The Forwarders tool in cPanel lets you forward messages arriving at an email address to one or more other addresses, without having to create separate email accounts for each recipient. Two types are supported: account forwarders (at the level of a specific address) and domain forwarders (at the level of an entire domain). In addition, delivery route analysis (Trace) and advanced options such as rejection with an error message and piping to a program are offered.
Where to find it
cPanel → Email → Forwarders. The page shows tables with the existing forwarders and actions per row (Trace, Delete), as well as buttons for adding an account or domain forwarder.
When it is useful
– Moving from an old to a new email (e.g. from sales@old.gr to sales@new.gr).
– Collecting incoming mail from multiple addresses into one mailbox.
– Distributing the same message to many recipients (e.g. to the entire sales team).
– Forwarding undeliverable addresses of a domain to the corresponding ones on the new domain (domain forwarder).
Creating an account forwarder (forwarding a specific address)
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On the Forwarders page, select the domain from the Managing field.
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Click Add Forwarder.
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In Address to forward: enter only the username (the part before the @).
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Choose a destination:
– Forward to Email Address: enter one or more addresses separated by commas (e.g. user1@…, user2@…).
– Discard and send an error to the sender: rejection with an SMTP failure message.
– Advanced Options:
• Forward to a system account (to a system account).
• Discard (Not Recommended) for silent rejection.
• Pipe to a Program to pass messages to a script (e.g. helpdesk). -
Click Add Forwarder. Note: an existing forwarder cannot be edited; if you want to change it, delete it and create it again.
Important notes on account forwarders
– If there is a regular email account with the same name, the system keeps a copy in the mailbox and also forwards the message. If you want forwarding only, without storage, delete the email account and keep only the forwarder.
– You can forward to multiple addresses by separating them with commas in the destination field.
– For Pipe to a Program, the script must be executable, with a correct shebang and 0700 permissions; any output will generate a bounce.
Example use of Pipe to a Program
Useful for ticketing/helpdesk systems: incoming emails are sent via STDIN to the script, which automatically records them as requests. You set a path relative to the home folder (e.g. script.pl) and make sure the interpreter is specified in the shebang.
Delivery route analysis (Trace a forwarder)
Next to a forwarder, click Trace to open the Track Delivery page and see the delivery path (icons for error, forward to another server, local delivery etc.). Useful for diagnosing routing errors. On servers with third-party mail scanners, the results may be misleading.
Creating a domain forwarder (domain-level forwarding)
A domain forwarder redirects email addressed to non-existent addresses of a domain to the corresponding username on another domain. Example: a forwarder from example.com to example1.com means that a message to [email protected] will go to [email protected], provided that [email protected] does not exist on the first domain. Domain forwarders take precedence over the Default Address setting.
Steps to create a domain forwarder
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On the Forwarders page, click Add Domain Forwarder.
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Select the source domain.
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Enter the destination domain.
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Click Add Domain Forwarder.
Removal: Delete next to the domain forwarder.
Bulk creation of forwarders (Address Importer)
For bulk import of forwarder lists, use the Address Importer (CSV/XLS). You select Forwarders, upload the file, set the delimiter and, if needed, specify that the first row contains headers. Ideal for bulk migrations.
Setting up forwarders from Webmail
Apart from cPanel, forwarders can also be created from Webmail (depending on the configuration), e.g. Roundcube → Settings or a related option in the Webmail environment. See also the guides that describe forwarder settings from Webmail.
Deliverability: what to watch out for when forwarding to Gmail/Outlook etc.
– Forwarding often “breaks” SPF/DMARC, with the result that messages end up in Spam or are rejected. Simple forwarders in particular send the message “as is”, keeping headers that cause checks to fail. Enabling SPF/DKIM and DMARC for your domains is recommended.
– Even with SRS on the server, experience shows that forwarding to certain providers may be flagged as spam or fail because of DMARC alignment.
– An alternative with fewer problems: instead of forwarders, set up your external account (e.g. Gmail) to “pull” messages from your mailbox via POP3 (Check mail from other accounts). This avoids many authentication issues.
Best practices
– Avoid chained loops (A→B and B→A).
– Use account forwarders only when needed. For group delivery, consider mailing lists or mail clients with multiple accounts.
– Monitor for failures with Track Delivery.
– Review Email Routing/Deliverability so that the MX/SPF/DKIM/DMARC records are correct.
Frequently asked questions
Does a copy stay in the original mailbox?
Yes, when there is a regular email account with the same name. The system delivers to the mailbox and then forwards. If you do not want any local delivery at all, delete the account and keep only the forwarder.
Can I forward to multiple addresses?
Yes, separate them with commas in the destination field. For a copy of the messages you send, set up automatic CC in Outlook.
What is the difference between a domain forwarder and the Default Address?
A domain forwarder forwards only undeliverable mail to the corresponding addresses of another domain and takes precedence over the Default Address. The Default Address is a catch-all to one specific address.
Can I change a forwarder?
No, editing is not possible. You delete it and create a new one with the settings you want.
Can I send email to a program?
Yes, with the Pipe to a Program option, making sure the script has a shebang and 0700 permissions.
Konet notes
– If you accidentally delete messages, you can restore specific folders or an entire mailbox via JetBackup (history of up to 3 months) from cPanel.
– If you notice suspicious attachments or spam behaviour, ask Support for a full account scan with Imunify360.
– For collecting mail in an external inbox, prefer a POP3 fetch from the external provider (e.g. Gmail) instead of simple forwarding.
Need help?
If you get stuck at any step or get errors in Trace/Track Delivery, open a request in the Konet Client Area. We will check your Forwarders and Email Routing/Deliverability settings and recommend the safest practice for your needs.