Gmail's main Forwarding setting (Settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP) only accepts one destination address. That's a problem if you want to forward a copy of your inbox to two places at once — for example, your assistant AND an automation tool, or a backup address AND a CRM. There are four real workarounds, each with different limits.
Workaround 1: Gmail Filters → multiple "Forward to" rules
This is the most-recommended approach. Gmail lets you add multiple forwarding addresses to your account, and each filter can specify which one to forward to. You just create one filter per destination.
Settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP → Add a forwarding address. Add each destination (Gmail sends a confirmation code to each — paste it back).Settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses → Create a new filter.- Set the criteria. For "forward everything" use
to:your.address@gmail.comin the To field. For "forward only tenant emails" filter by sender domain or subject keyword. - On the next step, check Forward it to and pick the destination from the dropdown.
- Click Create filter. Repeat for each additional destination — same criteria, different "Forward it to" pick.
Daily limit: Gmail caps forwarding at roughly 500 messages per day per forwarding address. If you operate a high-volume inbox (50+ properties), you can hit this and forwards will silently start failing.
Gotcha: If you delete the destination from Forwarding and POP/IMAP, every filter that uses it stops forwarding silently. The filter still exists with the address grayed out — it just doesn't fire.
Workaround 2: Google Workspace routing (admin-level)
If you're on Google Workspace (your own domain, like info@yourcompany.com), the Admin Console can route inbound mail to multiple destinations at the org level. This bypasses both per-user forwarding limits AND the "one destination" UI constraint.
- Admin Console → Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail → Routing.
- Click Configure next to "Routing." Add a rule that matches inbound messages.
- Under Also deliver to, add as many destination addresses as you need.
- Save. The rule applies to every user matched by the filter — you can scope to a single user, a group, or the whole org.
Daily limit: Workspace messages-per-day is much higher (typically 10,000+ per user on Business Standard and above). Routing rules don't count against the per-user forwarding cap.
This is the right answer for any business operating at scale. Talk to your Workspace admin — most users don't have Admin Console access by default.
Workaround 3: Google Group as a fan-out
Create a Google Group, add the destinations as members, then forward Gmail to the group address. The group "explodes" the message to every member.
- Go to groups.google.com and create a new group (e.g.
tenant-relay@yourcompany.com). - Add your destinations as members. Set the group permissions so members receive all messages.
- In Gmail, set the group as your single forwarding destination, OR use a filter to forward selected emails to the group.
Gotcha: Some destinations (notably automation tools that expect a real "To:" address per recipient) handle group-fanout email weirdly because the To: header points at the group, not the individual member. Test before relying on it.
Workaround 4: Third-party email relay
Services like Forwarding Email Pro, ImprovMX, or SimpleLogin provide a relay address you forward Gmail to. The relay then fans out to multiple destinations and bypasses per-recipient limits.
Cheapest tier is usually $5-10/month. Worth it if you've hit Gmail's 500/day limit and don't have Workspace admin access. Verify the relay's DMARC handling before relying on it — some relays break SPF authentication, which can cause downstream destinations to mark your forwarded mail as spam.
Decision matrix
| Situation | Right answer |
|---|---|
| 2-3 destinations, <500 emails/day, personal Gmail | Gmail filters (Workaround 1) |
| Google Workspace + business email | Admin routing (Workaround 2) |
| Many destinations, mostly humans | Google Group (Workaround 3) |
| Hit 500/day, no Workspace | Third-party relay (Workaround 4) |
How Summit fits
If you're forwarding tenant email to Summit, you don't need a multi-destination forwarding setup — Summit replies to the tenant on your behalf and CCs you when something needs review. One forwarding rule, one destination, the AI handles the rest. Step-by-step forwarding setup for Summit covers Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, Fastmail, Zoho, Proton, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365.