You have probably seen that “Forward” button in your inbox a hundred times—but did you know your email can forward messages all by itself, without you ever clicking a thing?

Well, that’s the magic of email forwarding. It’s a simple yet powerful tool that keeps your messages moving to the right place automatically—whether you are managing multiple accounts, changing jobs, or just trying to keep things organized.

So how does forwarding email work? Let’s pull back the curtain and take a look at what happens behind the scenes!

What is Email Forwarding?

Email forwarding is a feature that automatically sends a copy of incoming emails from one address to another. It’s a convenient way to manage multiple email accounts without constantly logging into each one.

Instead of manually forwarding every message, you can set up forwarded email once and let your email do the work for you. For example, you are transitioning from your old email abc.old@email.com to a new one, abc.new@email.com.

Instead of telling everyone to update your contact info right away, you can forward all emails from the old address to the new one. That way, whenever someone messages your old account, it instantly gets delivered to your new inbox—no missed emails, no stress.

How Does Email Forwarding Work?

Email forwarding works kind of like setting up mail redirection at the post office—but for your digital messages.

When someone sends an email to your original address, your email provider automatically takes that message and sends (or “forwards”) a copy to another email address you have chosen. It all happens instantly and behind the scenes—no need to open or resend anything yourself.

Here’s how it actually works:
When someone sends an email to your original address (let’s say abc.old@email.com), the email server receives the message.

If forwarding is enabled, the server doesn’t just store the message—it immediately sends a copy to the forwarding address you have chosen (like abc.new@email.com).

From the sender’s perspective, nothing changes. But for you, the recipient, it means that email lands right in your preferred inbox without any extra effort.

Depending on the settings, you can:

• Keep a copy of the email in the original inbox.
• Redirect it silently so only the new inbox gets the message.
• Forward based on rules (like only emails from certain contacts or with specific keywords).

It’s especially helpful if you:

• Change your email provider or domain.
• Want to manage business and personal accounts in one place.
• Need to monitor a shared inbox or hand off communication to a teammate.

Best of all, once set up, email forwarding works automatically 24/7. No more bouncing between accounts or worrying about missed messages.

The Benefits of Email Forwarding

Email forwarding is a simple yet powerful tool that helps you stay organized, save time, and enhance communication by automatically redirecting messages to the right inbox.

Let’s take a quick look at how it can make your life easier:

• Centralizes Your Emails: Consolidates emails from multiple accounts into one inbox for easy management.
• Simplifies Email Transitions: Makes switching email addresses hassle-free by forwarding old emails to your new one.
• Boosts Team Collaboration: Quickly shares important information with colleagues or clients without extra steps.
• Prevents Missed Emails: Ensures you never miss urgent messages, even if you are away from your secondary inbox.
• Improves Privacy: Keeps personal and work emails separate for better organization and security.
• Streamlines Information Sharing: Easily delegate tasks or share updates by forwarding important emails with just one click.

What Happens When You Forward an Email?

Forwarding an email might seem like a simple click-and-send move—but there’s a bit more going on behind the scenes than you might realize.

When you hit “Forward,” your email app creates a brand-new message that includes the content of the original email—everything from the text and attachments to the sender’s info.

You can add your own message at the top, delete parts of the original content, or just send it as-is. The person you forward it to sees the email like a mini time capsule, complete with the original message and details, unless you choose to edit them out.

This is what actually happens:

• A new email draft is created using the content of the original email.
• You become the sender of this new message—not the person who sent the original.
• The recipient sees the forwarded message along with any notes or context you add.
• Attachments (if any) usually go along for the ride—unless you remove them.

Does the Original Sender See When You Forward an Email?

Short answer? No—they don’t.

When you forward an email, the original sender has no idea you’ve done it. Your email app creates a brand-new message using the content from the original email, but it doesn’t notify the sender in any way.

It’s kind of like handing someone a printed letter you received—unless you tell the original sender, they will never know it’s been shared.

Now, a few things to keep in mind:

• The new recipient can see the original sender’s info (name, email address, and timestamp), unless you delete it before hitting send.
• Any attachments in the original message are usually forwarded too—so double-check what you are sharing!
• And while forwarding is private, it’s always smart to think twice before sharing sensitive or personal information someone emailed you.

When Should You Forward Emails?

Email forwarding is a handy tool, but like any good tool, it works best when used at the right time. So, when should you hit “forward” instead of “reply” or “delete”?

Below is a list of some perfect situations where forwarding makes sense:

Sharing Information with Others

If you receive an email that someone else needs to see, forwarding it is a quick and easy way to pass along the info. Be it a meeting invite, an important update, or an interesting article, forwarding helps you share without the extra hassle of retyping or summarizing.
Delegating Tasks

Forwarding an email can be a great way to delegate work or pass on a task. If a colleague needs to handle something in a message you have received, simply forward it with a note like, “Can you take care of this?”

Keeping Someone in the Loop

Let’s say you are part of a team or working with a partner on a project, and you get an email that they need to know about.

Rather than forwarding every single email in the thread, just send the relevant ones to keep them up-to-date without overwhelming them with unnecessary messages.

Backing Up Information

If you are trying to organize your emails or back them up, forwarding them to another account (maybe a more organized one) can help you keep track of important messages that you might need later.

Sending Fun or Interesting Content

Sometimes an email just needs to be shared because it’s too good to keep to yourself. Whether it’s a funny meme, a heartwarming story, or a cool offer, forwarding it lets you spread the joy!

Best Practices for Forwarding Emails

Forwarding an email might seem like a simple task, but there are a few key things to keep in mind to make sure you are doing it efficiently and respectfully. Here are some best practices to ensure you are forwarding emails the right way:

Double-Check the Recipient

Before you hit “send,” always double-check the email address of the person you are forwarding the message to.

It’s easy to accidentally forward an email to the wrong person—especially if you are in a hurry. Hence, make sure the email is going to the right person to avoid any embarrassing mix-ups!

Edit Out Unnecessary Information

Sometimes, the original email has a lot of extra details that aren’t relevant to the new recipient.

If there’s personal or sensitive information, consider editing or removing it. You can also clean up email threads to make sure only the important details are shared.

Add a Personal Note

Always add a brief note explaining why you are forwarding the email.

Be it sharing an important update or asking someone to take action, a few words of context will help the recipient understand the purpose of the forward. A simple “FYI” or “Can you take a look at this?” goes a long way.

Avoid Over-Forwarding

Don’t forward emails unless it’s necessary. Sometimes, it’s easy to forward an email just because it’s easier than summarizing it or replying, but over-forwarding can clog up people’s inboxes. Be mindful of the relevance of the information before forwarding it.

Respect Privacy

Always be mindful of the privacy of others. If you are forwarding an email that includes personal details, email addresses, or other sensitive information, make sure you are authorized to share it.

Plus, consider removing email addresses from the CC or BCC fields if they are not necessary for the new recipient to see.

Use Forwarding for Important Information

Forward emails when they contain something important—whether it’s a work task, key update, or something your recipient truly needs to know.

If it’s something trivial or not time-sensitive, consider just mentioning it in a brief message instead of forwarding the entire email.

Check Attachments

Attachments can easily get lost in the shuffle. Before forwarding an email with attachments, check to make sure you are forwarding the correct files.

Sometimes, attachments can be too large for forwarding, so make sure they are within the limits of the recipient’s inbox.

Don’t Forward Spam or Junk Emails

Be cautious when forwarding emails that seem suspicious or spammy.

Never forward these kinds of messages to colleagues or friends, as they might contain harmful links or viruses. If you are unsure, it’s better to delete them than take the risk.

Bonus Tip: Keep It Professional!

If you are forwarding work-related emails, always maintain a professional tone and be careful with humor or casual language.

What’s funny to you might not come across the same way to someone else, so it’s best to keep things respectful and neutral when forwarding professional emails.

Concluding Words

Email forwarding might not be flashy, but it’s definitely smart. It helps you simplify your communication, stay organized, and avoid the chaos of switching between inboxes.

Now that you know how it works, you can set it up with confidence and let it quietly keep your emails flowing exactly where they need to go.

FAQs

Can the Original Sender See If I Forward Their Email?

No, the original sender will not be notified when you forward an email. The forwarded email will appear as though you are the sender, not the original author.

How Can I Set Up Email Forwarding?

Most email providers, like Gmail or Outlook, allow you to set up email forwarding through the settings menu. You can either forward all incoming emails or set up filters to forward specific ones based on criteria you choose.

Is It Safe to Forward Emails?

Yes, but be cautious when forwarding sensitive or personal information. Make sure you are sending the email to the right person and avoid sharing confidential content unless absolutely necessary.