Email Migration

Migrate Rackspace Email to Microsoft 365 Without Changing Domains

Huda Qurayshi Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to migrate their hosted email service from Rackspace to Microsoft 365 without altering their existing email domain.

How to Migrate Rackspace Email to Microsoft 365 Without Changing Domains

Product: Microsoft 365 and Rackspace Email
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating a business or personal email hosting environment to Exchange Online while maintaining domain continuity.
Observed behavior: The user wants to securely copy mailbox data, retain the current email addresses, and switch services seamlessly.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator access to your Rackspace control panel, Microsoft 365 admin center, and the DNS hosting provider for your domain. It is highly recommended to communicate the migration timeline to your users before making any changes.

Solution 1Recommended

Perform an IMAP Migration via the Exchange Admin Center

Use the built-in Exchange Online IMAP migration tool to securely copy email data from Rackspace while keeping your domain.

IMAP migration is the standard method for moving email from Rackspace to Microsoft 365. Because IMAP only migrates email messages and folder structures, note that contacts, tasks, and calendar items will need to be exported and imported manually using a desktop client like Outlook.

Purchase Microsoft 365 and Create Users

Buy a Microsoft 365 subscription that includes Exchange Online. Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center and create user accounts for all employees migrating from Rackspace.

Verify Your Domain in Microsoft 365

In the Microsoft 365 admin center, navigate to Settings > Domains. Add your custom domain and update the TXT records at your DNS host to verify ownership.

Prepare the Migration Batch

Open the Exchange admin center and navigate to Migration. Create a new migration endpoint for Rackspace (typically secure.emailsrvr.com) and set up an IMAP migration batch containing a CSV file with your users' email addresses and credentials.

Start and Monitor the Sync

Start the migration batch. It is best practice to test this with a single mailbox first. Monitor the status to ensure emails are syncing successfully to the Microsoft 365 mailboxes.

Update DNS MX Records and Cutover

Once the initial email sync is complete, log into your DNS host and update your domain's MX records to point to Microsoft 365. This will route all new incoming emails to the new service.

Perform an IMAP Migration via the Exchange Admin Center

DNS Propagation Time: MX record changes can take up to 24-48 hours to propagate globally. Keep your Rackspace account active and run a final delta sync after this period to catch any emails delivered to Rackspace during the transition.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will an IMAP migration move my Rackspace calendars and contacts?

No, IMAP migrations only sync email folders and messages. You will need to export your Rackspace contacts and calendars as CSV or PST files and import them into Microsoft 365 manually using an email client like Microsoft Outlook.

Do I need to change my domain name during the migration?

No, you can keep your existing domain. You simply need to verify domain ownership in the Microsoft 365 admin center and update your MX (Mail Exchanger) DNS records to point to Microsoft's servers.

How long does the email migration take?

The duration depends on the total volume of emails and server connection speeds. Initial syncing can take several hours to days for large mailboxes, but your users can continue working on Rackspace without interruption during this background sync.

Will I lose incoming emails during the transition?

If planned correctly, no emails are lost. Ensure you complete the initial email sync before changing the MX records. Once MX records are changed, new emails will gradually start delivering to Microsoft 365 while you perform a final delta sync from Rackspace to capture the rest.

Migration & Recovery