Forward email from any other host
Connect a support mailbox on any mail host by finding its forwarding, forwarder or redirect setting. Confirmation emails show up on the setup page.
Last updated 2 min read
Every mail host can forward email, even if the setting has a different name. The Other guide on the setup page works for any host not listed. If your host is Gmail, Google Workspace, Outlook, Zoho or Hostinger, use its own guide instead.
Before you start
- Who can do this: a Hushdesk owner or admin, plus access to the mailbox settings.
- Plan: all plans.
- What you need: your support address added under Settings > Email.
- Time: about five minutes.
Step by step
- In Hushdesk, open your address under Settings > Email, copy the forwarding address and pick Other under Where is this mailbox?.
- Open the settings of the mailbox for your support address and look for Forwarding (sometimes Forwarders or Redirect).
- Forward all incoming mail to the Hushdesk forwarding address, and keep a copy in the mailbox.
- If your host asks you to confirm the address, the confirmation email arrives in Hushdesk. For Gmail and Zoho the code shows on the setup page; for other hosts, look for the email in your Hushdesk inbox.
- Press Send a test email.
What happens next
When the test returns, step 3 says Forwarding works. and new emails arrive in Hushdesk as tickets. Customers keep using the address they know.
If your support address is on your own domain, continue to step 4 to send replies from it. See Send replies from your own domain.
Settings to avoid
| Setting | Why |
|---|---|
| Forward as attachment | Hides the original sender, so tickets show the wrong customer |
| Forwarding rules in a desktop email program | Only run while the program is open |
| Forwarding only some senders | Customers outside the filter never reach you |
Tips
- Prefer server-side forwarding on your host's website over rules in a mail program.
- Keep a copy in the mailbox as a backup.
- If your host limits how much mail can be forwarded per day, check the limit against your volume.
- Write down where you set up forwarding, so whoever looks after the mailbox next knows where to change it.
Troubleshooting
The test does not come back
Forwarding may not be switched on, or the host may block forwarding to outside addresses. See Troubleshoot email forwarding.
Tickets show my own address as the customer
Your host is forwarding as an attachment or rewriting the sender. Switch to a redirect or plain forwarding option.
Frequently asked questions
My email host is not listed. Can I still use Hushdesk?
Yes. Almost every mail host can forward incoming mail to another address. Pick Other under Where is this mailbox?, then look in your mailbox settings for Forwarding, Forwarders or Redirect, and forward all incoming mail to your Hushdesk forwarding address while keeping a copy.
What if my email host asks me to confirm the forwarding address?
The confirmation email is sent to your Hushdesk forwarding address. For Gmail and Zoho, Hushdesk shows the code on the setup page automatically. For other hosts, the email arrives in your Hushdesk inbox as a ticket, where you can open it and use the code or link.
Is redirect the same as forward?
For Hushdesk, either works. Redirect keeps the customer's original sender address on the message, which Hushdesk needs to know who wrote. Most forwarding settings do the same. Avoid options that forward as an attachment, because those hide the original sender.
Can I use an email client rule instead of server forwarding?
It is better not to. A rule in a desktop email program only runs while that program is open on someone's computer, so emails stop reaching Hushdesk when it is closed. Use the forwarding setting on your mail host's website, which runs all the time.
Can I use IMAP or POP instead of forwarding?
Not today. Hushdesk receives email by forwarding only and does not log in to your mailbox with IMAP or POP. Forwarding is quicker to set up, needs no password to be stored and works with every host that can forward mail.
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Related articles
- Connect your support emailBring your support mailbox into Hushdesk in about five minutes. Add the address, forward it to your private Hushdesk address and send a test.
- Forward Hostinger or cPanel email to HushdeskCreate a forwarder in Hostinger hPanel or cPanel so your support address reaches Hushdesk. No confirmation code is needed, so it takes minutes.
- Send a test email to check forwardingProve your email forwarding works with one click. Hushdesk sends a marked test to your support address and turns the step green when it comes back.
- Troubleshoot email forwardingEmails not reaching Hushdesk? Work through the common causes, from forwarding left off or blocked to filters, typos and confirmation codes.
Still stuck?
Chat with the Hushdesk team. A person answers on every plan.