How to Forward Gmail Email Using Filters

Set up your criteria to organize incoming mail

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:

  1. Select the Settings gear.

    The Settings gear in Gmail
  2. Select See All Settings.

    "See all settings" in Gmail
  3. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab.

    The "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab in Gmail settings
  4. Select Create a new filter.

    The "Create a new filter" option in Gmail settings
  5. 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.

    The "Create Filter" button in Gmail settings
  6. 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.

    The "Add forwarding address" command
  7. Select the Forward it to check box and choose the address to which you want these messages delivered from the drop-down list, then

    The "Forward it to" option
  8. Select Create filter. Email matching the criteria you set will be forwarded to this address.

    The "Create filter" button

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.

  1. Select the Settings gear in the upper-right corner of Gmail.

    The Settings gear in Gmail
  2. Select See All Settings from the drop-down list.

    "See all settings" in Gmail
  3. Select the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.

    A screenshot of Gmail settings with the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab highlighted
  4. In the Forwarding section, select Disable Forwarding.

    A screenshot of Gmail's Forwarding settings with the Disable Forwarding option highlighted
  5. 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.

  1. Select the Settings gear in the upper-right corner.

    The Settings gear in Gmail
  2. Select See All Settings from the drop-down list.

    "See all settings" in Gmail
  3. Select Filters and Blocked Addresses.

    The "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab in Gmail settings
  4. 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.

    The "Edit" and "Delete" options for a filter in Gmail
  5. Select Update Filter or OK.

FAQ
  • How do I create filters in Gmail?

    To create rules in Gmail to filter messages, select the Search mail dropdown arrow and choose filter criteria (who sent the message, keywords, etc.). Select Create Filter. Select options for how these filtered emails should behave (such as Mark as Read or Star it

  • How do I edit filters in Gmail?

    To edit a filter in Gmail, go to Settings > See All Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses. Check the filter you want to edit and select Edit. You'll be brought to the filter edit screen, where you can change filter criteria. Select Continue to change filter actions.

  • How do I remove filters in Gmail?

    To remove Gmail filters, go to Settings > See All Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses. Check the filter you want to delete and select Delete. Note that you can't manage filters from the Gmail mobile app for iOS and Android.

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