How to Set Up Auto Forward in Outlook for Mac

To automatically forward every new message from Outlook for Mac, open your mailbox in Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Forwarding, turn on forwarding, enter the destination address, and save. For messages that meet particular conditions, create a rule instead. The web setting is usually the simplest choice for forwarding all mail because it can keep working when the Mac app is closed.

Before you begin, identify whether the mailbox is Outlook.com, Microsoft 365 work or school, or another email service. The available controls depend on the account, and a work administrator may block forwarding outside the organization. If you only need certain messages forwarded, such as mail from one person or with a specific subject, use a rule rather than forwarding the entire inbox.

What You’ll Need

Access to the mailbox you want to forward, including its sign-in details and any required multifactor authentication.
The complete email address that should receive forwarded messages. If possible, confirm you can sign in to that destination account.
A web browser for the mailbox-level forwarding setting. Outlook for Mac can also be used to create rules, but the exact controls differ between new and legacy Outlook.
For a work or school mailbox, permission to forward messages. Your Microsoft 365 administrator may restrict automatic forwarding, especially to external addresses.

Step-by-Step

Choose between forwarding everything and forwarding selected mail. Use mailbox forwarding when every incoming message should go to the same address. Use a rule when you want to forward only mail that matches conditions, such as a particular sender, subject, or importance. This choice matters: a rule can send a subset of messages, while the mailbox setting is intended for all incoming mail.
Open the mailbox in a browser. For an Outlook.com personal account, sign in to Outlook.com. For a Microsoft 365 work or school account, sign in to Outlook on the web through your organization’s Microsoft 365 portal or the Outlook web address your organization provides. Make sure the account shown is the same mailbox you use in Outlook for Mac; it is easy to change the forwarding setting on the wrong account if you have several signed in.
Open the forwarding setting. Select the gear-shaped Settings button. In the full settings pane, select Mail, then Forwarding. Depending on the account and current web layout, you may need to select View all Outlook settings before choosing Mail. If Forwarding is not listed, check that you are in the correct mailbox and account type, then see Troubleshooting below.
Enable forwarding and enter the destination. Turn on Enable forwarding or the equivalent forwarding switch. Type the full destination email address carefully. Check the spelling and domain before saving; a small typo can send private messages to the wrong person or cause delivery failures. If the page offers an option to keep a copy of forwarded messages in the original mailbox, decide whether you need it. Keeping a copy is useful when you still want to use the original inbox as an archive, but it uses mailbox storage.
Save the setting. Select Save if the page presents a Save button. Do not assume that toggling the switch is enough: some versions apply changes only after you save. Wait for any confirmation message, then revisit the Forwarding page to verify that forwarding remains enabled and that the destination address is correct.
Send a test message. From a different email account, send a brief message to the mailbox you just configured. Check the destination inbox and its junk or spam folder. If you selected the option to keep a copy, also check that the original mailbox received the message. A message sent from the mailbox to itself may not be a useful test because some systems handle self-addressed mail differently.
For selected messages, create a rule in Outlook for Mac. In new Outlook for Mac, open Settings and look for Rules; choose the relevant account and select the control to add a rule. Give it a clear name, add the conditions you want, and choose a forwarding action such as Forward to or Redirect to, then enter the recipient and save. In legacy Outlook for Mac, open Tools > Rules, choose the account, and use the add-rule control to set conditions and actions. The wording and location can vary with Outlook’s version and account type.
Check the rule’s scope and test it. Confirm that the rule applies to incoming messages and that its conditions describe the mail you intend to forward. If the interface offers a way to run a rule on existing messages, that is separate from automatically handling future mail; do not select it unless you also want to process mail already in the inbox. Send a test message that matches the conditions, then another that does not. The first should be forwarded and the second should not.
Review the result on another device or in webmail. Send a second test after closing Outlook for Mac, or check the account through a browser or phone. If mail continues forwarding while the Mac app is closed, the setting is being handled by the mailbox service. If a rule only works while Outlook is open, it may be a client-side rule, which depends on the app running and connected.

For a work mailbox, use the web forwarding setting if you need reliable forwarding when your Mac is off, but do not try to work around an organizational restriction by creating a rule. A blocked action can be rejected, reported to an administrator, or silently prevented from sending outside the organization. Ask your IT team what forwarding methods are approved.

Common Mistakes

Setting up forwarding in the wrong account. Outlook for Mac can show several mailboxes at once. Check the account name in the browser and make sure it matches the address that receives the original messages.
Using all-mail forwarding when only some messages should go elsewhere. Forwarding every message can expose unrelated personal, customer, or work information. Use a rule with specific conditions if the recipient should receive only a defined category of mail.
Assuming a Mac rule always runs in the cloud. Some rules require Outlook to be open, depending on the account and rule action. For continuous forwarding, prefer the mailbox’s web setting when it is available and permitted.
Forgetting to save or test. A forwarding address entered in settings may not take effect until saved. Test with a new message and check the recipient’s junk folder before relying on the setup.
Overlooking the keep-a-copy choice. If you turn it off, forwarded mail may not remain in the original inbox. If you turn it on, the mailbox can fill up over time. Choose deliberately and check storage limits.
Creating overlapping rules. Multiple rules can forward the same message more than once or produce unexpected outcomes. Review existing rules and their order before adding another; use a distinctive name so you can find and disable the new rule later.

Tips

Use a test recipient you control. This makes it easier to confirm delivery and inspect the forwarded message without exposing real mail to an unintended recipient.
Decide whether forwarding or redirecting is appropriate. Forwarding commonly sends a message as a forwarded item, while redirecting can preserve the original sender information. Availability and behavior vary by account. If the distinction matters for replies or audit records, test the action and ask your organization’s administrator.
Keep the rule name specific. Names such as “Forward invoices to finance” are easier to understand than “Rule 1,” especially when you revisit settings months later.
Use the narrowest useful conditions. A sender address or a distinctive subject phrase can reduce accidental forwarding. Avoid broad terms that appear in unrelated messages, and check whether the rule matches one condition or all conditions as configured.
Protect sensitive mail. Forwarding creates another copy and may move information outside the original organization. Follow workplace, privacy, and data-handling requirements before forwarding messages, particularly to a personal account.
Plan how you will turn it off. Note where you enabled forwarding. When the need ends, return to the same Forwarding page and disable the switch, or remove or disable the rule in Outlook. Send one more test if it is important to confirm that forwarding has stopped.

Troubleshooting

The Forwarding option is missing. Confirm that you are signed in to the correct account and viewing its mailbox settings, not Outlook for Mac’s general preferences. Some account types do not offer mailbox-level forwarding in Outlook’s web settings. A work or school administrator can also remove or restrict the option. Ask the administrator or email provider which forwarding method is supported rather than assuming that a Mac rule will bypass the restriction.

The switch is on, but no messages arrive at the destination. Recheck the destination address, confirm that you saved the setting, and send a fresh test from a separate account. Look in the recipient’s junk, spam, quarantine, and filtered folders. Check whether the source mailbox has a delivery problem or storage limit. For a work account, ask IT whether an outbound spam policy or external-forwarding policy is blocking the message.

A rule forwards the wrong messages or does nothing. Open the rule and inspect every condition and action. Make sure the rule is enabled and belongs to the account receiving the mail. Simplify it temporarily to one easy-to-test condition, save it, and send a matching test message. Also check whether an earlier rule stops processing additional rules or moves the message before the forwarding rule can act.

Forwarding works only while Outlook for Mac is open. The rule may be client-side, meaning Outlook must be running and connected to carry it out. If your account supports mailbox forwarding or server-side rules, configure the option through Outlook on the web instead. If not, ask the mail provider or administrator whether an always-on server rule can be enabled.

Messages are forwarded twice, or the original inbox is filling up. Look for duplicate forwarding settings: you may have both mailbox forwarding and a rule forwarding the same mail. Disable the one you do not need. If copies are being retained, review the keep-a-copy option and mailbox storage. Do not delete archived messages until you have confirmed that another copy exists if you need to keep them.

The destination receives some messages but not others. Check whether the missing messages meet the rule conditions, and whether they are routed to another folder or treated as junk before the rule runs. Some senders or administrators may also prevent automatic forwarding. Compare a message that arrived with one that did not, then adjust the rule only if doing so will not broaden access to sensitive mail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I forward all Outlook mail automatically from my Mac?

Usually, yes, if the account provides a mailbox forwarding setting. Set it in Outlook on the web under Settings > Mail > Forwarding. Work or school administrators can restrict this feature, particularly for forwarding to external addresses.

Does Outlook for Mac need to stay open?

Mailbox-level forwarding is generally handled by the mail service, so the Mac app does not need to stay open. Some rules are client-side and may require Outlook to be running. Test with the app closed to confirm how your account behaves.

Can I forward only messages from one sender?

Yes. Create a rule for the relevant account, set the sender as a condition, and add a forwarding action. Send a matching test and a non-matching test to confirm the rule’s scope. The rule controls available can differ between new and legacy Outlook.

Will forwarded messages stay in my Outlook inbox?

That depends on the setting. If the forwarding page offers an option to keep a copy, enable it to retain messages in the original mailbox. Keeping copies uses storage; if you disable the option, messages may not remain there.

Why can’t I forward work email to my personal address?

Your organization may block automatic forwarding to external addresses to protect company data. Contact your Microsoft 365 administrator and request an approved option. Do not create a rule to get around a company restriction.

How do I stop auto forwarding?

For all-mail forwarding, return to the mailbox’s Settings > Mail > Forwarding page, turn forwarding off, and save. For rule-based forwarding, open Rules in Outlook for Mac or the web mailbox and disable or delete the rule. Test afterward if you need to verify that it has stopped.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.