How to Migrate AWS WorkMail to Office 365? – Step-by-Step Guide

Jamie Kaler ~ August 22, 2024 ~ 8 Minutes Reading

AWS WorkMail and Office 365 are two of the most popular cloud-based email and productivity platforms catering to business needs. Due to the increased productivity offered by Office 365, many users seek to migrate AWS WorkMail to Office 365. If you’re considering a migration from AWS WorkMail to Office 365, this guide will provide you with native and professional approaches to make the transition smoother.

AWS WorkMail is Amazon Web Services protect, organize email and calendaring service, designed to work seamlessly with existing email clients like Microsoft Outlook. It offers users the advantages of cloud environments such as scalability, data redundancy, and security while allowing IT administrator control over email settings and integration with other AWS Services.

Now, Office 365 known as Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive suite of productivity tools that comes with Outlook for email, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and cloud storage through OneDrive and SharePoint. It offers powerful collaboration like Teams and Exchange Online that allows the user to work from home through seamless communication, document sharing and team collaboration.

Both platforms offer businesses cloud-based solutions for email, calendaring and collaboration. However, migrating from AWS WorkMail to Office 365 allows businesses to benefit from the broader range of applications, enhanced productivity tools and deeper integration with Microsoft ecosystem, making Office 365 a comprehensive solution for several organizations.

Comparison of Key Features: Amazon WorkMail vs. Office 365

Feature Amazon WorkMail Office 365 (Microsoft 365)
Productivity Tools Limited to email and calendaring Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote
Collaboration Tools Microsoft Teams, SharePoint for real-time collaboration Microsoft Teams, SharePoint for real-time collaboration
Integration Deep integration with Microsoft apps and third-party apps Deep integration with Microsoft apps and third-party apps
Security Features Advanced Threat Protection, Data Loss Prevention, encryption Advanced Threat Protection, Data Loss Prevention, encryption
Scalability and Pricing Flexible plans for businesses of all sizes, scalable as needed Flexible plans for businesses of all sizes, scalable as needed
Unified Communication Unified platform for email, chat, video, and collaboration Unified platform for email, chat, video, and collaboration
Updates Frequent feature updates and innovations Frequent feature updates and innovations

Why Migrate AWS WorkMail to Office 365?

  • Migrating from AWS WorkMail to Office 365(now Microsoft 365) can be a strategic decision for businesses looking to enhance productivity, collaboration and access to a broader range of tools. Here are the key reasons why organizations choose Office 365 instead of AWS WorkMail.
  • It offers a comprehensive suite of applications beyond email and calendaring, including Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and SharePoint. This empowers users to collaborate on projects, share documents in real time, and streamline communication in a way that AWS WorkMail doesn’t support natively.
  • While WorkMail primarily focuses on email and calendar services, Office 365 provides a unified platform for communication, with integrated tools for chat, video conferencing(via Teams) and document management. This means users can access all communication and collaboration needs with a single ecosystem.
  • Microsoft 365 integrates with a wide variety of third party applications and services. This makes it easier for businesses to connect with their CRM systems, project management tools and other potential business software, creating a more connected and efficient workflow.
  • Microsoft 365 offers enhanced security features such as Advanced Threat Protection, Data Loss Prevention which helps to safeguard information and prevent cyber attacks.
  • Office 365 offers flexible pricing plans that can scale as your organization grows whether you are a small business or a large enterprise. This scalability ensures that your business only pays for what it needs, with the option to add more users or services.

How to Migrate AWS WorkMail to Office 365 Manually?

If you want to migrate manually AWS WorkMail to Office 365 then you must need to configure Amazon WorkMail account into Outlook then you can export into Office 365 by performing the instructions as we have stated below:

Part 1: Configure AWS with Microsoft Outlook

  • Download and launch Microsoft Outlook on your pc.
  • Go to file and click on Add Account.
  • Choose Manual Server setups >> choose POP or IMAP.

Incoming Mail Server
imap.mail.us-west-2.awsapps.com (Replace us-west according to your region)
Port: 993
Encryption: SSL
Outgoing Mail Server
smtp.mail.us-west-2.awsapps.com (Replace us-west according to your region)
Port: 465 or 587
Encryption: SSL

  • Enter AWS email address and app password to configure with Microsoft Outlook.
  • Now, click on connect and wait for completing the configuration process.

Part 2. Configure Office 365 Account With Microsoft Outlook

  • Open Outlook and click on the file >> Add Account.
  • Now, Enter Office 365 email address and password to connect the account.
  • Outlook will automatically detect the configuration server and configure your account.
  • Once the configuration is completed, you may be asked to restart Outlook.

Part 3. Migrate from AWS WorkMail to Office 365

  • Open Microsoft Outlook and select the Amazon WorkMail account.
  • Now, choose mailbox data as you wish to migrate.
  • Right click on the chosen email and move to the folder.
  • Choose the mailbox folder in the Office 365 account where you want to migrate emails and press the ok button.

Consideration for Manual Migration

  • It will need lots of time, not suitable for large scale organizations with significant amounts of data. Each step must be carefully executed to avoid data loss.
  • While manual migration is possible, the process is time-consuming and prone to human error, especially for larger organizations. To avoid data loss or corruption, an automated migration tool is highly recommended.
  • Technical teams can handle the migration process manually, but it will increase workload and complexity.

How to Migrate From AWS WorkMail to Office 365 Automated Approach?

As we have seen there are lots of challenges you may face manually to migrate. So, we suggest you choose Jagware Email Backup Wizard as it allows you to export complete mailbox data without compromising with your mailbox items. This software has been specially created with incremental feature that allows to continue backup from the last backup perform to saves storage and time.

  • Download and install an automated solution on your computer then open it.launch wizard
  • Enter AWS WorkMail email address and app password to connect with the application.Choose Amazon WorkMail
  • Preview to select WorkMail mailbox data as you wish to migrate.Select mailbox folders
  • Choose Office 365 in the saving feature and enter the Office 365 email address and password to connect the account.choose Office 365
  • Now, choose mailbox data where you want to transfer and select the advanced filter option then press backup to complete the process.press backup to complete process.

Notable Features of the Automated Solution

  • It offers a simple Graphical user interface that simplifies the migration process, making it accessible even for non-technical users.
  • This application provides a clear and guided workflow to ensure a smooth transition from AWS WorkMail to Office 365.
  • You can also migrate selective mailbox data as per date range, subject, cc, bcc, sender and recipients etc.
  • Supports selective data migration based on date range, subject, sender, recipient, and other advanced filters.
  • It preserves the original file structure during the migration, ensuring that your data remains managed and easily accessible.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Q. What is the Best Way to Migrate AWS WorkMail to Office 365?
Perform the Steps to Migrate AWS WorkMail to Office 365

  1. Download and run Jagware Email Backup Wizard.
  2. Enter AWS credential to configure with the application.
  3. Now, Preview to select AWS WorkMail data as users want to migrate.
  4. Choose Office 365 and enter login details to authorize an account.
  5. Browse Advanced Filter and press backup to migrate from AWS WorkMail to Office 365.

Q. Can I Switch from AWS WorkMail to Office 365?
Yes, you can switch from AWS WorkMail to Office 365. You can either use manual methods via Outlook by exporting and importing data manually or you can also opt for an automated solution as we have mentioned. These tools streamline the process, ensuring a smooth transfer of mailbox data without losing any single attributes.


Q. Does AWS work with Office 365?
Yes, AWS works with Office 365. AWS offers various services like Amazon S3 for Office 365 backups and integrates with Office 365 for data storage and security management. This combination allows organizations to leverage the cloud benefits of both platforms effectively.


Also Read: How to Import AOL to Gmail?

Final Thoughts

In this tutorial, we have shared the way to migrate AWS WorkMail to Office 365 efficiently. Whether you choose to handle the migration manually or opt for a more streamlined automated solution, it’s essential to approach the process with thorough planning and attention to detail. While manual migration is feasible, it can be time-consuming and prone to errors, particularly for larger organizations with extensive data. Therefore, experts recommend opting for an automated approach, as detailed in this post. This method ensures a quicker, more reliable migration while maintaining the integrity of your results.