How to migrate email to a new provider without losing messages

Changing email providers feels risky because the mailbox holds years of correspondence. Done in the right order, a migration is undramatic: you copy everything first, verify it, and only then switch the delivery over.

The migration, step by step

1. Inventory what you have. Mailboxes, aliases, forwarding rules, filters, signatures and any external tools that send as your domain.
2. Create the mailboxes at the new provider with matching addresses so nothing has to be renamed later.
3. Copy the mail over IMAP. Use the new provider's import tool, or a desktop client with both accounts configured. Folder structure comes across with the messages.
4. Verify. Compare folder counts, check that attachments open and that older messages are complete.
5. Publish the new provider's SPF and DKIM records before switching delivery, so authenticated mail is ready to flow.
6. Change the MX records to the new provider. Delivery moves over as DNS propagates.
7. Keep the old mailbox open for at least a week and re-run the import once at the end to catch stragglers.
8. Close the old account only after a quiet period with no new mail arriving there.

Before you start

Two preparations save most of the pain. First, if the old account has two-factor authentication enabled, generate an app password — IMAP tools cannot answer a 2FA prompt. Second, check the old provider's IMAP limits: some throttle connections, so a large mailbox may take hours. Start the copy in the evening rather than during a busy morning.

Note what is not carried by an IMAP copy: server-side filter rules, calendar entries, contacts and out-of-office settings usually have to be exported and re-imported separately, or simply recreated.

Timing the switch

Do the MX change on a quiet day, not the day before a deadline. Between the change and full DNS propagation, some senders reach the old server and some the new one — which is exactly why the old mailbox stays open. A short TTL on the MX record set a day in advance makes the transition quicker.

After the move

• Update the address in any system that sends on your behalf (CRM, invoicing, marketing tools) and add them to SPF.
• Recreate filters and the signature in the new webmail.
• Reconfigure phones and desktop clients with the new server settings.
• Watch bounce messages for the first week — they point to anything you missed.

> Tip: do not delete anything at the old provider straight away. Confirm the new mailbox is complete first, then close the old account.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose messages during the migration? Not if the old mailbox stays open until propagation finishes. Copying is non-destructive: the source keeps its copy.

Can I move calendars and contacts too? Usually, but separately — export contacts as vCard and calendars as ICS from the old provider and import them at the new one.

How long does a large mailbox take? It depends on message count more than size. Tens of thousands of messages can take several hours over IMAP.

Do I have to tell everyone my address changed? Not if you keep the same address on your own domain — that is the main advantage of owning the domain rather than the mailbox.

Migrating to imail.com.tr

imail.com.tr business plans include an import tool in the customer panel: pick the source provider, enter the old account's address and password (or app password), and start the copy. The job stops automatically when it finishes, so you get one clean transfer. Details are on the business plans page; for a free personal account, see the sign-up page.