How to Restrict Google Workspace Email Delivery

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

What is the Restrict delivery setting in Google Workspace

  • You can restrict Google Workspace users’ email delivery and sending and only allow communication with specific email addresses or domains while rejecting all others.
  • You can apply this rule to all users or specific Organizational Units only.

How to restrict delivery from and to Google Workspace step-by-step with images

Step 1

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 1

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

Step 2

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 2

Select Google Workspace.

Step 3

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 3

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

Step 4

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 4

Select Compliance.

Step 5

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 5

Under Organizational Units, select the OU with the users whose settings you want to update. The same updates will apply to all sub-OUs under the OU you choose.

By default, if you don’t select an OU, you will add your setting to the top OU, named after your domain. This way, you will apply changes to all users in your account.

You can search for an OU to find it faster if you have a large OU structure.

If you’re not familiar with OUs, click here.

Step 6

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 6

Find the Restrict delivery setting on this page and click the CONFIGURE button to the right. 

If you don’t see the CONFIGURE button, click ADD ANOTHER RULE instead.

Step 7

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 7

Give it a name on top. 

Under 1. Add addresses or domains that you want to allow, you need to create a list of all unrestricted emails/domains – anyone not listed there gets rejected. 

Click Use existing list if you already have a list created. 

If not, click Create or edit list.

Step 8

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 8

Clicking Create or edit list takes you to the Manage address lists section.

You can Edit or Delete the existing rule or click ADD ADDRESS LIST to add a new list.

Step 9

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 9

Give the list a name on top.

Then add the email addresses or domains that you want to add to the list. If you trust the sender, disable the Authentication required button, or you may end up rejecting their emails due to this setting.

Click BULK ADD ADDRESSES to add many addresses at once or click ADD ADDRESS to add a new address.

When you’re ready, click SAVE. Then go back to the Restrict delivery setting.

Step 10

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 10

In the Restrict delivery setting, under 1. Add addresses or domains that you want to allow, click Use existing list.

Step 11

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 11

Check the box to the left of any list you want to add to the setting.

Step 12

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 12

After selecting lists, move on to 2. All messages to or from other addresses and domains will be rejected. Edit the default rejection notice for these messages. This is optional, but you can set up a custom rejection notice here if you want to.

3. Options – check to bypass the setting for internal messages. If you’re doing this, I also recommend adding your domain to the list. Never add a domain with www front. Make sure always to add the naked domain, such as ‘google.com’ instead of ‘www.google.com’ 

Click SAVE.

Step 13

How To Restrict Incoming and Outgoing Google Workspace Email Delivery - Step 13

It may take up to 24 hours before the changes kick in.

Now you can see your setting listed in the Restrict delivery section.

You can Edit it, Disable it (turn off temporarily), Delete (completely remove, no restore option) or ADD ANOTHER RULE.

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