Migrating e-mail accounts can be necessary in various situations, for example when transferring a domain name while changing providers. E-mails that are already stored with the current hosting environment will not automatically move, so a manual migration is required. Although the process can be a bit technical, it is possible. The steps detailed here will guide you through the process.
An alternative to the method described here is to migrate your email using imapsync.
Before You Begin
Make sure you have already created the necessary e-mail accounts in your hosting package. If not, follow the steps in the setup guide first.
To migrate e-mail, you will need an e-mail client such as Outlook, Apple Mail, or Thunderbird. This guide uses Thunderbird as an example, since it is available for all major operating systems.
Ensure you have access to both the old provider’s mail server and the new one at the same time. The migration should be performed during the transition period — when the new hosting package is active, the domain has not yet been transferred, and the old hosting provider’s server is still accessible.
E-mail migration must be performed for each account individually. Depending on the size of the accounts, the process may take a significant amount of time.
Copying e-mail
1. If the e-mail program you are now using to copy the e-mail was not previously used to manage e-mail with the old provider, you will need to set up the e-mail account first. The details required for this can be obtained from your former provider. Use the IMAP protocol to retrieve email.
2. Create a new e-mail account in the same e-mail program — this will be the account you set up with your current hosting environment. Detailed instructions for various email programs can be found in the linked documentation. When configuring the account, make sure to:
Use the IMAP protocol for retrieving email.
Enter the correct mail server details provided by your hosting provider.
3. At this point, the same email account is configured twice within your email program:
One connection points to the old provider’s mail server.
The other connection points to the new hosting environment.
4. In your e-mail program, select the messages you want to transfer to the new account. Use the program's built-in copy function to move them.
Example (Thunderbird): Right-click the selected messages and choose 'Copy to'.
5. The e-mail program will begin copying the selected messages. If the mailbox contains a large number of e-mails, the process may take some time. Once the transfer is complete, the messages will be available in the new account.