How to Switch Email Hosting for Microsoft Outlook

Changing your backend email provider does not mean you have to abandon your preferred desktop client. If you need to know switch Email Hosting for Microsoft Outlook, the process requires safely backing up your local mailbox, connecting the application to your new server, and restoring your data. Doing this correctly prevents the loss of your contacts, calendar events, and message history. Follow the sequential steps below to execute a seamless transition.

Backing Up Your Current Mailbox Data

Before disconnecting your old email host or changing any server settings, you must create a local backup of your current mailbox. Once you switch your domain's DNS or MX records to the new host, your old server connection will drop, and IMAP-synced folders may disappear from your client.

To secure your data, export it to an Outlook Data File (.pst):

• Open Microsoft Outlook and click File in the top-left corner of the ribbon.
• Navigate to Open & Export and select Import/Export.
• In the wizard that appears, select Export to a file and click Next.
• Choose Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
• Select your current email address at the top of the folder list. Check the box labeled Include subfolders to ensure your inbox, sent items, calendars, and contacts are all captured.
• Click Next, choose a secure destination folder on your local drive using the Browse button, and click Finish.

You can verify this step by navigating to your chosen destination folder in Windows File Explorer and confirming the .pst file exists and has a file size larger than a few kilobytes.

Connecting Outlook to Your New Email Host

Once your DNS records have propagated and your new hosting account is active, you need to add the new server configuration to your existing Outlook application. Do not delete your old account profile until this new connection is verified.

• Click File and select Add Account located under the Account Information section.
• Enter your email address. Click the Advanced options dropdown, check the box for Let me set up my account manually, and click Connect.
• Choose your account type based on your new host. Select Exchange if you migrated to Microsoft 365, or IMAP if you are using a standard web host (like cPanel, Bluehost, or SiteGround).
• If you selected IMAP, input the specific server settings provided by your new host. Typically, the Incoming mail server requires port 993 with SSL/TLS encryption. The Outgoing mail server (SMTP) usually requires port 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS).
• Click Next, enter your new email password, and click Connect.

Outlook will send a test email to verify the configuration. If you see a success message, click Done.

Importing Your Saved Emails to the New Server

With your new email host connected, your inbox will likely be empty. You must now push your backed-up .pst file into the new server so your old emails sync across all your devices.

• Click File, go to Open & Export, and click Import/Export.
• Select Import from another program or file and click Next.
• Choose Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
• Use the Browse button to locate the .pst file you created earlier. Under the Options section, select Do not import duplicates.
• On the final screen, choose Import items into the same folder in: and select your newly configured email account from the dropdown menu.
• Click Finish.

Outlook will begin importing the files. Keep the application open while it uploads your local data to your new host's servers. You can verify completion by checking the synchronization status bar at the bottom right of the Outlook window.

Alternative Method: Using Microsoft 365 Admin Migration

If you are switching your email hosting specifically from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Exchange, you can bypass the manual PST export and import entirely. Microsoft provides a backend tool that pulls data directly between servers.

Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, navigate to Setup, and select Data migration. Choose Google Workspace as your data source, authorize the connection using your Google admin credentials, and select the mailboxes to route to Exchange. Once the backend sync finishes, simply open Outlook, click File > Add Account, type your email address, and let the Exchange auto-discover protocol configure the client automatically.

Managing Email Documents with WPS Office

WPS Office cannot change your Microsoft-side email hosting settings, update domain DNS records, or configure server ports within the Outlook client. Those actions strictly require administrative access to your web host and the Outlook interface. However, once your new email hosting is operational, WPS Office offers a highly efficient workflow for managing the documents you distribute through your newly configured inbox.

If your underlying document goal requires sending secure, universally readable contracts or invoices, you can use the WPS Writer PDF conversion tool before attaching them to Outlook emails. Open your document in WPS Writer, navigate to the Menu button in the top left, and select Export to PDF. In the dialog box, you can set an open password for sensitive attachments under the Advanced Settings tab. Furthermore, WPS Office includes an integrated AI writing assistant that can generate professional email body copy based on your document's contents. Highlight your text, open the WPS AI sidebar, and prompt it to "Summarize this document into a brief email draft." You can then paste this optimized text directly into your new Outlook message window.

Use Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE

Free Download

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my email host delete my old emails in Outlook?

If your previous account was configured as an IMAP connection, deleting the old account from Outlook before backing it up will erase the locally cached emails. The emails will also be lost if your old hosting provider deletes your server data before you migrate. This is why exporting your mailbox to a .pst file prior to updating any domain or client settings is mandatory.

How do I find the correct IMAP and SMTP settings for my new host?

Your incoming and outgoing server settings are provided directly by your new email hosting company. If you are using a cPanel-based host, log into your hosting dashboard, navigate to Email Accounts, and click Connect Devices next to your address. This page will display the exact server hostname, incoming port, outgoing port, and required SSL/TLS encryption methods you need to type into Outlook's manual setup screen.

Why is Outlook failing to connect to the new email server?

Connection failures usually result from incorrect port numbers or mismatched encryption types. If your host specifies STARTTLS for the outgoing server, selecting SSL/TLS in the Outlook dropdown will cause the connection to fail. Additionally, ensure you are using your full email address as the username, not just the prefix before the @ symbol. Double-check that your domain's DNS MX records have fully propagated, which can take up to 24 hours after making a switch.

Do I need to uninstall Outlook to change my hosting provider?

No, you do not need to uninstall or reinstall the Outlook application. Outlook is simply an interface that reads mail from a server. You only need to add the new account connection via the File > Add Account menu. If you wish to start completely fresh, you can create a new Outlook Profile via the Windows Control Panel (search for Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Show Profiles > Add) rather than modifying the software installation.