Table of Contents
- Are You Stuck with Exchange Server 2010? Here’s What Microsoft’s Migration Cut-Off Means for Your Business
- The End of an Era for Legacy Exchange Migrations
- Who This Affects
- What You Need to Do Now
- Complete your migration soon
- Plan for a two-step migration
- Keep your systems updated
- What Happens Next
- Steps You Should Take
Are You Stuck with Exchange Server 2010? Here’s What Microsoft’s Migration Cut-Off Means for Your Business
Microsoft is ending its support for moving data from older Exchange Server versions to its online cloud service. Starting October 1, 2025, you will no longer be able to move public folders directly from Exchange Server 2010 and earlier versions to Exchange Online. This change means that any company still using these old systems needs to act quickly to avoid problems.
The End of an Era for Legacy Exchange Migrations
For a long time, Microsoft has helped companies move their email and data from their own servers to the cloud. This made it easier to switch to newer, more secure systems. However, these older Exchange versions, like 2010, are no longer supported and can be a security risk. To improve the reliability of its cloud services, Microsoft has decided to stop supporting direct data transfers from these very old systems.
This change will affect any organization that is still using Exchange Server 2010 or an even older version and plans to move its public folders to Exchange Online. After the October 1, 2025, deadline, any attempt to move these folders using Microsoft’s tools will fail. Even migrations that have already started will be blocked.
It is important to know that this change does not affect public folder migrations from Exchange Server 2013. Also, support for the newer Exchange Server 2016 and 2019 versions will end on October 14, 2025.
Who This Affects
This change impacts businesses that still use:
- Exchange Server 2010
- Exchange Server 2007
- Exchange Server 2003
- Any version older than Exchange 2013
Keep in mind that Exchange Server 2010 support already ended in October 2020. Microsoft stopped fixing problems and security issues years ago. Yet some companies still use these old systems.
What You Need to Do Now
If your company is still using Exchange Server 2010 or an older version, you have a clear deadline to meet. Here is what you should do:
Complete your migration soon
If you are already planning to move your public folders to Exchange Online, make sure you finish the process before October 1, 2025. This is the only way to use Microsoft’s direct migration tools without any issues.
Plan for a two-step migration
If you cannot meet the deadline, you will have to follow a longer process. You will first need to move your public folders to a newer on-premises Exchange Server, like Exchange 2016, and then move them to Exchange Online. This “double-hop” will take more time and resources to complete.
Keep your systems updated
Microsoft strongly advises against using unsupported software. To keep your email systems secure and running smoothly, it’s best to move to a supported version like Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) if you need to stay on-premises, or migrate fully to the cloud with Exchange Online.
The main reason for this change is to push companies toward more modern and secure technology. While it may seem like a challenge, moving away from old systems is a necessary step to protect your company’s data. Planning your migration now will help you avoid last-minute problems and ensure a smooth transition to a better system.
What Happens Next
After October 2025, Microsoft will only support Exchange Server Subscription Edition for on-site email servers. This is their new version that businesses pay for monthly.
Companies that want to keep email servers in their offices must upgrade to this new version. Everyone else should move to Exchange Online in the cloud.
Steps You Should Take
- Check what version you use – Look at your Exchange server version
- Count your folders – See how much data you need to move
- Plan your timeline – Remember you must finish before October 1, 2025
- Get help if needed – Contact Microsoft or an IT company for support
Microsoft is pushing everyone toward newer systems. If you still use Exchange 2010, you have until October 2025 to move your folders directly to the cloud. After that, you must upgrade to a newer server first, then move to the cloud.
This creates extra work and costs more money. The smart move is to plan your migration now and finish it before the deadline.
Time is running short. Exchange 2010 users need to act fast or face a more complicated and expensive upgrade path later.