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How to switch account server while keeping filters and tags

  • 2 replies
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  • Last reply by christ1

geoffmen
geoffmen
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So I'm migrating my mails from GMX to Outlook.com. I make extensive use of tags (they're local since IMAP tags aren't supported on either server), filters and search folders. I need to migrate them all from one account to the other. I'm importing my mails using the Outlook.com import feature. I'm wondering which will be the most reliable way to keep all my customizations:

1. Change the server settings in the Thunderbird account 2. Copy the mail-folder file (for tags) and the filters file from GMX account folder to the outlook.com account folder 3. Any other option I didn't think about?

I think the filters should be easy enough by copying the filter file, however the problem will be with tags. I don't know if each tagged mail will have the same ID and therefore will be recognized in the new mailbox. If this doesn't work my fallback method will be to star every tagged mail and redo the migration...

So I'm migrating my mails from GMX to Outlook.com. I make extensive use of tags (they're local since IMAP tags aren't supported on either server), filters and search folders. I need to migrate them all from one account to the other. I'm importing my mails using the Outlook.com import feature. I'm wondering which will be the most reliable way to keep all my customizations: 1. Change the server settings in the Thunderbird account 2. Copy the mail-folder file (for tags) and the filters file from GMX account folder to the outlook.com account folder 3. Any other option I didn't think about? I think the filters should be easy enough by copying the filter file, however the problem will be with tags. I don't know if each tagged mail will have the same ID and therefore will be recognized in the new mailbox. If this doesn't work my fallback method will be to star every tagged mail and redo the migration...

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geoffmen
geoffmen Question owner
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I forgot to mention, there's another option I'm considering: to use thunderbird to migrate the mails. I think it might be the most reliable way to keep the tags, however, It won't be very reliable to migrate my thousands of mail that amount to ~10GB of data. If the server connection ever fails then in order to avoid duplicates I'll have to remove all migrated files from the destination mailbox and start all over again...

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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1. Change the server settings in the Thunderbird account

There is no such thing as a Thunderbird account. You do have an account with your email provider, and you use Thunderbird to retrieve mail from that account. In any case, if you do that, the outlook.com server will erase all your messages upon the first connect assuming it will be IMAP as well.

If you want to be on the safe side make sure you do have a local copy of all your messages, either in 'Local Folders' or an offline copy within your GMX IMAP account. Also make sure you do have a full backup of your Thunderbird profile folder.

You'll need to create the outlook.com account in parallel to the existing GMX account.

2. Copy the mail-folder file (for tags) and the filters file from GMX account folder to the outlook.com account folder

That won't work either. You need to upload the messages to the outlook.com server. What that means to your tags I don't know.

I think the filters should be easy enough by copying the filter file

Correct.

there's another option I'm considering: to use thunderbird to migrate the mails.

That is the way to go.

It won't be very reliable to migrate my thousands of mail that amount to ~10GB of data.

That will certainly keep you busy for a while. I'd manually create any folder structure you may have on the new server, and then only copy over messages, not entire folders. Don't use drag and drop, use the right-click option 'Copy To'. Copy messages in batches, not thousands of messages in one step. Make sure they have been copied properly to the destination server, then delete them on the originating server. Don't forget to create backups of your profile in between and after the whole thing is finished.