# Forwarding

Forward your support address to opendesk from Gmail, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 or any provider, and choose how replies are sent.

Forwarding works with every provider and shares no password with opendesk. When you create a forwarding mailbox, opendesk gives it a private address, such as `margin-returns-cace@in.opendesk.sh`. You forward your support address to it, and every message becomes a ticket.

![Add a mailbox, done: the private forwarding address for returns@margin.app with its copy button ringed as 1, and the Google Workspace forwarding steps ringed as 2](https://docs.opendesk.sh/guides/mailboxes/forwarding-address.webp)

1. **The address to forward to**, with a copy button. It is also on the mailbox's page.
2. **Steps for your provider**: Gmail, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. The one that fits your address is selected.

## Create a forwarding mailbox

**1. Add the mailbox and pick forwarding**

In **Settings**, open **Mailboxes** and click **Add mailbox**. Type a name and the address customers write to. Choose **Forward mail to opendesk** and click **Continue**. It is recommended for Microsoft 365 and Outlook.com when Microsoft sign-in isn't offered, and for Proton Mail.

**2. Choose how replies are sent**

- **Through opendesk**: replies come from opendesk's sending address with your mailbox's name, and the customer's answers come back to your address.
- **Through your SMTP server**: replies come from your address itself. Enter the SMTP server, port, security, username and password. opendesk signs in to it before it saves anything.

![The connect step for a forwarding mailbox: Replies are sent, Through opendesk, ringed as 1, and the Create mailbox button ringed as 2](https://docs.opendesk.sh/guides/mailboxes/microsoft-forwarding.webp)

Click **Create mailbox** (or **Connect** for SMTP).

**3. Copy the forwarding address**

The last step shows the private address and short steps for your provider. Copy the address.

**4. Turn on forwarding at your provider**

Follow the steps for your provider below. Gmail sends a confirmation email first: it arrives in opendesk as a ticket, so open it and click the link or copy the code.

**5. Send a test email**

Write to your support address from another account. It shows up in **Unassigned** as a new ticket.

> **Good to know**
>
> - Sending through opendesk needs no setup, but replies don't land in your mailbox's Sent folder. Sending through your SMTP server keeps your domain's own SPF and DKIM on every reply.
> - Self-hosted instances use their own inbound domain (`INBOUND_DOMAIN`). See [Email setup](/self-hosting/email/).

## Gmail

1. In Gmail, open **Settings** (the gear), then **See all settings**, then **Forwarding and POP/IMAP**.
2. Click **Add a forwarding address** and paste your opendesk forwarding address. Click **Next**, then **Proceed**.
3. Gmail sends a confirmation email to that address. It arrives in opendesk as a ticket. Open it and either click the confirmation link or copy the code.
4. Back in Gmail, enter the code if asked, then choose **Forward a copy of incoming mail to** your opendesk address.
5. Choose what Gmail does with its own copy (keeping it is fine) and click **Save Changes**.

To forward only some mail, skip step 4 and create a filter instead: **Create a filter** with your criteria, then **Forward it to** the opendesk address.

## Google Workspace

Each user can set up forwarding the same way as Gmail above. For a shared address or a Google Group, an admin can route mail at the domain level instead, without a mailbox sign-in:

1. In the [Google Admin console](https://admin.google.com), go to **Apps**, **Google Workspace**, **Gmail**, **Routing**.
2. Under **Routing**, click **Configure** (or **Add another rule**).
3. Under **Email messages to affect**, choose **Inbound** (and **Internal - receiving** if colleagues email support too).
4. Under **For the above types of messages, do the following**, choose **Modify message**. Under **Envelope recipient**, check **Add more recipients**, click **Add**, and enter the opendesk forwarding address.
5. Under **Options**, limit the rule to your support address with an envelope filter: **Only affect specific envelope recipients**, single recipient `support@example.com`.
6. Save. Changes can take up to an hour to apply.

Admins can also restrict who may set up automatic forwarding, under **Gmail**, **End User Access**, **Automatic forwarding**. Allow it for the support user if you use per-user forwarding.

## Microsoft 365 and Outlook

Microsoft 365 blocks automatic forwarding to outside addresses by default. An admin allows it first.

![Add a mailbox for support@contoso.com, done: the private forwarding address ringed as 1, and the Microsoft 365 forwarding steps ringed as 2](https://docs.opendesk.sh/guides/mailboxes/microsoft-forward-to.webp)

### Allow forwarding to outside addresses (admin)

1. Open the [Microsoft Defender portal](https://security.microsoft.com), then **Email & collaboration**, **Policies & rules**, **Threat policies**, **Anti-spam policies**.
2. Open **Anti-spam outbound policy (Default)**, or create an outbound policy that applies only to your support mailbox (recommended).
3. Under **Forwarding rules**, set **Automatic forwarding rules** to **On - Forwarding is enabled**. Save.

### Forward the mailbox

Either set forwarding on the mailbox (admin):

1. In the [Exchange admin center](https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com), open **Recipients**, **Mailboxes**, and select the mailbox. In the [Microsoft 365 admin center](https://admin.microsoft.com), the same is under **Users**, **Active users** (or **Teams & groups**, **Shared mailboxes**).
2. Under **Mail flow settings** (the **Mail** tab in the Microsoft 365 admin center), choose **Manage email forwarding**.
3. Turn on forwarding, enter the opendesk forwarding address, and keep **Deliver to both** on if the mailbox should keep a copy. Save.

Or create a rule in Outlook on the web (user):

1. Open **Settings**, **Mail**, **Rules**, **Add new rule**.
2. Name it and add the condition **Apply to all messages** (or narrower conditions).
3. Add the action **Forward to** (or **Redirect to**) and enter the opendesk forwarding address. Save.

**Redirect** keeps the original sender. Both work, since opendesk reads the original headers, but redirect is the cleaner choice. To send replies from the mailbox itself, see [Microsoft 365 and Outlook](/guides/mailboxes/microsoft/#turn-on-smtp-auth).

## Any other provider

Look for "forwarding" or "redirect" in your provider's mail settings or admin panel, and forward to your opendesk address. Most providers send a confirmation message first; it appears in opendesk as a ticket. Proton Mail can forward on its paid plans.

## Troubleshooting

- **Nothing arrives.** Check that the forwarding rule is on and points at the exact address from the mailbox's page. In Microsoft 365, check that the outbound spam policy allows forwarding.
- **The wrong person is the sender.** Use redirect rather than forward where your provider offers both.
- **Duplicates.** Each message is stored once, by its Message-ID, so the same message delivered twice doesn't open a second ticket.
- **Your own mail turns into tickets.** Mail from the mailbox's own address, its aliases and opendesk's forwarding addresses is skipped, and so is automatic mail like out-of-office replies.

## Related

- [Connect a mailbox](/guides/mailboxes/)
- [Microsoft 365 and Outlook](/guides/mailboxes/microsoft/)
- [Other providers](/guides/mailboxes/imap-smtp/)