Why is a Gmail address not sending to another Gmail address?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 14 May 2025
Updated 17 Aug 2025
6 min read
It can be incredibly perplexing when a Gmail address isn't sending to another Gmail address, especially when there's no bounce message. This typically means the email wasn't rejected outright but was instead silently dropped or lost somewhere along the way. While Gmail to Gmail delivery is usually highly reliable due to both sender and recipient being on the same platform, unique issues can arise.
When you send an email and it doesn't appear in the recipient's inbox or even their spam folder, it points to a deeper issue than simple spam filtering. This kind of problem can be frustrating because it leaves you without immediate feedback on what went wrong.
I'll help you navigate the potential causes, from simple user errors to more complex technical configurations and reputation challenges, that might prevent your Gmail messages from reaching their intended Gmail destination.
Common reasons for non-delivery
Sometimes, the simplest explanations are the correct ones. Before delving into complex technical details, it's wise to rule out common user-side or immediate recipient-side issues. A frequent cause is a typo in the recipient's email address or an outdated contact. Even a single incorrect character can send your email into the void.
Another often-overlooked factor is the recipient's Gmail settings. They might have a strict filter set up that unintentionally blocks your messages, even from another Gmail account. Additionally, an individual might have accidentally or intentionally added your email address to their personal blocklist (or blacklist) within Gmail. If they've configured forwarding rules to another address, issues with that forwarding setup could also cause the message to disappear.
If you're using a third-party email client (like Outlook or Thunderbird) to send emails from your Gmail account, verify that the SMTP (Outgoing Mail Server) settings are correctly configured for Gmail. Incorrect port numbers, authentication methods, or server addresses can prevent emails from leaving your client, even if they appear to send successfully.
Technical authentication requirements
Even when sending between two Gmail accounts, underlying technical configurations can play a role, especially if one of the accounts is part of a Google Workspace (e.g., yourdomain.com using Gmail as its mail provider). Gmail is very strict about email authentication protocols: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. While less common for personal Gmail accounts, custom domain emails using Gmail's infrastructure must have these records correctly configured. For a deeper understanding of these, explore a simple guide to DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.
If these records are missing or misconfigured for a custom domain, Gmail might not trust the sender, leading to silent drops rather than a clear bounce. This is especially true with recent changes Google has made to its email authentication policies. You can explore a thread about Gmail not sending mail from other addresses for insights from other users.
To confirm the actual email provider for a non-@gmail.com address, you can perform an MX lookup on the domain. This will show you the mail exchange servers responsible for handling emails for that domain. If they point to Google's servers (e.g., GWMX), then it is indeed a Google Workspace account. This step is crucial for understanding whether the specific Gmail troubleshooting steps apply.
Ensuring proper authentication
For custom domains using Gmail, a robust email authentication setup is non-negotiable. This directly impacts how Gmail handles your incoming emails. In a case where emails aren't even reaching the spam folder, authentication issues are a prime suspect.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Ensures that only authorized servers can send emails on behalf of your domain. A missing or misconfigured SPF record can lead to emails being rejected or silently dropped.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Provides a digital signature that verifies the email's authenticity and ensures it hasn't been tampered with in transit.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Builds on SPF and DKIM, telling receiving servers what to do with emails that fail authentication. For help with configuration, consider using a free DMARC record generator tool.
Sender reputation and content
Even for seemingly simple Gmail to Gmail communication, sender reputation plays a role. If your Gmail account, or the domain it's sending from (if it's a Google Workspace domain), has a poor sender reputation, it might be blocklisted (or blacklisted). Blocklisting is a common reason emails fail to send. For more information, check out what it means when your email is blocklisted.
Content is another critical area. Gmail's spam filters are sophisticated. If your email contains elements commonly associated with spam (e.g., suspicious links, certain keywords, or unusually large attachments), it could be flagged and discarded before it even reaches the recipient's spam folder. This is particularly relevant if you're sending automated emails or bulk messages from a Gmail alias. Learn more about why emails to Gmail experience delivery delays and spam issues.
A key distinction in troubleshooting these issues is whether you receive a bounce message or not. When you receive a bounce, it provides valuable information about why the email failed. However, a silent drop means the email was discarded by Gmail's filters without generating an error notification back to the sender. This often happens due to severe authentication failures or extremely poor sender reputation, leading Gmail to simply delete the message.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always check the recipient's email address for typos or incorrect formatting.
Verify your internet connection and Gmail's server status before troubleshooting.
Ensure your domain's SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured.
Monitor your sender reputation to avoid common blocklists and blacklists.
Regularly clear your browser's cache and cookies if sending from the web interface.
Common pitfalls
Assuming a non-@gmail.com address is still managed by Google without an MX lookup.
Overlooking recipient-side settings like filters, forwarding rules, or block lists.
Ignoring the possibility of a temporary server issue or internet connectivity problem.
Failing to check if an email client's SMTP settings are misconfigured for the Gmail account.
Not testing with multiple recipients or senders to isolate the problem's scope.
Expert tips
Use Google Postmaster Tools to gain insights into your Gmail sending performance.
Implement a DMARC policy with reporting to receive valuable feedback on email authentication.
Segment your audience and personalize content to improve sender reputation metrics.
Regularly review your email lists for inactive or invalid addresses to reduce bounce rates.
Ensure your sending volume is consistent and gradually increase it to avoid flagging by ISPs.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says sending via the Gmail API might lead to issues due to recent crackdowns on abuse.
2024-02-27 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says it is important to determine if the issue is a one-off or consistently replicable.
2024-02-27 - Email Geeks
Unraveling Gmail delivery issues
When a Gmail address isn't sending to another Gmail address, and the email doesn't even appear in spam, it's a clear sign of a deliverability challenge that requires more than a casual glance. From simple typos to complex authentication failures and sender reputation issues, the cause can be multi-faceted. Understanding the flow of email and Gmail's stringent requirements is key to diagnosing and resolving these problems.
By systematically checking the common pitfalls, ensuring proper email authentication for custom domains, and maintaining a healthy sender reputation, you can significantly improve your chances of achieving consistent inbox placement. Remember, the absence of a bounce message is not necessarily good news, as it often points to a silent rejection by the receiving mail server. Regular monitoring and adherence to best practices are your best defense against such elusive delivery failures.
address isn't sending to another Gmail address, especially when there's no bounce message. This typically means the email wasn't rejected outright but was instead silently dropped or lost somewhere along the way. While Gmail to Gmail delivery is usually highly reliable due to both sender and recipient being on the same platform, unique issues can arise.
Outlook or Thunderbird) to send emails from your Gmail account, verify that the SMTP (Outgoing Mail Server) settings are correctly configured for Gmail. Incorrect port numbers, authentication methods, or server addresses can prevent emails from leaving your client, even if they appear to send successfully.
Google has made to its email authentication policies. You can explore a thread about Gmail not sending mail from other addresses for insights from other users.
