Gmail's forwarding feature sends copies of incoming mail to another email address automatically
Gmail's auto-forward feature copies every incoming message to a second email address you choose. The original message stays in your Gmail inbox, and a copy arrives at the forwarding address within seconds. This is useful when you're switching email providers, consolidating multiple accounts, or want a backup copy in another location.
The forwarding address must be one you control — Gmail sends a confirmation link to that address before forwarding begins, and you have to click it to set up the feature. Once confirmed, forwarding runs continuously until you turn it off.
Key Takeaways
- Forwarding copies messages to another address; the original stays in your Gmail inbox unless you delete it.
- You must confirm the forwarding address by clicking a link Gmail sends to it, or forwarding will not start.
- Gmail forwards only new messages arriving after you turn on the feature, not old messages already in your inbox.
- You can forward to only one address at a time, but you can change it or turn it off at any moment from Settings.
- If forwarding stops working, check that the forwarding address is still confirmed and that you have not hit Gmail's sending limits.
How to turn on forwarding in Gmail Settings
Open Gmail in a web browser and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select See all settings from the dropdown menu. Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab near the top of the page.
In the Forwarding section, click Add a forwarding address. A small window opens asking for the email address where you want copies sent. Type the address and click Next. Gmail sends a confirmation email to that address when ready.
Go to the inbox of the forwarding address and find the email from Gmail (it comes from noreply@accounts.google.com). Open it and click the confirmation link inside. The link takes you back to Gmail, and forwarding turns on automatically. If you do not confirm within 30 days, Gmail cancels the request and you have to start over.
What happens to messages after forwarding is on
Every new message that arrives in your Gmail inbox gets copied to the forwarding address within a few seconds. The original message stays in your Gmail inbox — forwarding does not remove it. If you delete the message from Gmail, the copy at the forwarding address remains.
Forwarding applies to all incoming mail except messages you have filtered to skip the inbox (such as messages that go straight to a label or are marked as read automatically). If you set up a filter that sends certain messages to a label instead of your inbox, those messages will not be forwarded.
Messages you send from Gmail are not forwarded — only messages you receive. If you want copies of your sent mail at another address, you have to set up a separate forwarding rule or use a different method.
Turning off forwarding or changing the forwarding address
Open Gmail Settings and go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. In the Forwarding section, you see the current forwarding address. Click Edit to change it or Delete to turn off forwarding entirely.
If you click Edit, you can type a new address. Gmail sends a confirmation email to the new address, and you have to click the link in that email before the change takes effect. Until you confirm, the old forwarding address stays active.
If you click Delete, forwarding stops when ready. No confirmation is needed. Messages will no longer be copied to the old forwarding address.
Why forwarding might stop working
The most common reason forwarding stops is that the forwarding address was never confirmed. Check the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab in Settings — if the address shows as unconfirmed, click the confirmation link again or ask the owner of that address to check their inbox for the Gmail confirmation email.
If the forwarding address is confirmed but messages are not arriving, check whether you have hit Gmail's sending limit. Gmail limits the number of messages you can send or forward in a 24-hour period (the exact number varies). If you have forwarded thousands of messages in a short time, Gmail may temporarily pause forwarding. Wait 24 hours and try again.
Another possibility is that the forwarding address's email provider is rejecting Gmail's messages. This happens rarely, but if it does, contact the support team for the forwarding address's provider and ask them to check their spam filters or bounce logs.
Forwarding versus other ways to access Gmail from another address
Forwarding copies messages to another inbox, but it does not let you send mail from that other address using your Gmail account. If you want to reply to messages using a different email address, you have to add that address as a Send mail as alias in Gmail Settings instead.
If you want to read your Gmail inbox from a different email client (like Outlook or Apple Mail), you can turn on POP or IMAP in the same Settings tab. These protocols let you read or sync your Gmail messages to another program, but they do not automatically copy messages the way forwarding does.
Forwarding is the simplest option if you just want copies of incoming messages in another inbox and do not need to send replies from that address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I forward to multiple email addresses at once?
No, Gmail allows only one forwarding address at a time. If you need copies at two different addresses, you can set up forwarding to one address, then set up a rule at that address to forward to a third address. This creates a chain, but it adds a slight delay.
Will old messages in my inbox be forwarded?
No, forwarding only copies new messages that arrive after you turn on the feature. Messages already in your inbox will not be forwarded. If you need copies of old messages, you have to read them or forward them manually.
What if I do not confirm the forwarding address within 30 days?
Gmail cancels the forwarding request automatically. You will have to go back to Settings and add the forwarding address again, then confirm it within the new 30-day window.
Does forwarding work if my Gmail account is inactive?
Yes, forwarding continues to work even if you do not log into Gmail for months. As long as the feature is turned on and the forwarding address is confirmed, copies will keep arriving at the forwarding address.
Can I forward only certain types of messages?
Gmail's built-in forwarding feature forwards all incoming messages. If you want to forward only messages from specific people or with certain words in the subject, you have to create filters and use the Forward it to action in each filter instead of using the global forwarding setting.