What is email forwarding?

Email forwarding

Email forwarding automatically redirects messages sent to one email address to a different address. When someone emails your forwarded address, the message arrives in your destination inbox without the sender knowing the difference.

Think of it as a permanent redirect for your mail. The original address stays valid, but every message lands somewhere else.

How email forwarding works

When you set up forwarding, you create a rule between two addresses: the source (where messages arrive) and the destination (where they end up). Your email server receives incoming messages at the source address, then immediately sends copies to the destination.

The process happens automatically. You don't need to check multiple inboxes or manually transfer messages. Everything flows to one place.

Common uses for email forwarding

Consolidating multiple accounts. If you manage several email addresses for different purposes, forwarding lets you read everything in a single inbox. No more logging into five accounts every morning.

Professional aliases. Small businesses often create role-based addresses like support@company.com or sales@company.com, then forward them to specific team members. The customer sees a professional address while the right person gets the message.

Transitioning between providers. When switching email services, forwarding from your old address catches messages from contacts who haven't updated their records yet.

Privacy protection. Some people use forwarding addresses when signing up for newsletters or online services. If spam becomes a problem, they can disable the forwarding address without affecting their primary inbox.

Email forwarding vs. email aliases

Forwarding and aliases serve similar purposes but work differently.

An alias is an alternate name for the same mailbox. Messages sent to the alias land directly in your inbox because both addresses point to the same account.

Forwarding creates a separate path: the source address receives the message first, then passes it along. This distinction matters for deliverability and authentication.

Forwarding and email authentication

Forwarding can complicate email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. When a message gets forwarded, the sending server changes, which may cause authentication checks to fail at the final destination.

Modern forwarding services use Sender Rewriting Scheme (SRS) to preserve authentication. If you're setting up forwarding for business email, confirm your provider supports SRS to avoid deliverability issues.

Setting up email forwarding

Most email providers offer forwarding in their settings menu. The basic steps:

1. Open your email account settings
2. Find the forwarding or mail routing section
3. Enter the destination address
4. Verify ownership of the destination (usually by clicking a confirmation link)
5. Choose whether to keep copies in the original inbox

Some providers let you create filters that forward only specific messages based on sender, subject line, or other criteria.

When forwarding isn't the right choice

Forwarding works well for receiving messages, but it doesn't help you send from the forwarded address. If you need to reply as support@company.com rather than your personal address, you'll need a full email hosting solution or a "send as" configuration.

For businesses running email marketing campaigns, forwarding alone won't provide the tracking, automation, or deliverability features you need. A dedicated platform handles those requirements.

FAQs

Does email forwarding affect deliverability?
It can. Forwarded messages may fail authentication checks if your provider doesn't use SRS. Choose a forwarding service that preserves email authentication.

Can I forward emails to multiple addresses?
Yes, most providers support forwarding to several destinations simultaneously. Each recipient gets their own copy.

Will senders know their email was forwarded?
No. The forwarding happens on the server side. Senders see only the original address they contacted.

Is email forwarding free?
Basic forwarding is typically free with most email providers. Some domain registrars and hosting services include it with domain purchases.

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