If I Forward an Email Can the Sender See it?

Email forwarding is a feature that allows you to redirect emails you receive to another email address.

So you may have hastily forwarded an email, and then suddenly realized you didn’t want the original sender to know about it. In this case, is there any way the sender could know that you forwarded this email to somebody else?

The short answer is no, but there are a few situations where the original sender may be able to discover your sneaky actions — let’s find out what they are.

Common Email Functions Explained

Gmail Email functions explained — What common operations can you do with an email?

So what does forwarding a message mean?

Forwarding is a basic feature on almost all email services and email clients. Visibility settings for forwarded emails are not the same as the Cc or Bcc email functions, for example.

This table explains basic email functions and their visibility:

Function	Description
To	Specifies primary recipients of the email. Emails in the “To” field are visible to all recipients.
Cc (Carbon Copy)	Allows you to send a copy of the email to additional recipients. Recipients in the “Cc” field are visible to all other recipients.
Bcc (Blind Carbon Copy)	Similar to “Cc” but hides the recipients’ email addresses from other recipients. Useful for sending copies discreetly.
Reply	Sends a response to the original sender of the email.
Reply All	Sends a response to the original sender and all other recipients of the email.
Forward	Allows you to send the email to one or more recipients who were not originally included.

Common Email Tasks Explained

So what does it mean to forward an email? We answer this below.

What Does Forwarding an Email Mean?

Forward shorcut at the bottom of email — The forward shorcut at the bottom of an email in Gmail

Email forwarding is the process of sending an email you’ve received to another person or group of recipients. It allows you to share the original message — including any email attachments — while maintaining the original sender’s information and timestamp.

You can also add your own message or comments before forwarding to provide context or additional information.

What Does Forwarding an Email Do?

It’s important to understand forwarding email meaning before you use this function.

When you forward an email, it creates a new message that includes the complete original email thread. The forwarded message appears in the recipient’s inbox with “Fwd:” added to the subject line, and they can see both the original sender’s message and any content you’ve added.

And do forwarded emails show in sent folder Gmail? Yes!

Does Forwarding an Email Send the Whole Chain?

How a forwarded email chain looks like in Gmail

Yes, forwarding an email sends the entire email chain, including all previous messages, attachments, and conversations between participants. However, you can manually delete parts of the chain before forwarding.

Curious about how to respond to a forwarded email?

First, acknowledge the original sender’s information and then address the person who forwarded it, clarifying your response’s context. Add all the recipient’s manually to To, Cc, and Bcc fields, and then send the email.

Take your time learning how to reply to a forwarded email — it’s not very intuitive!

What is Forwarding an Email?

Forwarding an email is sending a copy of a message you received to another person or group. When you forward an email, you create a new message containing the original content, attachments, and sender information. You also have the ability to add your own message or comments for context.

Now that we understand the forward email meaning, let’s compare it with the “Reply” function.

Forward vs Reply Email Differences

Now we understand what does forwarding mail mean. But there’s an additional function in email: replying. While both involve distributing messages, they serve distinct purposes.

The following table highlights the key differences between forwarding and replying to emails, clarifying their respective functions and applications.

Feature	Forward	Reply
Purpose	Forwarding distributes an existing email to new recipients.	Replying provides a response to the original email’s sender.
Recipients	New individuals are added to the list of recipients when an email is forwarded.	The response is sent to the original sender or to those in the “To” and “Cc” fields.
Email content	The original email is included within the forwarded message.	The user can add their own message.
Conversation flow	A new email thread can be initiated or the forwarded email may be added to a different existing thread.	The existing email thread continues with the reply.
When to use	Forwarding is apt when information must be shared with someone not originally in the recipient list.	Replying is suitable for times when a response is needed, or when the conversation with those already involved should be continued.
Attachments	The original attachments are preserved in the forwarded message.	The original attachments may or may not be included; new attachments can be added.

Difference between replying and forwarding an email

So when should you forward instead of replying to an email? Forward an email when you need to share the original message with someone who wasn’t a recipient. Replying is best for responding directly to the sender or continuing an existing conversation. It also works well as a follow-up email.

How to Forward Mail to Someone

To forward an email, start by opening the message you want to share.

Then, follow these steps:

Look for the “Forward” button, typically represented by a right-facing arrow or “Fwd” in your email client.
Click it to create a new message containing the original email content.
Enter the recipient’s email address in the “To” field, and add any necessary context or comments at the top of the forwarded message.
You can edit the subject line, remove parts of the original message, or include additional recipients in the CC field.
Finally, click “Send” to forward the email.

Forwarding lets you share an email with people who did not originally receive it. But does the sender receive a notification if their email is forwarded to someone else?

Only in very rare cases, as we explain in the next section.

Does a Sender Know When You Forward Their Email?

Tracking links in an email — When you hover over email links, Firefox shows you unique identifier tracking links

In most cases, a sender won’t know that their email has been forwarded — there is no email forward notification.

Unless it’s a highly confidential email sent under specific conditions on a secure network — like a corporate or private email server network — it’s highly unlikely that a sender would get notified about their email being forwarded.

But there are always exceptions. That’s why we came up with scenarios where a sender could find out an email was forwarded.

Email forwarding cannot be tracked, with these exceptions:

If you accidentally — or intentionally — include the original sender in the “To”, “Cc”, or “Bcc” field when forwarding, they will receive a copy just like any other recipient.
Some email systems allow senders to request read receipts — they’re rare, though. If enabled and supported by the recipient’s email program, the sender might receive a notification upon someone opening the email, even if forwarded.
Mass email marketing messages often contain email tracking pixels, tiny images that register when loaded, indicating the email was opened. If someone forwards the email and the new recipient opens it, the sender might see a higher-than-expected open rate. This hints at forwarding, but does not confirm it.
If the recipient of a forwarded mail clicks on a link, it’s possible that data was collected about them. In this scenario, a sender may know certain details about that person like their IP address, country, client, etc. We’ll explain this in detail further below.

It’s important to note the sender will never be directly notified if you forward their email. It’s not like Gmail or Yahoo sends a chat message to senders about every action you take on their emails — that would be a massive breach of privacy.

Below, we respond to a related question.

When You Flag an Email Does the Sender Know?

No, when you flag an email, only you can see the flag. This is a personal organizational tool for email triage, helping you mark messages for follow-up or importance within your own inbox.

The sender and other recipients have no way of knowing that you’ve flagged their message.

What Information Does a Forwarded Email Share?

While forwarded emails generally retain much of the original information, it’s worth noting that email headers can be modified or manipulated.

Typically, a forwarded email contains this data:

Information	Description
Sender details	The original sender’s email address and name are present in the email headers.
Recipient information	This is information about the original recipient of the email, including their email address.
Subject line	The subject line of the original email could be present in the forwarded email.
Date and time	The date and time at which the original email was sent are typically retained in the forwarded email.
Email client/service	Information about the email client or service used to forward the email could be included.
Forwarding indicator	This indicates whether the email has been forwarded, such as a “Forwarded message” tag.
Message body	The body is the content of the forwarded email, including any attachments, in its entirety.

What data can you get from a forwarded email?

Note: Only the recipient of the forwarded email would be able to view this data, not the sender.

Next, we share the measures you should take before forwarding someone else’s mail.

Cleaning up an Email Before You Forward It

If you’d also prefer that the recipient not know that they’re reading a forwarded email — here’s how you can go about it.

1. Remove Unnecessary Recipients

This poorly forwarded email exposes the full list of recipients

Check the “To”, “Cc”, and “Bcc” fields. Remove any recipients not directly relevant to the information you’re forwarding. This minimizes the spread of email addresses and protects recipient privacy.

2. Skim and Trim Excess Content

Review the email body. If there’s irrelevant information at the beginning or end of the email chain, you can delete it. Focus on forwarding only the essential part of the message.

3. Address Forwarding

Consider adding a brief note at the top of the forwarded email to explain why you’re forwarding it and who the original sender is, if necessary. This provides context for the recipient. If you don’t wish to share such details, skip this step.

4. Review Attachments

Forward with attachments — Check attachments before you send forwarded emails

If the email has attachments, ensure they are relevant to what you’re forwarding. If not, remove unnecessary attachments to keep the email size manageable. Ensure attachments don’t have details of the original sender.

5. Clean Up the Formatting

Some email chains accumulate excessive formatting, like different email fonts or colors. You can consider using the “plain text” option in your email client to remove unnecessary formatting and create a cleaner reading experience for the recipient. We recommend sticking to email design best practices!

Additional Suggestions

Tips to remember before you click that Send button:

Before forwarding, double-check the email for any sensitive information like passwords, credit card details, or private addresses. Avoid forwarding emails containing such data.
If you’re unsure about forwarding an email containing sensitive information, it’s always best to get permission from the original sender first.
In some cases, depending on the content, summarizing the key points in a new email might be a cleaner approach than forwarding the entire chain.

Understanding the legal and ethical implications of emails being forwarded without permission is crucial for maintaining privacy and confidentiality — let’s break this down next.

Security and Legal Concerns with Forwarded Emails

Forwarding emails can pose several security concerns and may also raise legal and compliance issues. Let’s examine the pitfalls of email forwarding without giving it ample thought, first.

Is Forwarding an Email Illegal?

Forwarding an email is generally legal, but context matters.

Forwarding personal emails without consent could raise privacy concerns. Forwarding confidential company information might violate employment agreements or legal regulations; always respect privacy and intellectual property.

Be aware before you forward mail to someone else.

It is ok to forward or post an email message that you received if:

You have explicit permission from all involved parties,
The content is not confidential or private,
Forwarding doesn’t violate any legal or ethical guidelines.

Forwarding email message may not be as harmless as you think. If the email contains sensitive data or is marked confidential, confirm it’s permissible to forward it. When in doubt, seek clarification from the original sender or relevant authorities.

Email Forward Security

Being careless with email forwarding could cause serious lapses in security.

If users aren’t cautious when forwarding emails, it can lead to these situations:

It may inadvertently expose sensitive or confidential information to unintended recipients, leading to data breaches or privacy violations.
Forwarded emails may contain phishing links, malicious attachments, or malware.
Attackers can exploit email forwarding to impersonate legitimate senders or email domains, tricking recipients into believing the forwarded email is from a trusted source — aka a spoofing attack.
Forwarded emails may transmit sensitive information in plain text, making it susceptible to interception or eavesdropping by unauthorized parties.
If email forwards contain login credentials or sensitive account information, unauthorized access to these emails could lead to account compromise or identity theft.

That’s not all — forwarding emails indiscriminately could also land you in a legal mess.

Legal and Compliance Issues with Email Forwarding

Here are the legal and compliance points to consider when forwarding emails, especially for businesses:

Regulations: Regulations like GDPR compliance checklist (General Data Protection Regulation) and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) impose restrictions on how personal data is handled. Forwarding emails containing such data might require specific procedures or consent from the individuals involved.
Intellectual property: Forwarding emails containing copyrighted material without proper authorization may infringe on intellectual property rights.
Compliance with industry standards: Certain industries have specific data security and communication standards. Forwarding emails containing sensitive data could violate these standards if proper safeguards aren’t in place.
Chain of custody: In legal matters, maintaining a clear chain of custody for electronic communications is crucial. Extensive email forwarding can make it difficult to track the origin and history of an email, potentially hindering legal proceedings.

Organizations should implement robust email security measures, provide employee training on email best practices and compliance requirements, and use encryption and access controls to protect sensitive information.

Additionally, consulting with legal or compliance experts can help ensure email forwarding practices align with applicable laws and regulations.

So how to tell if your mail is being forwarded? We cover this topic next.

How to Track Email Forwarding

Email tracking involves methods used by senders to monitor when and how recipients interact with their emails — it is common practice in email marketing. If you’re concerned about senders tracking forwarded emails, then you should be aware of these methods.

Email tracking can be achieved with the help of the following:

Tracking pixels,
Unique identifiers,
Email engagement,
Tracking server logs.

If the sender uses any of these practices, they may be able to collect information on forwarded and re-forwarded emails, too.

Tracking Pixels

When an email is sent, the sender includes a small, transparent image (often one pixel in size) within the email content. This image is hosted on a remote server controlled by the sender or a third-party email tracking service. This image can collect limited information about email recipients.

Email clients like Gmail and Apple have found ways to load this pixel independently, which affects the accurate tracking of open rates. Outlook and Thunderbird counter-tracking pixels by blocking images altogether until the user specifically asks to load them.

Unique Identifiers

Each tracking pixel contains a unique identifier associated with the specific email being sent. This identifier allows the tracking system to distinguish between different emails sent by the same sender.

Recipient Interaction

When a recipient opens the email, their email client or webmail service typically loads all images or content included in the email’s HTML code. However, Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection feature has had a huge impact on identifiable information.

This action also triggers the loading of the tracking pixel, sending a request to the remote server hosting the tracking image — this helps them collect data about user interaction with the email.

Tracking Server Logs

The tracking server logs the request from the recipient’s email client, recording details such as the date and time of the email open, the recipient’s IP address, the type of device or email client used, and sometimes the recipient’s geographical location.

Note that with changes in privacy laws, such email opens and the associated data are increasingly difficult to track.

It’s important to point out that even by using these methods, data collection is still limited:

Sending a link alone doesn’t provide personal user data.
Tracking parameters and website tracking (with user consent) offer email performance data and some anonymized user behavior insights.
User privacy settings and regulations play a crucial role in what data is collected.

What Do You Say When You Forward an Email?

When forwarding an email, it’s polite to add a brief introductory message. You might say something like, “I thought you’d find this interesting,” or “Forwarding this along for your review.” If you’re forwarding it to someone who needs to take action, specify that: “Please see the email below and let me know your thoughts.”

But before you click that Forward button, read through the section below.

Questions to Consider Before You Forward Emails

You must evaluate these points before you click the Forward button:

What kind of information is being shared? Is it a document, link, or general update?
How many people need access to the information?
Does the information require ongoing collaboration or editing?
How sensitive is the information being shared?

If you conclude that forwarding an email is not the best option, we’ve listed great alternatives in the next section.

Don’t Forward Emails; Do This Instead

These data-sharing methods are more secure and give you more control compared to email forwards:

Send a new email: In some cases, simply summarizing the key points of the original email in a new email might be sufficient. This avoids forwarding the entire email chain and keeps the communication concise.
File transfer websites: For highly sensitive information, consider secure file transfer services that offer features like encryption and access controls. These services only allow authorized recipients to access the transferred files.
Cloud services: Platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive allow you to upload documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other files. You can then share these files with others by granting them specific access permissions.
Collaboration platforms: Project management tools like Asana or Monday.com offer features like shared workspaces and document storage. Plenty of design and content software offer collaborative features, too.
Internal chat apps: Many businesses use communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams for real-time messaging, file sharing, and video conferencing. These platforms are ideal for sharing information and updates.

With these methods, you can be far more cautious and intentional about the data you share with third parties. These processes also ensure everyone is accountable for the data they share.

How to Reply to an Email That Was Forwarded to You

When responding to an email forwarded to you, first determine who needs to receive your reply. You can either reply directly to the person who forwarded you the message or use “Reply All” to include everyone in the original email chain (more below).

Begin your response by acknowledging the forwarded content and clearly addressing the main points or questions. Keep your reply focused and professional, and reference specific parts of the forwarded message if needed.

If the original email contains multiple questions or topics, consider organizing your response using paragraphs to address each point separately. Remember to maintain the email’s context while keeping your response concise and relevant.

How to Reply All to a Forwarded Email?

To reply all to a forwarded email, click the “Reply All” button in your email client.

This ensures your response goes to both the person who forwarded the message and any other recipients from the original email chain. You can verify the recipients in the “To” and “CC” fields.

Let’s cover more of that in best practices, up next!

Email Forwarding Etiquette and Best Practices

Email forwarding, like any form of communication, should be conducted with proper email etiquette to ensure respectful and effective interaction.

Follow these 12 guidelines to ensure you’re doing it right:

Before forwarding an email, especially one containing sensitive or personal information, always seek permission from the original sender.
Only forward emails that are relevant and useful to the recipients.
If using the Bcc (Blind Carbon Copy) field to forward emails discreetly, be mindful of who you include.
When forwarding an email, include a brief explanation or context to help recipients understand why you’re forwarding the message.
Consider removing unnecessary or redundant content from the original email to improve readability before forwarding an email.
Refrain from participating in email forwarding chains.
Before forwarding emails containing links or attachments, verify their authenticity and relevance.
Ensure links are safe and functional, and attachments are appropriate and virus-free.
Be mindful of copyright laws and intellectual property rights when forwarding emails containing third-party content, such as articles, images, or multimedia.
Avoid overusing email forwarding, especially in professional settings.
Consider summarizing or paraphrasing information when appropriate to minimize email overload for recipients.
If a forwarded email requires a response or acknowledgment, promptly acknowledge receipt and respond accordingly.

With these best practices in mind, you’ll master email forwarding in no time!

Campaign Refinery: Best Practices, All the Time

At Campaign Refinery, we believe in email users’ privacy — this is why we value email security best practices and ethics over all else. We are also strict about compliance and ensure our clients follow the same rules.

Here are the steps we’ve taken so email is an enjoyable experience for all:

We don’t like spammers. That’s exactly why we have an approval process for all new clients, and we’re ultra-careful about who we let on our platform.
We constantly monitor our servers for spammy activities. Our clients are also expected to meet certain engagement metrics (like complaint rate must be below 0.1% and bounce rates below 10%).
We also require all clients to implement authentication protocols on their domains. This works well in protecting our email sender reputation, which means mailbox providers love us.
We have an automated list-cleaning tool that gets rid of all invalid email addresses — this ensures you don’t waste unresponsive IDs and drag down your sender reputation by mistake.

We’re the kings of email deliverability — and this is possible due to our commitment to following best practices.

If you want to see your emails perform at the highest level, apply to be a Campaign Refinery customer today!

FAQ

What is Forward in Email?

What is Forward in Email? Forwarding in email means sending a copy of an existing email to a new recipient.

Is It OK to Forward Email Without Permission of the Original Sender?

It depends on the email’s content and context; generally, it’s best to seek permission for sensitive or personal emails.

If I Open an Email Does the Sender Know?

Typically, senders only know if you open an email if they use read receipts or tracking pixels.

Does Flagging Email Notify the Original Sender?

No, flagging an email is a personal organizational tool and does not notify the sender.

Can You Forward a Forwarded Email?

Yes, you can forward an email that has already been forwarded.

How to See Forwarded Emails in Gmail?

Curious about how to check forwarded emails in Gmail? They appear in your inbox like any other email, with the “Fwd:” subject prefix or the original email included in the body.

How to See Forwarded Emails in Outlook?

Similar to Gmail, forwarded emails are in your inbox, often indicated by an “FW:” subject prefix or the original email content within the message.

Is It Legal to Forward an Email Without Permission?

Legality depends on the content and context of the email, with privacy and confidentiality being key considerations.

Can You Reply All to a Forwarded Email?

Yes, you can reply all to a forwarded email, but be mindful of who is included in the recipient list.

How to Check if Someone Forwarded My Mail?

There’s no direct way to know if someone forwarded your mail without their notification or the recipient informing you.

What Does It Mean to Forward a Message?

To forward a message means to send a copy of it to another recipient.

How to Forward Mail to Someone Else?

You forward mail by clicking the “Forward” button and entering the recipient’s email address.

How Long Does Forwarded Mail Take?

A forwarded email needs the same amount of time taken by a regular email to send, which is usually instantaneous.

How to Forward an Email to Someone Else?

Click the “Forward” button, enter the recipient’s email address, and click “Send.”

How to Check if My Email is Being Forwarded in Outlook?

You can check for automatic forwarding rules set within your Outlook settings, but there’s no direct way to detect manual forwarding by other recipients.

Is Forwarding Private Emails Without Permission Legal?

Forwarding private emails without permission may be illegal, depending on jurisdiction and content.

Can I Forward Someone Else’s Mail?

You can forward someone else’s mail, but you should consider ethical and legal implications.

How to Check if My Mail is Being Forwarded?

Email client settings and server logs may provide information about forwarding rules.

How to Professionally Forward an Email?

Professionally forward an email by adding a brief, polite introductory message and ensuring accuracy.

What Does Fwd Mean in Email?

“Fwd” is a common abbreviation for “Forwarded.”