Migrating a domain name from 1and1

I thought I would share this information, since the steps you have to follow are completely not obvious at all :

1. Allow the migration of your account

- log in to your account
- select your domain name
- set it to an “unlocked” state

2. Cancel your contract

Now, this feels completely idiotic, but to migrate your domain name, you have to follow the same workflow as a cancellation. And it’s called at every step a cancellation. Maybe 1and1 wants people to fear losing their domain name when they try to migrate, so they’ll just keep their contract with them?

- go to cancel.1and1.com (or contrat.1and1.fr if you use the french version)
- log in
- cancel your domain or pack. You will have to answer to a “customer satisfaction” poll
- at the end, just before confirming, you will have the ability to choose :
1. when to apply this action (10 days, 10 days + 1 month, 10 days + 2 months) – just pick whatever fits you
2. what you want to do. THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART, choose the option to migrate your domain to another provider.
3. when to cancel – right now or wait the end of the contract. You don’t care about that since the migration option will replace it with As Soon As Possible.

Now, you’re going to get a code, keep it since it will be necessary to migrate.

You will now have to validate your cancellation to 1and1 by email.

3. Register with your new provider

- Follow the steps. You will be asked for the migration code you received when cancelling. This is used to ensure someone isn’t trying to steal your domain name.
-  your new provider will also probably ask for an email confirmation using the email in the whois
- now you just have to wait