ChangeChecklist

Every step below is from an official source

Switch from Outlook.com to iCloud Mail

What to do at Outlook.com before you leave, what iCloud Mail needs when you join, and everything else the switch touches. Your full plan is built in your browser and stays there.

Official sources reviewed . How we review sources

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At Outlook.com, before you leave

  1. Turn on forwarding in Outlook settingsBefore

    Go to Settings > Mail > Forwarding, turn on Enable forwarding, enter the new address and select Save. Select Keep a copy of forwarded messages to keep the originals in your mailbox.

    Turn automatic forwarding on or off in OutlookMicrosoft. Reviewed
  2. Export your contacts to a CSV fileBefore

    Open the People page, then select Manage contacts > Export contacts. Choose all contacts or one folder. The file saves to your Downloads folder.

    Export contacts from Outlook.com or Outlook on the webMicrosoft Support. Reviewed
  3. Know that closing deletes your email and contactsAfter

    When you close your Microsoft account, your email and contacts are deleted from Microsoft's servers and can't be recovered.

    Close your Outlook.com accountMicrosoft. Reviewed

At iCloud Mail, when you join

  1. Import contacts from a vCardDuring

    At icloud.com/contacts, select the Add button, choose Import Contact, then select a vCard. Imported contacts are added to the All Contacts list.

    Import, export, or print contacts on iCloud.comApple. Reviewed
  2. Import old mail to a custom domain addressDuring

    If you use your own domain with iCloud Mail, you can import existing emails from your previous provider on iCloud.com. This isn't available for all providers, and you need enough iCloud storage.

  3. Move other emails by hand with MailDuring

    You can also move emails into iCloud Mail yourself using the Mail app on iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Then: everything else the switch affects

The steps above are what Outlook.com and iCloud Mail say. Your full checklist adds the accounts, codes, payments and devices that depend on your email provider, in a safe order. It's built from your answers, in your browser.