How to Automatically Forward Gmail to Another Address

You want mail sent to one Gmail address to show up in another inbox, whether that is a second Gmail account, a work address, or a different provider. Gmail can forward every incoming message once the destination address is verified.

Open Forwarding settings

In Gmail on the web, click Settings (gear icon) at the top right, then See all settings, then the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.

Add the forwarding address

In the Forwarding section, click Add a forwarding address. Type the address you want mail sent to, click Next, then click Proceed in the confirmation window. Gmail sends a verification message to that address.

Confirm from the other inbox

Open the other mailbox and find the message from Gmail containing a confirmation code. Either click the link in it, or copy the code, return to the Forwarding tab, paste it in the box, and click Verify. Until this is done, no mail is forwarded.

Turn forwarding on

Back on the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, reload the page if needed, then select Forward a copy of incoming mail to and pick the verified address in the dropdown.

Choose what happens to the Gmail copy

The second dropdown decides what Gmail does with its own copy: keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox, mark Gmail's copy as read, archive Gmail's copy, or delete Gmail's copy. Keeping it is the safe choice while you confirm forwarding works.

Click Save Changes

Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes. Send a test message to the Gmail address and confirm it arrives at the other one. Messages marked as spam are never forwarded, and a banner at the top of Gmail reminds you that forwarding is on.

To forward only some mail. Instead of forwarding everything, create a filter: click the search options icon in the search bar, set the criteria, click Create filter, tick Forward it to and choose the address, then click Create filter. The address must be added and verified on the Forwarding tab first, or it will not appear in the list. Leave Forward a copy of incoming mail to unselected in that case, otherwise everything is forwarded anyway.