Gmail/Google Workspace email forwarding

5 min read
updated: Mar 27, 2024
HelpDesk
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In this article, we’ll show you how to set up forwarding in Gmail/Google Workspace.

We also covered some additional options that you might find useful.

Here’s a list of all the topics that you’ll find:

  • Setting up forwarding in Google Gmail (Google Workspace)
  • Forwarding just a part of your emails (creating a filter)
  • Transferring emails from the “Spam” folder
  • Forwarding using Google Groups

Setting up forwarding in Gmail/Google WorkspaceLink icon

  1. Access Gmail’s Forwarding and POP/IMAP settings.

  2. Select “Add a forwarding address,” enter HelpDesk’s forwarding address, and complete the verification process as instructed by Google.

Here you can find your HelpDesk forwarding address.

Adding a forwarding address in the Gmail/Google Workspace.

Adding HelpDesk’s forwarding address in the Gmail/Google Workspace.

  1. After verification, select “Proceed” and “OK” to finalize adding the forwarding address.

Forwarding verification in the Gmail/Google Workspace.

Completing email forwarding in Gmail/Google Workspace.

  1. Go to HelpDesk and activate the verification link sent as a ticket to confirm email forwarding.

Finishing Gmail/Google Workspace mail forwarding by accessing HelpDesk.

Completion of Gmail/Google Workspace email forwarding by accessing HelpDesk - confirmation link.

  1. Revisit Gmail’s forwarding settings, select “Forward a copy of incoming mail to” to the added HelpDesk forwarding address, and save changes

Completion of Gmail/Google Workspace email forwarding in Gmail settings.

Completion of Gmail/Google Workspace email forwarding in Gmail settings – forward a copy of incoming mail option.

Forwarding just a part of your inbox (specific emails)Link icon

If you want to forward just a part of your messages, you can create a filter. It’s useful, for example, when you want to forward messages from a specific email address or those with a chosen keyword in the subject.

To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Gmail application and click the gear icon in your inbox. Choose “See all settings.”

“See all settings” button in Gmail.

  1. Choose the “Filters and Blocked Addresses” tab.
  2. Click “Create a new filter.”

Creating a filter in Gmail.

  1. Now, you need to create your filter. You can use multiple options. There are eight main criteria to choose from:
  • From whom the message came
  • To whom the message is addressed
  • The subject of the message
  • Has the words (messages with specific words)
  • Doesn’t have (messages without specific words)
  • Size of the messages
  • If the message has an attachment
  • Don’t include chats

Creating a filter in Gmail - details. Choose your filter criteria and click on “Create filter.”

  1. Select “Forward it to” and choose your dedicated HelpDesk email address, which you can find in HelpDesk Settings > Email addresses Click “Create filter,” and you’re ready. GIF: creating a forwarding rule and a filter

From now on, all messages that meet the selected conditions will be forwarded to HelpDesk.

Prevent emails from going to SpamLink icon

Sometimes Gmail considers the HelpDesk forwarding address as spam and doesn’t forward messages to our system.

To ensure that emails NEVER go to spam, we recommend additionally checking the “Never send to Spam” option in the Gmail filtering options.

“Never send to spam” option in Gmail.

HelpDesk forwarding address added as not Spam in Gmail.

Transfer emails from the “Spam” folderLink icon

By default, Gmail doesn’t forward emails that are marked as spam. You may find that you need to take care of these emails as well. If, for example, one of your customer’s email addresses will accidentally be flagged as spam.

But there’s a simple way to forward all the messages from your “Spam” folder.

First, disable forwarding if you’re already using it to redirect messages.

Then, create a Gmail filter. To do this, click the sprocket icon and go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses.

Click “Create a new filter.”

Creating filters in Gmail.

In the “Has the words” section, put “deliveredto:youremail@address.com”

Click “Create filter.”

Adding a rule in Gmail.

In the next step, you’ll be asked what to do with these messages.

In the “Forward it to:” section, enter your HelpDesk’s forwarding address. You’ll find it in the “Email address” settings.

The last thing you need to do is to select “Never send it to Spam” and click “Create filter.”

Adding options when creating a filter in Gmail.

You’ll see a warning informing you that this filter will forward Spam.

Creating a filter - confirmation.

After submitting, you’ll see the filter that allows you to forward all messages with Spam to HelpDesk.

The filter overview in Gmail.

Forwarding using Google Groups (only for Google Workspace users)Link icon

If you’re using Groups in Google Workspace, you can add HelpDesk’s forwarding address as one of the email addresses in your group.

Firstly, open the Google Workspace administrator console. Remember that only the admin of the domain can access this setting.

Choose Groups.

Choosing a Group in Google Groups.

You’ll see all your Google Groups.

Select the group in which you want to place HelpDesk’s forwarding address, which you can find in HelpDesk Settings > Email addresses.

The Groups view in Google Groups.

Open the “Members” section.

The Members section in Google Groups.

Click on a yellow button with “+” and “Add members.”

Adding members in Google Groups.

Here you need to fill in your HelpDesk’s forwarding address and click on “Add to group.”

You can find your dedicated HelpDesk forwarding address in the “Email address” settings.

Adding a forwarding address in Google Groups.

Now you’ll see a new address added to your Google Group, and the process is complete.

The Members section in Google Groups.

The whole process of adding a HelpDesk address to your Google Group looks like this:Link icon

Adding the HelpDesk group to Google Groups.

Creating a new Google GroupLink icon

If you don’t have a Google Group created, you can do it in a few simple steps.

First, go to the Google Groups list and click on “Create group.”

Creating a group in Google Groups.

Fill in Group details such as Name and Group email. You’ll also have to choose a group owner.

Choosing a group owner in Google Groups.

Then, it’s important to enable External “Publish posts.” Otherwise, you won’t be able to receive any messages from outside your organization. After that, click on “Create Group.”

Choosing “access type” in Google Groups.

The last screen shows you a summary of your new group. Click “Done,” and you can now start adding HelpDesk’s email address to this group as we described above.

A group created succesfully.

To learn more about the email forwarding process, visit the Gmail help center.

Do you need any other help? Chat with us! We’re available 24/7.

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