Email Forwarders in cPanel
Learn how to create, manage, and remove email forwarders in cPanel so incoming messages can be sent automatically to another mailbox or destination.
Email forwarders in cPanel allow you to automatically redirect messages sent to one email address to another destination. This is useful when you want to receive mail from multiple addresses in one inbox, route messages to another team member, or send mail to an external address.
Email Account Forwarder: Forwards messages sent to one specific email address.
Domain Forwarder: Forwards undeliverable email for one domain to another domain.
How to Add an Email Account Forwarder
Use this option when you want to forward messages from one email address, such as [email protected], to another mailbox.
- In cPanel, go to the Email section and click Forwarders.
- Under Create an Email Account Forwarder, click Add Forwarder.
- In Address to Forward, enter the email username only. For example, enter sales instead of the full email address.
- From the Domain list, select the correct domain name.
- Under Destination, choose Forward to Email Address.
- Enter the destination email address where you want the messages to be delivered.
- Click Add Forwarder.
Advanced Forwarder Options
cPanel also includes advanced forwarding options for special setups:
- Discard and send an error to the sender: Rejects the message and returns a failure notice to the sender.
- Forward to a system account: Sends mail to a system user on the server.
- Pipe to a Program: Sends incoming mail to a script or application.
- Discard: Drops the message without forwarding it. This is generally not recommended unless you have a specific reason.
How to Add a Domain Forwarder
Use a domain forwarder when you want undeliverable email for one domain to be redirected to another domain.
- In cPanel, open Forwarders.
- Click Add Domain Forwarder.
- Select the domain you want to forward from.
- Enter the destination domain you want mail to be forwarded to.
- Click Add Domain Forwarder.
How to Delete or Change a Forwarder
cPanel does not allow you to edit an existing forwarder directly. To make changes, you must delete the current forwarder and create a new one.
- Open Forwarders in cPanel.
- Find the forwarder you want to remove.
- Click Delete next to the forwarder.
- Confirm by clicking Delete Forwarder or Delete Domain Forwarder.
- Create a new forwarder with the updated destination if needed.
Important Tips for Email Forwarding
- If a real mailbox already exists for the same address, both the mailbox and the forwarder can receive the email.
- If you want forwarding only and do not want to keep a local copy, use a forwarder on an address that does not have an active mailbox, or remove the mailbox if appropriate.
- Use account forwarders for individual addresses and domain forwarders only for undeliverable mail at the domain level.
- After creating a forwarder, send a test message to confirm that delivery is working as expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about using Email Forwarders in cPanel.
An email forwarder sends incoming messages from one address to another address automatically. It is useful when you want to receive messages in a different inbox without asking people to change the address they contact.
Yes. In many cases, you can forward one email address to multiple destination addresses. This is helpful when more than one person needs to receive the same incoming messages.
If the original email address already exists as a mailbox, it may still keep a copy of the message while also forwarding it. If you only create a forwarder without using that address as a real mailbox, the message is usually sent onward to the destination address only.
An email forwarder works for one specific email address, such as [email protected]. A domain forwarder works at the domain level and is used when email for one domain needs to be redirected to another domain.
Usually, you will need to delete the existing forwarder and then create a new one with the updated destination. This is normal behavior and helps you apply the exact forwarding rule you want.
This can happen for several reasons, such as a typing mistake in the destination address, a missing forwarder rule, remote spam filtering, or DNS and mail routing issues. It is best to review the forwarder settings carefully and then test again.
Yes, in most cases you can forward email to an external address. However, the final delivery still depends on the receiving provider’s spam checks and mailbox rules.
No. A forwarder is created for a specific address or for a full domain forwarding rule, while a default address is used for messages sent to invalid or non-existing email addresses on a domain.
If you are unsure whether you need a mailbox, a normal forwarder, or a domain forwarder, open a support request from your Account and include the email address or domain you want to use. This helps our team guide you to the correct option.
