How to Forward Email from Outlook to Gmail

Want to get (or archive) all emails from Outlook at your Gmail address? Find out here how to forward email from Outlook to Gmail automatically, using Outlook on the Web, Outlook for Windows, or Outlook for Mac.

First, Beethoven Wets Blotting Paper

Beethoven was interested in new household machines and in coffee. One of his most prized possessions was a newly perfected coffee maker that sends water vapor through blotting paper with pressure, much like a siphon vacuum coffee pot.

“No atom of aroma remains in the coffee grounds,” Beethoven jotted down, and “saving coffee and gaining speed.”

Looking to gain speed moving email from Outlook to Gmail?

How to Forward Email from Outlook to Gmail

Vice versa: How to Forward Emails in Gmail Automatically

Forward from Outlook to Gmail Flexibly Using Rules (Outlook.com)

Using an Outlook on the Web rule, you can forward emails to Gmail in more flexible a manner than with the general forwarding setting:

• You can set up criteria that forward only specific messages, e.g., those sent directly to you, from particular senders, or with certain words in the Subject.
• You can take more than one action and have Outlook archive the emails or mark them read after forwarding, for instance.

To set up a rule for forwarding emails from Outlook to Gmail:

1. Click the Settings gear in Outlook on the Web.
2. Start typing rules over Search Outlook settings.
3. Select Inbox rules from the options that appear.
   Outlook on the Web shortcut: You can also open Rules settings directly.
4. Click Add new rule.
5. Enter Forward to Gmail (or another sensible name) for your forwarding rule over Name your rule.
6. Choose Apply to all messages under Add a condition to have Outlook forward all emails.
   Be specific: Here is where you can add criteria for forwarding instead of Apply to all messages; choose Has attachment, for example, to only forward emails that have files attached to them.
   More than one: You can combine criteria, of course; click Add another condition. Note that all conditions have to be true for a message to be forwarded.
   Add negative criteria: To exclude certain emails, click Add an exception (under Add an action) to set up rules for emails that should not be forwarded although they meet the criteria under Add a condition.
7. Select Redirect to for Add an action.
8. Type your Gmail address in the entry field under Redirect to.
9. Optionally, add more actions.
   What to do: You can mark emails as read after they have been forwarded, for example, move them to the Archive folder, or delete them.
   How to do it: Click Add another action to combine multiple filter actions.
10. Typically, check Stop processing more rules.
    Here’s why: This makes sure no other rules are applied to messages that are forwarded.
11. Click Save.
    

Forward Emails from Outlook for Windows to Gmail

To set up Outlook for Windows (Outlook 16 for Microsoft 365) to forward incoming emails to Gmail automatically:

1. Set up forwarding on the server; most email services (including Outlook on the Web, Exchange accounts, Gmail, and iCloud Mail) let you set up forwarding on the server.
   Note: Proceed with the next steps in Outlook for Windows only if you cannot set up forwarding on the server.
2. Click File in Outlook.
3. Go to the Info sheet.
4. Click Manage Rules & Alerts.
5. Go to the Email Rules tab.
6. Now select New Rule….
7. Highlight Apply rule on messages I receive (under Start from a blank rule).
8. Click Next >.
9. Optionally, pick one or more conditions that have to be true for an email to be forwarded.
   Forward all: Leave everything unchecked to forward all emails.
10. Click Next >.
11. Check redirect it to people or public group.
    Note: Choose redirecting, not forwarding; the latter will create a new message with the original only included, not forward the message as it is.
12. Click people or public group under Step 2.
13. Type your Gmail address under To in the Rule Address dialog.
    Tip: You can search in and use the address book, of course.
14. Click OK.
15. Click Next >.
16. Optionally, exclude certain emails from forwarding to Gmail using the exception rules.
17. Click Next > again.
18. Edit the new rule’s default name for something meaningful (under Specify a name for this rule).
19. Optionally, check Run this rule now on messages already in “Inbox”.
    Tip: Typically, do leave this unchecked; Outlook could send a deluge of messages to your Gmail account in one go otherwise. (You can still import messages into your Gmail account, of course.)
20. Click Finish.
    
21. Now click OK in the Rules and Alerts dialog.

Outlook will now forward incoming emails to Gmail while (and only while) it is running.
Note: With Exchange accounts, Outlook automatically creates the rule on the server, so the rule will be applied even if Outlook is not running.

Forward Emails from Outlook for Mac to Gmail

To set up a rule that forwards all (or certain) emails from Outlook for Mac to Gmail:

1. Select Tools | Rules… from the menu.
2. Choose the account whose messages you want to forward.
   POP and IMAP: For POP and IMAP accounts, Outlook for Mac cannot forward using rules; do set up a filter or rule on the server for these accounts.
3. Click New Rule.
4. Set up a filter that forwards to your Gmail address as you would on Outlook.com (see above).

Legacy Outlook for Mac

To configure legacy Outlook for Mac to forward emails to your Gmail account automatically using a rule:

1. If possible, set up email forwarding directly with the email service you are using.
2. Select Tools | Rules… from the menu.
3. Go to the account or account type on the left.
   Exchange: For Exchange accounts, you can set up rules directly at the server; choose the account under Server Rules.
4. Click the + under the list of current rules.
5. Enter something like Forwarding to Gmail under Rule name:.
6. Select All Messages for When a new message arrives: to forward all emails.
   Not all: You can also select criteria for forwarding, of course.
7. Choose Forward To under Do the following:.
8. Enter your Gmail address as the forwards’ recipient under Forward To.
9. Click OK.
   
10. Close the Rules options window.

How to Forward Email from Outlook to Gmail: FAQ

Will emails identified as spam in Outlook be forwarded?

No.

Messages found to be spam fill only go to the Junk Email folder in Outlook on the Web. They will not be forwarded to Gmail.

(How to forward email from Outlook to Gmail tested with Outlook.com, Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Mac 16.81; updated February 2024)