How to transfer emails from one server to another ? Print

When your emails are hosted on a private hosting server and you have decided to transfer everything to another server, transferring emails can be challenging. There seem to be some paid apps in the market to do this transfer but we have a simple technique which you could do for FREE. Yes its Free and needs some work.

We have a step by step process which you could use to transfer your emails from one server to another without paying anything. All you need for this is an Email client such as Outlook or Windows Mail or any other email client which you prefer.

This guide for transferring emails uses MS Outlook 2013 to setup email account. If you are using a newer version than this some steps might be different.

Download all emails from old server

1. Add a new email account to MS Outlook
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2. If you are using a 3rd party email provider then select Manual setup option
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3. Click on Next
4. Add all server settings on this page. Remember here you select POP3 protocol as account Type inorder to download all emails locally to your computer.
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5. Click on "More Settings" button to enter additional server settings.
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6. On next page select "Outgoing Server" tab. Check that checkbox which says "Outgoing server requires authentication". On next line make sure you select option for using same settings as incoming server.
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7. Now select Advanced tab to make sure you are using correct ports for adding this account. In this section you will select ports required for SSL connection. If you are not using SSL select default ports.
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8. Click on OK to return to previous window. Now that all setting are in place click on "Next" button.
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9. Now Outlook will search your email account with settings which you have provided. Once this step is complete click on Next
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10. If Outlook has successfully found your account all 3 steps in above screenshot will have green checkmarks. Now click on "Next".
11. Outlook will now connect with incoming and outgoing server. It will also send a test configuration email to check settings.
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12. After successful completion of this step, Outlook will prompt a message saying that your account is added and you can click on Finish button.
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13. Wait for sometime till all emails are synced and downloaded on your local machine using Outlook. Do these steps (till step#13) for all remaining email accounts. Downloading emails from server is a time consuming process and might require more time so grab yourself a drink and relax.

Backup your newly created outlook files

Here are steps to backup your outlook files

1. From our Outlook goto File > Open & Export
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2. Select Import/Export option. You will see a small wizard which says Import Export wizard
3. Choose action as "Export to a file" and click on Next
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4. On next screen select file type as Outlook data file (.pst) and click on Next
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5. On next screen select email account you want to back up and make sure check option "Include subfolders". Click on Next
   
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6. Save that pst file to your desired location and check option "Replace duplicates with items exported". Click on Finish and all your emails will be backed up in this new pst file. You should create new pst for every new email account which needs to be backed up. You might be asked to password protect this backup file which you have to use later in this process.
   
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7. Repeat steps #1 through #6 for all remaining email accounts which need to be backed up. This process will take some time so have a drink and relax.
8. Once all email accounts are backed up, Remove all email accounts which you have added above. This step is crucial because we are going to add new email account with new server settings.
   
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Upload emails from backup to newly created email accounts

Here are steps to follow.

1. Create new email accounts on your new server (where you want to transfer all emails to) followed by creating new email account in Outlook.
2. Follow same steps from above to create new email account in Outlook. Make sure your server setting are from new server and incoming server is set to IMAP setting.
3. Now that you have created this new email account with new server settings, time to import all emails from backup. Go to "File>Open & Export" and select "Import/Export" option.
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4. Now you are on Import and Export wizard. Select option "Import from another program or file" and click on Next.
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5. On next screen select file type as Outlook data file (.pst) and click on Next
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6. Now next screen select the pst file which you have backedup earlier and click next. Make sure you select correct file for email account you are selecting.
7. As soon as you click Next you will be prompted for a password which you had set in steps above while backing up pst file. When you enter correct password you will see next screen for importing all emails to new email account you created.
   
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8. Once you click "Finish" importing from backup file with commence. Now that you have configured this new email account with IMAP server settings it should start syncing on new server as well. Importing all emails from all folders will take a while so have a drink and enjoy.
9. Repeat steps #1 through #8 for every new email account which you want to transfer to new server.

If you need any assistance in this process please feel free to open a support ticket from your client dashboard.