An email forwarder sends a copy of every message that arrives at one address on to another address. This guide shows you how to create an email forwarder in cPanel, how to remove one, and what to watch out for when you forward email to Gmail, Outlook.com or other outside services.
Forwarder or mailbox?
A forwarder can work two ways:
- Forward-only address: create a forwarder for an address that has no mailbox (for example
info@example.com). Mail is passed straight on and nothing is stored here. - Mailbox plus forwarder: create a forwarder for an address that already has a mailbox. The mailbox keeps its copy and a copy goes to the other address.
If you want mail stored on the Instant Access Internet Services server, create an email account first (How to Create an Email Account in cPanel), then add the forwarder.
How to create an email forwarder in cPanel
- Log in to cPanel and go to Email > Forwarders.
- Under Create an Email Account Forwarder, click Add Forwarder.
- In Address to Forward, type the part before the @, for example
info. - Check the Domain menu shows your domain.
- Under Destination, choose Forward to Email Address and type the address to send to, for example
you@gmail.com. To forward to more than one address, separate them with commas. - Click Add Forwarder.
The forwarder starts working straight away. Send a test message from a different account to check it.
Other destination options
The Destination section has a few other choices you may find useful:
- Discard and send an error to the sender (at SMTP time): rejects the message and returns an error you can write, such as "This address is no longer in use. Please write to sales@example.com." Handy for retired addresses.
- Under Advanced Options, Discard silently deletes the mail without telling the sender. Use it sparingly -- genuine senders won't know their message was lost.
Forwarding a whole domain to another domain, and a catch-all (default) address for mail sent to addresses that don't exist, aren't included on standard plans. Open a ticket if you need them.
How to delete an email forwarder
- Go to Email > Forwarders.
- Find the forwarder in the Email Account Forwarders list. Use the search box if you have many.
- Click Delete next to it, then confirm by clicking Delete Forwarder.
Deleting a forwarder doesn't delete the mailbox (if there is one) or any mail already forwarded.
Forwarding to Gmail, Outlook.com and other providers
Forwarding everything to a free email provider works, but it has a catch: we pass on all incoming mail, including spam. Big providers judge the forwarding server by what it sends them, so heavy spam forwarding can get forwarded mail delayed, filed as spam, or rejected. To keep it reliable:
- Consider a mailbox instead, and add it to Gmail or your phone with IMAP (How to Set Up Your Email on Android), so nothing needs forwarding.
- Keep a mailbox copy as well as the forwarder, so nothing is lost if the other provider rejects a message.
- Don't forward an address that mostly receives spam.
Common questions
Why isn't my forwarder working?
Check the spelling of the destination address first. Then look in the destination's spam folder. If the other provider rejected the message, you'll find it in cPanel under Email > Track Delivery (How to Find a Missing Email with Track Delivery).
Can I forward only some messages?
Yes -- use an email filter with the Redirect to Email action instead of a forwarder. See How to Create Email Filters for One Account in cPanel.
Can I set up an automatic "out of office" reply?
Autoresponders aren't included on standard plans. Most mail apps (Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird) can send automatic replies while the app is running, or you can open a ticket to ask about options.
Does replying come from the forwarded address?
No. Replies come from whichever account you reply from. To reply as info@example.com from Gmail, add it as a "send mail as" address in Gmail using our SMTP settings (Email Server Settings and Ports (IMAP, POP3 and SMTP)).
Related guides
- How to Create an Email Account in cPanel
- How to Create Email Filters for One Account in cPanel
- How to Find a Missing Email with Track Delivery
- Why Your Emails Go to Spam (and How to Fix It)
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and the Instant Access Internet Services team will help.
