Create the same addresses in OX, point your domain's MX records to OX, then copy your old cPanel mail with the OX Migration Tool.
1. Make a list of your current addresses
Log in to cPanel (see Log in to cPanel from the client area) and note every address under Email Accounts and every forwarder under Forwarders. Each mailbox needs its own OX mailbox. A forwarder to another address on your domain can become an OX alias, which costs nothing extra.
2. Order OX App Suite and create the mailboxes
Order OX App Suite for your domain (see Order OX App Suite email for your domain). OX is charged per mailbox; after the order, raise the number with Upgrade until it matches your list.
In the client area, open the OX service, Manage Email Accounts, and create each address with Create User. Use exactly the same addresses as in cPanel. Add aliases for the forwarders (see Create OX mailboxes and log in to OX webmail).
3. Check the DNS records
Open the Zone Editor in cPanel and check that the MX records point to the four OX servers and the SPF record includes OX. Then set Email Routing to Remote Mail Exchanger, so mail from your website to your own addresses goes to OX too. All values and steps: OX App Suite: point your domain's email DNS.
Is your domain's DNS managed somewhere else? Add the same records there. Mail switches to OX only after this change.
4. Copy your old mail with the Migration Tool
The Migration Tool copies mail from your cPanel mailbox into the OX mailbox over IMAP. Try it with one mailbox first.
In the client area, open the OX service, Manage Email Accounts, the tab Migration Tool, and click Launch Migration Tool.
Accept the terms of service and click Proceed.
As the provider to migrate from, enter your cPanel mail server by hand (if it isn't listed, use Add Missing Provider): IMAP, your server name from cPanel (for example
node111.elycloud.com), port993with SSL. Your server name is on the Connect Devices page, see Email server settings and ports.As destination, choose OX AS Cloud (US). Under Additional information, enter an address outside this migration to receive the status messages.
Enter the Username (full email address) and Password of the old cPanel mailbox and click Check. Do the same for the new OX mailbox. Click Confirm, then Proceed.
The tool shows the mailbox size and estimated time. Click Start migration. You get an email when it's finished; then check the folders in OX webmail.
Repeat for each mailbox.
The Migration Tool is run by Open-Xchange's migration service, so its screens may look a little different from these steps.
5. Copy the last messages (delta migration)
Some mail may still reach the old cPanel mailbox while the DNS change spreads. Wait 24 hours after the MX change, then run the migration again for each mailbox and choose the Delta migration. It copies only what's new.
6. Switch your devices
Add the OX account to each phone and computer, check that sending and receiving work, then remove the old cPanel account from the app. Removing the account from an app doesn't delete the mail on OX.
- Set up OX App Suite email on iPhone or iPad
- Set up OX App Suite email on Android
- Set up OX App Suite email in Outlook
- Set up OX App Suite email on a Mac (Apple Mail)
7. Clean up
When all mail is in OX and every device uses it, you can delete the old mailboxes in cPanel under Email Accounts to free disk space. Wait at least a few days, and check the old mailboxes once more for late messages first.
Common problems
New mail still arrives in cPanel
An old MX record still points to your domain, or Email Routing is still set to local. Check both as described in OX App Suite: point your domain's email DNS.
The Migration Tool can't log in to the old mailbox
Use the full email address as username and your server name (not mail.yourdomain.com) as IMAP server. Test the password in cPanel webmail (see Log in to webmail).
Mail from my website doesn't arrive in OX
cPanel still delivers it locally. Set Email Routing to Remote Mail Exchanger.
Related articles
- OX App Suite: point your domain's email DNS
- Create OX mailboxes and log in to OX webmail
- OX App Suite email from ElySpace: what you get
- Email server settings and ports (IMAP, POP3, SMTP)
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and we'll help.
