To move mail between Hostinger accounts, export the source mailbox, verify a local backup, release the domain from the old service, recreate the domain and mailboxes in the destination account, import the messages, and then rebuild account settings and DNS. Keep the old service untouched until the backup opens and the destination contains the messages you need. Hostinger documents Webmail export/import, an Email Import or IMAP Sync option, and IMAP copying through a desktop mail client. The right route depends mainly on mailbox size, whether both accounts can stay online, and whether you need a local backup file.
What moves—and what does not
Email migration has two separate parts: the messages and folders stored in each mailbox, and the account configuration that controls how mail is delivered or handled. Exporting or synchronising a mailbox addresses the first part. It does not automatically reproduce every setting in the second.
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- Usually transferable: messages in Inbox, Sent and other folders, provided the chosen export or IMAP method includes those folders.
- Normally manual: aliases, forwarders, catch-all addresses, auto-responders, signatures, filters, contacts, calendars and tasks.
- Always required after a domain move: DNS records, mail-client settings and any website or application credentials that send mail.
Hostinger states that its support team cannot access or download customers’ email data. In practice, that means you must perform the export, retain the backup and supply any credentials needed by an import tool yourself.
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Use Webmail export/import when the mailbox is small enough to handle as a file and you want a straightforward, restorable backup. Use an IMAP-capable desktop client when the export would exceed the Webmail file limit or when you want to copy folders directly while both accounts remain active. Hostinger’s Email Import or IMAP Sync tools are useful for a direct or server-side transfer, but they require correct source IMAP credentials and have their own limits.
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| Method | Best fit | Local backup file | Folder and message handling | Main constraint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger Webmail export/import | Small or moderate mailboxes and a conventional backup | Yes; a downloaded ZIP | Exports selected messages in Mailbox or Maildir form; Hostinger also documents EML, Mbox and Maildir formats | Webmail export/import accepts files up to 256 MB, according to Hostinger’s 2026 migration guide |
| Desktop client over IMAP | Large mailboxes, direct copying, or a mailbox that must remain online during preparation | Optional; the client can keep a local synchronized copy | Copies messages and folders visible through IMAP | Requires both accounts configured correctly; account settings and non-mail data do not transfer |
| Hostinger Email Import or IMAP Sync | Direct account-to-account migration without manually handling every message | Not necessarily | Server-side or direct IMAP transfer, depending on the tool and source | Hostinger’s migration tutorial describes a 3 GB IMAP Sync transfer cap; credentials and matching folders are required |
Before selecting a method, record the number of messages in each important folder, note any unusually large attachments, and list every alias or rule that must be rebuilt. This inventory gives you something measurable to compare after the import.
Prepare a safe migration plan
Keep both accounts available for as long as possible
Do not cancel the old plan, delete the website that provides the mail service, or remove the source mailbox until the backup has been downloaded, opened and checked. If the source account remains available, you have a recovery path for a failed import and can copy messages that arrived during the transition.
Choose a destination address map
Write down the source address for every mailbox and its destination address. Hostinger’s importer can target a different destination address, although Hostinger’s import guidance says importing into other accounts is not recommended. If you are changing usernames, verify each mapping before starting; a typo can place a complete mailbox in the wrong destination.
Protect the backup
The export may contain years of private correspondence, attachments and password-reset messages. Store it on removable or external storage, and keep a second copy in a location controlled by you if your security policy permits. Use an encrypted drive or encrypted archive when the file will leave your computer. Do not email the backup to yourself or leave it in an unprotected public folder.
Step-by-step: migrate with Hostinger Webmail export and import
1. Export the source mailbox
- Sign in to the source Hostinger Webmail account.
- Select the messages and folders you intend to move. Include Sent, Archive and any custom folders; selecting only Inbox will not create a complete historical copy.
- Choose the Webmail export command. Hostinger describes a ZIP containing the selected messages in Mailbox or Maildir format. Its documentation also identifies EML, Mbox and Maildir as supported export formats, depending on the workflow and interface presented to you.
- Save the ZIP with a descriptive name such as
[email protected]. Keep the original download unchanged so you can repeat the import if necessary.
Large selections may take time to package. Keep the browser session open until the download completes, and compare the downloaded file size with the size shown by your operating system rather than assuming a partially completed download is valid.
2. Verify the downloaded backup
- Open the ZIP on the computer where it was downloaded. Confirm that it is not reported as corrupt and that it contains message files or the expected Mailbox/Maildir structure.
- Open representative messages from Inbox, Sent and at least one custom folder. Check dates, senders, recipients, body text and several attachments.
- Compare message counts with the inventory you made. Counts can differ if a selection omitted a folder, if duplicate messages were merged, or if the interface reports threaded conversations rather than individual messages.
- Make a second protected copy before changing the old Hostinger plan.
Hostinger advises backing up email before deleting or cancelling the old plan or website. Treat an unreadable ZIP, missing Sent folder or unexpectedly small message count as a stop condition, not as a problem to fix after cancellation.
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3. Release the domain from the old Hostinger service
A domain can be associated with only one email service at a time. You therefore have to release it before the destination account can provide mail for the same domain.
- Free email bundled with hosting: Hostinger’s migration instructions say to delete the relevant website to release the associated service.
- Business Email plan: contact Hostinger to cancel the email service according to the account’s cancellation process.
Deleting the website deletes related data, including email. Confirm that the backup is readable and complete before taking this step. If your website still needs to run, understand exactly which website or service Hostinger associates with the mail before deleting anything; do not remove an unrelated site merely to free the domain.
4. Recreate the destination domain and mailboxes
- Sign in to the destination Hostinger account.
- Add the website or domain if it is not already present.
- Purchase or enable the required email plan when the destination does not include free email.
- Create each destination mailbox with enough storage for the imported data and future growth.
- Record the new mailbox passwords securely. You will need them for Webmail, an import tool or a desktop IMAP client.
Create the mailboxes before importing. An import cannot deliver messages to a destination address that does not exist, and a destination with a different spelling or domain can be mistaken for a successful transfer when it is actually a new, empty mailbox.
5. Import the exported file
- Open the destination Hostinger Webmail.
- Use its import function and select the verified export file.
- Choose the destination mailbox and, where offered, map the source folder structure to the destination.
- Start the import and leave the session running until Hostinger reports completion. Avoid importing the same archive repeatedly unless you have confirmed how duplicate messages are handled.
- Inspect Inbox, Sent, Archive and custom folders as soon as the import finishes.
Hostinger’s 2026 account-migration guide sets the Webmail export/import maximum at 256 MB for the file being handled. If the ZIP or other export exceeds that limit, do not try to force it through the browser; split the export into smaller, clearly named batches or use an IMAP-based method instead.
6. Repeat carefully for multiple mailboxes
Process one source-to-destination mapping at a time. Keep a simple log containing the address, export filename, import date, message count before and after, and any folders that need a second pass. This prevents a shared archive from being imported into the wrong mailbox and makes it easier to identify a single failed address.
Moving a mailbox larger than 256 MB
Split the Webmail export
When a mailbox is too large for one Webmail file, export logical groups such as Inbox, Sent, Archive and custom folders separately. If a single folder is still too large, divide it by date or by a range of messages. Name each batch with the mailbox, folder and date range, then import each batch once. Preserve the original folder names so the destination remains navigable.
Copy through a desktop IMAP client
Configure the old and new mailboxes in a desktop client that supports IMAP. Let the source account finish synchronising, create or confirm matching folders in the destination, and copy messages in manageable groups. Keep the client online until its sent and received counts stop changing, then allow the destination to synchronise before closing it.
IMAP transfers messages and folders, but it does not carry contacts, calendars, tasks, filters, signatures or forwarding rules. A client copy is therefore a mail transfer, not a complete account clone. It also depends on accurate server settings and passwords, so test with a small folder before copying the entire mailbox.
Use Hostinger IMAP Sync or Email Import
Hostinger’s broader migration tutorial describes an IMAP Sync transfer cap of 3 GB. That figure applies to the tool and limit described by Hostinger in 2026; it is not a guarantee that every plan or mailbox can be moved in one operation. Enter the source IMAP credentials, destination credentials and folder mapping exactly as requested by the current Hostinger interface. For mailboxes above the cap, run separate transfers or use a desktop client.
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Recreate settings that do not travel with messages
Aliases and additional addresses
Recreate every alias on the destination account and test delivery to it. An alias is an address configuration, not a message inside the mailbox, so exporting the mailbox does not recreate it.
Forwarders and catch-all delivery
Write down each forwarding destination and whether it applies to one address or the whole domain. Rebuild the forwarders only after the destination mailbox works. Catch-all delivery can create unexpected volume and should be enabled only if you intentionally used it on the old service.
Auto-responders and signatures
Copy the text, subject, schedule and recipient conditions for each auto-responder. Re-enter signatures in Webmail and in any desktop or mobile client that maintains its own signature. Send a test message from each client to verify that the expected signature is used.
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Filters and folders
Export or document filter conditions manually if the old interface provides no account-level transfer. Recreate filters after the messages arrive, and place them in the same order where ordering affects processing. Test with a harmless message before enabling rules that delete, forward or archive automatically.
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Contacts, calendars and tasks
IMAP and mailbox exports do not transfer contacts, calendars or tasks. Export those data sets from the application that owns them, if an export is available, and import them separately into the destination service or client. Verify time zones and recurring events rather than assuming a calendar import preserved every property.
Update DNS and connected applications
Once the destination mailboxes exist, point the domain’s mail records at the new Hostinger service. Hostinger’s migration guidance calls for the appropriate Hostinger MX, SPF and DKIM records and removal of conflicting records. Use the exact values shown for your destination account; do not copy values from an unrelated Hostinger plan or another domain.
- Open the DNS management page for the domain.
- Replace obsolete MX records with the destination Hostinger MX records.
- Add or update the Hostinger SPF record, taking care not to publish multiple conflicting SPF policies.
- Enable or add the DKIM record supplied for the destination service.
- Remove stale MX, SPF or DKIM entries that point to the old provider, but leave unrelated website records intact.
- Save the zone and allow DNS caches to expire.
Hostinger says DNS propagation can require up to 24 hours. During that window, some senders may still use the old route while others use the new one. Keep the source account available if possible, monitor both mailboxes and avoid declaring the migration complete based on a single test message.
After DNS changes, update every device and application that sends or receives mail: phones, desktop clients, scanners, contact forms, CMS plugins, transactional-mail scripts and saved SMTP credentials. Re-enter the destination password and confirm that the client is using the new account rather than an old cached profile.
Verification checklist after the import
- Sign in to each destination mailbox through Webmail.
- Compare total and per-folder message counts with the pre-migration inventory.
- Open old and recent messages in Inbox, Sent, Archive and custom folders.
- Open attachments of several file types and check that filenames and content are intact.
- Send a message from an external account to the new address and reply from the destination.
- Test delivery to every alias.
- Test forwarding, catch-all behavior, auto-responders and filters individually.
- Send from each phone, desktop client, website form and application that uses the domain.
- Inspect message headers or the mail client’s account details to confirm the destination service is being used.
- Keep the verified export until you have completed a normal backup cycle on the destination.
Troubleshooting common migration failures
The import rejects the file
Check the file size first. A Webmail export/import file over 256 MB exceeds Hostinger’s documented limit; split it or use IMAP. If the file is smaller, reopen the ZIP, test its archive integrity and confirm that it contains one of the documented message formats rather than a browser shortcut or incomplete download.
Messages are missing from Sent or custom folders
The original export may have selected only Inbox, or the IMAP client may not have finished synchronising every folder. Compare your inventory with the source, export the missing folder separately, and import or copy it once. Avoid deleting the source until the folder appears in the destination.
The destination mailbox is empty after a successful-looking transfer
Check the address mapping and confirm that you are viewing the intended destination account. If an importer accepted a different destination address, the messages may be in another mailbox. Verify the destination password and folder subscriptions in the Webmail or IMAP client.
New mail still arrives at the old service
Check the domain’s MX records and remove conflicting entries. DNS caches can persist for up to 24 hours according to Hostinger, so test from more than one external account during propagation. Do not delete the source backup or old mailbox while delivery is still mixed.
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These settings are tied to the provider account and were not carried by the message export. Recreate them on the destination, then test one rule at a time with a controlled message. Check that a recreated forwarder does not create a loop back to the old address.
A desktop client downloads duplicates
Stop the copy, inspect which source and destination folders are selected, and determine whether the first run completed. Repeating a transfer without knowing the client’s duplicate-handling behavior can multiply messages. Use a fresh destination folder for a test batch, then move only verified messages into the final folder structure.
Operational and security precautions
- Use unique, strong passwords for the destination mailboxes and store them in a password manager.
- Do not paste mailbox passwords into unverified migration software.
- Protect exported ZIP files because they are readable copies of private email.
- Record the exact date and method used for each mailbox so a later audit can distinguish imported messages from new mail.
- Retain the source service until delivery, folders, attachments and account settings have all been checked.
- After the migration, remove temporary archives from computers or drives that no longer need them, while keeping the protected backup required by your retention policy.
Which approach should you use?
Choose Webmail export/import when you want the clearest local recovery point and each export is below the 256 MB limit. Choose a desktop IMAP client when the mailbox is larger, when you need to split work by folder or date, or when both accounts must stay online while you copy. Choose Hostinger’s Email Import or IMAP Sync when you prefer a direct transfer and can provide reliable IMAP credentials; check the current tool’s limits, including the 3 GB cap described in Hostinger’s 2026 tutorial.
Whatever method you select, the safe order is unchanged: back up and verify first, release the domain only after the backup is sound, create the destination mailboxes, transfer messages, rebuild settings, update DNS, and verify real-world delivery before cancelling the old service.
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