How to Migrate Your Email Accounts to NairoHost

Email migration has two parts: recreating the mailboxes and moving the existing messages. Handling both prevents lost mail and broken delivery after the switch.

Recreate the Mailboxes

1. In the new cPanel, open Email Accounts.
2. Create each address using the same username and domain as before.
3. Set passwords and recreate any forwarders or autoresponders.

A full cPanel backup restore does this automatically, including stored messages.

Move Existing Messages

If you are migrating manually, the safest way to keep old mail is an IMAP-to-IMAP transfer:

1. Add both the old and new accounts to an email client like Thunderbird using IMAP.
2. Let both accounts sync fully so all folders appear.
3. Drag messages from the old account folders to the new account folders.

Because IMAP keeps mail on the server, copied messages upload to the new server as you move them.

Set Up Your Devices

Use these typical cPanel settings:

| Setting | Value | |---------|-------| | Incoming (IMAP) | mail.yourdomain, port 993, SSL | | Outgoing (SMTP) | mail.yourdomain, port 465, SSL | | Username | Full email address |

Avoid the Delivery Gap

1. Keep the old mailbox active until DNS fully propagates.
2. After updating MX records, send a test message to confirm delivery to the new server.
3. Check spam folders for any misrouted test mail.

The riskiest moment is when MX records change, since mail can briefly arrive at either server. Keeping both active during propagation ensures no message is lost.