How to Forward Multiple Emails in Gmail at Once

Forwarding multiple emails in Gmail one by one is tedious and time-consuming. This guide shows you how to select several emails and forward them in a single action, either as an attachment or in a combined message, saving you clicks and keeping your conversations organized.

What You’ll Need

A Gmail account (free or Google Workspace)
Access to Gmail in a web browser (desktop recommended for the full workflow)
The emails you want to forward already in your Inbox or another folder (e.g., Starred, Sent)

Step-by-Step

Open Gmail in your web browser and log in if you haven’t already.
Select multiple emails by clicking the checkbox next to each email you want to forward. You can also click the master checkbox at the top to select all emails on the current page.
Click the three-dot menu (More) in the toolbar above the email list. It’s located to the right of the trash and archive icons.
Choose “Forward as attachment” from the dropdown menu. This option creates a new email with all selected emails attached as .eml files.
Compose your message: In the new email window, enter the recipient’s email address in the “To” field, add a subject, and write any introductory text in the body.
Send the email by clicking the “Send” button. Your recipient will receive a single email with all the selected emails as attachments.

Alternative method (copy-paste approach): If you prefer the content of the emails to appear directly in the body (not as attachments), you can open each email individually, click the three-dot menu in the top-right of the email, select “Forward,” and then copy the forwarded content into a single new email. However, this is more manual and not recommended for more than a few emails.

Common Mistakes

Not selecting all emails: Make sure you’ve checked all the emails you want to forward. Gmail only forwards the ones with checkmarks.
Using “Forward” instead of “Forward as attachment”: The regular “Forward” option only forwards the currently open email, not multiple. Always use “Forward as attachment” from the list view.
Forgetting to add a message: The forwarded emails will be sent without any context unless you add a note in the body. Always include a brief explanation for your recipient.
Selecting emails from different pages: If you have many emails, selecting from multiple pages can be tricky. Use the “Select all conversations” option that appears after clicking the master checkbox to select emails across all pages.

Tips

Use labels or filters: Before forwarding, you can apply a label or filter to group the emails you want to forward, making selection easier.
Keyboard shortcut: Press “Shift + 8” (on Windows) or “Shift + 8” (on Mac) to select all emails on the current page quickly. Then use the mouse to uncheck any you don’t want.
Forward as attachment preserves formatting: The .eml files retain the original email formatting, which is useful for legal or record-keeping purposes.
Check attachment size limits: Gmail allows up to 25 MB per email, including attachments. If your forwarded emails are large, consider using Google Drive links instead.

Troubleshooting

“Forward as attachment” is grayed out: This happens when you select only one email. The option becomes available only when you select two or more emails.

Recipient doesn’t receive the email: Check your Sent folder to confirm the email was sent. Also, ask the recipient to check their spam folder, as emails with multiple attachments can sometimes be flagged.

Attachments fail to load: If the recipient cannot open the .eml files, they may need to use an email client like Outlook or Thunderbird. Gmail’s web interface can also display .eml files, but some mobile apps may not.

You accidentally forwarded the wrong emails: If you haven’t sent it yet, just close the compose window. If you’ve already sent it, you’ll need to send a follow-up email explaining the mistake and providing the correct attachments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I forward multiple emails as text in the body? No, Gmail’s built-in feature only forwards them as attachments. To include the content as text, you’d need to copy and paste each email’s content manually.

Does this work on the Gmail mobile app? No, the “Forward as attachment” option is not available in the Gmail mobile app (iOS or Android). You’ll need to use a web browser on your phone or desktop.

Can I forward emails from different folders (e.g., Inbox and Sent) at once? No, you can only select emails from the same folder view. You’d need to forward them separately or move them to the same folder first.

What is the maximum number of emails I can forward at once? There’s no official limit, but practical limits are around 100 emails per selection. If you select too many, Gmail may slow down or fail to attach them all.

Will the forwarded emails include their attachments? Yes, when you forward as attachment, each .eml file includes the original email’s attachments, as long as the total size stays under Gmail’s 25 MB limit.

Can I forward multiple emails to multiple recipients? Yes, just enter multiple email addresses in the “To” field, separated by commas.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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