Email migration checklist
Why this checklist
Switching to a new email environment often feels more nerve-racking than it is. The fear usually sits in one place: will I lose my old mails or contacts? With the right approach that risk is virtually zero, because you delete nothing until you're sure everything has come across. By splitting the move into preparation, the transfer, the MX switch and follow-up, you keep an overview and do nothing in the wrong order.
The email migration checklist
Tick items off as you go. Work through the four phases in order.
1. Preparation
- Make a backup of your current mailbox first. That way you always have a copy to fall back on, even if something goes wrong along the way.
- Map out what needs to come along. Think of your folders, contacts, calendar, aliases and automatic replies. If you're unsure about a term, check the glossary.
- Make sure you have access to your DNS. For the later MX switch you need access to the management of your domain name.
- Set up your new mailbox(es) on your own domain, so you have somewhere to copy to right away.
2. The transfer
- Copy your email via IMAP from the old to the new mailbox. That way the folder structure, dates and attachments are preserved. It's described step by step in copying your IMAP mailbox.
- Let both mailboxes run in parallel for a while. Your old address keeps receiving mail while your new one is already standing by.
- Move over your contacts and calendar and check that they are complete and readable.
- Check that everything came across: open a few old folders and attachments in the new mailbox.
3. The MX switch
- Update your MX records so that new incoming mail now arrives at your new mailbox.
- Bear in mind that a DNS change takes some time to propagate. This can take up to around 24 to 48 hours; during that period mail may still arrive in both places.
4. Follow-up
- Test with a real mail back and forth to a colleague or second address.
- Reconfigure your devices and mail programs for the new mailbox.
- Set up your automatic replies and your signature properly.
- Only close your old mailbox later, once you've been sure for a few days that everything works and no more new mail is coming in.
Download or save
Handy to keep at hand: print this page or save it as a bookmark, and tick off the steps as you move. That way you see at a glance what's already done and what's left.
Next step
Want to know exactly how to carry out the transfer yourself without losing mail? Then read the detailed guide moving your email without loss. There you go through each step calmly, with concrete settings alongside.