---
title: "Migrating mail from elsewhere"
date: "2015-10-07"
category: "email"
slug: "migrating-mail-from-elsewhere"
---

## Overview

When migrating from a previous hosting provider or consolidating user accounts, you may need to import email into your account. Two methods are available, listed from easiest to most involved.

## Migration Methods

### SquirrelMail Fetchmail

SquirrelMail includes built-in support for downloading mail from a remote server and merging it with your inbox. It is available in the [[logging-into-the-control-panel]] via **Mail** > **Webmail**, or at `http://<[[what-is-my-server-name]]>/webmail`.

1. Log into SquirrelMail per the [[changing-webmail-locations]]; it is always accessible at `http://<[[what-is-my-server-name]]>/webmail`
    - Cannot log in? Check your [[accessing-e-mail]] credentials.
2. Go to **Options** > **POP3 Fetchmail**
3. Enter the credentials for your old mail server
    - Use your old mail server's IP address or hostname (often the old cPanel address)
    - If unsure, contact your previous provider and request the "IMAP/POP3 server IP address"
    - Optionally, select "_Check mail at login_" to let SquirrelMail continuously aggregate mail
4. Click **Add Server**

    ![Sample dialog entry in SquirrelMail](kb-image:fetchmail-dialog.png)
*Sample dialog entry in SquirrelMail*

5. Return to the inbox overview and click **Fetch** to begin downloading email

    ![Fetch action present after configuring a server to download from.](kb-image:fetchmail-fetch-action.png)
*Fetch action present after configuring a server to download from.*

### Direct Copy

If your previous provider stores email in Maildir or Maildir++ format (each message as a separate file in a `cur/` directory), you can copy these files directly. The mail server will automatically pick them up.

Copy messages for each user into `Mail/cur/` within that user's [[home-directory-location]]. For details on the mailbox directory structure, see [[email-filesystem-layout]].
