💌 Email Address Change To-Do List

When moving a client to a new email service or provider, these are the key steps we recommend to ensure a smooth transition.

Steps to Take When Client is Changing Their Email Address

1. Help Them To Notify Their Contacts

The client should send a message to friends, family, coworkers, and business contacts to let them know their email address has changed.

• Example Message: “Hi! Just a quick note to let you know I’ve changed my email address. Please update your records and use [newemail@example.com] going forward. Thanks!”

2. Advise & Help Create a List of Online Accounts That Need To Be Updated

The client must go through all their online accounts (banking, shopping, subscriptions, social media) and update the email address in the account settings.

• Prioritize: Accounts related to financial institutions, recovery options, and security alerts.

3. Set Up Email Forwarding (If Available)

If the old email provider allows it, set up automatic forwarding so new messages sent to the old address are redirected to the new one. This catches communications missed during the transition.

4. Back Up or Export Old Emails

To preserve old messages, back up the old account or use an email application (like Outlook, Thunderbird, or the new provider’s import tool) to migrate Emails, Contacts, and Calendars to the new account.

5. Set an Auto-Reply on the Old Account

If supported by the old provider, set up an auto-reply to notify senders of the change.

• Suggested Auto-Reply: “This email address is no longer monitored. Please contact me at my new email: [newemail@example.com]”

6. Ask Client to Monitor the Old Account (Temporarily)

If the old account is still accessible, the client should continue to log in periodically for a short time (e.g., 30-60 days) to check for any missed or important messages during the transition period.