Automatically BCC-ing all emails (both incoming and outgoing) in Google Workspace can help with:
- Email compliance and archiving
- Monitoring for security or legal requirements
- Ensuring a backup of communications
This article guides Google Workspace admins through the process of setting up routing rules to BCC all emails using the Gmail compliance settings.
Note: Only Google Workspace Admins can perform this action, and it requires super admin access. This feature is available in Google Workspace Enterprise, Business Plus, Education, or other higher-tier plans.
Prerequisites
- Super admin access to the Google Admin console.
- An existing email address or group to BCC all messages to (e.g.,
archive@yourdomain.com). - Google Workspace edition that supports advanced Gmail routing features.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Sign in to Admin Console
- Go to admin.google.com
- Log in using your super administrator account.
Step 2: Navigate to Gmail Settings
-
From the Admin console home page, go to: Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Compliance or Routing
(Depending on your version, this may be under Gmail > Advanced Settings.)
-
Scroll to the Routing, Content compliance, or Compliance section.
Step 3: Add a New Rule
➤ To BCC All Outgoing Emails:
- In the Outbound gateway or Routing section, click Add Rule.
- Name your rule:
Auto BCC - Outgoing -
Under Email messages to affect, select:
- Outbound
-
Under Add more recipients, choose:
- Add Bcc recipient
- Enter the email address (e.g.,
bcc-archive@yourdomain.com)
-
(Optional) Under Account types to affect, choose:
- Users
- Save the configuration.
➤ To BCC All Incoming Emails:
- In the same Routing section, click Add Another Rule.
- Name your rule:
Auto BCC - Incoming -
Under Email messages to affect, select:
- Inbound
-
Under Add more recipients, choose:
- Add Bcc recipient
- Enter the email address (e.g.,
bcc-archive@yourdomain.com)
- Save the rule.
Step 4: Apply Settings to the Right Organizational Unit
- Choose whether to apply this rule to the entire organization or to a specific Organizational Unit (OU).
- If you're applying to the root organization, all users will be affected.
- Click Save.
Step 5: Wait for Changes to Propagate
- Changes can take up to 24 hours to take effect across all user accounts.
Important Considerations
- BCC recipients can access all emails—ensure proper access controls.
- Some routing settings may not apply to external recipients unless specifically configured.
- Using Google Vault or a third-party archiving solution may be more appropriate for compliance than BCC alone.
- BCC does not apply to encrypted emails or certain types of third-party mail clients using POP/IMAP.
Testing the BCC Rules
- Send a test outbound email from a user account.
- Check the BCC archive inbox (
bcc-archive@yourdomain.com) to verify receipt. - Do the same with a test inbound email.
- If issues occur, revisit the routing rule or check Gmail logs.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| BCC email not receiving messages | Check if the BCC address is correct and active |
| Rule not applying | Verify it’s applied to the correct OU and saved properly |
| Rule not triggering | Wait up to 24 hours, or check if Gmail logs show routing failures |
| Duplicate emails in BCC inbox | Expected behavior if users reply-all; filter accordingly |
Security and Compliance Note
While BCC works for simple auditing, Google Vault or a dedicated archiving system offers more robust legal compliance, including retention, holds, and eDiscovery.
Summary
By using Gmail’s compliance settings in the Admin console, Google Workspace administrators can configure rules to automatically BCC all emails—both incoming and outgoing—to a specified account. This ensures a consistent backup or monitoring trail for all communications.
If your organization needs more robust compliance or discovery tools, consider deploying Google Vault instead of using BCC.
