How to Transfer in IMAP Emails Using an IMAP Transfer Tool

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is an email access protocol used to configure mail accounts on a local or remote web server. IMAP is one of the most commonly used protocols for receiving emails, supported by most modern clients and servers. When moving to a new server or email provider, existing emails won’t be available until they’re migrated to the new mailbox.

Email Migration, or Mailbox Migration, is the process of transferring emails from one mail client to another. To copy emails from one server to another using IMAP, both servers/hosting accounts must support IMAP.

If you’re switching between cPanel-based hosts, you can use a full cPanel backup to migrate all settings and emails. This is an easy method of transferring email from one server to another using matching IMAP email accounts. A recommended IMAP tool for this is imapsync, which is free and effective.

Requirements for Transferring IMAP Emails

• An IMAP-capable email client (e.g., Thunderbird, Outlook)
• SMTP server (Outgoing Server): Your cPanel account’s hostname/IP
• IMAP server (Incoming Server): Your cPanel account’s hostname/IP
• Username: Full email address (e.g., email@domain.com)
• Password: Email account password (must be the same on both accounts)
• IMAP Port: 993
• SMTP Port: 465
• TLS/SSL support: Disabled

Steps to Copy IMAP Emails Between Accounts

1. Install an IMAP-capable email client, such as Thunderbird or Outlook.
2. Start the IMAP Migration Tool.
3. Configure your email accounts with settings from the old host (email address, password, IMAP setup).
4. Create the same email account on your 4xhost account, using identical spelling, capitalization, and password.
5. Enter the IMAP credentials for both accounts—source and destination—with the necessary IMAP details.
6. Select folders for migration and initiate the transfer.
7. Complete the migration and export emails to the new IMAP account.
8. Set up IMAP and SMTP settings in your email client.
9. Repeat steps for each folder you wish to migrate.

After migration, your email client will copy all messages to your 4xhost email account. Allow time for the transfer to complete, as duration depends on email volume and internet speed.

Once finished, monitor to ensure a smooth transfer, then you can safely remove the old email account. To host your domain’s email with 4xhost, you’ll also need to update the domain’s MX records.

To avoid losing emails during migration, consider setting up a forwarder on your old account to send a copy to a third-party email account. This allows you to retain emails sent to your old account during the transition.