Send & Receive Issues

Fix Outlook Automatic Forwarding to Gmail Rejection Errors

Maira Mehtab Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users are unable to automatically forward emails from their Microsoft 365 or GoDaddy-managed Outlook accounts to a Gmail address due to provider rejection errors.

How to Fix Outlook Automatic Forwarding to Gmail Rejection Errors

Product: Microsoft Outlook / Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up automatic email forwarding from a work or personal Outlook mailbox to a destination Gmail account.
Observed behavior: Forwarded emails are rejected and generate a non-delivery report stating 'Your message wasn't delivered because the recipient's email provider rejected it', despite direct emails to the same Gmail address delivering successfully.

Before you start

Verify that your target Gmail address is fully active by sending a direct, manual email from your Outlook account; if it delivers successfully, the issue lies specifically with Microsoft 365 external forwarding policies or Gmail's strict DMARC authentication for forwarded mail.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable Automatic External Forwarding in Microsoft 365 (Admin Required)

By default, Microsoft 365 disables automatic external email forwarding to prevent data leaks and spam. An administrator must explicitly permit it in the outbound spam policies.

If you are using a Microsoft 365 account provided by your organization or managed through GoDaddy, tenant-level security defaults often block automated forwarding rules.

You will need Microsoft 365 admin credentials to modify this policy. If you do not have admin rights, you must contact your IT department or GoDaddy support to request these changes.

Access Microsoft 365 Defender

Navigate to the Microsoft 365 Defender portal (security.microsoft.com) and sign in with your Global Admin or Security Administrator credentials.

Locate Threat Policies

In the left navigation menu, go to 'Email & collaboration' > 'Policies & rules'. Click on 'Threat policies', then select 'Anti-spam' under the Policies section.

Edit Outbound Spam Policy

Click on 'Anti-spam outbound policy (Default)' from the list. A properties flyout pane will appear. Click the 'Edit protection settings' link at the bottom.

Enable Automatic Forwarding

Find the 'Automatic forwarding rules' dropdown. Change the setting from 'Automatic - System-controlled' to 'On - Forwarding is enabled'. Click 'Save' to apply the changes.

Enable Automatic External Forwarding in Microsoft 365 (Admin Required)

Propagation Time: Policy changes in Microsoft 365 can take up to 24 hours to fully propagate across all global servers, though they typically take effect within 1-2 hours.

Solution 2

Delete and Recreate the Outlook Forwarding Rule

A corrupted forwarding rule or misconfigured inbox setting can cause immediate rejection. Recreating the rule ensures clean execution.

Solution 3

Check SPF/DKIM Authentication for Custom Domains

Gmail has strict authentication requirements (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC). If your custom domain isn't properly authenticated, Gmail will reject forwarded messages as spoofed.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does sending a direct email to Gmail work, but automatic forwarding fails?

Direct emails originate securely from your mailbox and pass authentication. Forwarded emails, however, are governed by your organization's 'outbound spam policy' in Microsoft 365. By default, Microsoft disables automatic external forwarding to prevent corporate data from being leaked to external accounts, resulting in immediate rejection.

How can I find the exact reason my forwarded email was rejected by Gmail?

You should check the Non-Delivery Report (NDR) bounce-back message you receive in your Outlook inbox. It contains specific error codes (like 5.7.520 Access Denied). Alternatively, your IT administrator can run a 'Message Trace' in the Exchange Admin Center to pinpoint whether Microsoft 365 blocked it or if Gmail rejected it for SPF/DMARC failures.

Can I fix the GoDaddy Microsoft 365 forwarding issue without admin access?

No. If the tenant's outbound anti-spam policy is blocking automatic external forwarding, an administrator must log into the security portal to enable it. You will need to contact your IT support desk or the person managing your GoDaddy account to adjust the 'Anti-spam outbound policy'.

Are there workarounds if my company refuses to enable external forwarding?

If organizational policy prohibits automatic forwarding, you can manually forward critical emails one by one. Alternatively, you can configure your Gmail account to fetch emails from your Outlook account using POP3 or IMAP via Gmail's 'Check mail from other accounts' setting, provided your IT department allows POP/IMAP access.

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