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How to Prevent Forwarded Addresses From Appearing in Reply All in Microsoft 365
Question details
Users need to know how to stop forwarded destination addresses from being automatically included in the recipient list when clicking Reply All.
- Product
- Microsoft Exchange Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- During a Microsoft 365 tenant migration, users notice that forwarded destination addresses are being added to the recipient list when they attempt to Reply All.
- Observed behavior
- Forwarded destination addresses automatically appear in the reply fields, and there is no visible administrative setting to prevent this behavior globally.
Always double-check your recipient list before hitting send to ensure no internal routing or unintended forwarded addresses are accidentally included in your message.
Manually Remove Forwarded Addresses Before Sending
Since Exchange Online currently lacks a global toggle to suppress these addresses, users must manually delete them from the email client's recipient field.
During Microsoft 365 tenant migrations, aliases and forwarded addresses might inadvertently populate the To or CC fields when someone chooses Reply All.
Currently, Microsoft does not offer a global administrative policy to hide these routing addresses automatically. Managing this requires user awareness and manual intervention before sending.
Open the email thread in your email client and select the Reply All option to draft your response.
Look at the 'To' and 'Cc' fields at the top of your draft message to spot any unwanted forwarded destination addresses.
Click on the forwarded address bubble or place your cursor next to it and press Backspace/Delete to remove it from the list.
Once you have confirmed the recipient list is clean, finish composing your message and click Send.
Switch to WPS Office for a Streamlined Experience
While resolving Microsoft 365 email migration quirks, consider trying WPS Office for your document needs. It is a free, lightweight, and user-friendly alternative offering seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free version for your operating system.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the setup file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
- 3. Open Your Files: Launch the application and seamlessly open your existing Microsoft Office documents without losing any formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do forwarded addresses appear when I click Reply All?
During a Microsoft 365 tenant migration, complex routing configurations are often put in place. When you select Reply All, your email client pulls all resolved addresses from the original message's headers, which unfortunately includes these backend forwarded addresses.
Is there a global Exchange admin setting to hide these addresses?
No. Exchange Online currently does not provide a global tenant-level setting to automatically remove or hide these forwarded destination addresses from the Reply All recipient list.
Can I use mail flow rules to block emails sent to the forwarded address?
While you can create Exchange mail flow rules (transport rules) to block or redirect emails based on recipients, this will not stop the address from populating in the user's email client when they hit Reply All. Users will still need to manually delete the address, otherwise they might receive a non-delivery report (bounce-back).
How can I request Microsoft to change this behavior?
Administrators and users can submit a feature request directly through the official Exchange Online feedback portal. Microsoft's product team uses this portal to gather user suggestions and prioritize future updates.
