How To Forward Sent Messages in Gmail: A Complete Guide

How to Forward Sent Mail in Gmail on Android Devices

Honestly, figuring out how to forward a sent email in Gmail on your Android can be a bit of a maze at first. I remember being stumped for a while because the layout isn’t super obvious, especially if Gmail updates its UI or you’re just tired. To be clear, the process involves going into your Sent folder and forwarding that message from there—which sounds simple—yet it took me some digging to get it right.

Open the Gmail App

First, launch the Gmail app on your Android device. It’s usually tucked away on the home screen or inside the app drawer, often in a folder named something like “Google” or “Productivity.” Make sure you’re signed into the right account because if you have multiple emails, it’s easy to accidentally open the wrong inbox and forward the wrong message. Also, check your internet connection—sometimes slowly loading emails or app hiccups can make options disappear or freeze.

Find Your Sent Items

Once inside, tap the hamburger menu—the three lines at the top left corner—that opens a sidebar with all your folders and labels. If you don’t see the Sent folder right away, try scrolling or tapping “All labels.” It might be tucked under the Labels section, or sometimes it’s inside a menu called More. On some setups, it could be labeled as Sent Mail depending on your language or settings. It’s worth noting that some custom labels might hide it further, so poke around if it’s not immediately visible. This is where your sent emails are stored—just waiting to be forwarded again.

Select the Email to Forward

Scroll through your sent messages until you find the one you want. When you tap on it, it opens up the full email. Be cautious if you’re quickly scrolling—sometimes it’s easy to tap the wrong message or get distracted. If you want to do this fast, pressing and holding on a message might bring up options like “Mark as unread” or “Move to,” but for forwarding, just tap to open the email itself. Sometimes, if you tap the email from the list, it just opens the message, which is what you need.

Forward the Email

Once the email is open, look at the top right corner—you’ll see the three-dot menu icon. Tap there, and a small dropdown appears with options. Usually, the Forward option is somewhere within; it might be beneath a More or directly labeled as Forward. It’s not always in your face—sometimes hidden among other options like reply or reply all. So, just take a second to spot it. When you tap Forward, the app opens a new compose window with the original message included, plus a blank field for you to type in any additional message. If you don’t see the option, it could be a glitch—try restarting the app or updating it from the Play Store.

Customizing and Sending

Next, just enter the recipient’s email address in the To field. You can also add your own notes or context at the top—the forwarding process allows this flexibility. Use Shift + Enter to add a paragraph break if needed. If you want to include attachments from your device, tap the paperclip icon, which might be tucked behind a floating menu (those three dots) at the bottom or somewhere near the send button. Always double-check that the recipient’s email is correct and that your message makes sense before hitting send.

When ready, hit the paper plane icon at the top right. Sometimes, if you haven’t written anything, it’s grayed out, so make sure you’ve typed your message or added recipients. That’s it—your email will shoot off to the new person. It’s really that simple once you get the hang of it, but initially, I got lost trying to find the right menu or the forwarding option.

Tips & Final Notes

One thing I learned the hard way—if options seem missing or the interface looks weird, try updating the Gmail app or restarting your device. Sometimes, features are hidden behind updates or with limited interface modes. Also, be aware that clearing the app cache in Settings > Apps > Gmail > Storage > Clear Cache can fix weird glitches, especially if the forwarding button or menus are missing. If your Gmail is in a different language or your labels are customized, the folder names or menu options might differ slightly—just keep your eyes peeled.

And yeah, a quick reminder: be cautionary, because forwarding a sent email copies the original message exactly, including any attachments—so, double-check attachments and recipients before sending. Also, note that clearing or manipulating certain settings might affect how emails are stored or displayed, especially if you use features like BitLocker or other security tools that tie into your email storage or encryption.

Hope this helps — it took me way too long to figure out all these little quirks and menu placements. If you’re like me and deal with Gmail on mobile, just remember: it’s all about navigation through that menu, and the forwarding button isn’t always where you expect. Anyway, good luck, and hopefully this saves someone else from a frustrating night of tapping around aimlessly!