Migrate from GoDaddy to Microsoft 365

Bypass GoDaddy SSO authentication issues for successful migration.

Last updated: 2025-01-15 How To

The Challenge

Authentication Problem

The Office 365 migration API cannot authenticate through GoDaddy's Single Sign-On (SSO) system. When attempting to authenticate, requests are redirected to sso.godaddy.com, which breaks programmatic access.

GoDaddy manages Office 365 subscriptions differently than standard Microsoft 365 tenants. Their authentication flow redirects all login attempts through their own SSO portal, which prevents migration tools from establishing API connections.

The Problem vs The Solution

Problem

user@company.com
GoDaddy SSO Redirect
Authentication Fails

Solution

user@tenant.onmicrosoft.com
Direct Microsoft Login
Success!

Solution

Use the .onmicrosoft.com Domain

Create a dedicated migration account that uses the .onmicrosoft.com domain instead of your company domain. This bypasses GoDaddy's SSO redirection and allows direct authentication with Microsoft.

Account Format

migration@yourcompany.com (redirects to GoDaddy)
migration@yourtenant.onmicrosoft.com (direct Microsoft auth)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Create Migration Account

In your source Office 365 tenant, create a new admin user account. Use the format: migration@yourtenant.onmicrosoft.com

2

Don't Assign Company Domain

Important: Do not assign your company domain (e.g., @yourcompany.com) to this migration account. It must only use the .onmicrosoft.com domain.

3

Assign Admin Permissions

Grant the account Global Administrator or Exchange Administrator role to enable mailbox access for migration.

4

Configure Cloudiway Connector

Use this .onmicrosoft.com account in your Cloudiway source connector configuration. Authentication will now go directly to Microsoft without GoDaddy redirection.

Test Authentication

Before starting migration, verify the account works by logging in directly at portal.office.com using the .onmicrosoft.com address. You should NOT be redirected to GoDaddy's SSO page.

Key Takeaway

The migration account should exist solely for migration purposes and use only the .onmicrosoft.com domain. This prevents GoDaddy's SSO from intercepting the authentication request, enabling successful API-based migration.

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