How to forward an email to Gmail, Yahoo or other email service providers?

In cPanel, go to Email then Forwarders, click Add Forwarder, enter your Hostworld email address and the Gmail, Yahoo or other destination address, then save. If you want a copy kept on our server, create the mailbox first in Email Accounts so mail is stored and then forwarded.

Before you start

• You need access to your Hostworld cPanel. You can reach cPanel from the Hostworld client area at portal.hostworld.uk.
• Have the destination address ready, for example your Gmail or Yahoo address.
• Decide if you want to keep a copy on the server. If yes, the mailbox must exist in cPanel > Email Accounts.

Step 1: Decide if you want to keep a local copy

If you want the Hostworld server to store messages as well as forward them, create or confirm the mailbox in cPanel > Email Accounts first. When a mailbox exists, cPanel stores mail in that mailbox and forwards a copy. If you do not want local storage, do not create the mailbox.

Undo: To stop keeping a local copy later, delete the mailbox in Email Accounts. This permanently removes its stored mail. Back up first if you need those messages. You can recreate the mailbox, but deleted mail cannot be recovered.

Step 2: Add the account forwarder in cPanel

1. In cPanel, open Email > Forwarders, click Add Forwarder.
2. Enter the Hostworld address in Address to Forward.
3. Choose Forward to Email Address and enter the destination. You can enter more than one, separated by commas.
4. Click to save.

Do not select Discard and send an error or Discard. These drop or reject mail and can cause data loss if used by mistake.

Undo: To stop forwarding, return to Email > Forwarders and delete the forwarder.

Forward an entire domain to another domain (optional)

In Email > Forwarders you can also add a Domain Forwarder. This only forwards mail for addresses that do not have a matching mailbox or autoresponder on the source domain. Existing mailboxes and autoresponders do not forward via a domain forwarder. If you need forwarding for a specific address, create an account forwarder as above.

Undo: Delete the domain forwarder in the same place.

Step 3: Test and train the destination

1. Send a test email to your Hostworld address from an external mailbox.
2. In cPanel, open Email > Track Delivery. Search for the test message. Check the status and any errors for the forwarded delivery.

Gmail

• If mail lands in Spam, open it and click Not spam. Add the sender to Contacts.
• Create a Gmail filter for expected mail and tick Never send it to Spam. Gmail may still block messages that contain malware.

Yahoo Mail

• User filters run after spam filtering. Mark legitimate mail as Not Spam to train Yahoo, then use filters to organise mail.

Outlook.com

• Add trusted senders or domains to Safe senders and domains to help keep mail out of Junk.

If it does not work

• Forwarder exists but mail is not reaching Gmail or Yahoo: Check cPanel > Track Delivery for rejects or deferrals. Forwarding can fail SPF at the destination unless the server rewrites the sender. We manage SRS at server level. If delivery is being rejected on SPF or DMARC, open a support ticket and we will check your account and our mail logs.
• Some addresses forward, others do not: You likely set a Domain Forwarder. Domain forwarders only act on addresses that do not exist on the source domain. Create an Account Forwarder for each address that must forward, or use Default Address if you intend to forward undeliverable mail only.
• Bounces or loops: Do not forward to any address that forwards back to you. Avoid chaining autoresponders. A loop can trigger “5.4.6 Routing loop detected” and create bounce storms.

What next

If you want us to review delivery attempts, SPF, DKIM or SRS on the server, open a support ticket and include recent examples. If your mail runs on a VPS with us and you need server-level control, see our VPS guides for next steps and options.