How to Add a Catch-All Email Rule in Google Workspace

Quick and easy-to-follow guide for Google Workspace administrators

What is a catch-all email address

  • The catch-all address is an email address you designated to receive all emails sent to any email addresses that don’t exist in your Google Workspace.
  • It helps to make sure emails sent with typos in the recipient’s address or emails sent to deleted email addresses will still get delivered to someone.

When to set up catch-all in Google Workspace

  • You should always have a catch-all email.
  • If you don’t have one, follow the steps below to set it up right now.

How to set up catch-all emails in Google Workspace step-by-step with images

Step 1

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 1

In the Admin console at https://admin.google.com, click the Apps icon.

Step 2

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 2

Select Google Workspace.

Step 3

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 3

Click Gmail. Make sure not to check the box to the left; just click the service.

Step 4

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 4

Select Routing.

Step 5

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 5

Under Organizational Units, select the top OU.

Step 6

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 6

To the right of the Routing setting, click CONFIGURE.

If you already have existing Routing rules in place, click ADD ANOTHER RULE instead.

Step 7

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 7

First, give it a name on top – in this example, we named the setting Catch-all.

Under 1. Messages to affect, check Inbound and Internal – Receiving.

Step 8

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 8

Leave 2. For the above types of messages, do the following on Modify message.

Step 9

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 9

Scroll down and check the Change envelope recipient box. Then type the catch-all email address in the Replace recipient field.

Step 10

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 10

To continue specifying under what conditions the setting will be applied, scroll to the bottom and click Show options.

Step 11

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 11

Under B. Account types to affect, check the Unrecognized / Catch-all box and click SAVE.

Step 12

How To Add A Catch-All Email Forwarding Rule In Google Workspace - Step 12

This is an example of what it looks like in the settings list. You can come back to this page at any time and click Edit to update the setting, Disable to turn it off temporarily, or Delete to remove it permanently.

Please note that it may take up to 24 hours to start working.

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Address Lists

Set up email addresses and domains lists to allow, block, apply or exclude from email routing settings.

Routing

Set up email delivery rules that apply to incoming or outgoing emails.

Blocked Senders

Automatically reject emails from specific domains or email addresses.

Forward All Mail

Forward a copy of all incoming or outgoing mail from one email address to another.

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