IMAP email migration steps from GoDaddy to M365

Question

1. User were using GoDaddy for his domain and Microsoft services with tenant [Moderator note: personal info removed].onmicrosoft.com.
2. User had 6 users set up for email services.
3. Now user is moving the domain to Microsoft 365 (new tenant).
4. GoDaddy has already released the domain from the old tenant.
5. User want to add this domain to your new Microsoft 365 tenant.
6. Migration method planned: Batch IMAP migration (to preserve emails, contacts, and calendar).
7. What will be GoDaddy IMAP settings to be used here
8. Already purchased 6 licenses on M365 Basic subscription
9. User is on Mac using Outlook
10. I am confused about when MX records should be u****pdated in this process.

Kindly help with the links and steps so that I don't lose any data

Answer 1

Please note that Q&A forum is a public platform, and moderators will modify the question to hide personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.

Hello @TRaG

Thank you for providing the details. I would like to first clarify that this is a user‑to‑user support forum, and we are not Microsoft support. Moderators here do not have backend access and cannot directly intervene in Microsoft services or perform escalations. We can only provide guidance and best‑practice recommendations based on experience.

Based on your description, please keep in mind that IMAP migration only transfers email content. Contacts and calendars are not included, so these will need to be exported manually from the source (for example, using Outlook). Since you mentioned the users are on Mac, please note that Outlook for Mac exports data as .olm files (not .pst).

You can refer to the AI response for the step‑by‑step migration, or review the official Microsoft documentation here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/mailbox-migration/migrating-imap-mailboxes/migrate-other-types-of-imap-mailboxes

Additionally, it is important to follow the correct migration sequence. In a standard IMAP migration scenario, the MX record should only be updated after the mailbox data migration is completed, as described in Microsoft documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/mailbox-migration/migrating-imap-mailboxes/migrating-imap-mailboxes#ready-to-start Changing the MX record at that stage ensures that new incoming emails will be delivered directly to Microsoft 365, after existing data has already been migrated.

Hope this info helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.

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Answer 2

IMAP migration only moves mail folders. Contacts, calendar items, and tasks are not migrated by IMAP and must be moved by another method (for example, export/import from Outlook).

For the IMAP mail migration and MX timing, use this sequence:

1. Prepare the new Microsoft 365 tenant
   • Create the 6 user accounts in the new Microsoft 365 tenant and assign the Microsoft 365 Basic licenses to each mailbox.
   • The mailboxes must exist in Microsoft 365 before starting an IMAP migration.
2. Prepare the GoDaddy (source) mail system
   • Ensure IMAP access is enabled for all 6 users.
   • Collect the IMAP server name, port, and security settings from GoDaddy’s documentation or admin portal. These values are not in the provided context and must be confirmed directly with GoDaddy.
   • Make sure you have either:
     • An admin account with rights to access all mailboxes, or
     • Each user’s mailbox credentials (username and password).
3. Plan the migration method
   • IMAP migration will migrate:
     • Inbox and mail folders only.
   • IMAP migration will not migrate:
     • Contacts
     • Calendar items
     • Tasks
   • If contacts and calendars must be preserved, plan a separate export/import using Outlook on Mac for each user.
4. Create the CSV file for IMAP migration
   • Build a CSV file listing each mailbox to migrate with at least:
     • EmailAddress (new Microsoft 365 mailbox address)
     • UserName (GoDaddy IMAP login name)
     • Password (GoDaddy IMAP password)
   • This CSV will be used either in the Exchange admin center (EAC) or via PowerShell.
5. Create the IMAP migration endpoint (connect Microsoft 365 to GoDaddy)
   • In the Exchange admin center:
     1. Go to Migration.
     2. When creating a migration batch, select IMAP migration as the migration type.
     3. On Set a migration endpoint, create/select an IMAP endpoint using the GoDaddy IMAP server name, port, and security (TLS/SSL) settings.
   • Or with PowerShell, use New-MigrationEndpoint -IMAP with the GoDaddy IMAP server and port (values from GoDaddy), similar to:

          New-MigrationEndpoint -IMAP -Name IMAPEndpoint -RemoteServer <GoDaddy-IMAP-server> -Port <port> -Security Tls
     

6. Create and start the IMAP migration batch
   • In the EAC:
     1. Go to Migration → Add migration batch.
     2. Choose Migrate to Exchange Online.
     3. Select IMAP migration.
     4. Confirm prerequisites.
     5. Select the IMAP migration endpoint created for GoDaddy.
     6. On Add user mailboxes, import the CSV file with the 6 users.
     7. Configure any migration filtering options if needed.
     8. Set the schedule for the batch and start it.
   • Or with PowerShell, use New-MigrationBatch with -CSVData and -SourceEndpoint, then Start-MigrationBatch.
7. Verify migration status and mailbox content
   • In the EAC, open Migration, select the batch, and use View details to check status and errors.
   • For each migrated user:
     1. Sign in to Microsoft 365.
     2. Set password and time zone.
     3. Open Outlook on the web and send a test message to another Microsoft 365 user.
     4. Confirm that mail folders and messages from GoDaddy appear in the new mailbox.
8. When to update MX records (critical for no data loss)
   • During migration, keep the MX record pointing to GoDaddy so new mail still arrives in the old system while IMAP sync runs.
   • After:
     • All mailboxes have been migrated successfully, and
     • Incremental sync has caught up (no large backlog), and
     • Users confirm their historical mail is visible in Microsoft 365, then change the MX record to point to Microsoft 365.
   • Use the Microsoft 365 domain setup guidance to add DNS records (including MX) for the domain.
   • After changing MX, allow up to 72 hours for global DNS propagation. During this time, some senders may still deliver to GoDaddy; the migration batch will continue to sync mail from GoDaddy to Microsoft 365 until it is stopped.
9. Stop synchronization and decommission GoDaddy mail
   • Wait at least 72 hours after MX change and verify that:
     • New messages are arriving only in Microsoft 365 mailboxes.
     • No new mail is appearing in GoDaddy mailboxes.
   • Then delete the migration batch in the EAC. This stops synchronization between GoDaddy and Microsoft 365.
   • After that, the GoDaddy mail system can be decommissioned for this domain.
10. Handle contacts and calendars separately

• Because IMAP does not migrate contacts and calendars, export them from Outlook (connected to GoDaddy) and import into Outlook connected to Microsoft 365 for each user.

Summary of MX timing:

• Before and during migration: MX stays pointing to GoDaddy.
• After successful migration and verification: change MX to Microsoft 365.
• After 72 hours and confirmation that all mail flows to Microsoft 365: stop the IMAP migration batch.

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References:

• What you need to know about migrating your IMAP mailboxes to Microsoft 365 or Office 365
• Use PowerShell to perform an IMAP migration to Microsoft 365
• Migrate other types of IMAP mailboxes to Microsoft 365 or Office 365
• IMAP migration in the Microsoft 365 admin center