Get misaddressed email in a catch-all mailbox

As an administrator, you might want to get and save incoming messages sent to non-existent or incorrect email addresses in your domain. Add a catch-all address to your routing settings to get all incoming messages like this in a single mailbox.

You can use catch-all routing to get messages sent to common email addresses, such as [e-mail], [e-mail], and [e-mail]. For example, if you want to get messages sent to these email addresses in one account, create a mailbox for [e-mail], and then create a catch-all setting that sends messages addressed to [e-mail] and [e-mail] to the [e-mail] mailbox.

Step 1: Create or verify your catch-all email address

Before you add the catch-all routing setting, decide what mailbox and email address to use for messages sent to incorrect or non-existent email addresses. You'll use this email address in Step 2.

The catch-all account can be any one of these accounts:

• An existing user account, for example your own Gmail account.
• A new user account that you add in Google Workspace. Add an account for a new user.
• A Google Group. Use the Google Group email address as the catch-all address. Using a group lets other people in your organization check messages sent to the catch-all address. Create a group.

Step 2: Add a catch-all routing setting in your Admin console

1. Sign in to your Google Admin console.

   Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).

2. In the Admin console, go to Menu  AppsGoogle WorkspaceGmailRouting.
3. On the Routing tab, scroll to Routing.
4. Click Configure or Add Another Rule. The Add setting box opens.
5.  In the Add setting box, take these steps:
    

   Setting options	What to do
   Required	Enter a name or description for the new rule. If this field is empty, you can't save the new setting.
   Email messages to affect	Check the Inbound box.
   For above type of messages	Click the menu  and select Modify message. Check the Change envelope recipient box. Select the Replace recipient option and enter the catch-all email address you determined in Step 1. Scroll down, and click Show options.
   Options	Under Account types to affect, check the Unrecognized/Catch-all box.  Make sure the Users and Groups boxes are unchecked. (Optional) To apply this setting only to senders or recipients that you specify: Under Envelope filter, check one or both boxes. Click the menu  and select an option for matching sender and recipient addresses. Enter an email address, pattern, or group to match. Repeat for all senders and recipients.

6. At the bottom of the Add setting box, click Save. Changes can take up to 24 hours but typically happen more quickly. Learn more

Turn off your catch-all mailbox

To turn off your catch-all mailbox, disable or delete setting you added in Step 2:

1. Sign in to your Google Admin console.

   Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).

2. In the Admin console, go to Menu  AppsGoogle WorkspaceGmailRouting.
3. On the Routing tab, scroll to Routing.
4. Point at the setting you added in Step 2, click Disable or Delete, and then confirm your action.

Related topics

• Update catch-all routing settings after settings migration
• Email routing and delivery options for Google Workspace