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Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

Mardler
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 722
Thanks: 52
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

Apologies if this has been covered before but I found nothing on a quick look.

I am aware that PN does not allow new customers for email.

I need to transfer email to a new device. Backing up the old device and restoring to the new one will be a nightmare but what about PN email?

Can I even set up a new device?

If I can, do I set up the same account data in the new Mail app then shut down the old device?

Do I shut down the old device Mail app account first then set up the new one? This seems logical but my concern is that this will cause my attempt to set up the new device to be treated as a new customer therefore losing all past and future emails.

All info gratefully received. TIA.

8 REPLIES 8
jab1
Legend
Posts: 19,205
Thanks: 6,311
Fixes: 290
Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

@Mardler Transferring your data from one Apple device to another is simple. Are these phones or tablets, and which versions are they?

Is your PN email  via webmail or a client?

John
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 16,288
Thanks: 6,243
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

but my concern is that this will cause my attempt to set up the new device to be treated as a new customer therefore losing all past and future emails.

@Mardler it won't!. The email system doesn't identify what device is being used to access email.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 24,027
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

"Transferring mail" needs semantic clarification.

If the Apple device accessed the mailbox using IMAP, then "transfer" is simply a matter of adding the mail account to the new device as an IMAP client.

If the Apple device accessed the mailbox using POP3 then it is entirely a different ball game ... and I'm unsure where to start other than doing Google searches.  The email history will be stored somewhere on the old device (certainly that is where sent items will be) ... but Apple devices (iPhone / iPad) do not have an accessible filing system as understood on a PC / MAC.

See Transfer of POP account mails to new ipho… - Apple Community

Also, if your account has the email facility, its functionality is not impeded by the service not being offered to new users.  You can still add new email addresses as mailboxes, aliases or redirects.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Mardler
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 722
Thanks: 52
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

Thanks all.

I had been mulling this over and had come to the conclusion that setting up the account on the new device with current IMAP settings should work. Your replies seem to agree.

The only problem I foresee is momentarily having two accounts.

MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 16,288
Thanks: 6,243
Fixes: 447
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

The only problem I foresee is momentarily having two accounts.

@Mardler if you're using IMAP , then that's not a problem. All the email is stored on the server and each device configured for the same email account will see exactly the same content. For example I have at least 5 devices accessing the same mail accounts.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Mardler
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 722
Thanks: 52
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

Bit the bullet and went for broke despite the dire warnings from just about every source including Apple.

I restored to the new device from the last weekly old device iCloud backup. It worked very well. 

The PN email settings were carried across and so far as I can see implemented automatically with no action from me.

Thanks for all your input, folks.

Takeaway for Apple users: simply backup the old device to iCloud and pull down (restore) on the new device.

jab1
Legend
Posts: 19,205
Thanks: 6,311
Fixes: 290
Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

That is how I've done ever since my first swap, and I'm sure that is the standard Apple procedure - what did Apple 'warn' you about?

John
Mardler
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 722
Thanks: 52
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Porting email from old Apple device to a new one

I wasn't warned specifically but others were. Anyway, all done and dusted.