Windows & macOS

C4D Migrator does the same migration on both platforms. The differences are in where Cinema 4D keeps things and in what each operating system lets an app touch.

Where things are

	Windows	macOS
Settings folders	%APPDATA%\Maxon\Maxon Cinema 4D <version>_<ID>\	~/Library/Preferences/Maxon/Maxon Cinema 4D <version>_<ID>/
Program folder	C:\Program Files\Maxon Cinema 4D <version>\	/Applications/Maxon Cinema 4D <version>/
Snapshots	%APPDATA%\Chroma C4D Migrator\snapshots\	~/Library/Application Support/Chroma C4D Migrator/snapshots/
App log (migrator.log)	%APPDATA%\Chroma\C4D Migrator\	~/Library/Application Support/london.chroma.c4d-migrator/

Each Cinema 4D install has its own settings folder, with an ID after the version. The Commandline, Team Render client and server, and c4dpy each get a sibling folder ending _x, _c, _s and _p — but only once they have been run.

On a Mac, the Cinema 4D “program folder” is a plain folder in Applications that holds Cinema 4D.app and its companions. The migrator also looks in your own ~/Applications folder, and on Windows in the 64-bit Program Files folder.

Windows

• Administrator rights. The app asks for them when it starts, because Cinema 4D keeps some plugins and scripts under Program Files. The title bar shows (Administrator) when it has them.
• Links for command-line and Team Render are directory links; where Windows won’t make one, a junction is used instead. Either works the same for Cinema 4D.
• Cleanup can run Maxon’s own uninstaller for the old version (run the maxon uninstaller), then delete what it leaves behind.
• Non-English Windows is supported. 1.0.3 fixed a Preview screen that stopped part-drawn on German Windows.

macOS

• Apple silicon only.
• Full Disk Access. macOS may withhold your ~/Library folders from the app. If the Preview says it can’t read or write a folder there, grant Full Disk Access to C4D Migrator in System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Full Disk Access, then quit and reopen it — macOS only applies the permission on a fresh launch.
• The program folder belongs to the system. /Applications/Maxon Cinema 4D <version>/plugins is owned by an administrator account, and Full Disk Access doesn’t change that. If the Preview says a folder there is not owned by you, either have an administrator give you write access to it, or go back and untick Plugins — Cinema 4D program folder and Scripts — Cinema 4D program folder. A migration of just your settings folder never needs it.
• No uninstaller. Maxon doesn’t ship one for macOS, so Cleanup simply deletes the old version’s folders.

Plugin files on each platform

The C++ rule recognises both platforms’ binaries: .xdl64 (and the older .cdl64) on Windows, .xlib (and the older .dylib) on macOS. A .dylib bundled inside a Python plugin’s own library folder doesn’t count.