Productivity Files

• Your files from programs such as Microsoft Office Suite can work seamlessly on a Mac if you use Office for Mac. If you use iWork instead, Apple's office counterpart, you can transfer your Word, Excel and PowerPoint files over to the new computer, and the iWork programs will automatically convert them to the correct format. In this case, save your files in compatibility mode (.doc instead of .docx, and the Excel and PowerPoint counterparts) before you transfer for best results. Common file formats that work well on both Mac and PC platforms with the native software include PDF, RTF, TXT and CSV. Open Office is an open source, free program that also can open MS Office files.
  
  

Image Files

• Your photos should not need any conversion, as both Macs and PCs use standard file formats for these items, most commonly JPEG, GIF and TIFF. If you use photo editing software, you may need to add compatible software on your Mac to access images stored in formats particular to that software. You can also use your PC software to export to standard formats.
  
  

Audio and Video

• File formats used by Windows Media Player on a PC are not compatible with Apple computers. PCs use WMV, WMA and similar file formats, while Macs use MP3, MPEG and a variety of other formats. The easiest way to convert your media files without purchasing conversion software is to use iTunes. Install the PC version of iTunes on your Windows computer and import all of your media files into the software. It will automatically convert your files to Mac-compatible formats. You can then transfer the "ITunes Media" folder from your "My Music" folder on the PC to the "Music" folder on your Mac for access through iTunes on the Mac.
  
  

Other Files

• For more specialized files, such as accounting programs or databases, see if you can install a Mac version of the software you currently use on the PC. This will accept the same file formats you already have. If this is not possible, choose the software you want to use for the same purpose on your Mac, and then see if your PC software will export to a compatible format. If not, you may need to use a third-party file converter. There are many online and downloadable options, both free and paid. Use only software from developers you trust and run your security software while downloading conversion software or using a conversion website to protect your data and computer from malicious software.