Follow this guide to safely copy your existing emails from your old provider into your new Hex Hosting mailbox using Mozilla Thunderbird.
This method places your old and new mailboxes side by side, allowing you to copy messages safely. It works for most email accounts that support IMAP.
Keep the old mailbox active until your messages have been copied, your new mailbox has been tested and Hex Hosting has confirmed that the transfer is complete.
Thunderbird is a free email application that allows both mailboxes to be opened at the same time.
Use the old server’s hostname supplied by your previous provider. Do not guess the server name—ask the provider if you are unsure.
Repeat the previous process using the new mailbox password and the Hex Hosting server details provided in your welcome email.
You should now see two versions of the mailbox in Thunderbird. Rename them “Old Mailbox” and “New Mailbox” in Account Settings to avoid confusion.
Right-click the old mailbox name and choose Subscribe. Tick Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Archives and any folders you created, then allow Thunderbird time to download the folder list.
Always choose Copy To, not Move To. For a large mailbox, copy messages in batches of around 500–1,000 and leave Thunderbird open until each batch has finished.
Open several recent and older messages in the new mailbox, check attachments, and compare the folders with the old account. You can also sign in to your Hex Hosting webmail to confirm that the copied messages appear there.
Keep Thunderbird open while it is working. Large mailboxes can take several hours depending on their size and your internet connection.
Hex Hosting will confirm when new mail is being delivered to the new server. Keep the old mailbox available for at least 48–72 hours and perform one final copy for any late-arriving messages.
Once everything has been checked, update your phone, tablet and other email applications using the new Hex Hosting settings. Only remove or cancel the old mailbox after the migration has been confirmed.
A few useful things to know before transferring your mailbox.
No. Using “Copy To” leaves the original messages in place while uploading a copy to the new mailbox.
No. This guide transfers email messages and folders. Contacts, calendars, forwarding addresses and email filters need to be exported or recreated separately.
Right-click the old account in Thunderbird, choose “Subscribe” and enable any missing IMAP folders. Some providers use different names for Sent, Junk or Archive folders.
If you would prefer help, contact us before cancelling your previous email service. We will explain the available migration options and what details are required.
If you are unsure about a server name, password or folder, stop before changing anything and contact Hex Hosting. Please never send an email password through an ordinary email message.
