This article provides steps to restore your entire Mac by using the Active Backup Recovery Wizard and Apple Migration Assistant.

• Supported macOS versions:
  • macOS Sequoia 15
  • macOS Sonoma 14
  • macOS Ventura 13
  • macOS Monterey 12
  • macOS Big Sur 11
  • macOS Catalina 10.15.7
• Supported file systems:
  • APFS

Enable Full Disk Access

Enable Full Disk Access to ensure that the Active Backup for Business Recovery Wizard can access all data from your device to perform recovery operations.

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Go to Security & Privacy Preferences > Privacy and click Full Disk Access from the left panel.
3. Tick the checkbox for Active Backup for Business Recovery Wizard. If the lock in the lower-left corner is locked, click it to unlock the Privacy pane.

Enable kernel extensions

To restore your Mac, the Active Backup for Business Recovery Wizard requires access to kernel extensions.

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Go to Security & Privacy Preferences > General.
3. If the lock in the lower-left corner is locked, click it to unlock the preference pane.
4. Click Enable system extensions.
5. Restart your Mac.

For Macs with Apple silicon

If you're using a Mac with Apple silicon, you need to change the system security level to allow extensions. You will need to shut down your Mac during this process, so we suggest that you open this article on your mobile device.

1. Click on the Apple menu > Shut Down. Press and hold the power button until you see "Loading startup options".
2. Click Options > Continue.
3. Click Utilities > Startup Security Utility.
4. Select the startup disk, which should be named "Macintosh HD" if you didn't change its name previously.
5. Click Security Policy.
6. Select Reduced Security and then Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers.
7. Click OK and restart your Mac.

Install the Active Backup for Business Recovery Wizard

1. Open the Active Backup for Business Recovery Wizard.
2. Enter your NAS login credentials.
3. Select the device and task you want to restore, and click Next.
4. Select a backup version and click Next.
5. Select the volumes you want to restore and click Next. The Active Backup Recovery Wizard automatically maps volumes from the backup source to the available containers on your Mac. You can also click the ⋯ more icon to move the volumes you want to restore to a different container of your choice¹.
6. Review the restoration settings and click Next to begin the restoration.
7. If you selected the system volume for restoration, click Restore Now to launch Apple Migration Assistant. All apps will be closed during this process, so we suggest that you open this article on your mobile device.

Restore your system volume with Apple Migration Assistant

1. Apple Migration Assistant will automatically launch. Click Continue.
2. Select From a Mac, Time Machine backup or Startup disk, and click Continue.
3. Select the system volume (Macintosh HD) and click Continue.
4. After Apple Migration Assistant is done scanning the files from the volume, select the information that you want to restore, and click Continue.
5. Follow the wizard to finish the restoration setup.
6. After the setup is complete, Apple Migration Assistant will start restoring the system volume.