Troubleshoot email forwarding
Emails not reaching Hushdesk? Work through the common causes, from forwarding left off or blocked to filters, typos and confirmation codes.
Last updated 2 min read
When emails do not reach Hushdesk, the cause is almost always in the mailbox's forwarding settings. This checklist covers the usual suspects in the order most worth checking.
Before you start
- Who can do this: owners and admins (only they can see the forwarding address).
- Plan: all plans.
- What you need: access to the support mailbox's settings, and a second email account to send tests from.
- Time: 10 to 15 minutes.
Step by step
- Send the test. Press Send a test email. If step 3 turns green, forwarding works and the problem is with specific emails (go to step 6).
- Check forwarding is on and saved. In Gmail, Forward a copy of incoming mail to must be selected and Save Changes clicked. In Outlook, Enable forwarding must be on and saved.
- Check the address. Compare the forwarding address in your mailbox with the one in Hushdesk, character by character. Copy and paste it again if unsure.
- Check confirmation. Gmail and Zoho will not forward until the confirmation code is entered. Look for Confirmation arrived on the setup page.
- Check provider blocks. Microsoft 365 blocks external forwarding by default; Google Workspace admins can turn it off. See the Outlook guide and the Google Workspace guide.
- Check filters and rules. Rules that archive, move or delete mail can stop it being forwarded. Check spam folders too.
- Send a real email from another account to your support address and watch the inbox.
What happens next
Once a real email arrives, the address shows Receiving with the time on the Email list. If a problem was recorded, the setup page shows it in red under step 3.
Quick symptom guide
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Test never comes back | Forwarding off, not saved, unconfirmed or blocked |
| Test works, real emails do not | Mailbox rules, filters or partial forwarding |
| Emails arrive but from the wrong sender | Forwarding as attachment or a sender rewrite |
| Only some customers missing | Their mail is marked as automatic, or caught by spam |
Tips
- Keep a copy in your mailbox while forwarding, so nothing is lost while you fix things.
- After any change in your mailbox, press Send another test.
- Use a dedicated support mailbox, not a person's account, so forwarding does not stop when they leave.
Troubleshooting
"That email address is not connected"
The address was disconnected. Add it again under Settings > Email.
"The test email could not be sent: …"
The test could not be sent. The reason follows the colon. Try again in a minute.
"Email sending is not connected on this server yet. Send any email to your support address instead."
Use a real email from another account to test.
"(visible to owners and admins)"
You are not an owner or admin, so the forwarding address is hidden. Ask one of them.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my support emails not arriving in Hushdesk?
The most common reasons are forwarding that was never switched on or saved, a provider that blocks forwarding to outside addresses, a typo in the forwarding address, or a mailbox filter that moves mail before it is forwarded. Send the test email from the setup page to narrow it down.
The forwarding test works but customer emails do not arrive. Why?
Something treats customer emails differently from the test. Usually a mailbox rule or filter acts on them first, or forwarding is set to only some senders. Check the rules and filters in your mailbox, and the spam folder, then send a real email from another account.
Who can see the forwarding address?
Only owners and admins. For everyone else the setup page shows visible to owners and admins in its place, because anyone holding the forwarding address could put email into your inbox. Ask an owner or admin if you need it to set up forwarding.
Can I check when the last email arrived?
Yes. The Email list shows a Receiving badge with how long ago the last email arrived, and the address's setup page shows Last customer email received with a time. If that time is old during a busy day, forwarding has probably stopped.
What should I send support if forwarding still fails?
Tell us your support address, your mail provider, the time you sent a test and anything shown in red on the setup page. Hushdesk records the last error and the last skipped email on the address, which helps our team find the cause quickly.
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Related articles
- 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.
- Forward Outlook or Microsoft 365 to HushdeskForward an Outlook.com, Hotmail or Microsoft 365 support mailbox to Hushdesk, and allow external forwarding if Microsoft 365 blocks it.
- Forward Google Workspace email to HushdeskForward a support address on your own domain in Google Workspace to Hushdesk, including what to do when forwarding is turned off or it is a group.
- Auto-replies, bounces and mail loopsHushdesk ignores out-of-office replies, bounces and its own replies coming back, so they never become tickets or start an endless email loop.
- Check if a reply was emailedEvery email reply shows a delivery line under it. Learn what Emailed to, Not emailed and Email failed mean, and what to do about each one.
Still stuck?
Chat with the Hushdesk team. A person answers on every plan.