For years, Amazon WorkMail served organizations as a dependable managed email solution \u2014 secure, scalable, and tightly integrated with AWS infrastructure. That era is ending. AWS has officially confirmed it will shut down Amazon WorkMail permanently on March 31, 2027, making migration no longer optional but essential.<\/p>\n
Microsoft 365 \u2014 with Exchange Online at its core \u2014 is the natural, proven destination for WorkMail customers. This guide walks you through every step: understanding the EOL deadline, choosing the right Microsoft 365 plan, executing a zero-downtime migration, and handling post-cutover configuration. Apps4Rent, a Tier 1 Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider with 25,000+ migrations completed, provides free migration for businesses making the switch through us.<\/p>\n
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\n Official AWS End-of-Support Notice\n <\/p>\n
\n After careful consideration, AWS has decided to end support for Amazon WorkMail, effective March 31, 2027<\/strong>. After this date, you will no longer be able to access the Amazon WorkMail console or any WorkMail resources \u2014 all emails, contacts, calendars, and attachments will become permanently inaccessible with no stated recovery option.\n <\/p>\n \n Amazon WorkMail will stop accepting new customers from April 30, 2026<\/strong>. Existing accounts remain active until the hard shutdown date.\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Microsoft 365 isn’t just a like-for-like email replacement \u2014 it’s a complete upgrade that adds the collaboration tools Amazon WorkMail never offered, starting at the same $4\/user\/month price point.<\/p>\n Poor preparation is the single biggest cause of failed or disruptive migrations. Work through every item below before executing any technical steps.<\/p>\n Inventory every mailbox, alias, distribution list, shared mailbox, resource mailbox, and custom domain. Export this as a spreadsheet \u2014 it becomes your migration manifest and CSV source file.<\/p>\n Select your plan based on the comparison above. Purchase licenses for all users being migrated through Apps4Rent for the best pricing and bundled migration support.<\/p>\n Go to admin.microsoft.com \u2192 Settings \u2192 Domains. Add your custom domain and complete DNS verification using the TXT record provided. Do not update MX records yet.<\/p>\n Assign admin rights to a migration role account from the Amazon WorkMail console or via Active Directory for WorkMail. This account needs access to all source mailboxes.<\/p>\n Verify IMAP access is enabled. Note your WorkMail IMAP server address by region \u2014 for example, imap.mail.us-east-1.awsapps.com for US East. Port: 993, Encryption: SSL.<\/p>\n Create destination user accounts in Microsoft 365 Admin Center and assign Exchange Online or Microsoft 365 licenses to each one so mailboxes are provisioned and ready before migration starts.<\/p>\n Reduce the TTL on your MX and related DNS records to 300 seconds (5 minutes) at least 48 hours before your planned cutover. This makes DNS propagation near-instant when you flip the switch.<\/p>\n Notify users at least two weeks before migration. Tell them what\u2019s changing, what they need to do (reconfigure Outlook, set up MFA), and who to contact for help. Early communication dramatically reduces post-migration support tickets.<\/ol>\n Two migration methods work for WorkMail. IMAP Migration (via Microsoft 365 Admin Center) suits most small-to-mid organizations. PowerShell-based batches offer greater control for larger deployments.<\/p>\n Suitable for most organizations under 150 users. Migrates email. Contacts and calendars are handled separately.<\/p>\n Navigate to admin.microsoft.com \u2192 Exchange Admin Center \u2192 Migration. Click Migration Endpoints then New<\/p>\n Choose IMAP from the endpoint options. Enter the WorkMail IMAP server: imap.mail.[your-region].awsapps.com \u00b7 Port 993 \u00b7 Security SSL.<\/p>\n Provide the migration role account email and password. Click Next. Microsoft tests the IMAP connection \u2014 if it fails, confirm IMAP is enabled in WorkMail settings and credentials are correct.<\/p>\n Give it a clear name like WorkMail-IMAP-US-East and save. This endpoint is referenced when creating migration batches in the next phase.<\/ul>\n Create a CSV with one column: EmailAddress \u2014 one WorkMail address per row. For address remapping, include a second column. Maximum 50,000 rows per batch file.<\/p>\n In EAC \u2192 Migration, click New Migration Batch, select your saved IMAP endpoint, and upload the CSV file. Name the batch and optionally set a start date filter to limit which historical email is included.<\/p>\n For large mailboxes, choose Manually start later so you can schedule the batch during low-usage periods (weekends or overnight). Click Save then Start at the appropriate time.<\/p>\n Track progress in the EAC Migration dashboard. Each mailbox shows status: Syncing, Synced, or Failed. Run Get-MigrationUser -Status Failed in PowerShell to list failures and investigate individually before proceeding to cutover.<\/ul>\n Migrating from Amazon WorkMail to Microsoft 365 is more involved than simply copying emails. DNS changes, shared mailbox setup, Outlook reconfiguration, MFA enforcement, contacts and calendar handling, and user training all need precise coordination. One misconfigured MX record can cause hours of email downtime \u2014 and one missed DKIM record can route your legitimate email to recipients’ spam folders.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The most important questions WorkMail customers are asking about the 2027 shutdown and migration to Microsoft 365.<\/p>\n Amazon WorkMail reaches end of support on March 31, 2027<\/strong>. After this date, the WorkMail console and all WorkMail resources become permanently inaccessible \u2014 including every email, contact, calendar event, and attachment stored in the platform. AWS has announced no post-shutdown data recovery option.<\/p>\n WorkMail also stops accepting new customers from April 30, 2026<\/strong>. Existing accounts remain functional until the hard shutdown date, but should not be relied upon as data becomes unrecoverable afterward. We strongly recommend beginning migration planning now \u2014 large organizations may need 3\u20136 months to migrate safely.<\/p>\n Exchange Online Plan 1 at $4\/user\/month<\/strong> is the most direct, cost-equivalent replacement for Amazon WorkMail. It provides a 50 GB Exchange Online mailbox, Outlook Web App, calendar and contacts sync, anti-spam and anti-malware protection, mobile device sync via ActiveSync, and a 99.9% uptime SLA \u2014 all for the same monthly cost as WorkMail.<\/p>\n For just $2 more per user per month, Microsoft 365 Business Basic at $6\/user\/month<\/strong> adds Microsoft Teams (chat + video meetings), 1 TB OneDrive storage, and web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint \u2014 making it the most popular choice for WorkMail customers seeking a complete upgrade.<\/p>\n No \u2014 your email addresses remain exactly the same. Your custom domain (e.g., With Apps4Rent managing your migration, email disruption can be reduced to zero. We use a dual-delivery approach during the migration window: email is simultaneously delivered to both WorkMail and Exchange Online while data is syncing across. MX records are only switched exclusively to Microsoft 365 after all mailbox data has been migrated and verified. Combined with pre-lowered DNS TTL values (5 minutes), the actual cutover typically completes in under 10 minutes with no mail loss whatsoever.<\/p>\n Yes. In addition to email, Apps4Rent handles the migration of:<\/p>\n The IMAP migration method handles email natively. Contacts and calendars require additional export\/import steps that Apps4Rent manages as part of the full-service migration package.<\/p>\n Both methods migrate email from WorkMail to Exchange Online, but with different approaches:<\/p>\n Apps4Rent recommends IMAP migration for most WorkMail customers given WorkMail’s native IMAP support and the straightforward tooling available in Microsoft 365 Admin Center, with PowerShell automation for larger deployments.<\/p>\n Migration timelines depend on user count and total mailbox data volume:<\/p>\n Apps4Rent runs migrations during off-peak hours \u2014 weekends and overnights \u2014 to minimize impact on business operations. For large organizations, we run parallel batches to compress the overall timeline while maintaining data integrity throughout.<\/p>\n If users currently access WorkMail through Outlook, their Outlook profile needs to be updated. The process is straightforward:<\/p>\n For Microsoft 365 Business Standard and above, users also get the latest Outlook desktop application included in the subscription \u2014 the best version of Outlook available.<\/p>\n Based on AWS’s official announcement, after March 31, 2027, all WorkMail accounts, console access, and stored data will be permanently terminated. AWS has not indicated any grace period, post-shutdown export window, or data recovery service.<\/p>\n Do not assume your data will be retrievable after the deadline.<\/strong> If you cannot complete your full migration before March 2027, at minimum export your WorkMail data using AWS’s official mailbox export tool (exports to S3 in PST format) well in advance of the deadline \u2014 so your data is preserved even if you haven’t completed your Microsoft 365 migration yet.<\/p>\n Apps4Rent’s migration team can begin your assessment immediately. Contact us today \u2014 it is free, it takes less than one business day, and there is no commitment required to start.<\/ol>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Apps4Rent handles your complete migration \u2014 emails, contacts, calendars, DNS, Outlook setup \u2014 for businesses that sign up for Microsoft 365 through us as a Tier 1 Microsoft CSP.\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why Microsoft 365 Is the Best WorkMail Replacement<\/h2>\n
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What Data Can Be Migrated from Amazon WorkMail to Office 365?<\/h2>\n
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Migrates Successfully<\/h3>\n
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Requires Manual Reconfiguration<\/h3>\n
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Pre-Migration Checklist: Prepare Before You Begin<\/h2>\n
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Audit Your WorkMail Environment<\/h3>\n
Choose the Right Microsoft 365 Plan and Purchase Licenses<\/h3>\n
Add and Verify Your Domain in Microsoft 365 Admin Center<\/h3>\n
Create an Admin Role Account in Amazon WorkMail<\/h3>\n
Confirm IMAP Is Enabled on All WorkMail Accounts<\/h3>\n
Provision All Microsoft 365 User Accounts and Assign Licenses<\/h3>\n
Lower DNS TTL Values 48 Hours Before Cutover<\/h3>\n
Communicate the Migration Schedule to All Users<\/h3>\n
Step-by-Step: Migrating from AWS WorkMail to Microsoft 365<\/h2>\n
Method 1 \u2014 IMAP Migration via Exchange Admin Center<\/h3>\n
Phase 1 \u2014 Create Migration Endpoint<\/h4>\n
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Open Exchange Admin Center (EAC)<\/h5>\n
Select IMAP as the Endpoint Type<\/h5>\n
Enter Admin Credentials and Test Connection<\/h5>\n
Name and Save the Endpoint<\/h5>\n
Phase 2 \u2014 Create and Run Migration Batches<\/h4>\n
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Prepare Your CSV Mapping File<\/h5>\n
Create a New Migration Batch<\/h5>\n
Start the Batch During Off-Peak Hours<\/h5>\n
Monitor Progress and Handle Failures<\/h5>\n
Why Choose Apps4Rent for Your WorkMail Migration?<\/h2>\n
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Amazon WorkMail vs Microsoft 365 \u2014 Feature Comparison<\/h2>\n
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\n Feature<\/th>\n Amazon WorkMail<\/th>\n Microsoft 365 (Business Basic)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Starting Price<\/td>\n $4\/user\/month<\/td>\n $4\/user\/month (Exchange Plan 1) \u00b7 $6 with Teams<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Email Storage<\/td>\n 50 GB\/mailbox<\/td>\n 50 GB (Plan 1) \u00b7 100 GB (Plan 2)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n AI Features<\/td>\n \n \u2717 None<\/span>\n <\/td>\n \n ✅ Microsoft Copilot (available add-on)<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Video Meetings<\/td>\n \n \u2717 Not included<\/span>\n <\/td>\n \n ✅ Microsoft Teams (up to 300 participants)<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Office Desktop<\/td>\n \n \u2717 Not included<\/span>\n <\/td>\n \n ✅ Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook (Standard+)<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Cloud File Storage<\/td>\n \n \u2717 Not included<\/span>\n <\/td>\n \n ✅ 1 TB OneDrive per user (Basic+)<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Compliance Tools<\/td>\n Basic<\/td>\n \n ✅ Microsoft Purview \u2014 eDiscovery, DLP, hold<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Mobile Apps<\/td>\n IMAP-based access<\/td>\n \n ✅ Native Outlook iOS & Android apps<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Uptime SLA<\/td>\n 99.9%<\/td>\n \n ✅ 99.9% financially backed SLA<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Future Availability<\/td>\n ❌ Shutting down March 31, 2027<\/td>\n ✅ Active, continuously updated platform<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
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When exactly is Amazon WorkMail shutting down \u2014 and what happens to my data?<\/h3>\n
What is the cheapest Microsoft 365 plan that replaces Amazon WorkMail?<\/h3>\n
Will my email address and domain change after migrating to Microsoft 365?<\/h3>\n
@yourcompany.com<\/code>) moves with you. The migration involves adding your domain to Microsoft 365, verifying domain ownership, migrating your mailbox data, and then updating your MX records to route new email to Exchange Online. Users keep the same email addresses \u2014 only the backend infrastructure changes from WorkMail to Exchange Online.<\/p>\nWill there be any email downtime during the migration?<\/h3>\n
Can I migrate contacts and calendar events \u2014 not just emails?<\/h3>\n
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What’s the difference between IMAP migration and cutover migration for WorkMail?<\/h3>\n
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How long does the WorkMail to Microsoft 365 migration take?<\/h3>\n
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Do users need to reconfigure Outlook after the migration?<\/h3>\n
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What happens if I miss the March 31, 2027 shutdown deadline?<\/h3>\n
\n Free Migration from Amazon WorkMail to Microsoft 365
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\n 🚀 Claim Free Migration
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