---
name: "forward"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "opensmtpd"
version: "7.9.0p0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/forward/5"
---

# forward(5)

email forwarding information file

## NAME

**forward** – email forwarding information file

## DESCRIPTION

Users may put a **.forward** file in their home directory. If this file exists, [smtpd(8)](/smtpd/8.md) forwards email to the destinations specified therein.

A **.forward** file contains a list of expansion values, as described in [aliases(5)](/aliases/5.md). Each expansion value should be on a line by itself. Expansion is performed under the user ID of the **.forward** file owner.

Permissions on the **.forward** file are very strict and expansion is rejected if the file is group or world-writable; if the home directory is group writeable; or if the file is not owned by the user.

Users should avoid editing the **.forward** file directly, to prevent delivery failures from occurring if a message arrives while the file is not fully written. The best option is to use a temporary file and use the [mv(1)](/mv/1.md) command to atomically overwrite the former **.forward**. Alternatively, setting the [sticky(8)](/sticky/8.md) bit on the home directory will cause the **.forward** lookup to return a temporary failure, causing mails to be deferred.

## FILES

- *~/.forward*

  Email forwarding information.

## EXAMPLES

The following file forwards mail to “user@example.com”, and pipes the same mail to “examplemda”.

```
# empty lines are ignored
user@example.com	# anything after # is ignored
"|/path/to/examplemda"
```

## SEE ALSO

[aliases(5)](/aliases/5.md), [smtpd(8)](/smtpd/8.md)

## CAVEATS

The pipe ‘\|’ and :include: mechanisms are not allowed for the root user.