How to Easily Migrate IMAP Calendar to Office 365 in Bulk?

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  • Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Even after a successful migration of emails from the old IMAP to Office 365, what is left behind are your calendars. This is because the IMAP protocol is designed only for emails, not for calendars. So, how to migrate those crucial meeting invites, project deadlines, and personal reminders to O365? Therefore, in this guide, we will provide a clear, actionable answer to migrate IMAP calendar to Office 365. Here, we will learn about a manual way as well as the CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool.

After our university switched to Microsoft 365, I was tasked with moving our department’s shared calendars. These contained critical room bookings, lectures, and faculty schedules. The volume of data was immense. The complexity of recurring academic events made a manual export completely impossible. I needed an automated solution for this bulk IMAP to Office 365 migration. It was essential to preserve every intricate detail of the events. Most importantly, it had to be simple to use without requiring deep technical expertise from me.

-Karl Silver, Head of University Library

Easy Steps to Export IMAP Calendar to Office 365 in Bulk

  1. Run the CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool as an administrator.
  2. Provide the User ID, Password, Hostname, and Port number of the IMAP Account.
  3. Then, from the tree structure, choose the calendars to migrate and click Next.
  4. Afterwards, select Office 365 as the backup option and enter the admin credentials.
  5. Apply any desired Filters or Features, then click Convert to begin the transfer.

Why can’t User Migrate IMAP Calendar to Office 365 Directly?

Before the solution, it’s important to understand why IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is for emails. It’s because Calendars, contacts, and tasks use different protocols like CalDAV (for calendars) and CardDAV (for contacts).

Office 365 does not have a built-in, direct way to import calendars from an IMAP server. Therefore, the migration requires an intermediate, universal format. Therefore, with CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool, it is easy to transfer emails from IMAP to Office 365. Alongside, it also helps in preventing the server from syncing deleted IMAP emails.

Easy Methods to Migrate IMAP to Office 365 in Bulk

For smaller needs, users can manually export data to PST or ICS files for import. This is a free & manual technique to migrate calendar from IMAP to Office 365. Furthermore, for bulk IMAP mailbox migration, users must try the professional method. Both methods ensure a secure, organized transition with complete data integrity.

Free Way to Migrate IMAP Calendar to Office 365

This method is free and gives users full control, but it can be time-consuming for bulk operations. It involves exporting your calendar data as .ics files and then importing them into Office 365. Thus, it is best for single users or a few calendars.

Step 1: Export Your IMAP Calendar as an .ICS File

To begin with, you need to access your calendar from a desktop client that supports CalDAV.

1. Use Mozilla Thunderbird:
  • Download and install Thunderbird.
  • Then, add the IMAP email account.
  • Install the Lightning calendar add-on.
  • And the Provider for CalDAV & CardDAV add-on.
  • Now, add your calendar by providing its CalDAV URL (you may need to get this from your email provider’s settings).
  • Once your calendar is visible, right-click on it and select Save Calendar As….
  • Then, choose the iCalendar format (.ics) and save the file.
2. Using Google Calendar (if the IMAP is Gmail):
  • Go to Google Calendar.
  • Then, click the settings gear icon > Settings.
  • After that, go to Export Calendar in the left menu.
  • This will download a ZIP file containing .ics files for all your calendars.

Step 2: Import .ics File into Office 365

  • Log in to Outlook on the web.
  • Then, click the Calendar icon.
  • On the top toolbar, go to Add calendar > Upload from file.
  • Click Browse, select the .ics file, and choose which calendar to add it to.
  • At last, click Import.

Note: This manual method requires users to import each .ics file one by one. If you have 10 calendars, you must repeat Step 2 ten times. Therefore, this is not for bulk migration.

Professional Way to Migrate IMAP Calendar to Office 365

CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool is the best solution for a truly easy, efficient, and bulk migration. This tool is designed to handle the protocol conversion automatically. Alongside the IMAP migration of emails, it aids in export emails from Roundcube to Outlook 365.

Easy Steps to Migrate Calendar from IMAP to Office 365

  1. Run CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool as an admin.
  2. After that, provide the IMAP credentials to connect.
  3. Then, select the specific calendars for transfer.
  4. Now, authenticate with your Office 365 account.
  5. At last, finalize by clicking Convert to migrate IMAP to Office 365.

With this simple utility, users can convert their IMAP emails into 7+ file formats.
with zero technical expertise.

How to Choose the Best Method to Migrate IMAP to Office 365

The right method can make your IMAP calendar easy. Choosing the right method depends on the specific situation. Use the following criteria to make an informed decision quickly

Feature

Manual Export/Import

CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool

Best For

Individual users with 1-2 calendars

Businesses, IT admins, bulk migration

Cost

Free

Paid (Free 50 Emails Per Folder)

Bulk Capability

Limited (one-by-one import)

Excellent (simultaneous migration)

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Basic (User Friendly GUI-driven)

Automation

None

Full automation & scheduling

Data Integrity

Good, but prone to user error

Excellent, with detailed logs

Simple Recommendation: Use the table above to quickly identify which scenario matches your needs. For most business or bulk migrations, the professional IMAP Backup Tool

is the optimal choice.

Closing Remarks

In this guide, we have discussed the top 02 methods to migrate IMAP calendar to Office 365. The manual method offers a free entry point for very small-scale migrations. However, they are impractical and error-prone for bulk transitions. Thus, it makes the manual method unsuitable for professional or organizational needs.

On the other hand, CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool emerges as the definitive solution for migrating IMAP calendars. It eliminates technical hurdles for non-technical users. Moreover, CloudXena is the recommended and most intelligent choice for businesses, IT administrators, or any user prioritizing efficiency and accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.How to migrate calendar from IMAP to Office 365 on Mac?

Ans.  You can easily migrate calendar from IMAP to Office 365 on Mac with CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool. You simply need to follow 05 step process 
1. Launch the CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool with administrator rights.
2. Then, enter your IMAP account credentials to establish the connection.
3. After that, choose the specific calendars you want to transfer.
4. Afterwards, sign in with your Office 365 account for authentication.
5. Finally, click Convert to complete the migration of IMAP calendars to Office 365.

Q2. Can we migrate selective IMAP to Office 365?

Ans.  Yes, absolutely. You can perform a selective IMAP migration to Office 365 with  CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool. With this software, you can choose specific folders, emails, or even date ranges instead of migrating the entire mailbox. This is a common requirement for archiving important projects or cleaning up data before a move.

About The Author:

Milan Kumar Vishvas is a seasoned content writer with expertise in creating SEO-friendly, engaging, and insightful content across industries, including IT, SaaS, and finance. With years of experience in copywriting, recruitment, and digital branding, Milan specializes in simplifying complex concepts into clear, impactful narratives that connect with readers. When not writing or strategizing, he is passionate about exploring new trends in technology, digital marketing, and workplace culture. Milan firmly believes in the power of words to inform, inspire, and transform businesses.

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