How to Forward Emails in Gmail (One, Many or Automatically)

Forwarding sounds simple until you need to do something slightly different: send one message to a colleague, pass a whole thread to your accountant, or have everything arrive in a second inbox. Gmail handles all three, but in different places.

Here's which route to use for which job, based on Google's help pages, and a few cautions I'd want anyone running a business to know first.

Forwarding one email from Gmail to someone else

1. Open Gmail on your computer and open the email.
2. At the bottom of the email, click Forward.
3. Add your recipients.
4. Click Send.

Google's help says the Android and iPhone steps are the same idea with taps rather than clicks: open the email in the Gmail app and tap Forward at the bottom. Add the recipients, then send.

If the email sits in a conversation thread, there's a twist. Google says to click More at the top right of that particular email, then choose Forward.

Sending a whole Gmail conversation on to another person

Sometimes the context matters more than a single message. For that you need conversation view switched on first, which Google says is required before you can forward a thread. Then:

1. Open the thread.
2. In the toolbar at the top of the email, click More.
3. Click Forward all.
4. Add your recipients and click Send.

Before you press Send, read through the thread. A conversation can hold earlier messages, private details or opinions that weren't meant for the new recipient.

Setting up automatic forwarding in Gmail

This is a different feature from sending one email on. Automatic forwarding copies your new incoming mail to another address. Google explains how it works: after you add a forwarding address, a verification link is sent to that address, and once you verify it you can forward messages there. Gmail forwards all new messages to that account, except spam.

1. On your computer, open Gmail and click Settings, then See all settings.
2. Open the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab (or Forwarding).
3. Click Add a forwarding address and enter the address.
4. Click Next, then Proceed, then OK.
5. In the other email account, click the verification link.
6. Back in Gmail Settings, refresh your browser and return to the Forwarding tab.
7. Select Forward a copy of incoming mail to, and decide what happens to the Gmail copy. Google recommends keeping it in the inbox.
8. Click Save Changes at the bottom.

Forwarding only some emails in Gmail

Automatic forwarding sends everything. If you only want, say, messages from one client or about one project to go on to a bookkeeper or assistant, Google says to turn off automatic forwarding and use a filter instead. Run a search for the emails you want, click Create filter at the bottom of the search window, choose Forward it and pick the address. You'll need a separate filter for every forwarding address.

Filters only affect new messages going forward. Tidying the rest of your inbox is a separate job, and AI email triage for a small business is one way I've looked at it.

Turning off Gmail forwarding

1. Open Gmail and go to Settings, then See all settings.
2. Open the Forwarding tab.
3. Click Disable forwarding.
4. Click Save Changes.

A warning about Gmail forwarding you didn't set up

Google shows a notice in your inbox for the first week after forwarding is turned on, reminding you where your mail is going. If you ever see one but never set up forwarding, Google's advice is blunt: change your password immediately and turn off forwarding in Settings, because someone else might have access to your account.

Forwarding emails safely for a business

• Check who's in the thread before you forward it on.
• Don't forward anything with someone else's private details unless they'd expect it.
• Think twice before forwarding client emails to a personal address.
• Where you can, share a document or a link rather than the whole conversation.

For files in particular, there's a calmer approach than email chains, which I cover in collecting client documents without email chains. If you use Gmail through work or school, Google says your administrator controls whether forwarding is available.

What the person receiving your forwarded Gmail will see

The recipient gets a new message from you, usually with your own comment above the original email. Use that space. A line such as 'Can you take a look at this and tell me what you think?' saves them guessing why they've been sent it. Check the subject line too, since a forwarded message often carries a long thread title that hides the point.

If you're forwarding to a client, read the original once more as if you were them. Anything meant only for your team belongs in a separate message, not in the history below.

Gmail forwarding: quick reference

Job	Where to do it
Send one email on	Open it and click Forward at the bottom
Send a whole thread on	More, then Forward all (conversation view on)
Copy all new mail elsewhere	Settings, See all settings, Forwarding tab
Forward only some mail	Create a filter and choose Forward it

If Forward is missing in Gmail

1. Open the email fully rather than looking at it in the list.
2. For a thread, switch on conversation view first.
3. Look under More at the top right of the individual email.
4. Update the Gmail app or refresh the page.
5. If you use a work or school account, ask your administrator.

Frequently asked questions

How do I forward an email in Gmail?

Open the email, click Forward at the bottom, add your recipients and click Send. In the Gmail app, tap Forward at the bottom instead.

How do I forward a whole email thread in Gmail?

Turn on conversation view first. Then in the toolbar click More, then Forward all, add recipients and click Send.

How do I forward all my Gmail to another address?

Go to Settings, See all settings, open the Forwarding tab, add a forwarding address, verify it from the other account, choose Forward a copy of incoming mail to, and save.

Can I forward only certain emails in Gmail?

Yes. Turn off automatic forwarding, then create a filter for the emails you want and choose Forward it. Each forwarding address needs its own filter.

What if I see a forwarding notice and didn't set it up?

Google says to change your password immediately and turn off forwarding in Settings, because someone else might have access to your account.