Let Gmail send your emails to us

Before you start

You will need two things: your private CatchTheMail address, which you can copy from your dashboard at any time, and Gmail open on a computer, because Gmail only shows forwarding settings in its desktop view. It also helps to know how the two modes differ. Forwarding by hand keeps you in full control: we see only what you choose to send. Automatic forwarding hands the routine to Gmail: a filter you create once passes new messages to us on its own, skipping obvious newsletters and ads.

One rule about your monthly allowance is worth knowing up front. Every email that reaches us and is analyzed counts toward your allowance, whether you forwarded it by hand or Gmail sent it automatically. Forwarding confirmation messages and bulk mail caught by our pre-filter do not count.

Gmail step 1: add your forwarding address

Open Gmail on a computer, click the gear icon and choose See all settings. Go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab and click Add a forwarding address. Paste your private CatchTheMail address, which you can copy from your dashboard. It looks like kutu+a1b2c3@posta.catchthemail.com.

Gmail step 2: confirm the address

Gmail sends a confirmation message to that address to verify you own it. Since the address belongs to your CatchTheMail account, the message appears in your dashboard: open the sidebar item Forwarding confirmations, open the newest message and use the confirmation code or link inside. Confirmation messages do not count toward your monthly allowance.

Gmail step 3: create the smart filter

In the Gmail search bar, click the sliders icon on the right to open search options. In the Doesn't have field, type unsubscribe and click Create filter. On the next screen, check Forward it to, select your CatchTheMail address and confirm with Create filter.

Why this works: nearly all newsletters and promotional emails are required to include an unsubscribe link, so this single keyword screens out most bulk mail before it reaches the AI. A note for the curious: Gmail applies filters before it sorts mail into tabs such as Promotions, so tab-based conditions are not reliable in filters. A keyword condition works consistently.

Test your setup

To confirm everything works, send yourself a test email from another address, for example from a work account or a friend, and make sure the message does not contain the word unsubscribe. Gmail should forward it automatically, and the analysis should appear on your dashboard, typically within seconds, together with a result email in your inbox. If nothing arrives, check that the filter action points at your CatchTheMail address and that the address was confirmed in step 2.

Using Outlook?

Outlook on the web supports the same idea through rules: open Settings → Mail → Rules, add a new rule with the conditions you want and choose Forward to as the action, pointing at your CatchTheMail address. A detailed Outlook guide is on the way.

Good to know

• Your mail stays in Gmail exactly as before. The filter only sends a copy to CatchTheMail; nothing is archived, moved or deleted.
• Occasionally a genuinely important email contains the word "unsubscribe" and will not be auto-forwarded. You can always forward such a message manually, the same way as before.
• Every email Gmail sends us automatically counts toward your monthly allowance, so expect your usage to grow faster than when you send emails one by one.
• Changing your mind is just as easy: delete the filter under Settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses and automatic forwarding stops immediately. You can keep forwarding by hand whenever you like.