Terminal > Migrate to Warp
Migrate to Warp from macOS Terminal
# Migrate to Warp from macOS Terminal Warp gives Terminal.app users everything they already have — shell, theme, font, prompt — plus split panes, tabs, blocks, and Agent Mode for an AI-assisted workflow. This page walks through both an agent-driven migration and the manual GUI steps. ## What transfers automatically Warp doesn't ship a Terminal.app importer, but it can do most of the work for you agentically. Most Terminal.app users run near-default settings, so the migration usually takes only a few minutes either way. ## Use Warp's agent to migrate your settings (recommended) The fastest way to bring over a Terminal.app theme is to ask Warp's agent to translate it directly. Warp ships a [`settings.toml` file](/terminal/settings/) and a bundled `modify-settings` skill that lets the agent read your Terminal.app preferences and write equivalent values into Warp's settings, including creating a matching [custom theme](/terminal/appearance/custom-themes/). 1. In Warp, open a new tab and switch to [Agent Mode](/agent-platform/local-agents/overview/) with `⌘+I`. 2. Paste a prompt like: > Read my Terminal.app preferences with `defaults read com.apple.Terminal` and port the active profile (theme, font, window size) into my Warp `settings.toml` using the `modify-settings` skill. Create a matching custom theme. Show me a diff before applying. 3. Review the proposed diff and approve. Warp hot-reloads `settings.toml`. If you'd rather configure each setting manually through the Settings UI, the steps below cover the most common cases. ## What to reconfigure manually ### Shell Warp auto-detects your login shell on first launch. macOS has shipped with `zsh` as the default since Catalina (2019); if you changed your shell with `chsh`, Warp picks that up too. To change it later, go to **Settings** > **Features** > **Session** and pick a shell from **Startup shell for new sessions**. ### Theme and colors Terminal.app ships with a handful of profiles (Basic, Pro, Homebrew, Ocean, etc.). Match them in Warp: 1. Open **Settings** > **Appearance** > **Themes**. 2. Pick a preset theme. Warp's built-in library includes many themes similar to Terminal.app's defaults. 3. For exact color matches, [create a custom theme](/terminal/appearance/custom-themes/) using the ANSI color values you can inspect in Terminal.app's **Settings** > **Profiles** > **Text** tab. ### Font 1. In **Settings** > **Appearance** > **Text, fonts, & cursor**, pick your font family and size to match what you use in Terminal.app. ### Window size and transparency Configure in **Settings** > **Appearance** > **Size, opacity, & blurring**. See [size, opacity, and blurring](/terminal/appearance/size-opacity-blurring/). ### Prompt Terminal.app uses whatever prompt your shell's PS1 (or zsh's PROMPT) defines. In Warp, choose: 1. [**Warp prompt**](/terminal/appearance/prompt/#warp-prompt) - Warp's native prompt with drag-and-drop chips for git branch, directory, and more. 2. [**Shell prompt (PS1)**](/terminal/appearance/prompt/#custom-prompt) - keeps your existing shell prompt exactly as it appears in Terminal.app. Configure in **Settings** > **Appearance** > **Prompt**. ## Warp-native equivalents Most Terminal.app features have a Warp equivalent with additional capabilities on top: | From Terminal.app | In Warp | | --- | --- | | Profiles | [Tab configs](/terminal/windows/tab-configs/) for layouts and startup commands; [themes](/terminal/appearance/themes/) for appearance (Warp has no single profile object) | | Window groups / arrangements | [Tab configs](/terminal/windows/tab-configs/) | | Tabs | [Tabs](/terminal/windows/tabs/), [vertical tabs](/terminal/windows/vertical-tabs/) | | Split panes | [Split panes](/terminal/windows/split-panes/) (Terminal.app doesn't support) | | Copy-on-select | **Settings** > **Features** > **Session** | | Inspector | [Command inspector](/terminal/editor/command-inspector/) (exit code, duration, working directory) | Beyond matching Terminal.app, Warp adds [Agent Mode](/agent-platform/local-agents/overview/) for natural-language commands, [blocks](/terminal/blocks/) for structured command output, and [Warp Drive](/knowledge-and-collaboration/warp-drive/) for shared workflows. New to Warp? Start with the [Warp quickstart](/quickstart/).Switch from the default macOS Terminal app to Warp. Match your setup and discover what Warp adds beyond the basics.
Warp gives Terminal.app users everything they already have — shell, theme, font, prompt — plus split panes, tabs, blocks, and Agent Mode for an AI-assisted workflow. This page walks through both an agent-driven migration and the manual GUI steps.
What transfers automatically
Section titled “What transfers automatically”Warp doesn’t ship a Terminal.app importer, but it can do most of the work for you agentically. Most Terminal.app users run near-default settings, so the migration usually takes only a few minutes either way.
Use Warp’s agent to migrate your settings (recommended)
Section titled “Use Warp’s agent to migrate your settings (recommended)”The fastest way to bring over a Terminal.app theme is to ask Warp’s agent to translate it directly. Warp ships a settings.toml file and a bundled modify-settings skill that lets the agent read your Terminal.app preferences and write equivalent values into Warp’s settings, including creating a matching custom theme.
-
In Warp, open a new tab and switch to Agent Mode with
⌘+I. -
Paste a prompt like:
Read my Terminal.app preferences with
defaults read com.apple.Terminaland port the active profile (theme, font, window size) into my Warpsettings.tomlusing themodify-settingsskill. Create a matching custom theme. Show me a diff before applying. -
Review the proposed diff and approve. Warp hot-reloads
settings.toml.
If you’d rather configure each setting manually through the Settings UI, the steps below cover the most common cases.
What to reconfigure manually
Section titled “What to reconfigure manually”Warp auto-detects your login shell on first launch. macOS has shipped with zsh as the default since Catalina (2019); if you changed your shell with chsh, Warp picks that up too.
To change it later, go to Settings > Features > Session and pick a shell from Startup shell for new sessions.
Theme and colors
Section titled “Theme and colors”Terminal.app ships with a handful of profiles (Basic, Pro, Homebrew, Ocean, etc.). Match them in Warp:
- Open Settings > Appearance > Themes.
- Pick a preset theme. Warp’s built-in library includes many themes similar to Terminal.app’s defaults.
- For exact color matches, create a custom theme using the ANSI color values you can inspect in Terminal.app’s Settings > Profiles > Text tab.
- In Settings > Appearance > Text, fonts, & cursor, pick your font family and size to match what you use in Terminal.app.
Window size and transparency
Section titled “Window size and transparency”Configure in Settings > Appearance > Size, opacity, & blurring. See size, opacity, and blurring.
Prompt
Section titled “Prompt”Terminal.app uses whatever prompt your shell’s PS1 (or zsh’s PROMPT) defines. In Warp, choose:
- Warp prompt - Warp’s native prompt with drag-and-drop chips for git branch, directory, and more.
- Shell prompt (PS1) - keeps your existing shell prompt exactly as it appears in Terminal.app.
Configure in Settings > Appearance > Prompt.
Warp-native equivalents
Section titled “Warp-native equivalents”Most Terminal.app features have a Warp equivalent with additional capabilities on top:
| From Terminal.app | In Warp |
|---|---|
| Profiles | Tab configs for layouts and startup commands; themes for appearance (Warp has no single profile object) |
| Window groups / arrangements | Tab configs |
| Tabs | Tabs, vertical tabs |
| Split panes | Split panes (Terminal.app doesn’t support) |
| Copy-on-select | Settings > Features > Session |
| Inspector | Command inspector (exit code, duration, working directory) |
Beyond matching Terminal.app, Warp adds Agent Mode for natural-language commands, blocks for structured command output, and Warp Drive for shared workflows. New to Warp? Start with the Warp quickstart.