You can move your email from another host to your Instant Access Internet Services hosting account without losing a single message. The plan is simple: create the same mailboxes here, copy your old messages across with IMAP, then point your domain at us so new mail arrives in the new mailboxes.
Before you start
- Make a list of every email address on the old host and its password. Include addresses people forget, such as
info@orbilling@. - Find out whether the old host has IMAP turned on. IMAP keeps a copy of every folder on the server, which makes copying easy. If you have always used POP3, your old mail may only exist on one computer -- see the POP3 section below.
- Don't cancel the old email service yet. You need it working until the move is finished.
Step 1: Create your mailboxes here
In cPanel, go to Email > Email Accounts and create each address with the same name it had before (see How to Create an Email Account in cPanel). Give each mailbox enough storage for the old mail -- if the old mailbox was 5 GB, set at least that much. If you want to keep things simple for your team, you can use the same passwords they had before.
Step 2: Copy your old messages with a mail app
The most reliable free method is to add both the old and the new mailbox to one mail app, then drag folders from one to the other. Thunderbird works well for this (see How to Set Up Your Email in Thunderbird), and Outlook or Apple Mail work the same way.
- Add the old account using IMAP and the old host's settings.
- Add the new account using IMAP and our settings. Because your domain still points at the old host, don't use
mail.example.comfor the new account yet. Usesecure.instantaccess.netas both the incoming and outgoing server (IMAP port 993 SSL/TLS, SMTP port 465 SSL/TLS, username = full email address). - In the old account, open a folder (start with the Inbox), select all messages (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A) and drag them onto the matching folder in the new account. Holding Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac) while dropping copies instead of moves, which is safer.
- Repeat for Sent, Archive and any folders you made. To copy a whole folder, create a folder with the same name in the new account first, then copy the messages into it.
- Wait for the app to finish uploading. Large mailboxes can take hours. Compare message counts in both accounts before you move on.
If you used POP3 and your mail is only on your computer
Add the new mailbox to the same mail app using IMAP, then drag your local folders into it. That uploads them to the server so they show up on every device. If you only have exported .eml or .mbox files, you can also bring them in through Roundcube webmail: open a folder, click More (the three dots) and choose Import, then pick the files. Unzip any .zip archive first.
Step 3: Point your domain at your new hosting
When the old mail has been copied, change your domain so new email is delivered here:
- If you're moving your website too, point the domain to our nameservers (see Our Nameservers: How to Point Your Domain to Your Hosting). Our DNS already includes the right mail records.
- If your domain uses DNS somewhere else, change its MX record to point at your hosting. Ask us in a ticket if you're not sure what value to use.
DNS changes take time to spread -- usually a few hours, sometimes up to 48 (see DNS Propagation: Why Domain Changes Take Time and How to Check). During this time some mail may still arrive at the old host.
Step 4: Catch the last messages and switch your devices
- After a day or two, check the old mailbox one last time and copy over anything that arrived during the switch.
- Update every phone, tablet and computer to the new settings. The easiest way is to remove the old account from each device and add it again using How to Find Your Email Settings with Connect Devices.
- Once everything is working and your domain's SSL is active, you can change the server name from
secure.instantaccess.nettomail.example.comif you prefer. - Only now cancel the old email service.
Don't forget contacts and calendars -- export them from the old service and import them (see How to Import Contacts into Roundcube Webmail and How to Sync Calendars and Contacts (CalDAV and CardDAV)).
Troubleshooting
The copy stops or some messages are missing
Big transfers can time out. Copy one folder at a time, or a year of mail at a time, and compare counts afterwards. Also check the new mailbox isn't full (see How to Fix "Mailbox Full" Errors).
My new account won't connect
Double-check the full email address and password by logging in to webmail at https://secure.instantaccess.net:2096. Several wrong passwords in a row can get your IP address blocked temporarily -- if everything stops connecting, open a ticket with your IP from whatismyipaddress.com.
I use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and want to keep it
Then there's nothing to move -- just keep your MX records pointing at that service when you move your website (see How to Use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace Email with Your Domain).
Related guides
- How to Create an Email Account in cPanel
- Our Nameservers: How to Point Your Domain to Your Hosting
- How to Find Your Email Settings with Connect Devices
- IMAP vs POP3: Which Should You Use?
- How to Use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace Email with Your Domain
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and the Instant Access Internet Services team will help.
