How do I forward one email address to another?

How do I get a forward set up on E-3 email?

1. Tell us the address to forward from, and the address to send it to.
2. Say whether the original mailbox should keep a copy. Keeping one is safer.
3. Say how long it should run: for good, or until a date.
4. Tell us who at your business approved it, if it’s someone else’s address.

We set it on the server. Then send a test message to the forwarded address to check it arrives. You never need to send a password for this.

E-3’s own email service runs on SmarterMail. Forwards and automatic replies there are set on the server, and we haven’t confirmed that the webmail menus in SmarterTools’ current docs match the version E-3 runs. That’s why the reliable route is to ask us.

The short version

• On E-3 email, forwards live on our mail server. Ask us and we set it up.
• On Microsoft 365 or Gmail, turn it on in settings on a computer, and keep a copy in the original mailbox.

How do I forward mail in Outlook or Gmail myself?

Outlook on the web and new Outlook (Microsoft 365)

1. Select Settings, then Mail, then Forwarding.
2. Turn on Enable forwarding and type the address to send to.
3. Tick Keep a copy of forwarded messages.
4. Select Save.

To stop, turn forwarding off on the same page and select Save. These steps follow Microsoft’s forwarding guide.

Gmail and Google Workspace

1. Open Settings, then See all settings, then Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
2. Click Add a forwarding address and enter it.
3. Open the confirmation email at that address and click its link.
4. Back in Gmail, refresh, choose Forward a copy of incoming mail to, keep Gmail’s copy in the inbox, and click Save Changes.

Google notes that forwarding only covers new mail and skips spam. See Gmail’s forwarding help.

Expected result: a test from a personal address arrives at both the original and the forwarded inbox within a few minutes.

How do I set an automatic reply instead?

An automatic reply (out of office, or autoresponder) answers each sender with a short message. It’s ideal for holidays, and for an address you’re winding down.

• Outlook on the web: Settings, then Account, then Automatic replies. Turn it on, set dates, write the message, select Save.
• Classic Outlook for Windows: File, then Automatic Replies.
• Gmail: See all settings, then the General tab, then Vacation responder on.

Microsoft notes that Outlook’s own automatic replies don’t work for POP or IMAP accounts. E-3 email is set up in Outlook as IMAP, so the reply has to be set on the server. Ask us. SmarterTools documents an autoresponder setting in webmail, but menu names vary by version.

Why does this matter?

When someone leaves or a role changes, mail to the old address keeps coming for months: customers, suppliers, invoices. A forward or a clear automatic reply means none of it is lost. Deleting the address outright makes senders get bounces, and they may assume you’ve closed.

What are the common mistakes and edge cases?

• Forwarding loops. Never forward A to B while B forwards back to A. Mail bounces between them until a server stops it.
• Forwarded mail lands in spam. The receiving service may distrust mail that didn’t come straight from the sender. Check the junk folder at the far end.
• Forwarding blocked by policy. Many Microsoft 365 setups block automatic forwarding to outside addresses. Senders then get a bounce mentioning 5.7.520 Access denied. Microsoft explains why in its external forwarding guide.
• Business mail in a personal inbox. Forwarding info@ to a personal Gmail works, but it mixes business records with personal ones.
• A forward you didn’t create. Someone may have your password. Turn it off, change the password, and tell us.

What if this didn’t work?

• Nothing arrives at the new address. Check its junk folder and that its mailbox isn’t full. Then see not receiving email.
• Senders get a bounce. Ask them for the error code and its explanation line (not the whole bounce, which can hold other people’s addresses). The code says why. See why emails bounce.
• The forwarding option is greyed out. Your admin has turned it off. Ask them rather than looking for a workaround.

How does E-3 handle this?

For a team change, such as someone leaving whose address and info@ need to go to one person, say which addresses should forward, which should get an automatic reply, and which stay as they are. An automatic reply is often better than switching an address off, because senders get a helpful message instead of a bounce.

E-3 sets the forwards on the server. To ask for a forward, phone 814-399-4655 or write to support@e3help.me. The Get support form works too. Include the addresses and dates, never a password.

Related questions

• How do I remove an email account for someone who left?
• How do I get a new email address for a new employee?
• Can I check my business email in Gmail?