Email forwarding (forwarding) is a handy feature that automatically forwards emails received at one address to another address. In this comprehensive guide, we explain how to set this up in DirectAdmin and what options you have.

What is email forwarding?

With email forwarding, incoming emails are automatically forwarded to another email address as soon as they arrive. The original sender is unaware of this - to them, it seems as if the email has simply been delivered.

When do you use forwarding?

  • Centralizing email: Forward info@, sales@, and support@ all to your main address so you only have to check one mailbox
  • Team email: Forward emails for a department to multiple team members at once
  • Backup receiving: Automatically receive a copy of important emails at a second address
  • Retaining old addresses: Continue receiving emails sent to old addresses after a rebranding
  • External accounts: Forward your business email to your private Gmail or Outlook account

Creating a forwarder: Step by step

Step 1: Log in to DirectAdmin

  1. Go to `https://yourdomain.nl:2222`
  2. Log in with your DirectAdmin username and password
  3. You will enter the DirectAdmin dashboard

Step 2: Navigate to Email Forwarders

  1. Find the section "Email Manager in the dashboard
  2. Click on "Forwarders or "Email Forwarding
  3. You will see an overview of existing forwarders (possibly still empty)

Step 3: Create a new forwarder

  1. Click on the button "Create Forwarder or "Add Forwarder
  2. Fill in the details:
    • From address (Source): The address you want to forward
      • Only fill in the name for the @ (for example, "info")
      • Or choose an existing email address from the dropdown
    • To address (Destination): Where the email should go
      • Fill in the full email address to which it should be forwarded
      • For example: jan@gmail.com or colleague@company.nl

Step 4: Save

  1. Check the entered details
  2. Click on "Create or "Save
  3. The forwarder is immediately active - new emails will now be forwarded

Advanced forwarding options

Forwarding to multiple addresses

You can forward emails to multiple addresses at once:

  • Method 1: Comma-separated
    1. When creating the forwarder
    2. Add multiple email addresses, separated by commas
    3. Example: jan@company.nl, piet@company.nl, marie@company.nl
  • Method 2: Multiple forwarders
    1. Create multiple separate forwarders for the same source address
    2. Each forwarder forwards to a different address
    3. This provides more flexibility to change individual addresses later

Forwarder with a copy retained in the mailbox

By default, emails are only forwarded. Do you want to keep a copy as well?

  1. First, create an email account for the address (for example, info@yourdomain.nl)
  2. Then create a forwarder for the same address
  3. Result: emails arrive in the local mailbox AND are forwarded

This is useful for:

  • Backup of all emails
  • Multiple people monitoring the same mailbox
  • Archiving while working externally

Setting up a catch-all forwarder

A catch-all captures ALL email sent to non-existent addresses on your domain:

  1. Go to "Email Manager" > "Catch-All Email
  2. Select "Forward to address or "Send to
  3. Fill in the target address (where all "lost" email should go)
  4. Click on "Save

Example: If someone accidentally emails inof@yourdomain.nl (typo), it will still be delivered.

Warning: Catch-all can attract A LOT of spam because spammers often try random addresses. Use this only if absolutely necessary.

Managing forwarders

Deleting a forwarder

  1. Go to "Email Manager" > "Forwarders
  2. Find the forwarder in the list
  3. Click on the trash can icon or "Delete next to the forwarder
  4. Confirm the deletion

Modifying a forwarder

DirectAdmin does not have a direct "edit" function for forwarders:

  1. Delete the old forwarder
  2. Create a new forwarder with the correct settings

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I forward to an external address like Gmail?
Yes, you can forward to any valid email address, including Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or any other address.

Does the original sender remain visible?
Yes, the original sender remains fully visible in the forwarded email. The recipient sees exactly who the email originally came from.

Does forwarded email count towards my quota?
- Without a local copy: No, the email is forwarded directly without storage
- With a local copy: Yes, the stored copy counts towards your quota

Can I apply filters to forwarded email?
No, a forwarder forwards all email without filtering. For filters, it’s better to:
- First receive the email in a local mailbox
- Set filters in your email program (Outlook, Gmail, etc.)

How quickly is email forwarded?
Almost instantly - usually within a few seconds. There is no noticeable delay.

Can I see which emails have been forwarded?
No, there is no log of forwarded emails. If you want to keep track of this, save a local copy.

Troubleshooting

Email is not being forwarded

  1. Check the forwarder: Go to Forwarders and verify that the forwarder is set up correctly
  2. Wait a moment: New forwarders may take 5-10 minutes
  3. Check the spam folder: Look in the spam folder of the destination address
  4. Test with another sender: Send a test email from an external address

Receiving duplicate emails

This happens if you have both:

  • An email account for the address (that you are reading)
  • A forwarder to the same address where you read your mail

Solution: Choose one method - either the local mailbox or forwarding, not both to the same destination.

Error message when creating a forwarder

  • "Address already exists: There is already a forwarder or account with this address
  • "Invalid email: The destination address is not a valid email address
  • "Cannot forward to self: You are trying to forward to the same address

Tips for effective use

  1. Document your forwarders: Keep a list of which addresses are being forwarded where
  2. Test after creation: Always send a test email to verify that forwarding works
  3. Consider aliases: For some situations, an email alias is more convenient than a forwarder
  4. Check regularly: Periodically review your forwarders and remove unused ones
  5. Be cautious with external forwarding: Some external providers (Gmail) may mark forwarded email as suspicious

Need help?

We are here for you! Are you facing any issues or do you have questions? Our support team is happy to assist you personally. Send us a message via the ticket system - we usually respond within a few hours and are happy to help.