Forward Outlook Email to Gmail or Vice Versa

This guide shows you how to automatically forward emails from Outlook to Gmail, or from Gmail to Outlook, so you can manage all your messages in one place. You’ll set up forwarding rules in the source account, and optionally keep or delete copies. No special software is needed—just your web browser and access to both email accounts.

What You’ll Need

• Access to the email account you want to forward from (Outlook.com or Gmail) via a web browser.
• The full email address of the destination account (e.g., yourname@gmail.com or yourname@outlook.com).
• If you use two-step verification on the source account, you may need an app password (for Outlook.com) or to allow less secure apps (for Gmail, though this is less common now).

Step-by-Step

Forward from Outlook.com to Gmail

1. Log in to your Outlook.com account in a web browser.
2. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner, then select View all Outlook settings at the bottom of the pane.
3. In the settings window, go to Mail → Forwarding.
4. Toggle the switch to Enable forwarding.
5. Enter your Gmail address in the Forward to field.
6. Choose whether to Keep a copy of forwarded messages (check the box) or not. If you want to save space in Outlook, leave it unchecked—but note that forwarded messages will be deleted from your Outlook inbox.
7. Click Save.
8. Outlook will send a verification email to your Gmail address. Open that email and click the Verify link to confirm the forwarding address.
9. Once verified, forwarding is active. New emails arriving in Outlook will be automatically forwarded to Gmail.

Forward from Gmail to Outlook.com

1. Log in to your Gmail account in a web browser.
2. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right, then select See all settings.
3. Go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
4. Click Add a forwarding address.
5. Enter your Outlook.com email address and click Next. A confirmation window will appear—click Proceed.
6. Gmail will send a verification message to your Outlook inbox. Open that email and click the Verify link (or enter the code provided).
7. Back in Gmail settings, under Forwarding, select Forward a copy of incoming mail to and choose your Outlook address from the dropdown.
8. Choose what to do with the original: Keep Gmail’s copy in the Inbox, Mark the message as read, Archive the message, or Delete the message. The default is to keep a copy.
9. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Forward Only Certain Emails (Optional)

If you don’t want to forward everything, you can create a filter instead of using the global forwarding setting.

• In Outlook.com: Go to Settings → View all Outlook settings → Mail → Rules. Click Add new rule, name it, set conditions (e.g., from a specific sender), and add the action Forward to (enter your Gmail address). Save the rule.
• In Gmail: Go to Settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses → Create a new filter. Define your criteria, then click Create filter. Check the box Forward it to and select your Outlook address. Click Create filter to save.

Common Mistakes

• Not verifying the forwarding address: Both services require you to click a link in a confirmation email. If you skip this, forwarding won’t work.
• Forgetting to check the “Keep a copy” box: In Outlook, if you don’t check this, forwarded emails are deleted from your Outlook inbox. In Gmail, you choose the behavior, but the default keeps a copy.
• Forwarding loops: If you set up forwarding both ways (Outlook→Gmail and Gmail→Outlook), emails will bounce back and forth indefinitely. Always disable one direction if you’re testing.
• Using the wrong email address: Typos in the destination address cause verification to fail or emails to go to the wrong person.
• Expecting instant forwarding: There can be a delay of a few minutes, especially with large attachments or during high traffic.

Tips

• Use a filter if you only want to forward specific emails (e.g., from your boss or a newsletter) rather than everything.
• If you’re switching email providers permanently, consider setting up an autoresponder in the old account to inform senders of your new address.
• Check your spam folder for the verification email—it sometimes lands there.
• If you have a custom domain (e.g., you@yourdomain.com) hosted through Outlook or Gmail, the forwarding steps are the same, but you may need to adjust DNS settings if you want to redirect the entire mailbox—this guide covers only forwarding copies.
• For Outlook.com, if you enable two-step verification, you may need to create an app password for forwarding to work with some third-party apps, but the web-based forwarding usually works without it.

Troubleshooting

• Verification email never arrives: Check the spam/junk folder in the destination account. Also, ensure you entered the address correctly. Wait a few minutes and try again.
• Forwarding stops working after a few days: Some providers temporarily disable forwarding if they detect suspicious activity. Log in to the source account and re-verify the forwarding settings.
• Emails are forwarded but not received: Check the destination account’s spam folder. If the messages are being filtered, add the source address to your contacts or create a filter to never send to spam.
• You get a “Cannot forward” error in Outlook: This can happen if the destination address is invalid or if you’ve reached the forwarding limit (Outlook allows up to 10 forwarding addresses). Remove unused ones.
• Gmail says “Forwarding disabled” after a while: Gmail automatically disables forwarding if the destination account bounces too many messages. Verify the Outlook address is still active and has space.
• You want to forward existing emails, not just new ones: Forwarding only applies to new messages. To move old emails, you’ll need to manually forward them or use an email migration tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will forwarding delete my emails from the original account?

In Outlook.com, if you don’t check “Keep a copy,” forwarded emails are deleted. In Gmail, you choose the behavior—keep, archive, mark as read, or delete. Always read the options before saving.

Can I forward only emails from a specific sender?

Yes, both services allow you to create rules/filters based on sender, subject, or other criteria. Set up a rule in Outlook or a filter in Gmail that forwards only matching messages.

Does forwarding work with attachments?

Yes, attachments are forwarded as part of the email. However, very large attachments may be delayed or blocked by the receiving provider’s size limits.

Can I set up forwarding on the Outlook desktop app or Gmail app?

No, forwarding settings are configured in the web versions of Outlook.com and Gmail. Once set, they apply to all devices accessing that account.

Will forwarding create a loop if I forward both ways?

Yes, if you forward from A to B and B to A, emails will bounce between the two forever. Only set up forwarding in one direction, or use filters to avoid forwarding certain messages.

How long does it take for forwarding to start working?

After verification, forwarding usually starts within a few minutes. Occasionally, it can take up to an hour for the settings to propagate across all servers.

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