How to Forward Emails in Gmail: The Complete Guide

Forwarding an email is one of those everyday tasks that seems simple on the surface, yet Gmail actually offers several different ways to do it depending on exactly what you need. Whether you’re sending a single message to a colleague, forwarding an entire email thread, setting up automatic forwarding to another account, or trying to forward several emails at once without opening each one individually, Gmail has a built-in option for nearly every scenario.

In this guide, we’ll walk through every method for forwarding emails in Gmail, covering the desktop website, the mobile app for both iOS and Android, forwarding multiple emails at once, setting up automatic forwarding rules, and handling attachments properly along the way. We’ll also cover common issues that come up during forwarding and how to resolve them.

How to Forward a Single Email on Gmail (Desktop)

This is the most basic and commonly used method, and it takes just a few clicks once you know where to look.

1. Open Gmail in your web browser and sign in if needed.
2. Open the email you want to forward by clicking on it.
3. Click Forward.
4. A new compose window will open, with the original email’s content automatically included below your cursor.
5. Add any additional message you want to include above the forwarded content, if needed.
6. Click Send.

Gmail automatically preserves the original sender’s name, the subject line (typically prefixed with “Fwd:”), and the full body of the original message, making it easy for the recipient to see exactly what was originally sent and by whom.

How to Forward an Entire Email Thread

If you’re working within a longer conversation thread with multiple back-and-forth replies, Gmail gives you the option to forward the whole thread rather than just a single message.

1. Open the email thread you want to forward.
2. Click the three-dot menu (More options) near the top-right of the conversation.
3. Select Forward all.
4. A new compose window will open with the entire thread’s content included.
5. Enter the recipient’s email address, add any additional notes, and click Send.

This is particularly useful when context from earlier messages in the conversation is important for the person you’re forwarding to, rather than just the most recent reply.

How to Forward Multiple Emails at Once

If you need to forward several separate emails to the same recipient, Gmail doesn’t offer a true one-click “bulk forward” feature for unrelated emails, but there’s a practical workaround using labels and search.

Method: Forwarding Individually But Efficiently

1. Open the first email you want to forward and click Forward.
2. Send it as normal to your intended recipient.
3. Repeat for each additional email, using Gmail’s search bar to quickly locate related emails using specific keywords, sender names, or date ranges to speed up the process.

Method: Using Google Takeout for Large Batches If you need to forward or transfer a very large number of emails at once, such as when migrating between accounts, Google Takeout (accessible through your Google Account settings) allows you to export entire folders or labels of emails as a downloadable archive, which can then be imported into another email client rather than forwarded individually.

While there isn’t a native “select multiple emails and forward all simultaneously” button within the standard Gmail interface, combining efficient search and label organization can significantly speed up the process of forwarding several related emails in sequence.

How to Set Up Automatic Email Forwarding

If you want every incoming email, or emails matching specific criteria, to automatically forward to another address without manual action each time, Gmail’s built-in forwarding settings handle this.

1. Click See all settings.
2. Go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
3. Click Add a forwarding address.
4. Enter the email address you want to forward messages to, and click Next, then Proceed, then OK.
5. Gmail will send a verification email to the address you entered. Open that email and click the confirmation link to authorize the forwarding.
6. Return to your Gmail settings, refresh the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, and select Forward a copy of incoming mail to [your chosen address].
7. Choose whether you want Gmail to keep, archive, mark as read, delete, or otherwise handle the original copy of the email in your own inbox after it’s forwarded.
8. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Once set up, all new incoming emails (not previously received ones) will automatically forward to your specified address going forward, without requiring you to manually forward each one.

How to Set Up Conditional Forwarding Using Filters

If you only want specific emails, such as those from a particular sender or containing certain keywords, to be automatically forwarded rather than your entire inbox, Gmail’s filter system offers more granular control.

1. Click the gear icon, then See all settings.
2. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab.
3. Click Create a new filter.
4. Enter your specific criteria, such as a sender’s email address, specific keywords in the subject line, or other conditions.
5. Click Create filter.
6. In the next screen, check the box for Forward it to, and select your previously verified forwarding address from the dropdown menu (note: you must have already added and verified a forwarding address through the steps above before this option becomes available).
7. Click Create filter to finalize.

This approach is particularly useful in workplace settings, where you might want emails from a specific client or containing certain project keywords automatically routed to a colleague or shared inbox, without forwarding your entire mailbox indiscriminately.

How to Forward an Email on the Gmail Mobile App (iOS and Android)

The mobile app process is very similar across both platforms, with only minor interface differences.

1. Open the Gmail app on your phone or tablet.
2. Tap the email you want to forward to open it.
3. Tap the three-dot menu (More options) near the top-right of the screen.
4. Tap Forward.
5. Enter the recipient’s email address in the To field.
6. Add any additional message above the forwarded content if needed.
7. Tap the send icon (usually a paper airplane) in the top-right corner.

On both iOS and Android, you can also forward an entire thread using the same three-dot menu, selecting Forward all if that option is available for the specific conversation you’re viewing.

How to Forward an Email with Attachments Intact

By default, Gmail automatically includes any attachments from the original email when you use the standard Forward function, but it’s worth double-checking this, particularly for larger attachments or when forwarding older emails.

1. Open the email containing the attachment you want to forward.
2. Click Forward as usual.
3. Before sending, scroll down within the compose window to confirm the attachment(s) appear included below the forwarded message content.
4. If an attachment doesn’t appear automatically (which can occasionally happen with certain file types or very old emails), you may need to download the attachment first, then manually re-attach it to your forwarded message using the paperclip icon in the compose window.

For particularly large attachments that exceed Gmail’s standard size limits, Gmail automatically converts them into a Google Drive link instead of a direct attachment, which the recipient can click to access the file, provided they have appropriate permissions to view it.

How to Remove Parts of the Original Message Before Forwarding

Sometimes you don’t want to forward an entire email exactly as received, particularly if it contains information you’d like to edit out or a lengthy thread you want to trim down.

1. Click Forward to open the compose window as usual.
2. Since the original message appears as editable text within the compose window, you can manually select and delete portions of the forwarded content you don’t want to include, just as you would edit any other text.
3. Add your own message above the remaining content, then send as normal.

This is a commonly used technique when forwarding a portion of a longer thread, or when you want to remove sensitive information, such as personal details or unrelated previous replies, before passing the email along to someone else.

Common Forwarding Issues and How to Fix Them

Problem: My forwarding address isn’t showing up as an option in filters. Make sure you’ve fully completed the verification process for your forwarding address under Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP, including clicking the confirmation link sent to that address, before it becomes available for use within filters.

Problem: Automatic forwarding stopped working unexpectedly. Check whether your forwarding setting was accidentally disabled under Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP, since certain account changes or security reviews can occasionally reset this setting, requiring you to re-enable it manually.

Problem: Attachments aren’t included when I forward an email. Confirm the attachment appears in the compose window before sending. If it’s missing, particularly for older emails, try downloading the attachment separately and manually re-attaching it using the paperclip icon.

Problem: The recipient says they never received my forwarded email. Double-check for typos in the recipient’s email address, and ask them to check their spam or junk folder, since automatically forwarded emails in particular can sometimes be flagged differently by the recipient’s spam filters compared to a typical newly composed message.

Problem: I want to stop automatic forwarding entirely. Go to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP, and select Disable forwarding, then click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Forwarding vs. BCC: Choosing the Right Approach

It’s worth understanding when forwarding is actually the right tool, versus when a different approach, like BCC, might serve your needs better.

Use Forward when:

• You want to share a specific email’s content with someone who wasn’t part of the original conversation.
• The recipient needs to see the full context of a thread, including the original sender’s details and any prior replies.
• You want to add your own commentary or instructions above the original content before passing it along.

Consider BCC instead when:

• You’re sending a new message to multiple people who don’t need to see each other’s email addresses, since BCC is designed for privacy in mass communications rather than sharing an existing conversation.
• You’re the original sender of a message and want to loop someone in silently on future replies, in which case BCC on your own outgoing message accomplishes this without needing to forward anything after the fact.

Understanding this distinction helps avoid situations where forwarding an entire thread unintentionally exposes email addresses or prior context that would have been better handled with a fresh, BCC’d message instead.

Forwarding Tips Specific to Mobile Devices

While the core forwarding process is largely identical between desktop and mobile, a few mobile-specific considerations are worth keeping in mind.

• Check your attachment before sending on mobile data. Large attachments forwarded over a cellular connection can consume significant mobile data, so connecting to Wi-Fi first is worth considering for emails with sizable attachments.
• Use the Gmail app’s swipe gestures for faster navigation when searching through multiple emails you plan to forward, rather than tapping in and out of each message individually.
• Enable offline access under Gmail’s mobile app settings if you frequently need to forward emails in areas with unreliable connectivity, allowing you to draft forwards that send automatically once a connection is restored.

Pro Tips for Forwarding Emails More Effectively

• Use filters for recurring forwarding needs rather than manually forwarding the same type of email repeatedly, since a well-set-up filter handles this automatically going forward without any ongoing effort on your part.
• Add a brief note above forwarded content, rather than sending the original message with no context at all, since this helps the recipient quickly understand why you’re forwarding it and what action, if any, you’re expecting from them.
• Double-check sensitive information before forwarding entire threads. Since forwarding an entire conversation includes every previous reply, it’s worth reviewing the full thread first to ensure you’re not accidentally sharing information not intended for the new recipient.
• Verify your forwarding address promptly after setting it up, since the verification email can occasionally land in the spam folder of the receiving account rather than the primary inbox.
• Use labels to organize emails you plan to forward in batches, making it easier to locate and forward related messages efficiently using Gmail’s search and label filtering tools.
• Consider Google Takeout for large-scale email migration rather than manually forwarding dozens or hundreds of individual emails, since it’s specifically designed for exporting large volumes of mail data efficiently.

Conclusion

Forwarding emails in Gmail is a straightforward process once you know the specific method that fits your particular need, whether that’s a quick single-email forward, forwarding an entire thread for full context, setting up automatic forwarding rules for ongoing convenience, or using filters for more targeted, conditional forwarding based on sender or keyword criteria. The process works consistently across Gmail’s desktop website and mobile apps for both iOS and Android, making it easy to forward emails no matter which device you’re currently using.

Whether you’re forwarding a single important message to a colleague or setting up a more permanent automatic forwarding system for a specific type of email, Gmail’s built-in tools cover the vast majority of everyday forwarding needs without requiring any third-party software or workarounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I forward an email to multiple recipients at once? Yes, simply enter multiple email addresses separated by commas in the To field when forwarding, exactly as you would when composing a new email to multiple people.

2.  No, Gmail does not notify the original sender when you forward their email to someone else. The recipient of the forwarded message will see the original sender’s name and email address within the forwarded content, but the original sender receives no notification of the forward itself.

3. Can I schedule a forwarded email to send later? Yes, after clicking Forward and composing your message, click the small arrow next to the Send button and select Schedule send, then choose your preferred date and time.

4. Will the recipient see my email address if I forward a message someone sent to me? Yes, the recipient will see your email address as the sender of the forwarded message, along with the original sender’s information preserved within the forwarded content itself.

5. Can I set up automatic forwarding for only specific labels rather than my entire inbox? Yes, using the Filters and Blocked Addresses settings, you can create a filter based on a specific label, sender, or keyword, and set that particular filter to forward matching emails automatically, rather than forwarding your entire inbox.

6. What happens to forwarded emails if I later disable forwarding? Disabling forwarding only stops new incoming emails from being automatically forwarded going forward. Any emails already forwarded before disabling the feature remain in the recipient’s inbox as normal, unaffected by the change.

7. Is there a limit to how many times I can forward the same email? No, there’s no specific limit on how many times you can forward a given email or to how many different recipients over time, though very frequent bulk forwarding to unfamiliar addresses may occasionally trigger spam-related scrutiny from Gmail’s security systems.

8. Can I forward an email as an attachment rather than inline text? Yes, when composing a new email, click the paperclip icon and you’ll typically find an option to attach an existing email as a file (depending on your Gmail settings and view), which forwards it as a standalone .eml attachment rather than embedding the content directly within your new message body.