Move Domain Between Office 365 Tenants: Secure Microsoft 365 Migration
-
Written By
Aradhya Jain -
Approved By
Shivam Rathore -
Updated on
August 11th, 2026 - Read Time
8 minutes
User Query: How can I move my domain from one Office 365 tenant to another without losing emails or disrupting my users? I am moving my company’s Microsoft 365 environment to a new tenant and want to keep the same domain name. What steps should I follow to remove the domain from the old tenant and add it to the new one?
Introduction: Microsoft 365 Tenant migration is not just about transferring data from one user account to another. If employees already use a business domain such as company.com, that domain also needs to be migrated. The important point is that a custom domain can only be associated with one Microsoft Entra tenant at a time. Therefore, you cannot simply add the same domain to the new Microsoft 365 tenant. This guide explains how to move domain between Office 365 tenants. It includes the manual method and a professional DRS Softech Office 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration Tool without data loss.
Why Businesses Need to Transfer Domain between Office 365 Tenants?
- An organization has ended up with multiple tenants over time and wants to consolidate them.
- A business unit is sold or spun off and needs its own tenant.
- A company changes its name or ownership structure.
- Two companies merge and need to operate under one tenant.
- A tenant needs to be rebuilt due to security or configuration issues.
What to Check Before Migrate Domain between Office 365 Tenants
- List every account, group, and shared mailbox using the domain as a primary address.
- Check licenses assigned to each user, since they do not transfer with the domain.
- Look for hybrid Exchange or Active Directory sync, which adds extra steps to domain removal.
- Backup mailbox and OneDrive data separately, since domain movement does not include data migration.
- Set expectations with employees about possible downtime in email and Teams during the switch.
Manual Method to Move Domain Between Office 365 Tenants
Once the pre-migration checks are complete, you can start releasing the domain from the source tenant and adding it to the destination tenant. Follow these steps in order to reduce the chance of service disruption.
Step 01: Remove Domain Dependencies in the Source Tenant
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center and identify every user, group, shared mailbox, resource mailbox, distribution list, and other object that uses the domain.
- Change their primary email addresses to the source tenant’s available .onmicrosoft.com domain or another domain. Also check secondary addresses and aliases because a hidden alias can prevent the domain from being removed.
- If your organization uses Microsoft Entra Connect, Exchange hybrid, or other directory synchronization, review those configurations before making these changes.
Step 02: Remove the Domain from the Source Tenant
Go to Settings > Domains, select the domain, and delete it. If any object is still attached, this step will fail and list what needs to be cleared first.
Step 03: Add the Domain to the Destination Tenant
In the new tenant, go to Settings > Domains > Add Domain and enter the same domain name.
Step 04: Verify Ownership Through DNS
Microsoft provides a DNS record, typically TXT, for verification. This step can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days depending on DNS propagation.
Step 05: Update MX, SPF, DKIM, and Autodiscover Records
Once verified, DNS records need to be updated to route mail and services to the new tenant. An incorrect record here is the most common reason mail stops working after a domain move.
Step 06: Recreate Users and Migrate Mailbox Data
Verifying the domain does not bring mailbox content with it. Users need to be recreated, licenses reassigned, and mailbox data, calendars, and contacts migrated separately.
Why Is This Method Not Ideal for Enterprise Users?
- This method is used for the migration of a small number of users.
- It involves the migration of Exchange Online mailboxes separately.
- Reconfigure Microsoft 365 groups and shared mailboxes.
- Perform post-migration checks for a large number of users.
- Also, moving the domain does not move the actual Microsoft 365 data.
Professional Tool to Move Domain Between Office 365 Tenants
To avoid all the limitations of the manual method, you can use the reliable DRS Softech Microsoft 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration Tool. This tool helps users to perform Mailbox, OneDrive, and SharePoint migration without any data loss. It also helps to perform deduplication for Mailbox, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Securely connect your source and destination Microsoft 365 accounts using Modern Authentication or Admin Impersonation.
With its simple interface, every user can easily use it. No technical skills are required. This tool is highly compatible with all Windows OS versions. You can also download the trial version of this tool to test its features and functions. 24/7 technical support is available to resolve any query.
Simple Steps to Move Office 365 Domain Emails to New Tenant
|
Steps |
Description |
|
Select Data to Migrate |
Install the tool and select Mailbox, SharePoint, OneDrive, or Deduplication. |
|
Authenticate Source and Destination |
Connect both Microsoft 365 tenants using supported authentication methods, such as Modern Authentication or Admin Impersonation. |
|
Map Users and Configure Migration |
Select the required data, map source users to destination users, and configure the migration settings according to your requirements. |
|
Start Migration |
Start the migration and monitor the progress from the tool. |
Note: For detailed instructions, refer to the DRS Softech O365 Tenant to Tenant Migration Tool software guide.
When Is This Tool Used?
- To transfer bulk Office 365 account users.
- For converting Mailbox to PST and another Tenant.
- To skip previously migrated data to support incremental migration.
- For selective email migration using the Date Filter.
- When migrate company to new Microsoft 365.
Conclusion
In this technical blog post, we explored several methods to move domain between Office 365 Tenants. The manual method can also be used in enterprise environments, but it becomes more difficult to manage at scale. It requires technical complexity and several other limitations. That’s why it’s best to use the professional tool. It migrates all your Mailbox, SharePoint, or OneDrive without any data loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans. First, remove all users, groups, mailboxes, aliases, and other dependencies from the domain in the source tenant. Then remove the domain, add it to the destination tenant, verify ownership through DNS, and configure the required Microsoft 365 DNS records. Mailbox and other Microsoft 365 data must be migrated separately.
Ans. You do not need to delete the users, but you must remove the domain from their addresses and other dependent objects before the domain can be released. Users can be assigned another available domain, such as the tenant’s .onmicrosoft.com domain, during the transition.
Ans. Yes. After the domain is released from the source tenant and verified in the destination tenant, you can assign the same custom email addresses to the corresponding users. However, existing mailbox data does not move with the domain and must be migrated separately.
Ans. Domain management requires appropriate administrator permissions in Microsoft 365. In many tenant migration scenarios, Global Administrator access is used because administrators may need to manage domains, users, groups, and other tenant-wide settings. The exact permissions required can vary depending on the operation being performed.
Ans. Yes. MFA can be used when signing in to the Microsoft 365 source and destination tenants. If a migration tool is being used, make sure the selected authentication method supports the organization’s MFA and security requirements.
Ans. Yes. Mailbox data can be migrated as a separate activity before the domain cutover, provided the required source and destination accounts are properly configured. This can help reduce the amount of data that needs to be transferred during the final domain switch.
Ans. Not automatically. Domain transfer itself does not remove duplicate emails. If duplicate data needs to be identified or removed, use an appropriate deduplication feature or configure the migration according to the required duplicate-handling settings.
Ans. Prepare the destination tenant and user accounts in advance, migrate data before the final cutover where possible, review DNS records, and schedule the domain switch during a low-usage period. Test inbound and outbound email immediately after updating the DNS records.
Ans. Yes, if the migration solution supports date-based filtering. For example, you can configure the migration to transfer emails from a specific date range instead of moving the entire mailbox history. This can reduce the amount of data that needs to be migrated.
Ans. The DRS Softech Microsoft 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration Tool uses supported authentication methods, including Modern Authentication and Admin Impersonation, for connecting to Microsoft 365 tenants. Administrator credentials are not stored by the tool.
