cirrux

Switch from Microsoft

This guide covers moving to Cirrux from Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live.com, or Microsoft 365. Cirrux has no direct Microsoft connection like it has for Google, so you bring your mail across with an IMAP import and keep your Microsoft account active throughout the transition.

Before you start

We recommend using your own domain (like you@yourdomain.com) rather than an @outlook.com or @hotmail.com address. This gives you full control over your email and makes any future move much easier. If you don't have a domain yet, you can register one through any domain registrar.

Migration steps

1

Create your mailbox in Cirrux

You get your first mailbox when you sign up. To add mailboxes for other people, open the admin app at admin.cirrux.info, go to Users and use Add member, which creates a mailbox for the new member.

Each mailbox has its own app passwords for connecting email clients.

2

Generate an app password in Microsoft

If your Microsoft account uses two-step verification (it should), you’ll need an app password for IMAP access. Sign in at account.microsoft.com/security, open Advanced security options, and create a new app password under App passwords. Keep it handy. You’ll paste it into Cirrux in the next step.

Microsoft 365 (work / school) accounts may have IMAP disabled by your admin. If you can’t enable it yourself, ask whoever manages the tenant to turn it on for your mailbox.

3

Run the IMAP import

In Cirrux Mail, go to Settings → Sync & Import, click Connect IMAP account and enter:

  • Server: outlook.office365.com
  • Port: 993 (SSL/TLS)
  • Username: your full Microsoft email address
  • Password: the app password from step 2

Cirrux discovers your folders. You pick the Cirrux mailbox to import into and which folders to import. Each folder lands in the matching Cirrux label, and Inbox, Sent Items, Drafts, Deleted Items, Junk Email and Archive go to the built-in Cirrux folders. See the IMAP import guide for how re-runs, rate limits, and read/unread state are handled.

4

Export calendars and contacts

Microsoft doesn’t expose calendars and contacts over IMAP, so they need a separate export.

  • Calendars: in Outlook on the web, go to Calendar → Settings → Shared calendars and publish or export each calendar as an .ics file.
  • Contacts: in Outlook on the web, open People → Manage → Export contacts and download a .csv file. Convert to .vcf (vCard) with any free converter, because Cirrux imports contacts from vCard files only.
5

Import calendars and contacts into Cirrux

Go to Settings → Sync & Import. Use Upload ICS file for each calendar and pick the Cirrux calendar it should go into, and Upload VCF file for your contacts and pick the address book. See the ICS import guide for how events are handled.

6

Add your domain

If you're using your own domain, add it to Cirrux. Go to Settings → Domains in Cirrux Mail (or Domains in the admin app at admin.cirrux.info) and click Add domain.

Cirrux will provide you with the DNS records you need to configure. See our Domains & DNS guide for details on each record.

7

Update your DNS settings

Log in to your domain registrar and update the DNS settings with the records provided by Cirrux. If your domain was previously configured for Microsoft 365, remove Microsoft’s MX, SPF, and DKIM records first so they don’t conflict. You’ll typically add:

  • MX records: route incoming email to Cirrux
  • SPF record: authorizes Cirrux to send email on your behalf
  • DKIM records: sign your outgoing email
  • DMARC record: tells receiving servers what to do with mail that fails these checks

DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate, though they often take effect within minutes. We’ll email you when we detect the DNS changes, and your domain will show as Active once the records are verified.

8

Forward mail from Microsoft during the cutover

An IMAP import only runs when you start it, so anything that arrives at your Microsoft address between runs won’t appear in Cirrux until you choose Import new emails on the import. To avoid missing mail, set up an automatic forward in Outlook on the web: Settings → Mail → Forwarding, then forward to your new Cirrux address.

Keep your Microsoft account active until you’re confident everything is flowing correctly. Cancel your subscription once you’re ready.

You're all set!

Once your domain is active and your imports are complete, you're ready to use Cirrux as your email provider. New mail will arrive in Cirrux, and your imported history is available to search and reference.

There is no automatic sync with Microsoft: the IMAP import and the file uploads are copies you start yourself. Files in OneDrive are not imported, so move those to Cirrux Drive by hand.

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