Migrate an Outlook account from a webhost provider to Microsoft directly

Dear @John Coumarianos,

I understand that you want to move your mail data (emails, folders, possibly contacts) from the old host into Microsoft 365 / Outlook (Exchange Online), then pointing your domain so new mail flows to Microsoft instead of the old host.

To help determine the best way to migrate your email to Microsoft, could you please clarify a few details?

• Are you using a custom domain email address (for example, ******@yourdomain.com), or a provider‑hosted address?
• Does your current email provider still support IMAP access, even though Outlook is no longer supported?
• Approximately how many mailboxes need to be migrated?
• Do you still have access to the mailbox through webmail or another email client?
• Do you need to migrate emails only, or also contacts and calendars?
• Is there a specific deadline or business impact we should be aware of?
• Who currently manages your domain DNS records (the web host, a registrar, or another provider)?

In the meantime, you can try to export your existing emails into an Outlook data file (PST) using a mail client that can still access the mailbox and then import that data into Microsoft 365. This method is typically used for smaller or one‑time migrations:

• Firstly, you can use Outlook on your desktop, add both accounts to Outlook. Wait for all of your email to appear (if you have a lot, this can be a long time). For reference: Add an email account to Outlook for Windows
• Next, use Outlook to export the email from your account to a .pst file. For reference: Export emails, contacts, and calendar items to Outlook using a .pst file
• Finally, import the .pst file to your Office 365 account.

After the email data is moved, the final step is updating your domain’s DNS records (such as the MX record) so Microsoft becomes the active email provider. At that point, you will send and receive email entirely through Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft 365, and the old host will no longer be involved. For reference: Connect your domain by adding DNS records

Please note that Contacts and calendars may require a separate export and import depending on how they were stored with your previous provider.

I hope the information shared helps point you in the right direction. Thank you for your patience and understanding. I'm looking forward for your reply.

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To move an Outlook email account hosted by a webhost provider to Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online), use one of the supported migration approaches, depending on whether this is for a business (Microsoft 365) tenant and how many mailboxes are involved.

For a typical business scenario, the supported options are:

1. IMAP migration from the webhost to Microsoft 365
   1. In Microsoft 365, create a mailbox for each user that will be migrated.
   2. On the webhost, ensure IMAP is enabled and that credentials for each mailbox are available.
   3. In the Microsoft 365 admin center (Exchange admin), set up an IMAP migration batch pointing to the webhost’s IMAP server.
   4. Run the migration batch. IMAP migration copies email from the source inbox and folders into the Microsoft 365 mailbox.
   5. After migration completes and is verified, update the domain’s DNS (MX and related records) at the domain registrar to point to Microsoft 365 so new mail flows directly to Microsoft.
   6. Decommission the old mailboxes on the webhost once all mail is confirmed in Microsoft 365.
   Notes for IMAP migration:
   • Only email in folders is migrated; contacts, calendar items, and tasks are not migrated and must be moved manually (for example, export/import via Outlook).
   • IMAP migration does not create mailboxes; they must exist in Microsoft 365 before starting the migration.
2. User-driven export/import via Outlook (.pst) (suitable for a small number of users)
   1. In Microsoft 365, create the new mailbox.
   2. In the Outlook desktop client, connect to the old webhost mailbox and export mail, contacts, and calendar to a .pst file.
   3. Connect Outlook to the new Microsoft 365 mailbox.
   4. Import the .pst file into the Microsoft 365 mailbox.
   5. Change DNS (MX and related records) for the domain to Microsoft 365 so new mail is delivered directly to Microsoft.
3. If the current account is Outlook.com/Hotmail and is being moved into Microsoft 365
   • Enable two-step verification on the Outlook.com/Hotmail account.
   • Generate an app password for IMAP.
   • Use IMAP migration from Outlook.com into Microsoft 365 using that app password.
4. If the domain is currently tied to Outlook.com Premium / GoDaddy
   • If the domain was obtained via Outlook.com Premium, transfer the domain to GoDaddy using the “Transfer your domain” steps in the Outlook.com premium features section.
   • Purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription and then manage the personalized domain and email from the Outlook.com premium features section.

In all cases, once the data is copied and DNS is updated to Microsoft 365, the mailbox is effectively “migrated” from the webhost to Microsoft directly.

References:

• Ways to migrate multiple email accounts to Microsoft 365 or Office 365
• Migrating your Outlook.com account to Microsoft 365 or Office 365
• Migrate data to my Microsoft 365 for business subscription
• Migrate Gmail to Microsoft 365 or Office 365 using GoDaddy
• Premium features in Outlook.com have changed