What is email forwarding on a custom domain?

Three addresses appear on your contact page: hello@, info@, and contact@yourbrand.com. You check one inbox. The other two addresses still work because every message sent to them arrives in the same place. That is email forwarding on a custom domain in action.

Email forwarding on a custom domain redirects incoming messages from one address to another without creating a separate mailbox. Customers see a professional branded address. You manage fewer inboxes. Here is how it works.

What is email forwarding on a custom domain?

Email forwarding sends messages that arrive at one address to a different address automatically. If info@yourbrand.com forwards to hello@yourbrand.com, every message sent to info@ lands in the hello@ inbox.

The forwarding address looks like a real mailbox to the sender. They write to info@yourbrand.com and receive a reply from that same address if you configure it that way. Behind the scenes, you may only monitor one inbox.

How email forwarding works

You create a forwarding rule in your email hosting panel. Choose the source address (the one customers write to) and the destination address (where messages should arrive). Save the rule and test it with a message from an outside account.

Forwarding rules operate at the server level. No software on your computer is required. Once configured, every new message to the source address follows the rule until you change or remove it.

When brands use email forwarding

Forwarding is useful when you want multiple public addresses but prefer one inbox. It also helps during transitions when you move from an old address to a new one.

1. Multiple public addresses, one inbox

Small teams often forward info@, contact@, and hello@ to a single mailbox. Customers choose whichever address they prefer. You check one place.

2. Department routing without separate mailboxes

sales@ might forward to a sales lead's personal branded address. support@ might forward to a shared support inbox. The public address stays consistent even as people change roles.

3. Transition periods

When switching from an old address to a new one, forward the old address temporarily so no messages are lost. Update your website and business cards to show the new address while forwarding catches stragglers.

For more on managing multiple addresses, read multiple email addresses on one domain. To understand the full setup behind branded mail, see what is email hosting.

Frequently asked questions