How to Find Exchange Online IMAP Migration Skipped Items and Reports
Question details
The user needs to identify which Exchange Online IMAP migration messages were skipped and understand contributing factors such as message size and folder naming.
- Product
- Microsoft Exchange Online and Exchange admin center
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- An administrator is reviewing an IMAP migration batch that completed with skipped items, but standard PowerShell output does not identify the skipped messages.
- Observed behavior
- The migration reports skipped items, but the specific messages are not shown in default output. Large messages and folder names containing forward slashes may be causing the skipped items.
Confirm you have Exchange administrator access to the tenant and note the migration batch user identity. Make sure the mailbox or migration batch is still available so the statistics command can return item-level data.
Use Get-MigrationUserStatistics to Display Skipped Item Details
Use this when you need the exact messages and reasons that were skipped in an Exchange Online IMAP migration.
Standard migration output often shows only the skipped item count. The SkippedItems property contains item-level details that help identify which mailbox items did not migrate and why.
Open Windows PowerShell or PowerShell 7, then connect to Exchange Online by running Connect-ExchangeOnline and signing in with an Exchange administrator account.
Run: Get-MigrationUserStatistics -Identity user@contoso.com | Format-List SkippedItemCount,SkippedItems
Inspect SkippedItems for each listed message, including subject, MessageId, and skip reason, and compare the results with SkippedItemCount.
Review the Migration Dashboard in the Exchange Admin Center
Use this as a browser-based check to confirm skipped item counts and migration batch status.
Use WPS Office to Open and Review Exchange Migration Reports and Exported Mailbox Data
WPS Office is a free, lightweight Microsoft Office alternative that opens Excel, Word, and CSV migration reports with familiar tools. While Exchange Online migration diagnostics remain in Microsoft 365, WPS Office lets you work with exported mailbox lists, skipped item reports, and documentation without needing a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I see which messages were skipped in an Exchange Online IMAP migration?
Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell and run Get-MigrationUserStatistics -Identity user@contoso.com | Format-List SkippedItemCount,SkippedItems. The SkippedItems field lists the item-level details and reasons when available.
Why does my IMAP migration skip messages?
Common causes include messages larger than the supported migration size and source folders whose names contain forward slashes. Unsupported item types and permission issues can also produce skipped items.
Can I find skipped item details in Exchange admin center?
The Exchange admin center Migration dashboard shows migration status and skipped item counts, but item-level details often require the Get-MigrationUserStatistics PowerShell command.
Does WPS Office migrate Exchange Online mailboxes?
No. WPS Office is an Office alternative for documents and spreadsheets; it does not manage Exchange Online mailbox migration. Use the Microsoft 365 Exchange admin center or Exchange Online PowerShell for migration diagnostics.
