# Gmail forwarding: set it up, filter it, turn it off

> How to forward Gmail to another address: verify it, forward all mail or only filtered messages, turn forwarding off, and fix it when nothing arrives.

Updated: 2026-11-01 · Fact-checked: 2026-11-01 · Canonical: https://commandmail.app/en/guides/gmail-forwarding · Deutsch: https://commandmail.app/de/anleitungen/gmail-weiterleitung-einrichten.md

When you finish this guide, a second mailbox receives all new Gmail messages except spam, or a filter forwards only matching new messages[^1][^2]. The setup happens once, in Gmail on a computer: add the destination, click the verification link that arrives there, then select the forwarding option and save[^1]. You'll also know how to turn it off again and what to check when nothing shows up.

Command Mail is our product and appears below as one possible destination. The Gmail steps are the same for any destination and follow Google's help pages as of 2026-11-01; this guide does not claim a test run with a real account.

## The short answer

1. In Gmail on a computer, go to Settings → See all settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP and add the destination address[^1].
2. Open Google's verification message at the destination and click the link[^1].
3. Back in Gmail, refresh the page, select “Forward a copy of incoming mail to” with the verified address, and click Save Changes[^1].
4. To forward only some messages, leave automatic forwarding off and create a filter with the action Forward it[^1][^2].

## Which kind of forwarding do you need?

Gmail offers automatic forwarding of all new messages except spam, and filters for matching new messages[^1][^2]. Pick by what should arrive at the other end.

| Goal | How in Gmail | What gets forwarded |
|---|---|---|
| Everything to a second address | Automatic forwarding[^1] | All new messages except spam[^1] |
| One sender, invoices or a topic | A filter with Forward it, automatic forwarding off[^1] | New messages that match the search criteria[^2] |
| Several destinations | One filter per destination[^1] | Matching new messages per filter[^1] |
| Collect another provider's mail in Gmail | Forwarding set up at the other provider[^4] | New mail from that account, in Gmail[^4] |

The last row is the opposite direction. It has its own section below because Google is retiring an older feature there[^4].

## What you need

You need Gmail in a browser on a computer; Google's help pages describe setup, turning it off and forwarding filters only there[^1][^2]. Sign in to the exact account whose mail should be forwarded. If several Gmail accounts are open in the browser, check the profile picture at the top right.

You also need access to the destination mailbox, because that's where Google sends the verification message[^1]. Until someone clicks it, the address stays unverified and Gmail forwards nothing there.

For a work or school account on Google Workspace, the administrator has to allow automatic forwarding. Google says the setting is on by default, and admins can switch it off or limit it to internal addresses[^3].

## Set up Gmail forwarding step by step

These steps come from Google's article on automatic forwarding[^1]. Depending on the account, the tab is called “Forwarding and POP/IMAP” or just “Forwarding”.

1. Open Gmail on your computer and sign in to the account you want to forward from.
2. At the top right, click Settings → See all settings.
3. Open the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, or the Forwarding tab.
4. In the Forwarding section, click Add a forwarding address.
5. Enter the destination address, then click Next → Proceed → OK.
6. At the destination, open the verification message from Google and click the link.
7. Go back to the Gmail settings page and refresh your browser.
8. Open the same tab again and select “Forward a copy of incoming mail to” with the verified address.
9. Choose what happens to Gmail's copy. Google recommends Keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox.
10. At the bottom of the page, click Save Changes.

After clicking the verification link, you still need to refresh Gmail settings, select forwarding and save[^1]. Only then does Gmail start forwarding.

For Gmail's copy, Google lists keeping it in the inbox or archiving it automatically[^1]. Keep it in the inbox for the first few weeks. If something goes missing at the destination, Gmail still has the original.

## Forward only some emails with a filter

A filter forwards only messages that match your search, for example a sender, a word in the subject line or messages with attachments[^2]. Google's advice is to turn automatic forwarding off for this, since otherwise everything already goes to the first address[^1]. Add and verify the destination first, because the filter asks you to pick a forwarding address from a list[^1].

1. In the Gmail search box, click Show search options.
2. Enter your criteria, such as an address in the From field.
3. Click Search to see which emails match.
4. At the bottom of the search window, click Create filter.
5. Select Forward it and choose the verified address.
6. Click Create filter.

You can also start from an existing email: check the box next to it, click More → Filter messages like these, adjust the criteria and click Create filter[^2]. To edit or delete a filter later, go to Settings → See all settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses[^2].

Google names two limits. A forwarding filter affects only new messages, so mail already in your account stays put. And when someone replies to a filtered message, the reply is filtered only if it meets the same criteria[^2]. A filter on one sender therefore won't forward your own reply to that sender.

## Forward Gmail to multiple addresses

Automatic forwarding goes to a single address. Google's admin help says users can set up only one forwarding address there[^3]. For extra destinations, Google suggests creating a separate filter for each forwarding address[^1].

Each of those filters forwards only new messages that match its criteria[^2]. Google's help gives no filter criterion that covers all new messages, so it doesn't establish that filters give you a complete copy at two destinations. If you need that, forward to one destination and redistribute from there, if that mailbox offers its own forwarding.

## Can you set up forwarding in the Gmail app?

Google's article describes the setup only for Gmail on a computer and gives no route in the Gmail app for Android or iPhone[^1]. Do it from a computer. After that, forwarding runs on Google's side, whether you later read Gmail on a phone, a tablet or the web.

The filter article likewise starts on a computer[^2]. If you only have your phone with you, wait until you can use a browser on a computer.

## Turn off Gmail forwarding

Switching it off also happens on a computer[^1]:

1. Open Gmail in the account that is forwarding.
2. At the top right, click Settings → See all settings.
3. Open the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, or the Forwarding tab.
4. In the Forwarding section, click Disable forwarding.
5. At the bottom, click Save Changes.

Forwarding filters keep working after that. If nothing at all should leave the account, edit or delete them under Settings → See all settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses[^2].

## “You are forwarding your email to …”: reminder or red flag?

For the first week after you turn on forwarding, Gmail shows “You are forwarding your email to [email address]”. With a forwarding filter, the notice adds “and your filters are also forwarding some of your email”[^1]. It goes away when you turn forwarding or the filter off.

If you never set up forwarding, treat the notice as a warning. Google says to change your password immediately and turn off forwarding in Settings, because someone else might have access to your account[^1]. While you're there, look through Filters and Blocked Addresses for filters you don't recognize[^2].

## Work accounts: when your admin blocks forwarding

In Google Workspace, admins control this in the Admin console under Menu → Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail → End User Access → Automatic forwarding[^3]. That takes the Gmail Settings administrator privilege, and the setting can differ per organizational unit[^3].

If “Allow users to automatically forward incoming email” is cleared, the forwarding option isn't available in your Gmail settings[^3]. Admins can also allow internal email addresses only; Google counts addresses on the primary and secondary domains, subdomains included, as internal[^3]. Destination addresses outside those domains are then excluded. Contact your IT team to request a change to the setting.

## The other direction: collect other mailboxes in Gmail

Many people search for Gmail forwarding because they want another provider's mail inside Gmail. The tool for that used to be POP fetching, “Check mail from other accounts”, and Google is retiring it: after the first quarter of 2026 it no longer supports new users, and existing users can keep it until January 2027[^4].

Google offers two replacements. To have new mail appear in your Gmail inbox, set up automatic forwarding at the other provider, following that provider's instructions[^4]. Or add the other account in the Gmail app for Android, iPhone or iPad, which reads it over IMAP[^4]. A one-time import into Gmail on the web still works, but it doesn't keep syncing[^4].

## Forward Gmail to Command Mail

Command Mail is one inbox for several of your own addresses, where your AI agent works within the permissions you grant[^6][^7]. Each connected address gets its own private inbound address for your current provider to forward to[^6].

1. In Command Mail, enter your Gmail address under Connect a mailbox. The next page, Set up forwarding, shows the private address under Forward to, with a Copy button.
2. In Gmail, add it under Settings → See all settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP → Add a forwarding address[^1].
3. Google's verification message lands right in your Command Mail inbox. Open it there and click the link yourself.
4. In Gmail, select “Forward a copy of incoming mail to” with that address, keep Gmail's copy and save[^1].

An agent with the `mailboxes` permission can connect the address for you and hand you the inbound address[^6]. The setup guidance Command Mail gives the agent tells it to pass the verification link to you and not to open it itself; whether it follows that is up to your agent.

Forwarding delivers copies. Archiving, sorting or reading in Command Mail leaves your Gmail account unchanged, and Google never forwards spam in the first place[^1][^6]. Free covers one address, the last 90 days and no sending. Replying from your Gmail address needs Pro and a sending route you set up for that address[^7]; [All your email addresses in one inbox](https://commandmail.app/en/guides/all-addresses-one-inbox) explains the options.

Older mail doesn't come through forwarding. Download it with Google's data export[^5] and import the MBOX file once with the CLI, for example `commandmail import export.mbox --mailbox you@gmail.com --state archive`[^6]. An import doesn't set up ongoing sync[^6].

## Did it work?

Send a test message to your Gmail address from a different account. It should appear in Gmail and, shortly after, at the destination. During the first week Gmail also shows the “You are forwarding your email to …” notice, which confirms forwarding is on[^1].

For a filter, send one test message that matches the criteria and one that doesn't. Only the first should arrive at the destination[^2].

In Command Mail, Settings → Connections shows “Last mail” with a date and time next to the address once forwarded mail has arrived. Google's verification message doesn't count; until real mail arrives, it reads “No mail has arrived yet”.

## Problems and fixes

**The verification message never arrives.** Check the spelling of the destination in Gmail and look in the destination's spam folder. With Command Mail it lands in the inbox of the connected mailbox; use the Copy button instead of typing the address.

**Verified, but nothing arrives.** Check that you refreshed the settings page, selected “Forward a copy of incoming mail to” and clicked Save Changes[^1]. The verification link on its own turns nothing on.

**Some messages never show up.** Gmail doesn't forward spam[^1]. Check Gmail's Spam folder for the missing message.

**The filter doesn't forward.** Filters act on new messages only, and on replies only when the reply itself matches[^2]. Test the criteria with Search before saving, and make sure the filter has Forward it set to the verified address[^1].

**Old emails are missing.** Only new messages are forwarded[^1]. Transfer older mail by exporting it from the current provider and then importing it at the destination.

**There's no forwarding option, or an external destination address is rejected.** On a work or school account, your admin may have turned forwarding off or limited it to internal addresses[^3]. Only the admin can change that.

**Gmail forwards to an address you don't know.** Change your password at once, turn forwarding off and delete any filters you didn't create[^1][^2].

**Command Mail still says “No mail has arrived yet”.** The verification message doesn't count as received mail. Check in Gmail that forwarding is selected and saved, then send a test message from another account.

## Next steps

Keep Gmail's copy in the inbox for the first few weeks, until you trust the destination. After a month, review Filters and Blocked Addresses to see whether your filters still match your senders[^2].

To bring several addresses together, read [All your email addresses in one inbox](https://commandmail.app/en/guides/all-addresses-one-inbox). If you want an AI agent working on Gmail, [Connect Gmail to Claude](https://commandmail.app/en/guides/connect-gmail-to-claude) compares the built-in connector with working on a forwarded copy.

[Start Command Mail for free](https://commandmail.app/login?signup=1), forward your Gmail address and connect your agent.

## Sources and date

As of 2026-11-01. Google's help pages and Command Mail's pages were retrieved that day. Statements about the private inbound address, the verification message landing in the inbox, the “Last mail” display and the setup guidance for agents also rest on the app code at commit `ae32456` (`src/lib/server/intake.ts`, `cloudflare-inbound.ts`, `mailbox-setup.ts`, `src/routes/onboarding/+page.svelte`, `SettingsPage.svelte`, `messages/en.json`, `docs/accounts.md`). This guide does not claim a run with real accounts.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I set up Gmail forwarding on my phone?

Google's instructions cover setting up and turning off forwarding only in Gmail on a computer; they describe no path in the Gmail app for Android or iPhone. Use a computer with a browser for the setup. Once it is on, forwarding runs on Google's side no matter which device you read Gmail on.

### Does Gmail forward my old emails?

No. Google forwards new messages, except spam, and a forwarding filter also affects only new messages. To move older mail, download it once with Google's data export and import it at the destination.

### Can Gmail forward to more than one address?

Automatic forwarding sends mail to one address. For more destinations, Google suggests one filter per forwarding address, each with the action Forward it. Every destination has to be added and verified first.

### Why don't I see a forwarding option in Gmail?

On a work or school account, your administrator decides. When automatic forwarding is off in the Admin console, the option isn't available in Gmail settings. Admins can also allow forwarding to internal addresses only. Ask your IT team.

### What does “You are forwarding your email to …” mean?

Gmail shows this reminder for the first week after you turn on forwarding or a forwarding filter. If you never set it up, change your password right away and turn forwarding off, because someone else might have access to your account.

## Sources

1. [Gmail Help: Automatically forward Gmail messages to another account](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/10957?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
2. [Gmail Help: Create rules to filter your emails](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6579?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
3. [Google Workspace Admin Help: Let users automatically forward their own Gmail emails](https://support.google.com/a/answer/2491924?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
4. [Gmail Help: Learn about upcoming changes to Gmailify & POP in Gmail](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/16604719?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
5. [Google Account Help: How to download your Google data](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
6. [Command Mail: Documentation, sections Forward your addresses and Import existing mail](https://commandmail.app/en/docs), accessed 2026-11-01
7. [Command Mail: plans and agent permissions](https://commandmail.app/llms.txt), accessed 2026-11-01

[^1]: [Gmail Help: Automatically forward Gmail messages to another account](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/10957?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
[^2]: [Gmail Help: Create rules to filter your emails](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6579?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
[^3]: [Google Workspace Admin Help: Let users automatically forward their own Gmail emails](https://support.google.com/a/answer/2491924?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
[^4]: [Gmail Help: Learn about upcoming changes to Gmailify & POP in Gmail](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/16604719?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
[^5]: [Google Account Help: How to download your Google data](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-01
[^6]: [Command Mail: Documentation, sections Forward your addresses and Import existing mail](https://commandmail.app/en/docs), accessed 2026-11-01
[^7]: [Command Mail: plans and agent permissions](https://commandmail.app/llms.txt), accessed 2026-11-01

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