IMAP

How to Migrate cPanel to cPanel with Native & Workarounds Methods

Published By Mohit Jha

Approved By Nimisha Ramesh

Published On June 10th, 2026

Reading Time 9 Minutes Reading

cPanel is a Linux-based web hosting platform that provides services like managing websites, servers, and hosting accounts. Many businesses want to move from the old cPanel to a new account due to changing hosting providers, website performance, etc. To migrate cPanel to cPanel, you can use WHM and a full backup option. In this blog, I will explain the steps of these methods and how you can transfer emails from cPanel to another account.

When you are migrating your cPanel accounts, you can transfer different data.

Website Data
- All files that are in /home/username/, including public_html website files.
- Addon domains, parked domains/aliases, and subdomains.
- Historical weblogs, visitor data, and metrics statistics, such as AWStats
Database and Users
- All MySQL and PostgreSQL databases.
- Database usernames, user passwords, and specific assigned user privileges.
Email Data
- All the content of the mailbox, including email directories, active inboxes, and archive folders.
- Active email forwarders, user filters, account passwords, and global domain-level filters.
- Mailman mailing lists and data that are tied to the user account.
Accounts and Security
Standard user credentials, FTP accounts, and custom user access configurations that are built with
- cPanel’s Manage Team feature.
- Existing SSL certificates and keys.
- Scheduled cron jobs, task paths, and automation rules by a cPanel user.

What do you not get transferred?

Server-wide settings, like IP addresses, Global Configurations, and Security Firewalls.
Root applications and tools, such as custom software and local backups (third-party provider backups that are not carried out by the cPanel backup archive).
External Integrations where you can’t migrate DNS Nameservers, Remote Databases, or Two-factor Authentication.
The custom DNS templates are not properly migrated.

Preparations Before Migrating cPanel to cPanel

To securely move your cPanel account to another server. You must follow this checklist carefully.

First of all, create a complete backup of your cPanel account. It helps to recover your data if anything happens. Also, you may need the full account backup during the migration.
Make sure you have full active access to both cPanel accounts. You must verify both accounts.
Check your destination account storage space, and ensure you have enough space to migrate your data.
On both accounts, check the PHP version, MySQL/MariaDB version, Apache/LiteSpeed configuration, installed PHP extensions, and application requirements. To make sure there are no compatibility issues after the migration.
Clean up your mailbox by removing unnecessary files to make the process easier and reduce storage consumption.
Email accounts that are hosted in cPanel must be included in the migration plan. Where you check the number of mailboxes, total mailbox size, email forwarding rules, etc.
If you are opting for WHM’s transfer tool, ensure that the source and destination servers are properly communicated. Your required ports and firewall settings allow the connections between both servers.
You can reduce DNS TTL values before you start the migration. So the changes in DNS propagate faster when the site is moved to a new server.
When you are migrating, don’t perform cPanel or WHM updates on either source or destination server. This is because running updates together may interrupt your process and lead to migration failures.

After your preparations, you can now start the migration process. The first method that I am going to explain is the WHM method.

How to Migrate cPanel to cPanel using WHM Transfer Tool?

cPanel has a WHM transfer tool feature, which allows you to copy one or more cPanel accounts. It transfers your accounts, packages, and configurations from the source to the destination server. To use this method, you need to first prepare your source server so that it communicates with the transfer tool.

Set up your source server by first providing information about the source server.
1. Provide your IP address or Fully Qualified Domain Name in the Remote Server Address text box.
2. Then, specify the port to use in the Remote SSH port text box.
Next, specify the authentication method that you use to log in to the source server.
1. Choose whether you want to log in as the root user or with a specific username.
2. If you select a user for Login, enter the source accounts’ usernames and source account passwords.
3. Specify whether to use a password or an SSH key in the authentication method menu.
After that, choose if you want to use the Restricted Restore feature or copy reseller privileges. Select Restricted Restore if you don’t trust the source account backup with root access to your server.
Now, you can apply for advanced settings by clicking the Show button in settings.
1. Click on Web control panel from the Remote Server Type menu. Then, choose your settings.
2. Select the unencrypted option and then Compressed Transfers
3. Choose Low Priority, then Use Incremental backup.
4. Click on the Use custom account packaging modules and set the number of CPU threads for the transfer session.
5. Set the number of CPU threads for the restore session. Then, enter the number of seconds that the transfer session remains open.
6. Lastly, click Scan Remote Server and check the information given in the account list interface.
7. If the information is incorrect, you can rescan the source server, or if it is correct. Go to the Accounts tab to prepare your destination server.

Select What to Transfer from cPanel to Another Account

Now, you have to select which configuration, packages, and account you want to transfer. Then, follow the steps to move your accounts.
Go to the WHM >> Home >> Transfers >> Transfer Tool, then click on the checkbox of your choice for each cPanel account.
The system automatically uses your username from the source server. But you can also specify a new username by adding it in the User text box.
Select the accounts where the system will assign dedicated IP addresses.
Press Default to open the account information section.
From the ” What to Transfer section, you can select the desired settings that you want to transfer.
Enabled the toggle when you want to use Live transfer.
Enabled the toggle to update your DNS records on the destination server.
If your server uses a linked node, you will see Linked Node options. Use only this server if you want to transfer or restore locally. Or the alias and hostname of the existing cPanel and WHM server node.
Apply the saved settings and press Apply to other selected accounts to use these same settings.
In the Overwrite column, you will see a menu which tell you to overwrite the local data. Select what you want.
Then, click Copy, and your transfer process begins.

Now, the system will start the programs and start migrating your accounts. So, you have to wait until it completes the procedure. There is another option to migrate cPanel to cPanel, which is a full backup and restore.

Transfer cPanel Account to New Server by Full Backup and Restore

Start by signing in to the cPanel account that you want to move. Then, go to the home page.
Click on Files and then select the Backup button.
Press the Download a Full Account Backup below the Full Backup.
Select Do not send email notification of backup completion and then Generate Backup.
After creating the backup, go back and select your backup file and download it to your desktop.
Run Web Host Manager (WHM) and log in to your server with your password and use root as the username.
Type “cpmove” in WHM home page search box.
Click on Restore a Full Backup/cpmove File and then Restore with File.
Select Choose File, browse the backup file that you have just created, and open it by double-clicking.
Click the Restore button, and the WHM will upload the backup file to the server.

After Migration Steps

After you have properly migrated your account. There are some points that you must follow.

During the migration, if the system finds the same database on both servers. It automatically renames the incoming database to prevent any corruption.
You may have to log in again after the migration, because active PHP sessions do not transfer completely.
Confirm MX records and email routing after completing the process.
Make sure you review your DNS records and test websites, databases, SSL certificates, and email accounts.

How to Migrate cPanel Emails from One Account to Another?

Now, if you want to move only emails from one cPanel to another account. Then, you can use FreeViewer IMAP Migration Tool. cPanel uses IMAP to configure accounts. So, with the help of the software, you can easily transfer your emails without any issues. To know how this software works, follow the instructions below. Now, if you are wondering why this software, then refer to the next section.

Download Now Purchase Now

Guide for the Professional Software

Download the software on your desktop.
Then, choose the IMAP option as both source and destination.
Click the Email option and apply the date filter.
In the source tab, provide cPanel source account details. Add destination cPanel account details.
Add user accounts through Import and Fetch users. Then, click on the Start Migration button.

Conclusion

In this, I have explained how to migrate cPanel to cPanel. Here, I have mentioned two manual ways to transfer your cPanel account to another. Tell you what you can transfer and what not. Other than that, I have also discussed a way to transfer only emails between cPanel accounts.