Email Migration

How to Migrate Old POP or IMAP Email to Microsoft 365

Phi Hung Vo Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to transfer old emails from a POP or IMAP account to Microsoft 365 without deleting the original messages, but cannot find a direct import feature.

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating historical emails from a third-party POP or IMAP provider into a new Microsoft 365 or Outlook.com mailbox.
Observed behavior: Microsoft 365 lacks a native, one-click continuous POP or IMAP import button for personal accounts, leaving users unsure how to transfer their email archives.

Before you start

Ensure your destination Microsoft 365 mailbox has sufficient storage capacity to accommodate the incoming emails, and keep your original POP/IMAP account active until the migration is fully verified.

Solution 1Recommended

Migrate Using the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Best for Microsoft 365 Business users who need to migrate multiple IMAP mailboxes securely using administrative tools.

Microsoft provides a dedicated IMAP migration tool within the admin center for business and enterprise accounts. This allows administrators to bulk migrate emails from external IMAP servers directly into Microsoft 365 mailboxes while leaving the original data untouched.

Access the Admin Center

Log into the Microsoft 365 Admin Center using your global administrator credentials.

Navigate to Setup

Go to the 'Setup' section in the left-hand navigation pane and select 'Data migration', or access the Exchange Admin Center.

Select Migration Type

Choose 'IMAP' as your migration source and follow the on-screen prompts to configure the connection to your old email provider's server.

Start the Migration Batch

Create a migration batch, map the old email addresses to the new Microsoft 365 users, and start the synchronization process.

Migrate Using the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Requirement Check: This method requires administrative privileges and is specifically designed for Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise environments, not personal Outlook.com accounts.

Solution 2

Migrate Manually Using a Desktop Email Client

Ideal for personal Outlook.com accounts or users without admin access who need to transfer emails locally.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a cost-effective productivity suite?

While managing your Microsoft 365 email migration, you may also be evaluating your document software. WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office for creating and editing your files.

Seamlessly open and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents received as email attachments.Completely free to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate tabbed interface.Lightweight installation that runs smoothly on almost any device.Built-in PDF editing tools for managing scanned documents and forms.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import POP emails directly into Outlook.com on the web?

No, Outlook.com no longer supports direct, continuous POP or IMAP imports directly from within the web interface. You must use a desktop email client like Outlook or Thunderbird to move the messages manually.

Will migrating my emails delete them from the original server?

If you use an IMAP migration batch or copy the messages manually via a desktop client, the original emails remain untouched. However, if you use standard POP3 connections without enabling the 'leave a copy on the server' setting, they may be deleted from the source.

How long does the IMAP migration to Microsoft 365 take?

The duration of the migration depends on the total size of your mailbox, the number of individual items, and the server connection speeds. It can range from a few minutes for small inboxes to several days for massive enterprise archives.

Why did my IMAP migration batch fail in Microsoft 365?

Common reasons for migration failures include incorrect IMAP server settings, expired user passwords, or security blocks from the old email provider, such as requiring an app-specific password or two-factor authentication bypass.

Migration & Recovery