We have all been there—you get an email and immediately think, “Oh, I should forward this to Jon Hare [Just an example recipient]!”

But wait… when you forward an email who sees it? Can the person you are forwarding it to see the sender’s info?

It’s a good question—and one that’s more common than you think. Let’s break down what really happens when you hit that little forward arrow!

What Is Forwarding an Email?

Forwarding an email is sending a copy of an email you received to someone else. It allows you to share the original message—including text, attachments, and sender information—with a new recipient, without rewriting or summarizing it yourself.

This is especially helpful when you want to pass along important details, loop someone into a conversation, or share information quickly and accurately.

For instance, let’s say, your boss emails you meeting notes from a recent client call. Instead of creating a whole new email to share those notes with your team, you simply click “Forward,” add your team’s email addresses, maybe include a quick comment at the top, and send it off. Easy, fast, and efficient!

What Happens When You Forward an Email?

Forwarding an email means sending a copy of the message you received to someone else. It’s a quick way to share information without rewriting or summarizing the original content.

Here’s what typically happens:

• Original content is included: The body of the email, any attachments, and formatting are carried over into the forwarded message.
• Sender details are visible: The recipient can usually see the name and email address of the original sender.
• You can add a message: You are able to include your own comments before sending it along.
• The original sender isn’t notified: They won’t know you forwarded their email unless you tell them.
• You can edit before sending: You are free to remove or change content from the original message before forwarding.

When You Forward an Email, Who Actually Sees It?

Forwarding an email is a quick and easy way to share information, but if you are wondering who sees what when you hit “Forward,” you are not alone. The process may seem simple, but there’s more to it than meets the eye.

When you forward an email, the recipient(s) you send it to will see the full content of the email. This includes:

• The body of the original email (what the sender wrote),
• Any attachments (documents, images, etc.),
• The original sender’s name and email address—unless you choose to remove or edit this information.

The important thing to note here is that the original sender does not get notified when you forward their email. They will not receive any alert or indication that their message has been shared. This is a key point to remember, especially when handling sensitive or confidential information.

However, if you want to keep the sender in the loop, you can CC or BCC them when forwarding the email. Otherwise, they won’t have a clue unless you inform them.

In some cases, the recipient(s) of the forwarded email can see prior recipients if the email thread is included, like in a group email. But, as the forwarder, you have the option to remove that information before hitting “Send.”

What Information Does a Forwarded Email Share?

When you hit that “Forward” button on an email, you are passing along more than just the message. Be it sharing a funny meme or an important work update, there’s a set of information that’s included by default.

But what exactly gets shared with the new recipient? Let’s break it down!

The Original Email Content

When you forward an email, the body of the message (the text) is included in its entirety. That means everything the original sender wrote will appear exactly as it was, unless you choose to edit or delete parts before forwarding.

Attachments

Any files, images, or documents that were attached to the original email will also be forwarded, so the recipient gets everything in one go. This is great for sharing important reports or photos, but it’s always a good idea to double-check the attachments to ensure they’re relevant before sending.

The Original Sender’s Information

By default, the name and email address of the person who originally sent the email will be visible to the person you are forwarding it to.

It helps them know where the information is coming from. So, if you want to remove this info, you can easily edit or delete it before hitting “Send.”

Email Thread (If Included)

If you are forwarding an email that’s part of a conversation thread (like a reply or group email), the recipient will see the full thread unless you delete the earlier messages.

This can be useful if you want them to see the full context of the conversation, but be careful if you are passing along sensitive info from previous messages!

Your Own Comments (Optional)

The best part? You can add your own message at the top of the forwarded email. Whether it’s a quick note or more detailed context, you can personalize the message to explain why you are forwarding it and what action you would like the recipient to take.

Forwarding vs. Replying an Email: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to email communication, two actions seem to pop up most often: forwarding and replying. While they may seem similar at first, they actually serve very different purposes. Let’s find out!

Replying to an Email: Engaging in a Direct Conversation

When you reply to an email, you are responding directly to the person who sent it to you. This action is typically used to:

• Answer questions or provide additional details based on the original message.
• Continue a conversation or discussion that’s already happening.
• Acknowledge receipt of the email and let the sender know you have read and understood their message.

You can choose to reply to just the sender (using Reply) or reply to the sender and everyone else who was included in the original email (using Reply All).

A reply will:

• Include your response to the original message.
• Keep the conversation focused on the person or group who initially sent the message.
• Often involves a back-and-forth communication loop.

For example, if your coworker asks you to confirm if you will attend a meeting, you would reply directly to them to say “yes” or “no.”

Forwarding an Email: Sharing Information with Others

On the other hand, when you forward an email, you are sending it to someone else who wasn’t initially included in the conversation.

Forwarding is often used to:

• Share information that you think someone else might find useful or relevant.
• Loop in additional people who may need to know about the content, but who weren’t originally part of the discussion.
• Pass along something for further action, like a report or a file that you think needs someone else’s attention.

When you forward an email, you can add your own message to provide context or explain why you are sending it.

A forwarded email will:

• Include the original message (and any attachments) as it was sent to you.
• Allow you to pass along the information to people outside the initial recipient list.
• Not create a back-and-forth conversation (unless the new recipient responds to it).

For instance, if your coworker sends you a meeting invite but you are unable to attend, you might forward the invite to a colleague who needs to be there instead.

So, When Should You Use Which?

• Replying is ideal when you are directly involved in the conversation and need to respond to something that was sent to you.
• Forwarding is great when you need to share information with others who weren’t part of the original communication or when you want to pass along something for their review or action.

Best Practices for Forwarding Emails

Forwarding an email is a great way to share information quickly, but it’s important to do it right. Here are some simple tips to keep in mind the next time you hit “Forward”:

Review the Content Before Forwarding

Before you send the email off to someone else, take a moment to review the content. Double-check for any confidential or sensitive information that shouldn’t be shared with others. You don’t want to accidentally forward something private that wasn’t meant for wider eyes.

Add Context with a Personal Message

When you forward an email, it’s helpful to add a brief note at the top explaining why you are forwarding it.

This will give the recipient context and save them from having to guess the reason behind it. For example, “Hey Jon Hare [Name of recipient], here’s the report I mentioned earlier—take a look and let me know what you think!”

Be Mindful of Attachments

Before forwarding any attachments, make sure they are still relevant. Sometimes, emails can include large or outdated files that are no longer needed. Check the attachments and remove anything unnecessary to avoid overwhelming your recipient with irrelevant documents.

Edit the Recipient List If Needed

If the email you are forwarding has been sent to multiple people (CC’d or BCC’d), be careful about including all those email addresses when forwarding.

You may want to clean up the recipient list to protect others’ privacy, especially if it’s a work-related email that wasn’t meant to go outside the team.

Remove Unwanted Information

Often, when you forward an email, the original message may include information that’s no longer needed. Hence, consider removing or editing parts of the email thread that are irrelevant to the new recipient, so they don’t get overwhelmed by too much information.

Use the “Forward” Feature Properly

Don’t use the “Reply All” button when forwarding an email—it’s easy to get confused and mistakenly reply to everyone.

Hence, make sure you are using the correct “Forward” button to send the email to only the necessary person or group.

Don’t Overuse Email Forwarding

While forwarding emails is a great tool, try not to overdo it. As constantly forwarding messages without adding your own comments or context can come off as lazy or thoughtless.

It’s best to forward emails when you have something important to share, and ideally with a clear reason why you are doing it.

Be Cautious with Humor

Humor can be a bit tricky when forwarding emails. If the original email has jokes, memes, or sarcastic remarks, be sure your recipient will appreciate it.

What’s funny to one person might not land the same way with someone else, so always read through it with fresh eyes.

Concluding Words

Forwarding an email may feel like a small action, but it’s good to know exactly what you are sharing. While the original sender stays in the dark, the recipient can usually see the full content of the original message.

So before you click “Send,” take a moment to scan what’s included—it only takes a second, and it can help you avoid sharing something unintentionally.

FAQs

When You Forward an Email, Who Can See It?

When you forward an email, only the recipient(s) you send it to will be able to see it. The original sender will not be notified unless their email address is visible in the forwarded message, or they are included in the recipient list.

Will the People I Forward the Email Can See the Original Recipients?

It depends! If the original email was sent with “CC” (carbon copy) or “BCC” (blind carbon copy), these recipients may or may not be visible to the person you are forwarding it to, based on how you forward it. In most cases, CC’d recipients will be visible, but BCC’d recipients will not.

Can the New Recipient See Previous Email Threads When I Forward An Email?

Yes, when you forward an email, the entire email thread, including any previous messages in the conversation, is usually included.

This means that the new recipient can see the entire history of the conversation unless you delete some parts of it before forwarding.