Managing emails efficiently is crucial for any individual or business, especially when operating multiple mailboxes or needing centralized communication. The Forwarders interface in cPanel is a powerful feature that allows you to redirect emails from one address to another, helping reduce mailbox clutter and streamline responses.
This guide is written exclusively for Govaio.com customers to help you understand, configure, and troubleshoot email forwarders using your Govaio-hosted cPanel account.
🔍 What Are Email Forwarders?
Email forwarders automatically redirect incoming mail from one email address to another without storing a copy on the original account—unless specified otherwise.
Example Scenario:
Let’s say you own both:
joe@govaio.com
joseph@govaio.com
Instead of checking two inboxes, you can forward all emails sent to joe@govaio.com directly to joseph@govaio.com, making joseph@govaio.com your primary inbox.
🧰 Why Use Email Forwarders?
- 📩 Consolidate Communication: Receive all messages in one central inbox.
- 👥 Team Management: Forward inquiries from support@govaio.com to multiple support staff emails.
- 📥 Alias Management: Use multiple aliases for a single account (e.g., info@, sales@, and contact@).
- 👋 Former Employees: Forward mail from former team members' addresses without giving access to their old inbox.
- 🧪 Email Testing: Route testing addresses to dev/admin accounts for review.
🛠 How to Create an Email Forwarder in cPanel (Govaio Version)
Follow these steps to set up a forwarder via your Govaio-hosted cPanel:
Step 1: Log In
Go to your cPanel via https://my.govaio.com/login.
Navigate to the “Forwarders” option under the Email section.
Step 2: Add Email Forwarder
- Click “Add Forwarder.”
- In the Address to Forward field, type the first part of the email (e.g., joe).
- Select the correct domain (e.g., @govaio.com).
- Enter the destination address (e.g., joseph@govaio.com) in the Forward to Email Address field.
- Click “Add Forwarder.”
🎉 Done! All new emails to joe@govaio.com will now automatically redirect to joseph@govaio.com.
🔁 Domain Forwarders vs Email Forwarders
There are two types of forwarders in cPanel:
1. Email Account Forwarders
Forwards one email address to another specific address.
Example: sales@govaio.com → admin@govaio.com
2. Domain Forwarders
Forwards all email accounts from one domain to another.
Example: All emails to @old.govaio.com forward to @new.govaio.com
⚠️ Note: Domain forwarders don’t forward email accounts that already exist on the destination domain.
🌐 Forwarders and Webmail Access
If you set up a forwarder for joe@govaio.com but don’t create an email account for it, you can’t log in to check its inbox via webmail. That email address is purely for redirection.
If you need to:
- Access mail via webmail and
- Forward it to another address,
- … then create an email account and a forwarder.
🔒 Security Considerations
While forwarders are a convenience, there are a few security best practices you should follow on Govaio:
✅ Do not forward to public, insecure emails (e.g., free Gmail accounts) unless necessary.
✅ Use DKIM and SPF records to prevent mail spoofing and ensure your forwarded emails don’t land in spam.
✅ Monitor bounce-backs. Improperly configured forwarders can cause your server’s IP to be flagged if it relays spam.
🧠 Common Use Cases at Govaio
| Situation | Solution |
|---|---|
| Team inbox (e.g., support@) needs to reach 3 agents | Use multiple forwarders to agent emails |
| Manager needs to review intern’s inbox during handoff | Set up forwarder from intern’s email to manager’s |
| Have a catch-all domain address | Create a domain forwarder to admin address |
| Email aliases like info@, help@ point to same mailbox | Use email forwarders to redirect all to support@ |
🧪 Troubleshooting Forwarders (Problem Solving Section)
🚫 Problem 1: Email Not Arriving in Destination Mailbox
Causes & Fixes:
💡 Forwarded address may be incorrect → Recheck spelling.
🚫 SPF/DKIM/DMARC misconfigurations → Ensure DNS records allow Govaio to send on your behalf.
📬 Destination inbox has filter/spam rules → Check spam folder and rules on recipient side.
⚠️ Email account not created → Forwarders work even if the email account isn’t created, but misrouting can happen if improperly set.
❌ Problem 2: Forwarded Emails Go to Spam
Fixes:
- Set up SPF, DKIM, and optionally DMARC.
- Avoid forwarding spam—use SpamAssassin or filters to discard before forwarding.
- Ask recipient to whitelist govaio.com mail server IPs.
🔁 Problem 3: Looping Forwarders
Description:
Forwarder A → B and B → A can cause infinite mail loops.
Fix:
Avoid creating forwarders that redirect in circular patterns.
🔁 How to Delete or Edit a Forwarder
To Delete:
- Go to Forwarders in cPanel.
- Scroll to the Email Account Forwarders list.
- Click “Delete” next to the one you want to remove.
To Edit:
There’s no direct “edit” option. Delete the old forwarder and create a new one with updated info.
⚙️ Advanced Tips for Govaio Users
🔂 Combine forwarders with filters for precise control (e.g., forward only certain types of emails).
📥 Set up forwarders for external mailboxes, but note that forwarding to free services like Gmail may trigger delivery challenges due to anti-spam policies.
📁 If you want copies of emails saved in the original inbox too, create the email account before adding the forwarder.
The Forwarders feature in cPanel is a simple yet powerful way to manage communication flow across your team, departments, or personal aliases. Whether you’re setting up a company-wide communication pipeline or just simplifying your personal inbox management, this tool is a must-have in your Govaio toolbox.
✅ This article is written exclusively for Govaio.com clients, tailored to help you optimize email delivery, save time, and maintain professional communication.
❓Need Help?
For expert assistance, contact Govaio Support:
📧 Email: support@govaio.com
🌐 Portal: https://www.govaio.com/support