MacBook Setup Guide & Onsite Support London & South East UK

Get professional help with how to setup a new MacBook Apple Laptop computer by Keith Thomas or choose to arrange for onsite MacBook Setup and installation services in London and the South East UK. Established 2010. Telephone: 07800 940756

What You Need Before You Start setting up a new MacBook Air or a new MacBook Pro laptop computer.

Step 1: Turn On Your MacBook and Begin Setup

The MacBook has a power button which is actually on the keyboard at the top right, this key is also the touch sensor key and is also used for the Apple Recovery Console and MacBook maintenance mode should you need to use this.

All new MacBook laptops come with a MagSafe power cord and the correct wattage power adapter you can also use a Belkin power adapter or another brand power adapter that has the same or more wattage and it’s also possible to order a spare lead, especially if you travel with the MacBook.

The macOS setup process can change as it’s a live Apple ecosystem that Apple makes changes and improvements to the setup process this guide can help you understand the essential steps on how to setup a new MacBook laptop computer, you can also arrange for professional onsite assistance if you are in London or in the South East UK with Keith Thomas a Apple MacBook Software Support Specialist.

Step 2: Choose Your Region and Language

The MacBook will start up with the Apple Logo and then show the Apple Welcome Screen this is when to can choose the Region and the language for your country for the UK United Kingdom you might see British English UK to choose or United Kingdom.

Step 3: Connect to Wi‑Fi

Once you have set the region and the language options, the next step is to connect the new MacBook to your own WiFi wireless network connection, it’s best to avoid using a public WiFi or a hotspot connection as a data needs to be downloaded, as if a public WiFi connection is used this can be unstable and it will probably time out as well, the best way is to have the MacBook connected to your own WiFi network and have the MacBook connected to the supplied power adapter and the supplied power MagSafe cable. You can also use an USB-C cable and the right power adapter as well.

Step 4: Sign In with Your Apple Account (Apple ID) iCloud Account

If you have an existing Apple product for example an Apple iPhone or another Apple device or a Apple Mac computer that is signed into your Apple Account, Apple ID, then when you use your email address or your Apple Account phone number then expect to get a Apple verification code send to one or more of your devices, also do not worry about the location that is shown, this is a known feature and it can say any location in the UK.

My signing into your Apple Account the new MacBook will setup your Apple Computer Account for you, you might have to create a MacBook computer login password which cannot be the same password as your Apple Account, Apple ID)

Once the new MacBook has signed into the Apple Account, for the best setup visit the Apple menu and choose the Apple Account, and then choose show all and ideally switch on the services that you need, especially the Apple iCloud option to use the Desktop and the Documents feature.

The MacBook will show or download the information from the Apple iCloud Drive, iCloud Desktop and iCloud Documents, your Apple iCloud contacts and Apple iCloud Calendars and if you use Apple iCloud email your Apple iCloud emails will be setup automatically to use Apple Mac Mail, but you can choose to download and use Microsoft Outlook for Mac if you use Google Gmail of Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Exchange email accounts, by using Microsoft Outlook for Gmail and for Microsoft Exchange then you can use the Microsoft Sync Technology which works better than Apple Mac Mail for Gmail and Microsoft email accounts.

If you use Apple iCloud Photos and you need to keep the MacBook laptop storage optimised then it’s best to optimise the Apple Photos application settings not to keep the originals on the new MacBook.

A new feature of using the Apple Account on a new MacBook is Apple Passwords, your passwords for websites and other services are made available for you to use, in addition you can also take advantage of the Apple Touch ID key to further setup Apple Passkeys which work well with most websites as no password is required or needed.

A key onsite service by Keith Thomas is to provide expert consultation on Passwords and Apple Security.

Step 5: Check What Has Synced from iCloud

Depending on how much data and your Apple iCloud storage plan is, Apple gives you 5Gb for free to use, most people have 50Gb or 200Gb storage plans, some people have 1Tb or higher storage plans, so the time it takes to check on what has synced from the Apple iCloud to a new MacBook setup can be a few minutes to sometimes a day or several hours, depending on the amount of data and the Wi-Fi wireless connection speed that is available. You can use a new Apple MacBook laptop computer whilst it’s downloading syncing data from the Apple iCloud ecosystem.

Step 6: Transfer Any Missing Local Data

You might have data and information that is not on the Apple iCloud ecosystem, especially if you use Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive or Dropbox or you have local files on another device or even on a Microsoft Windows pc computer, you can use a memory stick or an external storage volume to copy and further additional data and then place the data either in the Apple iCloud system or use the macOS downloads folder to copy the information locally.

Step 7: Using The Apple Migration Assistant (When It Is and Isn’t Recommended)

Apple has a software tool called the Apple Migration Assistant which was developed a long time ago, and as Apple has moved away from Intel technology, the Apple Migration assistant has not yet been updated to support a Intel to Apple Silicon M Technology migration path, as currently using the Apple Migration tool with macOS 26.3 the Intel Applications are copied, which is not ideal, and it’s not the best setup to choose for a new MacBook, the best option is to untick the Applications option and then install the corresponding Apple Silicon Application for example Microsoft 365 for Mac, Office for Mac, Zoom for Apple Silicon, and other third party applications especially Adobe software, if you need to work with Adobe PDF files then you can use the Apple Preview application which is part of macOS and comes with every new MacBook.

You can get professional on-site assistance with a new MacBook setup in London and in the South East UK for expert assistance with an Intel to Apple Silicon migration process.

Step 8: Using an Apple Time Machine Backup (Important Warnings for Intel to Apple Silicon)

The same issues and problems can arise if you have a Apple Time Machine backup that was used on a Apple Intel computer, the same options apply as the Apple Migration assistant, it’s best to download data from the Apple iCloud and also download newer Apple Silicon applications rather than using a Apple Time Machine backup restore, but for some customers the Apple Migration Assistant or a Apple Time Machine backup resource is needed and is necessary.

Step 9: Install macOS Updates

A new Apple MacBook laptop computer might have been boxed in a warehouse for a while, so a new MacBook might have been supplied with a previous macOS software version, this is more likely if a new MacBook was purchased from September to late November, with a new MacBook it’s easy to check and to install and download any macOS updated software that is available by choosing the Apple menu top left Apple logo and then choose system settings, then General, then Software Update menu option.

Step 10: Set Up Mail on Your New MacBook

With a new Apple MacBook Apple Mac Mail is pre installed ready to use to setup your email accounts, especially iCloud Mail as there is no technical setup process required, however if you use Google Mail or Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Outlook email then it is better to use Microsoft Outlook for Mac, as the Apple Mac Mail application will not work well if you have a large inbox or you have many email accounts or you have a high number of Google Labels on a Gmail account, if you do need to use Apple Mac Mail with either a Gmail account or with a Microsoft Exchange account then you can get professional onsite Apple Mail Support in London and in the South East UK from Keith Thomas.

Step 11: Install Essential Applications if necessary

All new MacBook laptops come with macOS software that allows you to use use the internet and to use email on a new MacBook as well as word processing software and spreadsheets software and a new MacBook can open and edit Microsoft Word snd Microsoft Excel files as well, and even export to Adobe PDF format. A key question is that does a new MacBook computer need any additional third party security software?

If you are using a new MacBook laptop computer for home use or for a small business it’s not necessary to download and to use third party software tools as macOS has built in security features, however if you use your own personal MacBook in a workplace location then often you will have to download and use the third party software that is necessary.

Step 12: Set Up Time Machine Backup on Your New MacBook

It is recommended that you use Apple Time Machine to backup a new MacBook, even if you use the Apple iCloud ecosystem, especially for a new MacBook user, as the Apple iCloud ecosystem is a sync technology, and once a file or folder has been deleted or moved to the bin or wastebasket then a limited amount of time, 30 days to recover the data, but with a Apple Time Machine backup in place then further additional protection is possible.

And also if you travel with a MacBook laptop computer and it’s lost or stolen or the screen of keyword becomes damaged then by having a recent Apple Time Machine backup can save a lot of time and also to make setting up a replacement MacBook laptop computer rather straightforward to do.

One of the best Apple Time Machine backup devices is currently a Crucial X10 or a Sandisk or even a Samsung external SSD storage device, if you have an older external storage device or a hard disk and it’s usb A technology and more than 4 years old then this can slow down a new MacBook and a new Apple Time Machine backup is the best option. Expect to pay £100 to £135 for an external SSD storage device, and Apple recommends using one that is twice the size of a new MacBook storage.

On‑Site MacBook Setup Help in London and the South East UK

You can get professional onsite MacBook setup help and onsite MacBook Support services in London and in the South East UK with and from Keith Thomas, a Apple IT Support Specialist and a Apple Mac Computer Engineer that worked for and with Apple Computer UK, and is one of the very few people that provides a unique on-site Apple Support service in London and in the South East UK.

Keith Thomas also provides a MacBook Telephone Support service and also a Remote MacBook support service to help customers that are outside of London and the South East UK and also onsite new MacBook Training services, idea for new MacBook Air and new MacBook Pro users.

H2: Why Choose Keith Thomas for MacBook Setup Support?

Why Choose Keith Thomas

• 20 years of experience as a Senior Apple Support Specialist at Apple Computer UK HQ.

• Former Apple Computer UK Mac Support Specialist and Apple Authorised Service Provider background.

• Established and Independent since 2010 for on‑site Apple Support Service – no call centres, no outsourcing, no hardware repairs. Over 25,000+ Apple problems resolved. Unique on-site Apple Support Service. backed up with Independent Apple Telephone Support Assistance.

• Trusted by home users, small businesses, and professionals across London and the South East UK.• Clear, honest, software‑only support. No Hardware Repairs. Expert Apple Consultancy Service.

Keith Thomas – Independent Apple Support Specialist with Experience at Apple UK

Keith Thomas is an experienced Apple Support Specialist and Apple Mac Computer Engineer, established since 2010. With support knowledge gained from working at Apple Computer UK and several Apple Authorised Service Providers, Keith offers calm, expert help for Mac, iCloud, email, and Apple Account issues delivered on-site in person, at your home or office.

Keith Thomas has a wide range of Apple Mac IT support skills and is recognised as a Mac Expert and Apple iCloud Expert, and has helped over 4,000 clients resolve more than 25,000 Apple‑related problems across London, Surrey, and the South East of the UK.

Every visit is handled personally -no call centre, no remote guesswork, and no outsourced technicians. Keith’s reputation is built on accuracy, discretion, trust, and real-world experience helping clients with setup, migration, upgrade recovery, Apple account issues, and full Apple ecosystem support. Apple Support by Keith Thomas is a Software Support service. No Hardware Repairs.

Contact Keith Thomas by Telephone: 07800 940756 or by Text to: 07800 940756, or simply complete an online website contact form 24/7

if you have a new iMac then you can also review my iMac setup guide, and also Apple MacBook Setup Guide, and Keith Thomas also provides Onsite Apple Support services in London and in the South East UK.

Contact Keith Thomas by Telephone: 07800 940756 or by Text to: 07800 940756, or simply complete an online website contact form 24/7