How to Set Up Email Forwarding in Gmail (All or Some Emails)

Automatic forwarding is the quiet hero of switching email addresses. Moving to a new business address, handing an old inbox over to a colleague, or simply wanting everything in one place: Gmail can pass every new email on to another address without you lifting a finger. It's different from clicking Forward on a single message, and it lives in a settings tab most people never open.

Below are Google's steps to switch it on, the verification step that trips people up, how to forward only some emails with a filter, and how to turn it all off again.

Before you set up Gmail forwarding

• Use a computer. Google's steps are written for Gmail in a web browser.
• Have access to the other inbox, because you'll need to open a verification email there.
• Decide whether you want everything forwarded, or only emails from certain people or about certain topics.
• Think about what should happen to the original copy in Gmail.

Adding a forwarding address in Gmail

1. Open Gmail on your computer and sign in to the account you want to forward from.
2. Click Settings, the cog at the top right, then See all settings.
3. Open the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. On some accounts it's simply called Forwarding.
4. In the Forwarding section, click Add a forwarding address.
5. Type the address you want emails sent to, then click Next, Proceed and OK.

Verifying the forwarding address

Gmail won't forward anything until the other inbox confirms it's happy to receive your mail. Google sends a verification message to the address you added. Open that inbox, find the message and click the link inside it.

Then go back to Gmail's settings, refresh your browser and reopen the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. This is the step people miss: the new address won't show as ready until you refresh.

Switching automatic forwarding on

1. In the Forwarding section, select Forward a copy of incoming mail to.
2. Choose the address you've just verified.
3. Choose what Gmail does with its own copy.
4. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

For the copy, Google recommends Keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox. That way, if anything goes wrong with the other account, you still have every email in Gmail. You'll also see a forwarding notice in Gmail for the first week, which Google shows as a reminder that your mail is being passed on.

Forwarding only some Gmail emails with a filter

You don't have to forward everything. If you want only emails from one client or messages from your website form, a filter does the job. Google's steps:

1. Turn off automatic forwarding first, because by default it sends all new mail.
2. Click Show search options in the Gmail search box and enter what you want to catch, such as a sender's address or words in the subject.
3. Click Search to check the right emails come up.
4. Click Create filter.
5. Tick Forward it, choose the forwarding address and click Create filter.

Google says that to forward to more than one address, you create a separate filter for each. The forwarding address still needs verifying first, using the steps above. My full guide to setting up Gmail filters covers the other actions you can combine with forwarding.

What you want	Gmail setting
Every new email sent on	Forward a copy of incoming mail to, in the Forwarding tab
Only emails from certain senders or topics	A filter with Forward it ticked
One email passed on, once	The Forward button on that email

Turning off email forwarding in Gmail

1. Open Gmail on your computer and sign in to the account that's forwarding.
2. Go to Settings, See all settings, then Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
3. Click Disable forwarding.
4. Click Save Changes.

If you forward through filters, delete or edit those filters too, or emails matching them will keep going out.

Gmail forwarding for small business owners

• Moving to a new branded address: forward the old Gmail so nothing slips through while you tell everyone.
• Covering holidays: forward to a trusted colleague, and pair it with an out of office reply in Gmail so senders know who'll answer.
• Keeping records: forward order notifications to a separate inbox your bookkeeper or assistant checks.
• Stepping back from an old project: forward only that project's emails with a filter.

Be careful with customer data. Only forward to addresses you control or trust, and remember that forwarding sends every matching email, including anything private.

Automatic forwarding versus forwarding one email

If you just want to pass a single message on, you don't need any of these settings. Open the email and use Forward, as I explain in my guide to forwarding individual emails in Gmail. Automatic forwarding is for ongoing, hands-off redirection.

If Gmail forwarding isn't working

• Check you clicked the verification link in the other inbox.
• Refresh Gmail's settings page, then reopen the Forwarding tab.
• Make sure Forward a copy of incoming mail to is selected and you clicked Save Changes.
• If you set up a filter, check its search criteria match the emails you expect.
• On a work or school account, the forwarding option may be managed by your organisation, so ask your admin.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up automatic forwarding in Gmail?

On a computer, go to Settings, See all settings, Forwarding and POP/IMAP, click Add a forwarding address, verify it from the other inbox, then select Forward a copy of incoming mail to and click Save Changes.

Why isn't my Gmail forwarding address working?

It needs verifying. Open the verification message Google sends to that address, click the link, then refresh Gmail's settings.

Can I forward only some emails automatically?

Yes. Google says to turn off automatic forwarding, search for the emails with Show search options, click Create filter and choose Forward it.

Can Gmail forward to more than one address?

Google says to create a separate filter for each address you want to forward to.

How do I stop Gmail forwarding?

Go to Settings, See all settings, Forwarding and POP/IMAP, click Disable forwarding and then Save Changes.