Reply to Original Forwarded Email: Step-by-Step

What You’ll Need

An email account (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or similar)
The forwarded email open in your inbox or sent folder
Access to the original sender’s email address (it appears in the forwarded message’s header)

Step-by-Step

Open the forwarded email – Click on the forwarded email in your inbox to open it. You’ll see the original message nested below the forwarder’s note, often with a header like “From: [Original Sender]” and “Date: [Original Date]”.
Locate the reply options – Look at the top of the email window. In most email clients, you’ll see a reply icon (an arrow pointing left) and a dropdown arrow next to it. Click that dropdown to see all reply choices. In Gmail, it’s the three vertical dots; in Outlook, it’s the “Reply” button with a small arrow.
Choose “Reply to [Original Sender]” – From the dropdown menu, select the option that says “Reply to [Original Sender]” or “Reply to all” if you want to include the forwarder. This action opens a compose window with the original sender’s address in the “To” field. If you don’t see this option, you can manually copy the original sender’s email address from the forwarded header and paste it into a new email.
Write your response – Type your message in the body. It’s good practice to quote the relevant part of the original email, but keep your reply concise. If you’re responding to a question, answer it directly.
Check the recipient list – Before sending, double-check the “To” field. Make sure it shows the original sender’s address, not the forwarder’s. If you accidentally included the forwarder and don’t want them to see your reply, remove their address.
Send your email – Click the “Send” button. Your reply goes directly to the original sender, and they’ll see your response in their inbox, not as part of the forwarded thread.

Common Mistakes

Replying to the forwarder instead – The most common error is clicking the standard “Reply” button, which sends your message to the person who forwarded the email, not the original sender. Always use the dropdown to select “Reply to [Original Sender]”.
Forgetting to update the subject line – The subject line often remains “Fwd: [Original Subject]”. You can leave it, but if you’re starting a new conversation, consider changing it to something relevant.
Including the entire forwarded thread – When you reply, the original email is often quoted automatically. Trim it to only the relevant parts to avoid a cluttered message.
Not checking the “To” field – Sometimes the email client may still show the forwarder’s address. Always verify before sending.

Tips

Use “Reply All” wisely – If the original email had multiple recipients, “Reply All” will send your response to everyone, including the forwarder. Only use it if you want all parties to see your reply.
Copy the original sender’s address manually – If your email client doesn’t offer a direct “Reply to Original Sender” option, highlight the original sender’s email address in the forwarded header, copy it, and paste it into a new email’s “To” field. This works in any email client.
Keep the thread intact – If you want the original sender to see the context, leave the quoted original email in your reply. But if the original is long, trim it to the relevant portion.
Be aware of privacy – If the forwarder added a note that they didn’t want the original sender to see, don’t reply directly to the original sender without considering that. In that case, you might reply to the forwarder first to ask if it’s okay.

Troubleshooting

No “Reply to Original Sender” option – Some email clients, especially on mobile apps, may not show this option. In that case, open the forwarded email, find the original sender’s address in the header (it’s usually after “From:”), copy it, and compose a new email to that address. You can also forward your reply to the original sender, but that adds an extra step.
Reply goes to the forwarder anyway – If you clicked the standard “Reply” button and it went to the forwarder, don’t panic. You can either send a follow-up to the original sender, or if you haven’t sent yet, cancel the email and redo it with the correct recipient.
Original sender’s address is not visible – In some forwarded emails, the original header may be hidden. Look for a “Show original” or “View details” link in your email client. In Gmail, click the three-dot menu and select “Show original” to see the full headers. Then copy the original sender’s address from there.
You accidentally sent to the forwarder – If you already sent the reply to the forwarder by mistake, send a brief apology and then forward your reply to the original sender. Or, if the forwarder is a colleague, they might understand and forward it themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my email client not have a “Reply to Original Sender” option?

Some email clients, especially mobile apps, simplify the reply options. They may only show “Reply” and “Reply All” without a specific option for the original sender. In that case, you’ll need to manually copy the original sender’s address from the forwarded email’s header.

Can I reply to the original sender without the forwarder knowing?

Yes, if you use “Reply to [Original Sender]” (not “Reply All”), the forwarder will not receive your reply. However, if the original email was sent to multiple people and you use “Reply All”, the forwarder may be included if they were on the original email.

What if the original email is very old? Will the reply still go through?

Yes, as long as the original sender’s email address is still valid. The age of the email doesn’t affect delivery. However, if the original sender has changed their email address, your reply may bounce back.

Should I change the subject line when replying to the original sender?

It’s not necessary, but if the subject line starts with “Fwd:”, you might want to remove that prefix to make the email look like a new conversation. Some email clients automatically clean it up when you reply to the original sender.

Can I reply to the original sender from my phone?

Yes, most mobile email apps (like Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail) allow you to reply to the original sender. Look for the reply icon and then tap the dropdown arrow to see options like “Reply to [Original Sender]”. If not available, you can copy the address and compose a new email.

What should I do if I accidentally reply to the forwarder instead?

If you haven’t sent it yet, cancel the email and start over. If you’ve already sent it, send a quick follow-up to the forwarder explaining the mistake and then forward your reply to the original sender. It’s a common slip, so don’t worry too much.

Sources: Google Workspace Help Center. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.