Moving email to a new provider: the complete guide
Want to move your email to another provider without losing messages? This guide explains step by step how an IMAP migration works.
Why an IMAP migration is the safest route
In an IMAP migration your folders and messages are copied one-to-one from your old mailbox to your new one. Because it copies rather than moves, your old mailbox stays fully intact. If you are switching providers, you can always fall back on the original until you are sure everything landed correctly.
IMAP works with almost every provider: Gmail, Microsoft 365, TransIP, Hostnet, your own hosting package. As long as both sides support IMAP, you can migrate.
What you need before you start
You need the IMAP server name, port (almost always 993 with SSL) and login details of both your old (source) and new (target) mailbox. For Gmail and Microsoft 365 you use an app password instead of your regular password.
Measure how large your mailbox is beforehand. That tells you whether you stay within the free allowance or whether costs apply.
The migration in five steps
Create an account, connect both mailboxes, test for free how much there is to move, start the copy and close your laptop — the migration runs on the server. You get a message as soon as everything is across.
Only change your MX records once the migration is finished and you are sure your new mailbox works. That way you miss no incoming mail during the switch.