How I Fixed Outlook Email Forwarding to Stop Missing Important Emails

I remember the first time I tried to forward my emails in Outlook. I felt like a squirrel trying to open a locked bird feeder. I clicked everywhere. Nothing worked. My boss wanted all my emails sent to his inbox. I needed a solution, fast. Let’s break it down.

What’s the Problem?

You want your emails to go somewhere else. Maybe to your Gmail. Maybe to your team. Or maybe you want to stop them from going anywhere at all. Outlook doesn’t do this by itself. You have to tell it what to do.

Why Should You Care?

• You don’t want to miss important stuff.
• You want to keep your inbox clean.
• You want to share info with your team.
• Or, you want to stop your emails from leaking out.

I once missed a meeting invite because I didn’t set this up right. My boss was not happy. Don’t be me.

How to Turn On Email Forwarding in Outlook

I’ll keep it short. Here’s what I did. You can do it too.

1. Hit the Windows key.
2. Type “Outlook.”
3. Click the app.
4. Look for the little gear icon at the top right.
5. Click it to open Settings.
6. Click “Mail” on the left.
7. Scroll to “Forwarding.”
8. Click “Enable Forwarding.”
9. Type the email address you want your mail to go to.
10. If you want to keep your emails in Outlook too, check the box that says “Keep a copy of forwarded messages.”
11. Click “Save.” Done.

How to Turn Off Email Forwarding in Outlook

Maybe you set it up and now you want to stop. Maybe you’re getting emails you don’t want. Here’s how to stop it.

1. Open Outlook.
2. Go to Settings (Gear Icon).
3. Click “Mail” > “Forwarding.”
4. Turn Off “Enable Forwarding.”
5. Click “Save.”

That’s it. No more emails going to the wrong place.

How to Check If Forwarding Is On

Sometimes you forget what you did. I do. Here’s how to check.

1. Open Outlook.
2. Click the gear icon.
3. Go to “Mail” > “Forwarding.”
4. If “Enable Forwarding” is on, you’re forwarding emails.
5. If it’s off, you’re not.

I once had a friend who forwarded all his work emails to his personal account. He forgot to turn it off. He left the company. He still got emails for months. Not good. Always check your settings.

Quick Tips

• Double-check the email address. One wrong letter, and your emails go to someone else.
• Don’t forget to save. If you close the window, nothing changes.
• Use “Keep a copy” if you want a backup. I always do this. You never know.

Common Problems (And How I Fixed Them)

Problem: Not seeing the Forwarding option?

Solution: Try using Outlook on the web: Outlook Web App. Sometimes the desktop app hides things.

Problem: Emails not forwarding?

Solution: Check your spam folder. Sometimes forwarded emails get stuck there.

Problem: Forwarding to multiple addresses?

Solution: Outlook only lets you forward to one address. If you need more, set up a rule or use a group email.

FAQs

Question: How do I know if it’s working?

Answer: Send yourself a test email. See if it shows up in the other inbox.

Question: Can I forward only some emails?

Amswer: Yes. Use “Rules” in Outlook. You can set it to forward only emails from certain people.

Question: Is this safe?

Answer: Mostly, yes. But don’t forward work emails to your personal account unless your company says it’s okay.

I used to think email settings were like a maze. Now, it’s more like a light switch. On or off. You choose. If you get stuck, check the links above. Or ask a friend. Or just try again. You got this. Feeling stuck is normal. Fixing it is easy. You’re not alone.