en:migrate_outlook_imap_accounts_to_new_email

Migrate Outlook IMAP accounts to new email server

close Outlook
Right-click on Start and then click Run
type control and then click OK, to open Control Panel
In control panel, search mail, then click on Mail (Microsoft Outlook xxxx)
Click Email Accounts
- Make sure your account is IMAP type
- If you have multiple email accounts, some POP3 and some IMAP, make sure we do this operation on IMAP accounts only.
- Please read this for Migrate Outlook POP3 accounts
For IMAP accounts, we must backup existing emails before changing account settings
Open Outlook, click File > Open & Export
Choose “Export to a file” and then click Next
Choose “Outlook Data File (.pst)” and then click Next
Choose the IMAP account and then click Next
In Save exported file as, click Browse, and give a name to your backup file (I name mime as derek-backup.pst)
- If you have multiple IMAP accounts, it is important to rename the backup file, so that later export will not overwrite previous ones.
Click Finish to start the export
Do not input any password, just click OK.
After export is finished, we begin to change the server settings.
Close Outlook
Go back to the previous Control Panel > Mail settings
change both Incoming and Outgoing server to h12.hksx.com
and then click More Settings
make sure Outgoing Server is set to > Use the same settings as my incoming mail server (this is same as before)
On the Advanced Page
- set Incoming server (IMAP) port to 993 and SSL/TLS
- set Outgoing server (SMTP) port to 465 and SSL/TLS
- If your computer / outlook is older than 10 years, or you are using different product, you may need to try different port.
  - Incoming Port 993 SSL, or Port 143 None SSL
  - Outgoing Port 465 SSL, or Port 587 STARTTLS, or Port 25 None-SSL
  - Click OK and Next
Outlook will test connection, normally you will see this:
If cannot pass this test, you can
- 1. make sure your password is correct (try login WebMail)
- 2. try different connect ports/SSL combinations (see above)
Click Close and Finsih
Open Outlook again
After Send/Receive once, you will see all your previous emails disppeared. but don't worry.
We have to import the previous backup now.
Click File > Open & Export > Import/Export
choose “Import from another program or file” > Next
choose Outlook Data File > Next
Browse to the previous backup file > Next
Choose Import to the same folder > Finish
Wait until import finished
All your previous emails come back.
If you have other computers, laptop, hand phone using the same IMAP account
- you only need to delete the previous account, and then add a new account with new server settings.
- all your emails will come back.