Forward Google Workspace Domain Email to Personal Gmail Account (2024)

Are you like me, and the many other online business owners, with lots of email addresses (and a few different businesses)? Checking multiple inboxes isn't ideal so forwarding them to a single account makes the most sense practically and for productivity.

I hit a snag when setting up a Google Workspace account (formerly G Suite) to use for my domain email. The tutorials online were outdated when trying to:

  • forward your workspace domain email to a personal Gmail account, or
  • send and reply to those workspace emails using the recipient email from that Gmail account.

I was switching my email from my website host to Google Workspace, and I kept getting permissions errors. After reading online, some changes were made to Google's permissions for security reasons. I made my new Workspace account in June so I'm guessing the changes started sometime in 2023.

In my googling, I couldn't find a source that had ALL of the exact steps outlined with the new permissions requirements so I figured it out myself. This post will show the right settings to be able to forward your workspace BUSINESS domain email to your PERSONAL Gmail account. You'll also learn how to send mail as (send/reply) your workspace BUSINESS domain email address but staying inside your PERSONAL Gmail account. 

For the purpose of this tutorial, wherever you see the reference to BUSINESS, I'm referring to your domain email account that you're paying for through Google Workspace. When it mentions PERSONAL, that means your personal free Gmail email account.

Create Your Google Workspace BUSINESS Account

If you already have this setup, just login to your workspace account and skip to the Security Settings section. If not, do these first.

  1. Go to workspace.google.com.
  2. If you only need a single email address, select the lowest cost plan.
  3. Once you’ve added a new user domain email address you’re ready to get started.

FYI, you can add alternate email addresses (email alias) that are also sent to the primary domain email address. For example, I have a legal@, support@, and a few others. If someone sends an email to one of these alias email addresses, they are also sent to my main domain email address.

Login to Google Workspace BUSINESS Admin Console

To make these updates, you will need to be logged into your workspace admin console. It will likely default to your gmail when it redirects you to login so just make sure that email you're logging in with is changed to your domain email address.

QUICK LINK TO BOOKMARK: admin.google.com.

All of the settings need to be updated in the order outlined below.

Security Updates

This setting are contingent upon allowing users to make changes to their own accounts.

  1. In the left sidebar, select Security – Overview.
  2. Verify that your domain is selected (grey) on left under “Search for organizational units.”
  3. Scroll down until you see the Less Secure Apps section and click the twisty to open this section.
  4. You will be asked to login again – select your workspace admin domain from the dropdown and not your gmail account.
  5. Select “Allow users to manage their account to less secure apps.
  6. SAVE.

Account Updates

In order to be able to setup a forward, you need to activate Gmail in the apps directory.

  1. In the left sidebar, select Account – Domains – Manage Domains.
  2. Click Activate Gmail.
  3. A popup will come up to ask you how you want to activate Gmail.
  4. Select the Set Up MX Record option.
  5. The next step will ask you to login to your domain host (i.e. godaddy) where Google will add the records for you automatically.

Directory Updates

Now, even you as a user will need approval to use Gmail for your email.

  1. In the left sidebar, select Directory – Users.
  2. Click on user name to open profile. 
  3. Scroll down to the Admin Roles and Privileges section.
  4. Verify your role is set to Super Admin.
    You can also assign a Super Admit under Account – Admin Roles.

While you're in the Directory, go ahead and edit the settings so you can update your profile picture in your Workspace Domain Google Profile.

  1. Select Directory – Directory Settings.
  2. Verify that your domain is selected (grey) on left under “Search for organizational units.”
  3. Scroll down to the Profile Editing section.
  4. Select all the options update in case you want to ever change something besides your picture.
  5. SAVE.

NOTE: this step isn't required! It's just nice to have your face attached to your domain email when replying to emails since many email providers will show a favicon or a photo of some sort.

APPS – Google Workspace

This is an important piece since these are the main settings that changed. There are 3 sections to change for the Gmail App.

FIRST STEP: In the left sidebar, select APPS – Google Workspace – Gmail.

End User Access

  1. Scroll down to the End User Access section.
  2. In the POP and IMAC Access, edit to:
    – Enable IMAP access for all users and select Allow any mail client.
    – Enable POP access for all users.
  3. SAVE the End User Access section.

Automation Forwarding

  1. Scroll down to the Edit Automation Forwarding section.
  2. Enable Allow users automatically forward incoming email to another address.
  3. SAVE the Edit Automation Forwarding section.

Allow Per-User Outbound Gateways

  1. Scroll down to the Allow Per-User Outbound Gateways section.
  2. ENABLE Allow users to send mail through an external SMTP server when configuring a “from” address hosted outside your email domain.
  3. SAVE the Allow Per-User Outbound Gateways section.

Workspace BUSINESS Domain Google Profile Security Settings

You edited the setting above in the very first step for the workspace Security Settings. This step is necessary to activate on your BUSINESS domain profile. It's required to be able to forward your emails and send/reply to emails as your workspace domain account.

  1. Open a new tab and go to myaccount.google.com.
  2. Login to your Workspace Domain Google Account Profile.
  3. In the left sidebar, select Security.
  4. Scroll down to the Less secure apps section.
  5. Turn this option ON (blue).

QUICK LINK: https://myaccount.google.com/u/4/lesssecureapps

Forward Email to Gmail

Now that you are able to use the Gmail app, you can forward incoming emails from your workspace BUSINESS domain Gmail account to your PERSONAL Gmail account.

  1. Once logged in to BUSINESS Gmail account, go to Settings.
  2. Select the Forwarding and POP/IMAP Tab.
  3. Under the Forwarding section, click the Add a forwarding address button.
  4. Enter your PERSONAL Gmail email address that you want to forward these emails.
  5. Enter the verification code from PERSONAL Gmail account.
  6. Select the preferred settings to forward a copy and either keep/mark/archive/delete messages.
  7. In this same Tab, go to the POP download section and Enable POP for all mail (even mail that’s already been downloaded).
  8. SAVE both changes.

Create App Password for BUSINESS Gmail *NEW*

In August, 2024 my domain emails were coming back with an error from my PERSONAL Gmail account as undeliverable. After a lot of searching, here is the fix for this issue in your BUSINESS Gmail settings.

  1. Go to myaccount.google.com.
  2. Scroll to App Passwords or use the quick link below.
  3. Create a new app password and save.
  4. Use this password when you follow the step to add your BUSINESS domain email address in the next step.

QUICK LINK: https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords

Login To Your PERSONAL Gmail Email Account

This step will ensure you can send and reply to emails in your PERSONAL Gmail email account that you receive for your workspace BUSINESS domain email address.

  1. Once logged in to PERSONAL Gmail account, go to Settings.
  2. Select the Accounts and Import Tab.
  3. Under the Send mail as section, click the Add another email address link and a window will popup.
  4. Enter your Name and Email Address.
  5. Check yes to Treat as an alias.
  6. Click the Next Step button.
  7. Select PORT 587 from the dropdown.
  8. In the SMTP Server section enter: smtp.gmail.com.
  9. In the Username section, enter your workspace domain email address (i.e. me@andreadeckard.com).
  10. In the Password section, enter your workspace domain APP PASSWORD you created in the step above.
  11. Check the Secured connection on port 587 using TLS radio button.
  12. SAVE.
  13. Click the link in the Gmail Confirmation email to confirm your request.

Updates Complete!

That's it! Leave a comment if you have any questions or are getting stuck on any of the steps.

Email Forwarding Questions

Can you forward email to a new address?

Yes, this is typically done within the POP/IMAP settings for your email host (in this case, Google Workspace).

Is forwarding email the same as an email alias?

No, you can create separate email alias' within your email host. The only time this would be applicable is if an alias is setup the primary domain email. For example, I have an alias for legal@andreadeckard to be sent to my primary email address. In this case, any emails going to the legal@ email address would also be forwarded since my primary domain email is being forwarded.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *