Email forwarding sends incoming messages to a second address automatically
Email forwarding is a setting that copies every message you receive at one address and sends it to another address at the same time. You set it up once in your email provider's settings, and then it works without you doing anything — new messages arrive at both addresses, or only at the forwarded address if you choose to hide them from the original inbox.
The main reason to set this up is to consolidate mail from multiple addresses into one inbox you actually check. If you have an old work email, a Gmail account, and a company domain address, forwarding lets you read everything in one place instead of logging into three separate accounts.
Forwarding is different from syncing multiple accounts in one email client — it happens on the email provider's server, so it works whether you check mail on your phone, computer, or web browser. The forwarded copy is a real message in the destination inbox, not a link or a preview.
Key Takeaways
- Email forwarding copies incoming messages to a second address and can hide them from your original inbox so you only see them in one place.
- Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and most other providers let you set up forwarding in account settings, usually under "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" or "Mail forwarding".
- You must confirm ownership of the forwarding address before it starts working — the destination email will receive a confirmation message you have to approve.
- Forwarding works on any device and any email client, because it happens on the provider's server before the message reaches your computer or phone.
- If you stop paying for an email account or delete it, forwarding stops working, so keep the original address active if you want messages to keep arriving at the second one.
How to set up forwarding in Gmail
Open Gmail in a web browser and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select See all settings, then click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. Under "Forwarding", click Add a forwarding address.
Type the email address where you want messages to go, then click Next. Gmail will send a confirmation email to that address. Open that email and click the confirmation link inside it — this proves you own the second address and prevents someone else from forwarding your mail without permission. Once you confirm, go back to Gmail settings and select which forwarding option you want: Forward a copy of incoming mail to [address] keeps messages in your Gmail inbox and sends a copy elsewhere, or Forward all incoming mail to [address] and archive Gmail's copy hides the message from Gmail so you only see it in the forwarded inbox.
Forwarding starts when ready after you choose your option. Every new message that arrives at your Gmail address will go to the forwarding address from that moment on. Old messages already in your inbox will not be forwarded — only new mail counts.
How to set up forwarding in Outlook or Microsoft 365
Sign into Outlook.com or your Microsoft 365 account in a web browser. Click the gear icon in the top right and select View all Outlook settings. Go to Mail, then Forwarding.
Toggle Enable forwarding to turn it on. Type the address where you want mail to go in the Forwarding address field. Choose whether to keep a copy in your Outlook inbox or delete it after forwarding — if you delete it, messages will only appear in the forwarded address. Click Save.
Unlike Gmail, Outlook does not require you to confirm the forwarding address before it starts working. Forwarding begins when ready. If you later want to turn it off, return to the same settings page and toggle Enable forwarding back off.
How to set up forwarding in Yahoo Mail
Log into Yahoo Mail and click the gear icon in the top right. Select Settings, then Forwarding in the left menu.
Click Add forwarding address and type the email address you want to forward to. Yahoo will send a confirmation email to that address — open it and click the link inside to approve the forwarding. Once confirmed, return to Yahoo settings and choose your forwarding option: Forward a copy keeps messages in Yahoo and sends a copy to the other address, or Forward and delete removes them from Yahoo so they only appear in the forwarded inbox.
Your forwarding will start working as soon as you save your choice. Yahoo forwards only new messages from that point forward, not older mail.
What happens to forwarded messages at the destination
When a message is forwarded, it arrives at the destination address as a regular email — the person or account receiving it cannot tell it was forwarded unless they look at the email headers. The forwarded message includes the original sender's name and address, so you can reply directly to them without any extra steps.
Forwarded messages count toward your storage quota at the destination address, just like any other mail. If you forward thousands of messages to a free Gmail account, for example, you will eventually run out of storage space and need to delete old mail or buy more storage.
If the original email account gets deleted or the subscription expires, forwarding stops working when ready. The destination address will stop receiving new messages. This is why forwarding works best when you keep the original account active — it does not have to be your main inbox, but the account itself must exist.
Forwarding versus syncing multiple accounts in one client
Forwarding and syncing multiple accounts are two different things that solve different problems. Forwarding copies messages from one address to another at the server level, so the destination inbox receives real copies. Syncing means opening multiple accounts in one email app — like adding both Gmail and Outlook to the Gmail app on your phone — so you can see all your inboxes in one place without the messages actually moving.
Forwarding is better if you want to completely move away from one email address and only check one inbox. Syncing is better if you want to keep both addresses separate but read them from one app. Forwarding also works on any device automatically, while syncing requires you to set it up in each app you use.
You can use both at the same time — forward one address to another and also sync both in your email app. This gives you a backup: if the app stops working, your messages are still arriving at the forwarded address.
Turning off forwarding and what to do if it stops working
To stop forwarding, go back to your email provider's settings and disable it. In Gmail, click the gear icon, go to Forwarding and POP/IMAP, and click Delete next to the forwarding address. In Outlook, toggle Enable forwarding off. In Yahoo, click the trash icon next to the forwarding address. Changes take effect when ready — new messages will no longer be forwarded.
If forwarding suddenly stops working, the most common reason is that the destination email account was deleted or the subscription expired. If you forwarded Gmail to a work email and then left that job, the work email may have been deactivated, which breaks the forwarding. Check that the destination address still exists and is actively receiving mail. You can test this by sending yourself a message from another account to see if it arrives at the forwarded address.
Another reason forwarding stops is if the destination address marks your forwarded messages as spam repeatedly. Some email providers will disable forwarding if too many messages get flagged. If this happens, check your spam folder at the destination address and mark the forwarded messages as "not spam" so the provider knows they are legitimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I forward to multiple addresses at once?
Most providers only let you set up one forwarding address per account. If you need messages to go to two places, you can forward the first address to the second, then forward the second address to a third — but this creates delays and makes troubleshooting harder. A better solution is to sync multiple accounts in your email app instead.
Will the person I forward to see my password or private information?
No. Forwarding only copies the message itself — the subject line, body, and attachments. It does not give the destination address access to your account, password, or any other settings. The forwarded message is a separate copy that arrives in their inbox like any other email.
What if I forward an email address to itself by mistake?
Most email providers will not let you set up a forwarding loop — they check that the destination address is different from the source address before allowing it. If you somehow create a loop, it will cause messages to bounce or get stuck, and your email provider's system will usually catch and disable it automatically.
Does forwarding work if I use a custom domain email address?
Yes. If you have a custom domain email set up through Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or another provider, forwarding works the same way. Go to your domain's email settings and look for the forwarding option — it will be in the same place as a regular Gmail or Outlook account.
Can I forward emails that are already in my inbox?
No. Forwarding only works on new messages that arrive after you set it up. If you want to move old messages to another address, you will need to read them or manually forward them one by one. Some email apps let you select multiple messages and forward them all at once, which is faster than doing them individually.