Whether you’re setting up a new Mac, sorting out a problem that’s been bothering you for weeks, or trying to get your iPhone and iPad working properly with everything else, we can help. Most of the calls we get aren’t about anything dramatic, just everyday things that get in the way of using your Apple gear the way you want to.
New Mac setup & migration
Getting a new Mac set up properly from the start makes a real difference. We migrate your files, photos, apps and settings across from your old Mac using Apple’s own Migration Assistant, and if that’s not the right fit for your situation, we’re just as happy to move things across manually, useful when you only want to bring some files and settings across rather than everything, or when you’re consolidating two old computers into one new Mac. We also help with cloud migrations, moving your files and documents from one cloud service to another, for example from iCloud to OneDrive, or the other way around, so everything lands in the right place and nothing gets lost or duplicated along the way. See our Backup & Peace of Mind page for more on choosing and switching between cloud and local backup options.
Once you’re up and running, we sign you in correctly to iCloud, the App Store and your email accounts, and connect your printers, external drives and other devices without leftover software conflicts from the old machine.
Troubleshooting a slow or unreliable Mac
If your Mac has slowed down, keeps freezing, won’t wake up properly from sleep, or you’re seeing storage warnings that don’t make sense, we’ll work out what’s actually going on. That might mean clearing up start-up items, sorting out a full hard drive, checking for failing hardware, or simply making sure macOS and your apps are properly up to date, rather than just suggesting a restart and hoping for the best.
iPhone & iPad support
A lot of Mac problems are really Apple ecosystem problems, your iPhone and iPad not syncing properly with your Mac, photos not appearing where you expect them across devices, or your Apple ID behaving inconsistently. We help sort out the whole picture, including setting up a new iPhone or iPad, transferring data from an old device, and getting iCloud syncing working properly across everything you own.
Setting up a home office
If you’re working from home, even occasionally, we can help set up a proper desk arrangement, additional monitors, a decent webcam and microphone for video calls, and printers or scanners that actually work with your Mac. A home office also usually means getting your everyday work tools right, cloud file storage so your documents are accessible and backed up wherever you’re working from, and Microsoft Office set up properly for spreadsheets, documents and presentations. See our Microsoft Office & Email for Home page for more on choosing and setting up Office. We can also help you get comfortable with using your Mac for remote work generally, including video conferencing software and file sharing with colleagues.
Software support for common home-user needs
Beyond the everyday app troubleshooting we do as a matter of course, installing and updating software, sorting out app permission issues, and dealing with apps that keep crashing, we also help with some specific, commonly-needed software:
Running Windows on your Mac, for the odd piece of Windows-only software many home users still need, often for tax time or a specific piece of banking or government software. Parallels Desktop lets you run Windows alongside macOS on the same machine without needing to restart into a different operating system, and we can help get it installed, configured and running properly, including getting your Windows apps talking to your Mac’s files.
Graphic design, web design or CAD software, we’re happy to help with the odd request involving these, though this isn’t a dedicated service we offer for home users, so it’s best suited to a one-off setup or troubleshooting question rather than ongoing project work.
Is your old Mac still worth keeping?
Not every ageing Mac needs replacing. For eligible Intel-based iMacs (the models before Apple’s own M-series chips), we offer a storage or memory upgrade that can give it a genuinely useful second life at a fraction of the cost of buying new, and can make a real difference if it’s been running slowly or running out of space. If you’re not sure whether your Mac is a good candidate, we’re happy to have a look and give you an honest answer either way.
Related help: Backup & Peace of Mind, Microsoft Office & Email for Home, Home Help, Contact.
Not sure where to start with your Mac?
Whether it’s something brand new or something that’s been quietly annoying you for months, we’re happy to have a chat about it.