E-mail Migration

Your inbox, unchanged. We transfer all your email data, including your specific folder hierarchy, so you can pick up exactly where you left off.

1. How to Request an Email Migration

We handle migrations in a multi-step process to ensure everything is transferred over safely before and after you change your MX records.

Step 1: Prepare the Mailboxes

• Create the mailboxes on our side from your Admin Panel or WHMCS.
  For bulk import (100+ mailboxes), add and verify the domains first, then we can perform a bulk creation of the users from a CSV file (Download example CSV for bulk import users).
• Set temporary passwords. We need the current passwords of the mailboxes to perform the migration, but please do not request these from your customers. Instead, set up temporary passwords with the previous provider and inform your customers what passwords to use during the migration. They can continue using the current provider until the MX records are changed.
• Collect the IMAP server address of the previous provider. For some providers, like Google Workspace, you will need to enable IMAP access and set up application passwords for each mailbox. 

Tip: Managing Local Delivery 
By default, our system routes emails locally between domains hosted on our servers, even if your MX records still point to your old provider. To avoid delivery errors during your transition, set Local Delivery to No. You can change this back to Yes once all your users are added and your MX records are officially pointed to us.

Step 2: Submit Your Request

• Batch your requests: We recommend one ticket per migration batch (1 to 2 domains are the easy to manage, especially for DNS updates and client setups).
• Open a Support Ticket. Visit our Support Portal and
  • Choose "3 - Migrations" as the help topic.
  • Mention the domain(s) you're migrating in the ticket subject line (easier to track progress).
  • Schedule it (optional): Use the "Schedule for" field to set a date and time. We treat this as a "do not start before" limit - perfect for after-hours migrations.

• Attach your migration CSV file: Include your migration CSV file (Download example CSV file for migration) with:

  • the email addresses

  • temporary passwords

  • source IMAP server
    

  • Leave the "Destination Email Address" column completely blank unless the new address is actually changing. 

Note on Trash & Spam: To keep your new inbox clean, we don't migrate the Trash or Spam folders by default. If you need us to bring the Trash folder along, just mention it in your support ticket!

Step 3: The Migration Process

• Automated updates. We send automated emails when the migration starts and when it ends.
• Ticket communication: You can reply to the ticket anytime. To keep your ticket moving swiftly through our active queue, our team will only reply if we need information or to notify you that a step is complete.
• Timeframe & Next steps: Migrations usually take under 24 hours, depending on data size and the old server's speed. Once the initial transfer is done, we will update your ticket with instructions for the next steps.

Step 4: Final Sync and Client Setup

• Update the DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, webmail, etc.) for the domains to point to our servers ( use the information in this guide: DNS Configuration).
  

• Important: If you temporarily set Local Delivery to "No" before the migration, it is time to switch it back to "Yes" now.

• Reply to your ticket. Once your MX records are changed, reply to the migration ticket so we can perform the second migration pass. This catches any residual emails delivered to the old provider during the transition.
• Setup your email clients to use the new IMAP and SMTP hostnames. (See Section 4 below).

2. Migrating Other Data

We can also import your Contacts, Calendars, Aliases, Forwards, Distribution Lists, and help you carry over your Outlook rules.

• Contacts and Calendars: you can import them via email or attach exported .vcf files for contacts and .ics files for calendars to your migration support ticket.
• Aliases: Download an example CSV file for alias migration. Fill it out and attach it to your migration ticket.
• Forwards: Download an example CSV file for forwards migration. Fill it out and attach it. Add multiple lines for a single user if they have multiple forwards.
• Distribution Lists: Create the empty list in your Admin Panel first. Then, download an example CSV file for list migration, listing each member on a separate line, and attach it to your ticket.
• Outlook Rules & Filters: Your organizational rules are tied to your specific Outlook profile. To keep them, export your rules (.rwz file) from the old Outlook profile via File > Manage Rules & Alerts > Options > Export Rules. Once you set up your new profile (see Section 4), import that same file into it.

3. What to Expect After Migration

Your Folder Structure & The Auto-Archive Feature

We transfer all your email data and folder hierarchy. However, to ensure your service remains fast and reliable, our system uses an automated optimization tool.

• The 10,000 Item Threshold: If any folder contains more than 10,000 emails, our system automatically moves older messages into an archive sub-folder. For example, if your "Inbox" has over 10,000 emails, older messages will be moved to Archive.Inbox.2023, Archive.Inbox.2022, etc.
  
• Why we do this: This prevents email clients from slowing down or corrupting data files, and keeps webmail searches nearly instantaneous.
• Current + Last Year: Active folders retain messages from the current year and the previous year. Older data is safely moved to archives.
• Full Accessibility: Archived emails remain fully searchable and accessible across all your devices. If a folder seems to have fewer messages than expected after a migration, simply check the sub-folders for an Archive directory.

Missing emails? Check your archive folders.
If you notice a folder has fewer messages than expected after migration, don't worry, your data is safe. Simply check the sub-folders for an Archive directory. All your historical data remains fully searchable and accessible across all your devices.

4. Updating Your Email Clients

When it is time to connect your email apps (Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, eM Client, iOS, Android, etc.) to our servers, you must follow this one crucial rule to avoid corrupting your setup or losing your email history.

The Golden Rule: Always Add a New Account / Profile

Do not simply edit your existing IMAP or POP profile to change the server names. Overwriting an old profile often causes the setup to fail.

1. Keep your current email account profile untouched as a reference.

2. Add a completely new account or profile to your app using your new server details.

3. Once the new account is verified, syncing, and set as the default, you can safely delete the old one.

For step-by-step configuration guides for your specific app, please visit: Setup IMAP on email clients.

5. If You Were Previously Using a POP3 Connection

If you were using a POP3 connection in Outlook or another email client, your emails are likely stored only on your local computer and not on the previous server.

Backup First: Before you begin, export your entire profile as a local backup ( like a PST file in Outlook).

• Local Storage Risk: Since your computer is the only home for these emails, this backup is critical to prevent permanent data loss.

• The Transition: Create your new IMAP profile first. Once active, you can import your old PST/backup file into the new profile to merge your history with the new service.

• Safety Check: Do not delete your old account profile until you are 100% sure your data has been successfully imported into the new one.