By using a rule, any received e-mail messages that match conditions specified in the rule can be forwarded or redirected to another e-mail account. For example, all e-mail messages from a sender or with a subject that you specify can be forwarded.


When a rule automatically forwards a message that you receive, the rule adds the designation "FW:" to the beginning of the Subject line, changes the message formatting, and forwards the message to the account specified by the rule. The recipient sees that the message came from you. A copy of the message you received is left in your Inbox or in the folder to which the message was originally delivered.


IMPORTANT NOTE: Since this article was created, we have undergone an update to our online courses.  Where the instructions talk about emails from "[email protected]" you instead need to use "[email protected]"


Good to Know: When using the Outlook Web App, you now need to click View all Outlook settings after clicking the gear in the upper right-hand corner to open the settings menu. Also, Inbox Rules are now simply called Rules in Outlook.


Forwarding with Outlook.


By default, Microsoft Exchange Server accounts (starting with Exchange Server 2010) can’t use rules to forward messages to email addresses outside your organization. This setting helps prevent confidential and private organizational information from being disclosed. Only an Exchange administrator can change this setting.


For more information, see Determine the version of Microsoft Exchange Server my account connects to.

  1. Click the File tab.

  2. Click Manage Rules & Alerts.

  3. In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, on the E-mail Rules tab, click New Rule.

  4. Under Start from a blank rule, click Apply rule on messages I receive and click Next.

  5. Under Step 1: Select condition(s), select the conditions that you want the messages to meet for the rule to apply.

  6. Under Step 2: Edit the rule description, click each piece of underlined text, specify values, and then click Next.

  7. Under Step 1: Select action(s), select either:

    • forward it to people or public group

    • redirect it to people or a public group

  8. Under Step 2: Edit the rule description, click the underlined text for people or public group, specify the people or public group you want to forward messages to, and then click Next.

  9. Under Step 1: Select exception(s) (if necessary), select any exceptions that you want.

  10. Under Step 2: Edit the rule description, click each piece of underlined text, specify values, and then click Next.

  11. Under Step 1: Specify a name for this rule, enter a name.

  12. Under Step 2: Setup rule options, check the boxes for the options that you want.

    • If you want to run this rule on messages that already are in the Inbox, check the the Run this rule now on messages already in “Inbox" box.

    • By default, the new rule is turned on. To turn off the rule, uncheck the Turn on this rule box.

    • To apply this rule to all email accounts set up in Outlook, check the accounts box.

  13. Click Finish.


Forwarding with Gmail


Turn on automatic forwarding

  1. On your computer, open Gmail using the account you want to forward messages from. You can only forward messages for a single Gmail address, and not an email group or alias.
  2. In the top right, click Settings.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
  5. In the "Forwarding" section, click Add a forwarding address.
  6. Enter the email address you want to forward messages to.
  7. Click Next and then Proceed and then OK.
  8. A verification message will be sent to that address. Click the verification link in that message.
  9. Go back to the settings page for the Gmail account you want to forward messages from, and refresh your browser.
  10. Select Forward a copy of incoming mail to.
  11. Choose what you want to happen with the Gmail copy of your emails. We recommend Keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox.
  12. At the bottom of the page, click Save Changes.