How to set up Gmail forwarding

You can forward all incoming Gmail messages to another Gmail account by turning on forwarding in your Gmail settings. Gmail will send a copy of each new message to the second account while keeping the original in your inbox. The process takes about two minutes and requires access to both the account you're forwarding from and the account receiving the mail.

The forwarding happens automatically once you set it up — you don't need to do anything else. If you later decide to stop forwarding, you can turn it off the same way you turned it on.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Gmail settings, go to the Forwarding tab, and enter the Gmail address where you want messages sent.
  • Gmail will send a confirmation email to the receiving account, and you must confirm it before forwarding starts.
  • You can choose to keep a copy of forwarded messages in your original inbox or delete them after forwarding.
  • Forwarding works on all incoming mail by default, but you can set up filters to forward only certain messages instead.

Open Gmail settings and find the forwarding option

Log into the Gmail account you want to forward from. In the top right corner, click the gear icon and select See all settings. This opens the full settings page. Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab near the top.

You'll see a section labeled Forwarding with a button that says Add a forwarding address. Click that button to begin.

Enter the receiving Gmail address and confirm it

A box will appear asking you to enter the email address where you want messages forwarded. Type the Gmail address of the account that will receive the copies. Click Next, then Proceed on the confirmation screen.

Gmail will when ready send a confirmation email to the receiving account. You must open that email and click the confirmation link inside it within 24 hours, or the forwarding will not set up. The confirmation email comes from Gmail and has the subject line "Gmail forwarding confirmation." If you don't see it, check the spam folder of the receiving account.

Choose what happens to messages after they're forwarded

After you confirm the forwarding address, you'll return to the Forwarding settings. A new option appears asking what you want to do with messages in the original account. You have two choices: Keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox or Delete Gmail's copy.

If you choose to keep a copy, the message stays in your original inbox and also goes to the forwarding address. If you choose to delete, the message is sent to the forwarding address and then removed from your original account. Most people keep a copy so they have messages in both places. Click Save Changes when you've decided.

Forwarding starts when ready

Once you save, forwarding is active. Any new messages that arrive in the original account will automatically be sent to the forwarding address within a few minutes. Forwarding does not affect messages that arrived before you set it up — only new mail going forward.

The forwarded messages will appear in the receiving account's inbox with the original sender's name and address, so the recipient will see who actually sent the message. The forwarded copy will also show that it came through forwarding.

Forward only certain messages using filters

If you don't want to forward everything, you can create a filter to forward only messages that match certain rules. Go back to Gmail settings and click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Click Create a new filter.

Set up the filter to match the messages you want — for example, messages from a specific person, with certain words in the subject line, or with a particular label. Click Create filter, then check the box that says Forward it to and enter the receiving Gmail address. This way, only messages matching your rules will be forwarded, and everything else stays in your original inbox.

Turn off forwarding if you no longer need it

To stop forwarding at any time, go back to Gmail settings, click Forwarding and POP/IMAP, and find the forwarding address you set up. Click the Delete button next to it. Confirm the deletion. Forwarding will stop when ready, and new messages will no longer be sent to the second account.

If you delete the forwarding address, messages already forwarded to the receiving account stay there — deleting the forwarding rule doesn't remove past messages from the second account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I forward to a non-Gmail address?

Yes. The forwarding feature works with any email address, not just Gmail. Enter any email address in the forwarding field, confirm it the same way, and messages will forward there.

What if I don't see the confirmation email?

Check the spam or promotions folder of the receiving account — Gmail's confirmation sometimes lands there. If you still don't find it after 10 minutes, go back to Gmail settings, delete the forwarding address you just added, and try again with the same address.

Does forwarding work if I'm not signed into the original account?

Yes. Forwarding happens on Gmail's servers, not on your computer. As long as the account exists and forwarding is turned on, messages forward automatically whether you're signed in or not.

Can I forward to multiple addresses at once?

No. Gmail's built-in forwarding sends to one address only. If you need to forward to multiple addresses, set up separate filters for each one, or use a filter to forward to one address and then set up forwarding from that account to others.

Will forwarded messages show they came from the original account?

The receiving account will see the original sender's address and name, not your forwarding account. Gmail notes in the message that it was forwarded, but the "from" line shows who actually sent it.