How to Automatically Forward Emails in Gmail

To automatically forward emails in Gmail, open Settings > See all settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP, click Add a forwarding address, and verify it from the other account. Then select Forward a copy of incoming mail to, choose what happens to Gmail’s copy, and click Save Changes.

These steps follow Google’s Automatically forward Gmail messages to another account help article. Google’s steps use Gmail on a computer, so set this up in a web browser rather than the phone app.

In this article:

• How Gmail forwarding works
• Turn on automatic forwarding
• Choose what happens to Gmail’s copy
• Forward only some emails
• Turn off forwarding
• Forwarding notices and security
• Work and school accounts
• FAQs

How Automatic Forwarding Works in Gmail

Google explains a few rules before you start:

• After you add a forwarding address, Google sends a verification link to it. You can only forward to that address after you verify it.
• Gmail forwards all new messages, except spam. Older emails already in your inbox are not sent.
• To forward only messages that match certain criteria, you use a filter instead.
• You choose whether Gmail keeps its own copy of each forwarded email in your inbox or archives it.

How to Automatically Forward Emails in Gmail

1. Open Gmail on your computer and sign in to the account you want to forward messages from.
2. In the top right, click Settings (the gear icon), then See all settings.
3. Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. Some accounts label it Forwarding.
4. In the Forwarding section, click Add a forwarding address, type the address, and click Next > Proceed > OK.
5. Open the other email account and click the verification link Google sent.
6. Back in Gmail, refresh your browser and open the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab again.
7. Select Forward a copy of incoming mail to.
8. Choose what happens to Gmail’s copy (see the next section), then click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Result: New emails that arrive in Gmail are also sent to the address you added.

How to Choose What Happens to Gmail’s Copy

In step 8, the drop-down menu lets you decide what Gmail does with the original message after forwarding it. Google lists two main choices:

• Keep Gmail’s copy in the Inbox: the message stays in Gmail as normal. Google recommends this option, because your Gmail account then works as a backup. Forwarding only copies new mail, so see our Gmail backup guide to save older messages too.
• Archive Gmail’s copy: the message is moved out of your inbox automatically, but it is still searchable in All Mail.

Archiving is handy if you only read email in the other account and don’t want your Gmail inbox to fill up.

How to Forward Only Some Emails in Gmail

Google notes that automatic forwarding sends all your Gmail messages by default. To forward only certain messages, such as receipts or emails from one sender, turn off automatic forwarding and use a filter:

1. In the search box at the top of Gmail, click Show search options.
2. Enter your search criteria, such as a sender, subject or keywords. Click Search to check the results if you want.
3. At the bottom of the search window, click Create filter.
4. Check Forward it and select the forwarding address.
5. Click Create filter.

The forwarding address must already be added and verified, as in the steps above. To forward messages to more than one account, Google says to create a separate filter for each forwarding address. To change or remove a filter later, see how to delete or edit a filter in Gmail.

Result: Only emails that match your filter are forwarded.

How to Turn Off Forwarding in Gmail

1. Open Gmail on your computer and sign in to the account that is forwarding your email.
2. Click Settings > See all settings.
3. Open the Forwarding and POP/IMAP (or Forwarding) tab.
4. Click Disable forwarding.
5. Click Save Changes.

If you are going away and just want people to know you will reply later, an automatic reply may suit you better. See how to set an out of office reply in Gmail.

Forwarding Notices and Account Security

For the first week after you turn on forwarding, Google shows a notice in Gmail that says “You are forwarding your email to [address].” A similar notice appears for a week after you create a filter that forwards messages. These reminders give you a chance to review your settings, and they go away if you turn forwarding off.

If you see a forwarding notice but never set up forwarding, Google warns that someone else might have access to your account. Change your password right away, then turn off forwarding from the Settings page. If you can’t sign in, see how to recover a forgotten Gmail password.

Work and School Accounts

If you use Gmail through work or school, your administrator controls whether forwarding is allowed. Google’s Workspace admin help says automatic forwarding is on by default, but when an admin turns it off, the forwarding option isn’t available in Gmail settings. If you don’t see the Forwarding section, ask your administrator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Gmail forward emails I already have?

No. Google says it forwards new messages. To send older messages, forward them one at a time.

Is spam forwarded?

No. Gmail forwards all new messages except spam.

Can I forward to more than one address?

Automatic forwarding sends to one address. To send to several, create a filter for each forwarding address.

Can I block a sender instead of forwarding them?

Yes. See how to block someone’s email address in Gmail.

More Gmail Guides

• How to delete or edit a filter in Gmail
• How to set an out of office reply in Gmail
• How to install a Gmail add-on