How to Migrate Fastmail Emails? Learn Here

Fastmail users sometimes migrate Fastmail emails to other email services or secure their mailbox data (backed up). Fastmail migration seems easy, but users run into problems after beginning the process such as missing folders, incomplete emails, and failed imports.

Because Fastmail has a different structure of mailbox when compared to other email services (ie: Google), it is critical for the user to choose the right method to migrate Fastmail email. Users typically have two choices when deciding on how to import Fastmail account data: use a Fastmail migration tool (the easiest), or attempt manual methods.

This guide presents both methods in simple terms, with the most reliable method listed first, so you can decide the best way to transfer Fastmail emails and avoid possible data loss.

Important Things to Check Before You Import Fastmail Account

Consider these things before you start migrating Fastmail emails.

• The Size of the Fastmail mailbox.
• Number of folders and subfolders.
• Importance of email attachments.
• Need to maintain the timestamps and metadata.
• Risk of data loss.

If you care about any of these issues, you should use a professional method for Fastmail Migrations to avoid unnecessary problems.

When Do Users Need to Migrate Fastmail Emails?

Users typically import their Fastmail emails for the following reasons:

• Switching to a more feature-rich email provider
• Moving away from Fastmail due to business changes
• Consolidating a large or old Fastmail inbox into one account
• Email storage due to legal or regulatory requirements
• Managing multiple Fastmail accounts.

To understand the effectiveness of the Fastmail migration tool, I also tried some manual ways to migrate Fastmail emails:

Manual Ways to Move Fastmail emails

There are two main manual ways that users often try to switch Fastmail accounts.

Method 1: Migrate Fastmail Emails Using IMAP

Use an email application that has support for IMAP. Follow these simple steps:

1. Open your email application that supports IMAP.
2. Use the IMAP settings to add your Fastmail account.
3. Use the same email application to add your new email account.
4. Allow both email accounts to completely sync with each other.
5. Select the emails or folders you want to transfer from Fastmail and drag them to the appropriate folder in your new account

Important things to remember:

• Ensure that you are connected to the Internet
• It may take a long time to complete the sync for large mailboxes
• If the sync is interrupted, some emails will not be transferred

Method 2: Import Fastmail Emails Using Email Client Export

If the destination email service supports importing emails, this method will work well.

1. Set up your Fastmail account in an online email application using IMAP.
2. Once all your Fastmail emails are synced, export all your emails from Fastmail as a local file or folders.
3. Sign into your new email account.
4. Import the email files you exported earlier into the new account.

Important Information:

• Your email folders may change order during export and import.
• Sometimes attachments may not import correctly.
• Some email services impose limits on the size of files you can import.

Method 3: Migrate Fastmail Account Using Built-In Import Options

Many email providers now offer a feature for importing emails from an IMAP account directly into yours. Using this in-built option, you can migrate Fastmail emails:

1. Log in to your new mail account (which will likely look different than the old one).
2. Go to the Imported Email section of the new email account.
3. Enter your Fastmail email address and password.
4. Choose which folders to import.
5. Import your emails. Wait until the process has completed.

Note: The speed of the import process is dependent on the limits set by the Fastmail servers. You may not receive any notification of progress, and any mailboxes that are very large may fail without notification.

Manual Fastmail Migration vs Fastmail Migration Tool

A Fastmail migrator enables you to manage a number of different email accounts without having to monitor your email accounts for connectivity issues, or to worry about whether the new account is still downloading email on your email client.

In addition, a Fastmail migration tool will allow you to see your entire email history from a single location, quickly identify problematic emails, and get an idea of what is happening with your accounts during the migration. Using the software is the most sufficient way to migrate Fastmail emails.