Email Migration

    How to Migrate from iCloud Mail to Proton Mail

    Move your emails, contacts, and calendars from Apple iCloud Mail — step by step, without losing anything.

    March 2026 · 12 min read

    Apple's iCloud Mail is tightly integrated into the Apple ecosystem, but it offers limited privacy protections compared to Proton Mail. Migrating to Proton gives you end-to-end encryption, open-source transparency, and freedom from Big Tech data harvesting.

    This guide walks you through importing your emails, transferring contacts and calendars, and setting up forwarding so nothing falls through the cracks during the switch.

    Before you start: Create your Proton Mail account at proton.me/mail if you haven't already. A free account works, but Proton Unlimited gives you more storage, a custom domain, and full access to the migration tools.

    Step 1: Import Your Emails

    Unlike Gmail or Outlook, iCloud Mail doesn't support OAuth-based import tools like Easy Switch directly. Instead, you'll use the IMAP import method via Proton's Import-Export app with an app-specific password.

    Generate an App-Specific Password in Apple

    1. Go to appleid.apple.com and sign in
    2. Navigate to Sign-In and Security → App-Specific Passwords
    3. Click the + button to generate a new password
    4. Label it something like "Proton Mail Import"
    5. Copy the generated password — you'll need it in the next step

    Import via Proton Import-Export App

    1. Download the Proton Mail Import-Export app from proton.me/mail/import
    2. Log into the app with your Proton Mail credentials
    3. Click Import and select IMAP
    4. Enter the following IMAP settings:
      • Server: imap.mail.me.com
      • Port: 993
      • Security: SSL/TLS
      • Email: your full iCloud email address
      • Password: the app-specific password you generated
    5. Choose which folders to import — you can select all or pick specific ones
    6. Optionally set a date range if you only want recent emails
    7. Click Start and let it run — large mailboxes may take several hours

    Pro Tip: If you have multiple iCloud aliases (e.g., @me.com and @icloud.com), all of them share the same mailbox. You only need to run the import once.

    The Import-Export app preserves your folder structure. You can rename or reorganise labels in Proton Mail after the import finishes.

    Step 2: Import Your Contacts

    iCloud contacts can be exported as a vCard (.vcf) file and imported directly into Proton Mail.

    Export Contacts from iCloud

    1. Go to icloud.com/contacts and sign in
    2. Select all contacts with Ctrl+A (Windows) or ⌘+A (Mac)
    3. Click the gear icon in the bottom-left corner
    4. Select Export vCard — a .vcf file will download

    Import into Proton Mail

    1. Go to contacts.proton.me or open Contacts in the Proton Mail sidebar
    2. Click the Import button in the top toolbar
    3. Select the .vcf file you exported from iCloud
    4. Review the contacts and click Import

    Note: Contact photos may not transfer. You can re-add them manually in Proton Contacts if needed.

    Step 3: Transfer Your Calendars

    iCloud Calendar events can be exported as .ics files and imported into Proton Calendar.

    Export from iCloud Calendar

    1. Open the Calendar app on your Mac
    2. In the sidebar, right-click (or Control-click) the calendar you want to export
    3. Select Export and save the .ics file
    4. Repeat for each calendar you want to migrate

    No Mac? You can also use the iCloud Calendar share link method: In icloud.com/calendar, click the sharing icon next to a calendar, enable Public Calendar, copy the link, change webcal:// to https://, and paste it in your browser to download the .ics file.

    Import into Proton Calendar

    1. Go to calendar.proton.me
    2. Click the Settings gear icon → All settings
    3. Navigate to Calendars → Import
    4. Select the calendar you want to import into
    5. Upload the .ics file and confirm

    Step 4: Set Up Email Forwarding

    Keep your iCloud address active while you transition. Set up automatic forwarding so any emails sent to your old address land in Proton Mail.

    1. Go to icloud.com/mail and sign in
    2. Click the gear icon → Preferences (or Settings)
    3. Go to the General tab
    4. Under Forwarding, enter your Proton Mail address
    5. Optionally check "Delete messages after forwarding" to keep your iCloud inbox clean
    6. Click Done to save

    Important: iCloud Mail forwarding is limited — Apple may not forward all messages (e.g., some automated or marketing emails). Over time, update your email address directly with each service for the most reliable transition.

    Step 5: Update Your Online Accounts

    Forwarding is a safety net, not a permanent solution. Start updating your registered email address across your most important accounts:

    1. Banking & financial services — update email in account security settings
    2. Social media — Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn
    3. Shopping — Amazon, eBay, subscriptions
    4. Work & productivity — Slack, Notion, project tools
    5. Government & healthcare portals — tax, benefits, patient portals
    6. Password manager — update your vault's primary email to your new Proton address

    Pro Tip: Use Proton Pass to track which accounts still use your old iCloud email. As you update each one, you'll have a clear record of your progress.

    Step 6: Decommission Your iCloud Mail (Optional)

    Once you're confident everything has been migrated and you've updated your accounts, you can choose to stop using iCloud Mail. However, be cautious — your iCloud email is tied to your Apple ID.

    Warning: Do not delete your Apple ID just to remove iCloud Mail. Your Apple ID is required for App Store purchases, iCloud backups, Find My iPhone, and more. Instead, simply stop using the email and let forwarding handle any stragglers.

    1. Keep forwarding active for at least 3-6 months
    2. Monitor forwarded emails — when the volume drops to near zero, you've successfully transitioned
    3. Set up an auto-reply on your iCloud account informing senders of your new address
    4. Remove iCloud Mail from your phone and desktop email clients

    You're All Set

    Congratulations — you've successfully migrated from iCloud Mail to Proton Mail. Your emails are now protected by end-to-end encryption, your contacts are private, and you're no longer dependent on Apple's ecosystem for your email.

    For the best experience, consider upgrading to Proton Unlimited — it includes Proton Mail, VPN, Drive, Pass, and Calendar with maximum storage and premium features.

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