Mailbox migration FAQ

How do I set up my enterprise mailbox after purchase?

Hello,

After you purchase Alibaba Mail, follow these steps to set it up:

1. Set the administrator password. Log on for the first time to set your administrator password.

2. Assign employee accounts. Log on to the Alibaba Mail console, go to Organization and Users > Mailbox Management, and then click New Account or Import to create employee accounts.

3. Migrate mailboxes (Optional). To migrate emails from a previous mailbox, see Mailbox migration.

4. Add DNS records. Configure the domain name resolution for your mailbox to ensure that the mail service runs properly.

For more information, see the Activation guide.

What is the process to start a mailbox migration?

To start a mailbox migration, follow these steps:

1. Log on to the Alibaba Mail console and go to Mailbox Tools > Mailbox Migration.

2. Turn on the main migration switch, enter the migration parameters, and select a migration plan.

3. Select a migration method as needed: batch setup for employee accounts (if you have the employee passwords), batch setup for employee accounts (if you do not have the employee passwords), or employee self-service migration.

4. During the migration, note the following:

   • Do not change the logon password for the source mailbox.

   • Do not delete or move any data in the source system.

   • Keep the source system running with the IMAP/POP service enabled.

   • Ensure that folder names in the source mailbox do not contain special characters.

For more information, see Mailbox migration.

How do I modify DNS records after a mailbox migration?

After a mailbox migration, you must modify the domain name resolution to ensure that the mail service runs properly. Follow these steps:

1. Log on to the console of the platform where you purchased your domain name. For example, log on to the Alibaba Cloud Domain Names console and go to the domain name list.

2. Select the domain name that you want to configure, and click Resolve to go to the Resolution Settings page.

3. Click Add Record and add the records with the following information:

   • @ | MX | 5 | mx1.qiye.aliyun.com

   • @ | MX | 10 | mx2.qiye.aliyun.com

   • @ | MX | 15 | mx3.qiye.aliyun.com

   • imap | CNAME | - | imap.qiye.aliyun.com

   • pop3 | CNAME | - | pop.qiye.aliyun.com

   • smtp | CNAME | - | smtp.qiye.aliyun.com

   • mail | CNAME | - | qiye.aliyun.com

   • @ | TXT | - | v=spf1 include the following:spf.qiye.aliyun.com -all

4. The DNS records typically take about 10 minutes to take effect. After you add the records, wait for the changes to propagate.

For more information, see the following help documents:

How to set up DNS records for an Alibaba Cloud domain name to use Alibaba Mail?

How to set up DNS records for a domain name not registered with Alibaba Cloud to use Alibaba Mail?.

How do I migrate emails between Alibaba Mail accounts (cross-account or cross-instance)?

The migration process is the same as migrating from a third-party email service. First create the corresponding employee accounts in the new account, then use the Email Migration feature to migrate data.

• Source type selection — If the dropdown menu does not have an "Alibaba Mail" option, select Other or IMAP.

• Server parameters — Enter imap.qiye.aliyun.com as the source server address, port 993, encryption SSL.

• Authentication — Enter the complete email address and password of the source mailbox. If the source mailbox has third-party client security password enabled, you must use the security password for authentication—not the regular login password.

• Domain switching — After migration is complete, unbind the domain from the original account, then bind it to the new account.

How do I resolve "Authentication Failed" or "Password Error" during email migration?

1. Check account format — Enter the complete email address (for example, user@domain.com), not just the username.

2. Check password type — If the source mailbox has "third-party client security password" or "app-specific password" enabled, you must use that dedicated password—not the web login password. Alternatively, disable the mandatory security password in the source mailbox administrator console and retry.

3. Check protocol permissions — Ensure the source mailbox account (not postmaster) has IMAP/POP3 service permissions enabled.

4. Check server configuration — Confirm the IMAP server address and port are correct. For Alibaba Mail: imap.qiye.aliyun.com, port 993, SSL.

5. Special scenario — If the source system is also Alibaba Mail, do not enter the new mailbox address—enter the old mailbox address and password.

What should I do if the migration progress shows "In Progress" but there is no data or the progress remains at 0 for a long time?

1. Normal delay — Migration has two stages: "fetching email list" and "actual data transfer." The initial list-fetching stage may take 1–2 hours, and the UI data update has approximately a 1-hour delay. Wait patiently.

2. Rate limit investigation — If the task is stuck for an extended period, the source mail server may be throttling connections or IP addresses. Try pausing and restarting the task, or check whether the source mailbox has IMAP sync restrictions or capacity limits configured.

3. Speed-up request — If there are no source-side restrictions but migration is still slow, submit a feedback request with the specific account to apply for a higher migration rate limit.

4. Incremental sync — Migration continuously syncs incremental emails, so the status always shows "In Progress"—this is expected behavior.

What should I note when merging multiple domains or handling specific migration scenarios?

1. Multi-domain merging — Direct instance merging is not supported. Create the corresponding accounts under the new domain, migrate data via email migration, and then add domain aliases afterward.

2. International domain migration — Bind the new domain to Alibaba Mail first before using the migration feature.

3. Task cancellation — Migration tasks cannot be cancelled once started. Confirm all target information carefully before proceeding.

4. SMS verification — You do not need to disable mobile SMS verification during migration—there is no security risk.

5. Reseller transfer — No action is required on the reseller side. Users need to recreate accounts in the new account and perform the migration themselves.

How do I resolve "Primary account invalid" or "Format error" when uploading a migration account file?

1. Format requirements — The Excel/CSV file must contain three required columns (typically account, password, etc.). Having only one column of data will cause an error.

2. Plain text format — Remove any hyperlink formatting from cells, set the content to plain text format, and re-upload the file.

3. Operation order — Ensure you have logged out of the old mailbox administrator account and are operating with the new mailbox administrator account.

4. Merge option — When uploading, select Merge into system folders to preserve the original email directory structure.

Why are emails displaying incorrect timestamps, drafts unsendable, or the folder structure different after email migration?

1. Time display — Migrated emails are treated as newly received emails. If the original timestamp parameter is missing, the email displays the time it was received instead.

2. Draft issues — Migrated draft emails may become unsendable due to status changes during migration. Compose new emails instead.

3. Folder structure — The original folder structure (Inbox, Sent Items, etc.) is preserved after migration and is not merged into a single folder.

4. Login portal — After migration, you cannot log in via Alibaba International. Use the dedicated portal at qiye.aliyun.com to log in.

Do expired or unused mailboxes need to be—or can they be—migrated?

1. Expired mailboxes — Paid-plan mailboxes that have expired cannot start a migration directly. Renew for a short period to restore access, then proceed with the migration. Free Edition new instances cannot directly receive expired domain data.

2. Unused mailboxes — If there is no important data, migration is not necessary—simply adjust the domain name resolution settings.

3. Local email import — No third-party client configuration is required. Alibaba Mail's web interface supports importing local .eml files directly.