Windows, of course, the topic of viruses and viruses is much better known and a solution had to be found. Basically, of course – do not click on any link and do not open any attachment, whose origin you do not know. Nevertheless, the system had to be secured. ASUS included a 60-day version of McAfee virus protection with the Zenbook, which I installed first. I’ve tested several solutions for switching from Mac to Windows, and nearly every one of the following four vendors is equally good: Antivir, BitDefener, Kaspersky Internet Security, and Norton Security. I chose Norton Internet Security because I already knew it from before and where for 37.00 EUR five devices (and thus also my second ASUS Zenbook) are protected.
Browser with Safari or Chrome to switch from Mac to Windows
Problem: Those who regularly worked with the Safari browser as Apple users and got used to the features will have to change. Since 2011, the Safari browser for Windows is no longer maintained by Apple and thus an alternative must be found to switch from Mac to Windows.
Solution: The choice of providers is diverse. The successor of Internet Explorer is already installed on the ASUS Zenbook with the Windows platform. The Microsoft Edge browser offers a wide range of options, but there are other alternatives – such as Google Chrome browser and Firefox. I chose Google Chrome because I already have it installed on my Android smartphone and also already had it installed as a second browser on my Macbook. Once the bookmarks are imported you can have them automatically synced with your Google account between all your devices (including smartphones and tablets).
How to switch from Mac to Windows – Life in the cloud
Problem: Countless USB sticks, external hard drives and multiple computers. Files for one email often already too large and too complicated. How do I store my files for all systems without having to take a lot with me and yet have everything at my fingertips.
Solution: I already opted for Google Drive two years ago and had the storage there expanded to 2 TB. All important files, where I also work on them with several people, are in the cloud. If I ever need a file on another computer, I simply start the cloud from that computer. The problem with the automatic synchronization of directories can be adjusted in the Google Drive app, so that not every photo archive with sometimes over 500 GB is also synchronized on the internal hard drive.
I have created directories in my Google Drive that automatically synchronize. Archive directories are only loaded into the cloud, but no longer synchronized with the internal hard drive. This saves me a lot of hard drive capacity that I can use for other tasks. If I want to share a larger file (e.g. a large collection of photos in original quality), I can simply send the link to the file and the recipient can download just that one file.
CONCLUSION – Switching and changing from Mac to Windows
Once you get used to the various small changes after switching from Mac to Windows, you can work very quickly and very efficiently with the Windows system on both ASUS Zenbooks (UX 501 and UX305). ASUS has managed to make sure that each system updates in the background, so the latest drivers are installed quickly.
For me, after six years on Apple systems, it was an interesting switch from Mac to Windows and after two months on ASUS laptops and with Windows, I have become well accustomed to the system and can manage my everyday life very well. For on the road I usually resort to my ASUS Zenbook UX 305, for larger calculations (such as Adobe Premiere, After Effects, etc.) I choose the Zenbook UX 501, which I will also introduce to you in the coming weeks.
Update and final conclusion on switching from Mac to Windows
Bottom line on switching from Mac to Windows as a blogger and YouTuber. Why did you switch from Mac OS to Windows, why did you trade in your Macbook for an ASUS Zenbook. How can anyone turn their back on Apple? After all, Apple’s laptops are the best laptops in the world. These were just some of the comments I heard after switching and moving from Mac to Windows and ASUS. A voluntary decision to use “Windows” – that can’t be. Yes I voluntarily decided to do the review and switch. But did I regret the move?
Switching from Mac to Windows- was the move worth it?
First of all, it was more of a return in switching from Mac to Windows. Before using my Apple MacBooks and iMacs, my machines were already from ASUS and ran Windows 7 and Windows Vista respectively. I was very familiar with many of the features and yet there were some surprises for me as well when I returned or even got my first impressions of ASUS during IFA 2015 in Berlin.
Gone are the days of creaky cases, matte screen and the feel of a work laptop or general gamer laptop. The new Zenbooks are stylish, look good and have a high-quality build. The days of cases that you worry about bending are several years ago. An aluminum case is no longer a rarity, and the displays are equipped with extremely good quality.
Switching from Mac to Windows – ASUS Zenbook UX501
The quality of the ASUS Zenbook UX501, which is however under the keyboard in the details, is often unparalleled. High-quality processors, good graphics cards and sufficient memory for complex graphics editing. My multimedia laptop, the ASUS UX501 computed my YouTube clips in no time and offered a razor-sharp picture with the 4K UHD display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels.
The solution of two hard drives with a fast internal SSD hard drive for all important programs and a second internal hard drive with one terabyte is very well solved. Photos for editing, video files as raw material are stored on the sufficient hard drive space and only loaded when needed.
The UX501’s keyboard is fantastic – absolutely recommendable especially for frequent typists. There is hardly a laptop on which you can write your texts so quickly with ten fingers. Good key spacing, good stroke behavior and due to the illumination also good to use at dusk or during a night flight. Thought through to the last detail.
As already mentioned in the detailed review, the Zenbook has a very good sound system with Bang & Olufsen Technology and the battery life in regular office use and for maintaining my blogs is more than sufficient, only when computing large video files it is recommended to use the power adapter.
The ASUS Zenbook UX501 is a perfect multimedia laptop with a very good price-performance ratio. Especially in comparison to other manufacturers, ASUS manages a very good device for high demands with the UX501.
Switching from Mac to Windows – ASUS Zenbook UX305
The small “always-on laptop” from ASUS – the ASUS Zenbook UX305 is the perfect answer to other Ultrabooks and Air laptops and offers a very good laptop with Windows with its 13-inch screen and Full HD resolution.
With an internal hard drive of 512 GB and a device price of well under 1500 EUR, the high-end ultrabook is in a league of its own. Fast computing power with the Intel i7 processor, 8 GB of internal storage and a good display.
The battery life is stated at 12 hours and eight hours on the plane without a charger were managed without any problems. For bloggers and as a “handbag laptop” a perfect choice and as visible in many photos, very often with me in the handbag or also in presentations and lectures in use.
ASUS has long since achieved the way from gray laptop to stylish laptop. People like to take the Zenbook series laptops in their hands, like to show off the laptop and especially like to work with the laptops. The Zenbook series is a stylish it-piece with an excellent configuration, which I can recommend without reservation.
What do I miss since switching from Mac to Windows?
First of all, I have to say that over the past six months since switching from Mac to Windows, I’ve been missing my MacBooks less by the hour, and there are only a few things that are annoying or slightly tarnish the perfect experience.
Trackpad – compared to the trackpads I’m familiar with on Apple Macbooks, the built-in trackpads are more difficult to use. However, it must also be said quite clearly that the trackpads in Apple laptops and as an external trackpad are to be regarded as a reference. Unfortunately, all Windows trackpads are still some steps away from development in terms of response and click behavior. ASUS manages a very good product with the trackpads in both Zenbooks, but does not come close to the reference class.
As written in both single tests of the Zenbooks UX 305 and UX 501, I have an external mouse on both devices when I use the devices stationary for a longer time, but I also fall back on the trackpads on the go. If ASUS improves a bit in this area – it would be the perfect notebook for all Windows fans.
Fan noise – if you expect a lot of computing power, of course, you will also always come into contact with warm processors and a hot interior. The heat has to be removed and naturally causes noise. Compared to the Macbooks used so far, the fans are used much more often – but the volume is still acceptable at any time and video clips for YouTube are calculated in a fraction of the time. I can live with that very well.
Windows10 – this area does not concern the ASUS devices in particular, but simply Windows. The development with Windows has gone in the right direction and creates a much better operating system again, compared to Windows 8 and Windows 7. However, those who know the stable Mac OS interfaces (especially Yosemite) will miss something. Unfortunately, ASUS cannot change anything about this development and is already steering in the right direction with updates with its own on-top solutions. Only a small piece is missing to the one hundred percent comfort of Apple in software solutions for absolute conviction when switching from Mac to Windows.
Switching from Mac to Windows – CONCLUSION
I never regretted my move from Mac to Windows and from MacBooks to ASUS Zenbooks and Zen AiO desktop solutions at any time and it was an interesting experience with many challenges switching from Mac to Windows.
For those who have never worked on a MAC OS system, the ASUS Zenbooks and Windows will be a very good and forward-thinking choice and you won’t miss a thing. The devices include everything needed for today’s gamers, bloggers and YouTubers at a very good price/performance ratio. The devices are stylish and very future-proof for the next few years.
Those who have already worked with a Mac for a longer time will discover a few small things in the workflow that are always noticeable and can be a bit annoying in a few points. However, this does not directly affect the quality, the components or the screens, but primarily the Windows operating system.
Before the review and switching from Mac to Windows, I had made my own target, I will try it for at least three to four months to see if I can manage my everyday life with the devices from ASUS without any problems or if I will return to a Macbook after all. I have to be honest, I can’t conclude the review for myself yet and will extend my own review for a few more weeks or months and continue to travel with my two Zenbooks.
I am curious about the further developments that ASUS will present in the next few months and would still be happy about a small progress with the trackpads. and of course look at the new devices directly at the IFA Berlin 2016. At the same time, I will continue to appreciate the good processor performance on my YouTube video clips when it only takes a few minutes to compute the next video and not a few hours….
Whatever decision you make when switching from Mac to Windows, whether it’s Windows or MAC OS – it’s what’s known as a “good decision.” But if it should be a Windows computer – I can really recommend the ASUS devices without reservation.
