What Problems Can Occur During a GoDaddy Migration?

Quick Answer: Typically not many, but the chance of “seamless” are words technicians and migration experts never use. Anything can happen but it’s chosing the right person/company who can help resolve problems if they happen. This is why you are learning right now. The more you know, the better!

The good news is that I haven’t seen many major problems when a GoDaddy transition is handled by someone who understands the process. Vendors who specialize in GoDaddy defederations do these projects every day, and with proper planning, the transition is usually very smooth. The bigger issues tend to happen when business owners try to do it themselves after finding instructions online and assuming it’s just a few button clicks. These are often the calls I receive from new clients. They’re halfway through the process, stuck in a sea of unfamiliar terminology and button clicking, and unsure what to do next. At that point, a call to Microsoft is often required, and depending on the situation, the wait for support can range from frustrating to very long.

Some of the more common problems include:

Losing access to the administrator account.
Not knowing who actually has Global Administrator access.
Purchasing the wrong Microsoft 365 licenses before the transition.
DNS confusion and uncertainty about which records should or shouldn’t be changed.
MFA (multi-factor authentication) complications.
User login confusion after the transition.
Users being prompted to sign back into Outlook, Teams, and other Microsoft applications.
Accidentally removing the wrong partner relationship.
Uncertainty about who is managing the Microsoft 365 tenant after GoDaddy is removed.
Starting the process too close to a renewal date, business deadline, or major company event.
Delays while waiting for Microsoft support.
Confusion caused by Microsoft’s terminology and documentation.

The good news is that most of these problems are completely preventable. In my experience, the actual defederation isn’t usually the difficult part. The challenge is knowing what Microsoft’s terminology means, understanding which buttons not to click, and having a plan before you begin. I always tell clients that leaving GoDaddy isn’t impossible—it’s just not something most business owners do every day.

Could you do it yourself? Maybe.
Should you do it yourself? That’s a different question.

If your business relies heavily on email, calendars, Teams, OneDrive, or SharePoint, it’s worth asking how much risk you’re comfortable taking. I’ve had clients spend hours reading Microsoft’s instructions, watching videos, and trying to piece everything together, only to call for help after getting stuck halfway through the process. Sometimes paying someone who already knows exactly where the buttons are is far less expensive than losing an entire weekend trying to figure them out yourself.

The important thing to remember is this: a GoDaddy migration shouldn’t be scary. It just needs a plan. With the right preparation and the right people involved, most businesses transition with little to no downtime and wonder afterward why they worried so much in the first place.

To read my full article with all 18 answers, please click here https://callthatgirl.biz/how-to-leave-godaddy-for-microsoft-365-without-losing-email-data-or-users

Reminder: I am not a paid partner of either company GoDaddy or Microsoft btw. I’ve been working in IT for 30 years and have owned my own business since 2007. I’m a Microsoft Outlook Expert/365 Consultant and recently awarded MVP from Microsoft. I’m just telling you what I know based on my 19 years of experience supporting clients with email, Hosted Exchange, Exchange online and Microsoft 365 and of course, GoDaddy throughout the years. I have used AI for some of this article. I always tell my readers so they know they are not reading a long AI generated article. Enjoy and I hope this helps!

If you want to talk to my rep about transferring your GoDaddy acccount to Microsoft, or need my help with your transition, please use the form below. A 10-min consult with me will help give you more information before you start your journey.

What Problems Can Occur During a GoDaddy Migration?