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How to Migrate IMAP Email to New Server? Best Techniques

  Mark Regan
Mark Regan
Published: August 12th, 2025 • 6 Min Read

Are you looking for the right approach to migrate IMAP email to new server? If yes, then you are at the right page. Today, with this digital column we are going to explain both the free and expert methodology to move IMAP email to new host. In this fast paced world, switching to a new email hosting service has become common. But many users does find the right way. In this informative guide we will walk you through two proven methods to migrate IMAP email to new server. So, stay with us till the end to securely and quickly transfer IMAP email to new host in minimum time.

Table of Contents
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  1. Why Migrate IMAP Email to New Server?
  2. Prerequisite to Move IMAP Email to New Host
  3. Manually Migrate IMAP to Another Server Using Email Client
  4. Migrate IMAP Email to New Server in Bulk Using Expert Solution
  5. To Wrap Up

Why Migrate IMAP Email to New Server?

There can be several situations where users need to move IMAP email to new host. We have listed some of them below:

  • Maybe a user is switching to a better email hosting service provider, offering more features and security.
  • Users might migrate IMAP to new server to get faster loading time, more storage space or improved email management.
  • To resolve downtime issues or poor service quality facing on old server.
  • A new server may offer users enhanced spam filters, strong encryption and modern security protocols to protect users’ sensitive data.
  • Current server may charge high fees for upgraded features and migrating can help in reducing costs.

Prerequisite to Move IMAP Email to New Host

Backup Your Existing Email Data: The very first step before starting the transfer IMAP email to new host is to back up your existing data as a disaster recovery measure. To do so you can use any of the email backup solutions available in the market.

Verify IMAP Compatibility on the New Host: Ensure that the new server is compatible with IMAP. Without IMAP compatibility the free methodology will not work. To check IMAP compatibility, you can read the documentation of your host or directly ask the concern team of your new email host.

Gather Server Information for Both Hosts: To migrate IMAP to new server you are required to gather the necessary server details for both the source and destination server. You are required to gather the IMAP server address, Port Numbers, and Authentication Password.

Manually Migrate IMAP Email to New Server Using Email Client

To manually migrate IMAP mail from one server to another server you can use an email client like Thunderbird. However, as we have discussed above it is necessary to have the IMAP accessibility in both the server to perform a successful migration. To start please download the latest version of the Thunderbird email client from its official website and follow the on-screen instructions to install the Thunderbird. Now, let’s discuss how to use this technique to migrate IMAP email to new server in quick and simple steps.

How to Move IMAP Email to New Host Using DIY Approach?

  1. First, open the Thunderbird email client on your PC and click on the Hamburger menu button.
  2. Next, select the New Account option and choose the Email option from the list.
  3. Then, enter the credentials for the source email server you are migrating from.
  4. After that, repeat the same steps as mentioned above to add the destination email host.
  5. Now, your both source and destination servers email profiles are configured in Thunderbird.
  6. Finally, drag and drop the folder from the source email profile to the destination and wait for IMAP sync.
Note: Since we have already mentioned the prerequisite to using this methodology, we are assuming that your both source and destination servers are compatible with IMAP.

Limitations of Using the DIY Methodology

  • The major pitfall of using the DIY approach is that you need to migrate IMAP email to new server individually.
  • Another drawback of using this technique is that it is not compatible when either of source or destination server is incompatible with IMAP.
  • The DIY approach is not suggested for business users it is recommended to use only for individuals with technical knowledge. The non-technical users may face difficulty while performing the task to move IMAP email to new host.
  • The manual method is full of technicalities and manual steps. So there is a high risk of errors. Moreover, it is a very labor-intensive and time-consuming task.

Migrate IMAP Email to New Server in Bulk Using Expert Solution

Users can choose BitRecover IMAP Backup Software to transfer IMAP email to new host flawlessly. This advanced utility is supported by a range of saving options. Users can directly migrate IMAP to Office 365, Gmail, PST, EML, Google Workspace, and many more. Additionally, the expert solution to move IMAP email to new host comes with several filter options based on date range, subject, from, to, folders, etc.

How to Move IMAP Email to New Host? Expert Utility Working Steps

  1. First, download the recommended utility on your local desktop.
  2. Next, follow the on-screen instructions to install the utility.
    migrate IMAP email to new server
  3. Then, enter IMAP server credentials within the tool console to migrate IMAP email to new server.
  4. After that, enable the email folder needs to be migrated to a new host.
    select email folder
  5. Then, choose the destination server from the drop-menu list whether it is IMAP or POP3.
    saving options
  6. Now, go to the filter options and choose them according to your needs.
    filter settings
  7. Finally, enter the destination server details and start IMAP to new server migration process.
    move IMAP email to new host in process

Which Approach is Better to Migrate IMAP Email to New Server? Free or Pro

Criteria Free (Email client Technique) Pro (Expert Utility)
Ease of Use Complex due to lots of technicalities. Easy to use with self-explanatory UI/UX.
Filter Options Not available Several Filter Settings
Risk of Data Loss High Low
Recommended For Individuals with technical knowledge Businesses and non-technical users
Technical Support Limited to forum and web communities 24 X 7 live support
Time Efficiency Slow due to manual steps Fast completely automatic process.

 To Wrap Up

In conclusion, the above blog on the topic of how to migrate IMAP email to new server. We have discussed 2 proven techniques. At the starting of the blog, we discovered the free manual technique to move IMAP email to new host using Thunderbird along with its perquisites and working tutorial. However, the free approach comes with its limitations so we have discussed the expert methodology to transfer IMAP email to new host along with its step-by-step guide. Lastly, we have seen the comparison table of both the DIY and Automated approach based on a few aspects.


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