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When someone forwards an email to you, the message’s actual sender is the person who forwarded it—not the person named in the forwarded text. Selecting Reply therefore addresses the forwarder by default.
To answer the original sender, open the forwarded headers, copy the original sender’s address, and replace the forwarder in the draft’s To field. The steps differ slightly between new Outlook, Outlook on the web, Outlook.com, and classic Outlook for Windows.
What happens when you reply to a forwarded email?
Suppose Bob forwards Alice’s message to you. Outlook treats Bob as the sender of the message in your inbox. If you select Reply, the draft is addressed to Bob:
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| Action | Who normally receives the reply? |
|---|---|
| Reply | The person who forwarded the message to you |
| Reply all | The forwarder, plus the people currently shown in the message’s To and Cc fields |
| Manually change To | The original sender, if you enter that person’s address |
The original sender’s name in the quoted forwarded content is only part of the message body. It is not automatically treated as a recipient. Reply all does not reliably solve this problem because it uses the current message’s recipient list, not every address displayed in the forwarded text.
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Reply to the original sender in new Outlook or Outlook on the web
- In the message list, select the forwarded email.
- At the upper-right of the message pane, select Reply. You can also select Message actions and then choose Reply.
- Look at the bottom of the reply editor for Show message history. Select it if the forwarded content and its headers are hidden.
- Find the embedded header in the forwarded content. It may show details such as From, To, Date, and Subject. Copy the original sender’s complete email address.
- In the draft’s To line, remove the forwarder’s address.
- Enter the original sender’s address in To. Add other recipients to Cc or Bcc if appropriate.
- Write your response and select Send.
In the current web interface, Reply, Reply all, and Forward appear at the top right of the message pane. In some older Outlook on the web layouts, the equivalent command is under More actions. The Show message history option is still the control to use when the quoted message is not visible in the editor.
Reply in Outlook.com
- Open the forwarded message.
- Select Reply at the upper right of the message, or select Show message history first if you need to inspect the forwarded headers.
- Read the embedded From line and copy the original sender’s address.
- Replace the forwarder in the draft’s To field with that address.
- Type your reply and select Send.
If the message history is collapsed, clicking Reply alone may open a draft without showing enough of the original content. Expand Show message history before trying to identify the sender.
Reply in classic Outlook for Windows
- Select the forwarded message in your inbox.
- Select Reply on the ribbon or in the Reading Pane.
- If the inline draft is difficult to use, select Pop Out to open the reply in its own window.
- Read the forwarded content and locate the original sender’s email address.
- Replace the forwarder in the To field with the original sender’s address.
- Write the response and select Send.
To make replies open in a separate window automatically, select File > Options > Mail. Scroll to Replies and forwards, select Open replies and forwards in a new window, and select OK.
What if the original sender’s address is missing?
Outlook cannot reconstruct an address that is not present in the forwarded content. A forwarder may have deleted the forwarded headers, pasted only part of the original message, or altered the text before sending it.
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In that situation, ask the forwarder for the original sender’s address or obtain it from another source. Then enter it manually in the reply’s To field. Do not rely on the displayed name alone: verify the full address before sending, especially when the message concerns payments, account access, or confidential information.
Forwarded as an attachment versus pasted into the message
There are two common kinds of forwarded email:
- Inline forward: The original message appears as quoted text inside the forwarder’s message. Read its embedded headers and copy the original sender’s address.
- Forwarded email attachment: The original message is attached as an Outlook item or another file. Replying to the outer message still replies to the person who sent the outer message. Open the attached message separately, identify its sender, and create or address a reply to that person.
The sender shown in an attached original message does not automatically change the recipient of a reply to the outer email.
Attachments are not carried into a reply
Outlook does not automatically include the forwarded message’s attachments when you select Reply or Reply all. If the original sender needs to receive a file, add it again using Attach.
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If you need to send the original email itself as an attachment in classic Outlook, select the message in the message list and choose More Respond Actions > Forward as Attachment. A normal Forward includes attachments that were included with the message being forwarded, but it is still addressed as a forward rather than a reply to the original sender.
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Forwarding and redirecting are different
This problem often comes from confusing an automatic forward with an automatic redirect.
| Method | How the message appears to arrive | Where a reply goes |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | From the account that forwarded it | To the forwarding account or address |
| Redirect | With the original sender identity preserved | To the original sender |
A manually forwarded message behaves like a forward. Automatic rules using Forward to also make the forwarding account the apparent sender. A rule using Redirect to preserves the original sender identity, so a normal reply can go back to that sender.
Set up a redirect rule in new Outlook or Outlook on the web
- Select Settings > Mail > Rules.
- Select Add new rule.
- Choose the conditions for the messages you want to process.
- Under the action, choose Redirect to and enter the destination address.
- Select Save.
To create a conventional forwarded copy instead, choose Forward to or Forward as attachment.
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- On the Home tab, select More commands > Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts.
- Select New Rule.
- Under Start from a blank rule, select Apply rule on messages I receive.
- Choose your conditions.
- For the action, choose either forward it to people or public group or redirect it to people or public group.
- Complete the rule and save it.
Do not use Resend for this task
Resend message is not a way to reply to the original sender of a forwarded email. It sends a previously sent message again, without adding the information needed for a new reply.
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In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, open Sent Items, select the sent message, and choose […] > Advanced actions > Resend message. In classic Outlook, open the sent message, select the Message tab, and choose Move > Actions > Resend This Message. This feature is for sending an earlier message again, not for routing a forwarded conversation to its original author.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Final check before sending
- Confirm that To contains the original sender, not only the forwarder.
- Check whether the forwarder or other recipients should remain in Cc.
- Remove unintended recipients from To and Cc.
- Reattach any file the original sender needs.
- Check the full email domain, not just the displayed name.
- Review the quoted content for sensitive information that should not be sent to additional recipients.
FAQ
Does Reply in Outlook reply to the original sender of a forwarded email?
Usually, no. It replies to the person who sent the forwarded message. Replace that address with the original sender’s address from the forwarded headers.
Does Reply all include the original sender?
Not necessarily. Reply all addresses the current message’s sender and the people on its current To and Cc lines. An address shown only in quoted forwarded text is not automatically included.
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Open a reply and select Show message history at the bottom of the message pane or editor. The forwarded headers should then be visible.
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Why did the attachment disappear when I replied?
Outlook does not automatically include attachments in replies. Use Attach to add the file again, or use Forward if you need to send the forwarded message with its attachments.
What is the difference between forwarding and redirecting?
Forwarding makes the forwarding account appear to be the sender, so replies go there. Redirecting preserves the original sender identity, allowing replies to route to the original sender.
The Bottom Line
For a manually forwarded email, select Reply, reveal Show message history if necessary, copy the original sender’s address from the forwarded headers, and replace the forwarder in To. Do not depend on Reply all, and remember that attachments must be added again manually.
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