Why isn't my Outlook rule for automatic forwarding working?

The most common cause on a work account is that your Microsoft 365 admin has blocked forwarding to outside domains. The rule saves fine, but nothing arrives, or you get a bounce that says 'Your organization does not allow external forwarding'. Other causes: the rule is switched off, a rule higher in the list stops processing, the message landed in the recipient's Junk folder, or the rule was created in classic Outlook and only runs while Outlook is open.

How do I automatically forward emails from a specific sender in Outlook?

Create a rule with the condition From set to that person's address (or their whole domain), and the action Forward to set to the destination address. In new Outlook and the web app this is under Settings > Mail > Rules. In classic Outlook it is Home > Rules > Create Rule.

Do Outlook rules run when Outlook is closed?

Rules created in new Outlook, Outlook on the web or Outlook.com run on Microsoft's servers, so they keep working with your computer off. Rules created in classic Outlook for Windows that use client-only actions run only while Outlook is open.

How do I forward multiple emails in Outlook at once?

Rules only touch new mail. For emails already in your inbox, select them with Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click Forward. Outlook attaches them to a single new message. In classic Outlook you can also tick 'Run this rule now on messages already in Inbox' on the last step of the Rules Wizard.

What is the difference between Forward to and Redirect to in an Outlook rule?

Forward sends a copy from you, with FW: in the subject, so the recipient sees you as the sender. Redirect passes the message along with the original sender and address intact, as if it had been sent to the recipient directly. If the receiving tool needs to know who really wrote the email, use Redirect, or use a tool like Quicktion that reads the original sender out of a forwarded message.

How to Automatically Forward Emails in Outlook

Outlook can forward email on its own in two ways. You can forward every message that arrives, or you can forward only the emails that match a rule, such as everything from one client or anything with "invoice" in the subject. Most people want the second one, so this guide starts there, then covers forwarding everything, forwarding emails you already have, and the reasons a rule quietly stops working.

The steps differ a little between new Outlook, Outlook on the web, classic Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Mac. Each version has its own section below.

Forward only specific emails with a rule

New Outlook and Outlook on the web

This covers new Outlook for Windows, outlook.office.com, outlook.com and Microsoft 365 web access.

Click the gear icon in the top right to open Settings.
Go to Mail > Rules.
Click Add new rule and give it a name, like "Forward invoices".
Under Add a condition, pick what triggers the rule:
- From for a specific sender or a whole domain.
- Subject includes for words in the subject line.
- Message body includes for words anywhere in the email.
- Has attachment for any email with a file attached.
- Sent to for a shared address or alias.
Add more conditions with Add another condition if you need them. All conditions must match (AND logic).
Under Add an action, choose Forward to and enter the address that should receive the emails.
Click Save and check that the rule is toggled on in the list.

Rules made here run on Microsoft's servers, so they keep working when your computer is off.

Forward to or Redirect to? Forward sends a copy from you, with "FW:" in the subject. Redirect passes the message along untouched, so the recipient sees the original sender. Pick Redirect when the other side needs to see who really wrote the email. If you are forwarding into Quicktion, either works: it reads the original sender out of a forwarded message and saves that, not you.

Classic Outlook for Windows

On the Home tab, click Rules > Create Rule.
The quick dialog covers From and Subject contains. For anything else, click Advanced Options to open the Rules Wizard.
Pick your conditions, for example "from people or public group" or "with specific words in the subject", and click Next.
For the action, tick forward it to people or public group, click the underlined link in the description box, and enter the destination address.
Click Next, add any exceptions, click Next again, name the rule and click Finish.

To check your rules later, open Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts. A rule that is unticked is off.

Rules you build in classic Outlook may be client-side rules, which only run while Outlook is open. If you need the rule to run around the clock, create it in Outlook on the web instead, using the same account.

Outlook for Mac

Go to Tools > Rules in the menu bar.
Click + to add a rule.
Set a condition, such as From is a specific sender.
Set the action to Forward to and enter the destination address.
Click Save.

Forward every incoming email

If you want all new mail to go somewhere else, you don't need a rule.

New Outlook and Outlook on the web: Settings > Mail > Forwarding. Turn on Enable forwarding, enter the address, tick Keep a copy of forwarded messages if you want the originals to stay in your mailbox, and click Save.
Outlook.com: Settings > Mail > Forwarding and IMAP, then Enable forwarding.
Classic Outlook: there is no forwarding switch. Create a rule with no conditions (Outlook will ask you to confirm it applies to every message) and the action redirect it to people or public group.

To stop, come back to the same screen and choose Disable forwarding.

Forwarding everything is rarely what people want. A rule that forwards only receipts, or only one client's emails, keeps the other side from drowning in mail.

Forward emails you already have

Rules apply to mail that arrives after you create them. For emails already sitting in your inbox, hold Ctrl (Cmd on Mac), click the ones you want and hit Forward. Outlook attaches them to one new message. In classic Outlook there's a second option: the last step of the Rules Wizard has a checkbox, Run this rule now on messages already in Inbox, which you can tick before you click Finish. And if you set up a Quick Step (below), selecting the emails and clicking it once does the same job.

When the rule doesn't work

Work through these in order. The first one explains most cases.

Your company blocks external forwarding. Many Microsoft 365 tenants switch off forwarding to outside domains. The rule saves without complaint, but nothing arrives, or you get a bounce that includes "Your organization does not allow external forwarding". Ask your IT admin whether external forwarding is allowed. If the answer is no, skip to the Quick Steps section.
The rule is off. Open the rules list and check the toggle or the checkbox.
The email is in the recipient's Junk folder. Forwarded mail often lands there the first time.
Another rule stops processing first. Outlook runs rules top to bottom, and a rule above yours with "stop processing more rules" blocks everything below it. Move yours up.
It's a client-side rule and Outlook is closed. Rules created in classic Outlook with client-only actions pause when Outlook isn't running. Recreate the rule in Outlook on the web.

If your company doesn't allow auto-forwarding

Plenty of Microsoft 365 tenants block automatic forwarding to outside domains, and some companies go further and require a person to review every email before it leaves. If that's your situation, a rule isn't an option, but you don't have to go back to forwarding each email by hand either.

Outlook has a feature called Quick Steps that turns "forward this to a specific address" into one click, or a keyboard shortcut. You still open and choose every email yourself, so nothing about a manual-review policy changes. It just removes the part where you hit Forward, type the address and hit Send several dozen times a day.

Create a Forward Quick Step

On the Home tab, find the Quick Steps gallery and choose Create New.
Name it something you'll recognize, like "Send to Quicktion".
Under Choose an Action, pick Forward to.
Enter the destination address.
Optionally assign a shortcut key, then click Finish.

Now select any email, or several, and click the Quick Step or press its shortcut.

Shortcut keys

Classic Outlook for Windows offers Ctrl+Shift+1 through Ctrl+Shift+9. New Outlook and Outlook on the web offer Ctrl+Shift+5 through Ctrl+Shift+9 (1 through 4 aren't available there).

Quick Steps are in classic Outlook for Windows, and in new Outlook and Outlook on the web for Exchange Online accounts. The newer version has some gaps: no shared mailboxes, and no importing the Quick Steps you already built in classic.

Forwarding into Quicktion

If the goal is to get emails out of Outlook and into Notion, Google Sheets, Airtable, Linear, Trello or a Google Drive folder, point the rule at your Quicktion forwarding address (it looks like xyz@in.quicktion.io, and you'll find it on each destination in your dashboard). Every email the rule forwards is saved automatically, with the original sender, date, subject, body and attachments, instead of you as the sender.

Some setups that work well:

Client emails: condition From set to the client's address or domain.
Invoices: condition Subject includes with invoice or payment due.
Project updates: condition Subject includes with the project name.
A shared mailbox: condition Sent to the shared address.

After you create the rule, send yourself a test email that matches it and check that it shows up in your destination.