Migrate Your Email Support

Converge Team

• Updated March 12, 2026

How to migrate your email support workflows, templates, and history from Freshdesk without losing data.

Migrating Email Support from Freshdesk

Freshdesk is an email-first helpdesk — every plan starts with email ticketing. It works via forwarding: you forward incoming mail from your support address (e.g., [email protected]) to your Freshdesk address ([email protected]). Alternatively, you can configure custom SMTP servers for both sending and receiving. This forwarding-based architecture makes email migration straightforward.

How Freshdesk Handles Email

Every Freshdesk account gets a default support address ([email protected]). You can add multiple custom support email addresses — billing@, sales@, help@ — each routed to different groups. Incoming emails become tickets; replies become ticket updates. Outbound emails are sent from Freshdesk's mail servers by default, or through your custom SMTP server if configured. SPF and DKIM DNS records authenticate outbound email from your domain.

Step 1: Document Your Email Configuration

Before switching, go to Admin > Channels > Email to list all connected support email addresses. Note which group each address routes to, whether you've set up custom SMTP for outbound delivery, and any email-specific automation rules (triggers that fire based on email address, subject line, or sender domain). Also check Admin > Emails > Advanced Settings for reply-to configurations and email notification templates.

Step 2: Update Email Forwarding

In your email provider (Gmail, Microsoft 365, etc.), change the forwarding destination from your Freshdesk address to your new platform's inbound address. If you configured custom SMTP in Freshdesk for incoming mail, update those server settings to point to your new platform instead. DNS propagation for MX record changes can take up to 48 hours — plan accordingly.

Step 3: Migrate Canned Responses

Freshdesk's canned responses (pre-written reply templates) live under Admin > Productivity > Canned Responses. There's no bulk export for these — you need to copy each one manually. Pay attention to placeholder syntax: Freshdesk uses {{ticket.requester_name}}, {{ticket.id}}, and similar variables that need to be mapped to your new platform's format. Prioritize your 10-20 most-used templates.

Step 4: Clean Up DNS Records

After confirming your new platform receives and sends email correctly, remove Freshdesk-specific DNS records. Look for SPF TXT records that include freshdesk.com and DKIM records referencing Freshworks. Add your new platform's required DNS records for outbound email authentication.

Note: Open tickets in Freshdesk won't transfer automatically. Resolve or export open tickets before switching, or keep Freshdesk active for a week while routing new emails to your new platform and finishing open conversations in Freshdesk.