> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.instantcampaign.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Migrate from Mailchimp

> Import your Mailchimp audiences, contacts, merge fields and campaign designs into InstantCampaign with the migration wizard.

The Mailchimp integration is a one-way migration. It copies your audiences, contacts and, if you want them, your campaigns from Mailchimp into InstantCampaign. Nothing is written back to Mailchimp, and later changes in Mailchimp aren't synced.

<Note>
  Mailchimp migration needs the **Pro** or **Enterprise** plan. Only **Owners** and **Admins** can connect Mailchimp and run imports.
</Note>

## Connect Mailchimp

Go to **Settings → Developers → Integrations**. Under **Migrations**, click **Connect** on the Mailchimp card. There are two ways to connect. If your installation hasn't set up Mailchimp OAuth, only the API key method is shown.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="OAuth (recommended)">
    Click **Connect with Mailchimp** and approve access in Mailchimp. This is "the easiest way to connect".
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="API key">
    Click **Use API Key** (when it's the only method, the form opens on it). In Mailchimp, create a key under **Account → Extras → API Keys**, paste it under **API Key**, and click **Connect with API Key**. The data centre (for example `us21`) is read from the end of the key.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

Once connected, the page shows your **Mailchimp Account**, its **DC region** and your **Import History**.

<Tip>
  The Mailchimp key used here is separate from the Mailchimp key used to [push templates](/integrations/template-export). Each has its own connection.
</Tip>

## Run the migration

Click **Start Migration** to open the **Mailchimp Migration Wizard**. It has three steps.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select Audiences">
    Tick the Mailchimp audiences to import. Each shows its approximate contact count. Under **Campaigns**, you can also tick past campaigns to import. This part is optional.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Field Mapping">
    Match each Mailchimp merge field to an InstantCampaign field: **First Name**, **Last Name**, **Company**, **Address**, **Birthday**, **Phone**, one of your custom fields, or **Skip this field**. `FNAME`, `LNAME`, `COMPANY`, `ADDRESS`, `BIRTHDAY`, `PHONE` and fields whose tag matches a custom field's key or name are mapped for you. Email is always imported and can't be changed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview & Start">
    Review what will be imported, then click **Start Import**. Progress is shown as it runs, and you can **Cancel Import**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Create your custom contact fields before you start, so custom merge fields have somewhere to go.
</Tip>

## What you get

* **Lists**: each audience becomes a list named **Mailchimp: audience name**.
* **Contacts**: new emails are created, and existing contacts with the same email are updated. Emails are matched without regard to case.
* **Campaigns**: each selected campaign, sent or draft, is saved as an email **template**. The summary links to **View Templates**.

Mailchimp statuses are mapped like this:

| Mailchimp status            | InstantCampaign status                    |
| --------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Subscribed                  | Active                                    |
| Pending (not yet confirmed) | Pending: never sent to until they confirm |
| Unsubscribed                | Unsubscribed                              |
| Cleaned                     | Unsubscribed                              |
| Archived                    | Not imported (counted as skipped)         |

An import never re-subscribes a contact who is already unsubscribed in InstantCampaign.

<Note>
  Re-importing never re-subscribes anyone: a contact who unsubscribed from the imported list in InstantCampaign stays unsubscribed. An unsubscribed Mailchimp member is unsubscribed from all of your lists.
</Note>

When the import finishes, the **Import Summary** shows how many contacts were imported, updated, skipped and failed. Errors are listed per email, with **View Contacts** and **View Templates** links. Every run is recorded under **Import History**.

## Limits

* Only one import can run at a time for a workspace.
* You can start at most two imports a minute.

## Disconnect

Click **Disconnect** on the Mailchimp page. Any running import is cancelled. All previously imported contacts and campaigns remain in InstantCampaign.

## Troubleshooting

| What you see                                    | What to do                                                                              |
| ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "Invalid API key. Please try again."            | Copy the full key, including the part after the dash (for example `-us21`).             |
| "No audiences found in your Mailchimp account." | The connected Mailchimp account has no audiences, or you connected a different account. |
| Contacts are skipped                            | Archived members and members without an email are skipped. Open the summary to see why. |
| An import is already running                    | Wait for it to finish, or cancel it, before starting another.                           |