How to Set Up Auto-Forwarding in Outlook (Step-by-Step Guide)

Auto-forwarding in Outlook sends a copy of every incoming email (or emails matching specific conditions) to another email address automatically. This is useful when you want to consolidate multiple inboxes, share emails with a team, or route messages to a different account while you are away. The setup process varies depending on whether you use classic Outlook, new Outlook, Outlook on the web, or the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Support teams often use auto-forwarding to route customer emails into a shared inbox or ticketing system. But auto-forwarding has limits - it does not support collaboration, assignment, or tracking. This guide covers every method for setting up forwarding in Outlook, plus when it makes sense to use a dedicated tool instead.

Which Method Should You Use?

Method	Best For	Keeps a Copy	Supports Conditions	Requires Admin
Classic Outlook Rules	Desktop users who want conditional forwarding	Yes (configurable)	Yes	No
New Outlook Forwarding	Simple forwarding to one address	Yes (configurable)	No	No
Outlook on the Web	Web users who want quick forwarding	Yes (configurable)	No	No
Outlook Web Rules	Web users who want conditional forwarding	Yes (configurable)	Yes	No
Microsoft 365 Admin Center	Admins forwarding for other users or shared mailboxes	Yes (configurable)	No	Yes

For most individual users, Outlook on the web is the fastest method. For conditional forwarding (forward only certain emails), use rules in either classic Outlook or Outlook on the web.

How to Auto-Forward in Classic Outlook (Desktop)

Classic Outlook uses rules to forward emails. Rules let you forward all messages or only messages that match specific conditions (sender, subject, keywords).

Forward all incoming emails

Open Outlook and click File > Manage Rules & Alerts.
Click New Rule.
Under "Start from a blank rule," select Apply rule on messages I receive and click Next.
To forward all emails, do not select any conditions. Click Next. Outlook will warn that the rule applies to every message. Click Yes.
Select forward it to people or public group.
Click the people or public group link in the bottom panel and enter the forwarding address. Click OK.
Click Next. Add any exceptions if needed, then click Next again.
Give the rule a name and click Finish.

Forward only specific emails

Follow the same steps above, but in step 4, select one or more conditions:

From people or public group - Forward emails from specific senders
With specific words in the subject - Forward emails with matching subject lines
Sent only to me - Forward emails where you are the only recipient
Flagged for action - Forward flagged emails

You can combine multiple conditions. For example, forward all emails from [email protected] that contain "urgent" in the subject line.

Keep a copy in your inbox

By default, rules in classic Outlook keep a copy of forwarded emails in your inbox. If you want to delete the original after forwarding, add the action delete it in step 5.

How to Auto-Forward in New Outlook

The new Outlook app (Windows and Mac) has a built-in forwarding setting that sends all incoming emails to another address without creating a rule.

Set up forwarding

Open new Outlook and click the Settings gear icon in the top right.
Click Mail > Forwarding.
Toggle Enable forwarding to on.
Enter the email address you want to forward to.
Check Keep a copy of forwarded messages if you want to keep emails in your inbox.
Click Save.

This forwards all incoming emails. There are no conditions or filters. For conditional forwarding in new Outlook, use rules instead.

Set up rules in new Outlook

Click the Settings gear icon > Mail > Rules.
Click Add new rule.
Give the rule a name.
Set the condition (e.g., "From" contains a specific address).
Set the action to Forward to and enter the destination address.
Click Save.

How to Auto-Forward in Outlook on the Web

Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com) offers the same forwarding options as new Outlook.

Simple forwarding (all emails)

Sign in to Outlook on the web.
Click the Settings gear icon in the top right.
Click Mail > Forwarding.
Toggle Enable forwarding to on.
Enter the forwarding address.
Check Keep a copy of forwarded messages if desired.
Click Save.

Conditional forwarding with rules

Click Settings > Mail > Rules.
Click Add new rule.
Set a name, condition, and the action Forward to.
Click Save.

Rules in Outlook on the web support conditions like sender, subject keywords, and message importance. They sync with new Outlook automatically.

How to Set Up Forwarding via Microsoft 365 Admin Center

If you are a Microsoft 365 admin, you can set up forwarding for any user or shared mailbox without accessing their account.

Forward a user's email

Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Go to Users > Active users.
Select the user whose email you want to forward.
Click the Mail tab.
Under Email forwarding, click Manage email forwarding.
Toggle Forward all emails sent to this mailbox to on.
Enter the forwarding address.
Check Keep a copy of all forwarded email if needed.
Click Save changes.

Forward a shared mailbox

In the admin center, go to Teams & groups > Shared mailboxes.
Select the shared mailbox.
Under Email forwarding, click Edit.
Toggle forwarding on and enter the destination address.
Click Save.

Admin-level forwarding takes precedence over user-level rules. If an admin disables forwarding, the user cannot override it.

How to Forward to Multiple Addresses

Outlook's built-in forwarding only supports one destination address. To forward to multiple addresses, use one of these workarounds:

Use a distribution group

Create a Microsoft 365 distribution group containing all the addresses you want to forward to. Then set the forwarding destination to the distribution group's address.

Create multiple rules

In classic Outlook or Outlook on the web, create separate rules - one for each forwarding address. Each rule forwards to a different recipient.

Use a shared mailbox

Instead of forwarding to multiple individuals, create a shared mailbox in Office 365 and forward to that. All team members with access to the shared mailbox can see the emails. For setup instructions, see our guide on how to add a shared mailbox in Outlook.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Forwarding is not working

Check admin restrictions. Microsoft 365 admins can block auto-forwarding to external addresses. This is a common security policy. Contact your IT team if forwarding to an external address does not work.
Check your rules. If you are using rules for forwarding, make sure the rule is enabled and the conditions match. Go to Settings > Mail > Rules and verify.
Check the forwarding address. A typo in the destination address is the most common cause. Double-check the address in your forwarding settings.

Forwarded emails are missing

Spam and junk filters. Check the junk folder at the destination address. Forwarded emails sometimes trigger spam filters.
Rule order matters. In classic Outlook, rules run in order. If a rule earlier in the list deletes or moves the email, the forwarding rule never fires. Check rule order under Manage Rules & Alerts.
Mailbox size limits. If the destination mailbox is full, forwarded emails bounce silently. Check storage at the destination.

Admin blocked external forwarding

Since 2020, Microsoft 365 blocks auto-forwarding to external email addresses by default. To enable it:

Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Navigate to Security > Email & collaboration > Policies & rules > Threat policies > Anti-spam.
Edit the Anti-spam outbound policy.
Under Automatic forwarding rules, set to On - Forwarding is enabled.
Click Save.

This is a tenant-wide setting. Talk to your security team before enabling it, as auto-forwarding to external addresses can be a data leakage risk.

Forwarded emails lose formatting

When Outlook forwards using rules, it forwards as an attachment by default in some configurations. To forward inline (preserving the original formatting), use the redirect action instead of forward in your rule. Redirected emails appear as if they were sent directly to the recipient.

When Auto-Forwarding Is Not Enough

Auto-forwarding works for simple use cases - routing personal emails or consolidating inboxes. But for teams handling customer emails, forwarding breaks down quickly:

No accountability. Forwarded emails land in everyone's inbox, but nobody owns them. Messages get missed or answered twice.
No collaboration. Team members cannot see who is handling which email. There is no way to assign, comment, or track status.
No history. When a customer follows up, the person responding has no context about previous conversations.
No automation. You cannot auto-assign based on topic, priority, or sender. Every email needs manual triage.

If your team has outgrown forwarding, a shared inbox solves these problems. SupportBee's email ticketing system lets your team assign emails, collaborate with internal comments, and track every conversation - without losing the familiar email workflow. Combined with email templates in Outlook and customer service automation, it gives your team the structure that forwarding cannot provide.

For more on the limits of using Outlook for team support, see our guide on the problems with using Outlook as a helpdesk. Ready to try a better approach? Start your free 14-day trial.

FAQ

Does auto-forwarding in Outlook work when Outlook is closed?

It depends on the method. Forwarding set up through Outlook on the web, new Outlook, or the Microsoft 365 admin center works server-side - it runs whether Outlook is open or not. Rules created in classic Outlook desktop only run when Outlook is open, unless you create them as "server-side rules" (rules with conditions and actions that the Exchange server supports).

Can I auto-forward to a Gmail address?

Yes, if your organization allows external forwarding. Enter the Gmail address as the forwarding destination. If it does not work, your Microsoft 365 admin may have blocked external forwarding - see the troubleshooting section above.

Will the sender know their email was forwarded?

No. When you use auto-forwarding rules, the sender receives no notification. If you use redirect instead of forward, the email appears to the recipient as if it was sent directly to them.

Can I forward emails from a shared mailbox?

Yes. Use the Microsoft 365 admin center to set up forwarding on a shared mailbox. Individual users cannot configure forwarding on a shared mailbox through Outlook settings - it requires admin access. For best practices on managing shared mailboxes, see our guide on Office 365 shared mailbox setup.

What is the difference between forwarding and redirecting?

Forwarding sends a new email with the original message included. The "From" address shows your address. Redirecting sends the original message as-is. The "From" address shows the original sender. Use redirecting when you want the recipient to reply directly to the original sender.