Key facts
- Priced as a fixed quote based on mailboxes and complexity
- Full inventory first: mailboxes, aliases, forwarders and sending services
- Mail copied over IMAP before and after the switch
- TTL lowered a day or two before the MX change
- SPF updated in one record; DKIM set up for the new provider
- Contacts and calendars moved separately from mail
Step 1: take an inventory
Most lost mail comes from something nobody remembered. Before touching DNS we list:
- Every mailbox, with its size and who uses it.
- Aliases, forwarders, groups and any catch-all.
- Everything that sends as your domain: the website's contact form, booking or accounts software, newsletter tools, printers and scanners.
- The current DNS: MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and any autodiscover records.
- Every device connected to each mailbox, so nobody is left out after the switch.
Step 2: prepare the new service
Pick the switch day with care. A quiet afternoon midweek is better than a Friday, because any device that needs reconnecting can be sorted while people are at work, and nobody comes back on Monday to a phone that has stopped syncing. Avoid month end if your accounts team relies on email for invoices.
We create the mailboxes and aliases on the new service and verify the domain if it is Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. A day or two before the switch, we lower the TTL on the MX record to around 300 seconds, so the change takes effect quickly once made.
Step 3: copy existing mail
We copy messages and folders from the old provider to the new one over IMAP, mailbox by mailbox, while everyone carries on working. Large mailboxes can take a while, which is why this starts before the switch rather than after.
IMAP carries mail only. Contacts, calendars and any rules or signatures are exported and imported separately. If anyone uses POP3 and keeps mail only on their computer, that mail is not on the server to copy, so we deal with it on the device.
We check message counts in each folder on both sides once the copy finishes, so a missing archive folder is spotted before the switch, not weeks later when someone goes looking for an old quote.
Step 4: switch MX and update authentication
- We replace the old MX records with the new provider's, leaving none of the old ones behind.
- We update SPF in the single existing record: remove the old provider's include, add the new one, and keep anything else that still sends as you.
- We publish the new provider's DKIM records and switch signing on. Old DKIM selectors can stay briefly, then be removed.
- DMARC usually stays as it is. We watch the reports for a few weeks to catch any sender we missed.
More on the records in MX records set-up and SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.
Step 5: final copy and tidy up
Some servers keep using the old MX for a while because of caching, so a little mail can still arrive at the old provider after the switch. We keep the old mailboxes open, run a final catch-up copy, then reconnect Outlook and phones to the new service. Only once everything is quiet do we cancel the old service. We also put the TTL back up to a normal value, and check the website's contact form and any other sending tools still deliver. If the move also involves new nameservers, see DNS migration.
How dijitul helps
We price each move as a fixed quote, based on how many mailboxes there are, how large they are and where they are going. Smaller changes are £45 an hour + VAT. Moving onto hosted mailboxes, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 all follow the same method. Ask for a quote, or call 01623 650333 or email info@dijitul.uk.
How it works and what it costs
Domains are priced live in the client portal. DNS management and 10 mailboxes are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. On their own, DNS and email set-up is £45 an hour + VAT or a fixed quote.
Tell us what you have
Your domains, who they are registered with, where your DNS and email live today, and what you want to change.
Plan the change
We list every DNS record and mailbox first, so nothing is forgotten, and agree a time to switch.
Make the switch
Transfers, nameserver changes, DNS records and mailbox moves, done carefully with low TTLs and a rollback plan.
Check it works
We test the website, email delivery, SPF, DKIM and DMARC from the outside before calling it done.
Look after it
Renewals, records and email stay looked after, and you can call a person when something changes.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose email when I change provider?
Not if the move is planned. Mail is copied to the new service before the MX switch, the TTL is lowered beforehand, and the old mailboxes stay open for a final catch-up copy. dijitul checks for stragglers before the old service is cancelled.
How long does the MX change take?
With the TTL lowered to around 300 seconds a day or two before, most senders pick up the new MX record quickly. Some servers cache for longer, which is why dijitul keeps the old mailboxes open and runs a final copy after the switch.
Do contacts and calendars move too?
Not over IMAP, which copies mail and folders only. Contacts, calendars, rules and signatures are exported and imported separately, depending on the old and new services. dijitul includes these in the plan so nothing is forgotten.
What happens to SPF and DKIM when I move?
SPF is updated in your one existing record: the old provider's include comes out and the new one goes in. The new provider's DKIM records are published and signing switched on. Leaving the old SPF entry or adding a second record causes failures.
How much does moving email provider cost?
dijitul gives a fixed quote based on the number and size of mailboxes and where they are going. Small changes, such as moving one mailbox or fixing records after a move, are charged at £45 an hour + VAT.
Can people keep working during the move?
Yes. Mail is copied while everyone works as normal, and the switch itself is a DNS change. The main disruption is reconnecting Outlook and phones to the new service afterwards, which dijitul helps with.
Related
Get domains, DNS and email sorted
Set up properly, records checked, and real people to call. DNS and email are included with dijihost hosting.