How to Migrate Zoho Mail to IMAP? Easy Steps

Written By Adom James
Updated on July 3rd, 2025

David Wilson Query: “I’ve been using Zoho Mail for my business emails, but now I want to shift to another email client that uses IMAP. I don’t want to lose any of my emails, folders, or attachments during the move. Is there a simple way to migrate Zoho Mail to IMAP platform?”

Introduction: If you want to migrate your Zoho Mail to IMAP without losing emails, contacts, and more. There are two simple and effective ways to do it. You can either use a manual method by enabling IMAP and configuring your email client (like Outlook or Thunderbird). Alternatively, you can use a professional Zoho Backup Tool. It allows you to download your complete mailbox and transfer it to any IMAP platform without data loss. In this blog, we’ll explain both methods to offer you quick and hassle-free results.

Table of Contents

Real-Life Scenario:

Jessica runs a small online boutique and uses Zoho Mail to handle customer orders and business communication. Recently, she hired a remote assistant who prefers working with Thunderbird, which supports IMAP. To keep communication secure and allow access to historical emails. Jessica decided to export Zoho email to IMAP. She wanted to avoid losing any old emails, so she looked for a method that was simple and safe.

Smart Way to Migrate Zoho Mail to IMAP

Firstly, launch the CloudeMigration Zoho Mail Backup Tool on your PC.
Next, enter Zoho Mail credentials and click Log In.
Then, preview and select the folder to import. Click Next.
After that, choose the Saving opt as IMAP from the list.
Further, enter IMAP credentials and click Log In.
Apply advanced features & filters and click Convert.

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Transfer Zoho Mail to IMAP Using Thunderbird

You can use Mozilla Thunderbird to transfer all your emails from Zoho Mail to Thunderbird. Since Zoho doesn’t offer a direct manual export to another IMAP server, Thunderbird offers a useful solution. You’ll need to install Thunderbird, connect your Zoho Mail account using IMAP settings, and then add your destination IMAP account to the same app. Once both accounts are connected, you can simply drag and drop emails or folders from Zoho to the IMAP account.

Here is how you can do it:

Firstly, log in to Zoho Mail on your system.
Then, click on Settings and choose Mail Accounts.
Now, IMAP Access and make sure it’s turned on.
Next, choose manual setup and select IMAP as the account type.
Use the following settings:

Incoming Server (IMAP): imap.zoho.com | Port: 993 | Security: SSL/TLS
Outgoing Server (SMTP): smtp.zoho.com | Port: 465 | Security: SSL/TLS
Username: Your full Zoho email address
Password: Your Zoho login or app password if 2FA is enabled

Finally, simply drag & drop Zoho emails into Thunderbird.

Why Manual Method Challenging?

While the manual approach works, and free to use. But it’s not always ideal for large or business-critical data. Here’s why:

Manual steps increase the risk of missed emails or duplicates.
Hard to manage as your email size grows.
Also, manual drag-and-drop may skip items or sync improperly.
Moreover, no built-in reports or tracking of migration status.

Many users avoid this manual method due to its limitations. That’s why we suggested using the alternative method mentioned.

Hassle-Free Way to Migrate Zoho Mail to IMAP

For a quick and reliable solution, using theCloudeMigration Zoho Mail Backup Tool is the best option. This tool is developed with advanced technology to transfer bulk Zoho emails to IMAP without data loss. Also, you can migrate email from Zoho to Office 365 and other email clients. It preserves data originality, confidentiality, and accessibility during the migration.

Simple Steps to Move Zoho Mail to IMAP

Download & install the CloudeMigration Zoho Backup Tool on your PC.
Enter Zoho Mail credentials and click Log In.
Then, select the Zoho emails to transfer.
Choose IMAP and enter its credentials.
Further, apply advanced features & filters.
Lastly, click Convert to initiate the Zoho Mail to IMAP migration.

Related Post: Easily Migrate Zoho Mail to Google Workspace with no data loss.

Conclusion

This blog explained to you different ways to migrate Zoho Mail to IMAP not working. Using the manual methods and professional techniques. While the manual method is free, it can be time-consuming, risky, and hard to manage. Also, not give an accurate solution for bulk emails. On the other hand, the professional method offers a quick and more reliable way to complete the migration without losing any data.

Q1. Is it possible to preview Zoho Mail data before exporting it to IMAP?

Ans: Yes, the Zoho Backup Tool allows you to preview all your emails before migrating them. You can select only the data you want to transfer.

Q2. Which is the best tool to migrate Zoho Mail to IMAP?

Ans: The CloudMigration Zoho Mail Backup Tool is one of the best tools available. It supports bulk migration, multiple formats, and preserves data integrity without needing technical expertise.

About The Author:

Adom James