How to Forward Gmail Email Using Filters

Set up your criteria to organize incoming mail

By

Heinz Tschabitscher

Updated on August 10, 2021

Reviewed by

Ryan Perian

Email

What to Know

Create an auto-forward filter: Select the Settings gear > See All Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter.
Next, enter your criteria, or enter @ to forward all mail. Select Create Filter > Forward it to and choose an address, then select Create Filter.
To disable forwarding: Select the Settings gear > See all settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP > Disable Forwarding.

This article explains how to set up email forwarding in Gmail automatically using custom filters.

Person setting up auto-forward in Gmail — Lifewire / Michela Buttignol

Set Up a Filter to Auto Forward in Gmail

To set up a filter that forwards Gmail email to another email address:

Select the Settings gear.
Select See All Settings.
Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab.
Select Create a new filter.
Enter the criteria for the email you want to forward. For example, to forward all mail (as standard Gmail forwarding does), enter @ in the From field. To forward mail from a certain sender, enter that email address, name, domain, or any part of these next to From. When you finish, select Create filter.
In the next window, select Add forwarding address (if you don't have one set), or select one of your saved addresses from the menu.

If you haven't specified at least one forwarding address, you won't be able to forward mail using the filter. Check out our guide to setting a forwarding address in Gmail for full instructions on this step.
Select the Forward it to check box and choose the address to which you want these messages delivered from the drop-down list, then
Select Create filter. Email matching the criteria you set will be forwarded to this address.

After you create a filter that forwards certain messages to another email address, a notice appears in your inbox stating that your filters are forwarding some of your mail. This reminder appears for the first week after you set up the filter.

How to Turn Off Forwarding

If you no longer want any messages forwarded to other email addresses, disable forwarding in Gmail.

Select the Settings gear in the upper-right corner of Gmail.
Select See All Settings from the drop-down list.
Select the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
In the Forwarding section, select Disable Forwarding.
Select Save Changes.

How to Delete a Filter

If you use multiple filters to forward email messages and you want to stop using one, delete that filter.

Select the Settings gear in the upper-right corner.
Select See All Settings from the drop-down list.
Select Filters and Blocked Addresses.
Select Edit next to a filter to change its parameters or Delete to remove it entirely.

If you edit the filter, make the changes and then select Continue when you're done editing.
Select Update Filter or OK.

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