Email Migration

How to Migrate Zoho Mail to Exchange Online (100 Users)

Huda Qurayshi Sep 30, 2026 870 views

Question details

An organization needs configuration and migration guidance to move 100 user mailboxes from Zoho Mail across two domains to Microsoft Exchange Online.

How to Migrate Zoho Mail to Exchange Online

Product: Microsoft Exchange Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Enterprise email platform migration from Zoho Mail to Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online.
Observed behavior: Requires step-by-step guidance on setting up the migration endpoints, creating the migration batch, and successfully transitioning the 100 targeted user mailboxes.

Before you start

Ensure you have global administrator access to your Microsoft 365 tenant and administrative access to your Zoho Mail domains before starting the migration.

Solution 1Recommended

Perform an IMAP Migration via Exchange Admin Center

The standard and most reliable method to migrate from Zoho Mail to Exchange Online is utilizing Microsoft's built-in IMAP mailbox migration process.

IMAP migration allows you to transfer emails from a source email provider (like Zoho) directly into Exchange Online. This process transfers email messages and folders, but does not include contacts or calendars.

Prepare Microsoft 365 Users and Licenses

Add and verify your domains in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Create the 100 user accounts and assign them Exchange Online licenses so the destination mailboxes exist.

Verify Zoho IMAP Settings

Ensure that IMAP access is enabled for all the Zoho mailboxes you plan to migrate. If users have Two-Factor Authentication (TFA) enabled, you must generate Application-Specific Passwords for each account.

Create a Migration Endpoint

In the Exchange Admin Center, navigate to Migration. Add a new migration endpoint and select IMAP. Enter Zoho's IMAP server details (imappro.zoho.com) and configure the connection settings.

Prepare the Migration CSV File

Create a CSV file mapping the source mailboxes to the destination mailboxes. The file must contain three columns: EmailAddress (Microsoft 365 address), UserName (Zoho email address), and Password (Zoho password or App Password).

Run a Pilot Migration

Upload your CSV file in the Exchange Admin Center to create a migration batch. It is highly recommended to run a pilot migration with 2-3 mailboxes first to verify the configuration before migrating the remaining users.

Update DNS and Finalize

Once the mailboxes have successfully synced, update your domain's MX records to point to Microsoft 365 to route new incoming emails to Exchange Online. Finally, complete the migration batch.

Perform an IMAP Migration via Exchange Admin Center

Microsoft Learn and Community Support: For specialized tenant-specific scenarios or errors during the batch run, consult the Microsoft Learn IMAP migration documentation or post in the Exchange Online Q&A community.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I migrate only 100 out of my 300 Zoho users?

Yes. With the IMAP migration process, you specify exactly which mailboxes to migrate by including only those 100 specific users in your migration CSV file. The remaining users will stay on Zoho.

Will IMAP migration transfer my users' Zoho contacts and calendars?

No. The IMAP protocol only synchronizes email messages and folder structures. Users will need to manually export their contacts and calendars from Zoho and import them into Microsoft 365.

How do I handle email routing if my organization uses both Zoho and Exchange Online?

If you are splitting users between Zoho and Exchange (co-existence), you must set up email forwarding or connector rules so that users on Exchange Online can successfully route internal emails to the users still residing on Zoho Mail.

Why is my IMAP migration batch failing authentication?

Authentication failures are typically caused by incorrect passwords in the CSV file, Zoho's IMAP access being disabled for the specific user, or the user having Two-Factor Authentication enabled without providing an App-Specific Password in the CSV.