Disable Auto-Forwarding Emails in Office 365 in Just 9 Steps

Outlook’s auto-forwarding feature can be useful for productivity, but it’s also a major security risk if left unchecked. If a hacker gains access to a user’s mailbox, they can silently forward every incoming email to an external account, stealing confidential company data without detection.

The safest way to prevent this is by disabling auto-forwarding in Office 365 using an Exchange mail flow rule. This process ensures that no emails are automatically sent outside your organization without approval.

How to Disable Auto-Forwarding in Office 365 – Step-by-Step

Step 1: Open the Exchange Admin Center

Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center at admin.microsoft.com or office.com. Then enter your admin login credentials. Once logged in, go straight to the admin settings.

Step 2: Go to Exchange

Under Admin centers, click Exchange. This will take you to the Exchange Admin Center page, where you can apply org-wide Outlook settings.

Step 3: Click on Mail Flow

In the left-hand menu, select Mail flow. Click on the Rules tab, then click on the (+) button. Select Create a new rule from the drop-down menu.

Step 4: Enable More Options & Name Your Rule

Select More options. Name your new rule under Name. This will help you to easily identify it from the rest of the rules. In the Apply this rule if drop-down, choose The sender → is external/internal.

Step 5: Set the Sender Location

Select Inside the organization and click Save.

Step 6: Block the message

In the Do the following drop-down, choose Block the message. Select “Reject the message and include an explanation”.

Step 7: Specify a Reason for Rejection

Enter a clear reason, such as: “Auto-forwarding has been blocked for security reasons.”

Step 8: Save Changes

Don’t forget to click on the Enforce radio button before saving changes.

Step 9: Rule Successfully Created

Your rule is now active. Auto-forwarding of messages to external addresses is blocked. This reduces the risk of hackers stealing proprietary information.

We hope you found this article on Office 365/Exchange/Outlook helpful.

Final Security Tip

Along with blocking auto-forwarding in Office 365, consider enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and regularly reviewing mailbox rules for suspicious activity.

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Also read: How to Create and Enforce Common Signature in Office 365