Forwarded gmail deletes from original gmail account only from iPhone

Question

Forwarded gmail deletes from original gmail account only from iPhone

Hello,

I set up one of my Gmail accounts (GmailA) to auto-forward all emails to another Gmail account (GmailB). I did the initial auto-forward set up on my Windows computer.

When I use my Windows computer and read all my GmailB emails, I see all the GmailA emails. When I delete the GmailA emails from within my GmailB account they still remain on the GmailA account. This is the desired result.

When I use my iPhone iOS 18.6.2 and open up the iOS mail app for GmailB, I see all the GmailA emails. When I delete the GmailA emails they ALSO delete from the GmailA account and are no longer available on any platform (iOS nor Windows). This is NOT the desired result.

Why does the native email on iOS delete the forwarded GmailA emails from both GmailB and GmailA accounts? How can this be fixed to only delete the GmailA emails from the GmailB account just like it does when I use my Windows computer?

iPhone 15 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on Oct 30, 2025 6:14 AM

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Answer 1

AlWeir

Level 5

4,874 points

Oct 30, 2025 6:57 AM in response to syfinocchiaro

Not sure why you are forwarding email from Point A to Point B on the same servers of Gmail. I could understand it if you were forwarding it from Point A to Point B and on a server from Microsoft or Apple. Most servers today use IMAP where emails are not deleted and are saved indefinitely until deleted by the end-user, so basically your GmailB is acting like a email client, like Apple Mail or the Outlook.app and anything you delete off of it will also delete on GmailA.

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Answer 2

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,956 points

Oct 30, 2025 10:51 AM in response to syfinocchiaro

syfinocchiaro (Author)

Perhaps this can be changed as a matter of course

and starting within main Google Account services..?

At least this is sort of 'neutral' or main ground here.

If you were using one of your double identity gmails

but do not use an Apple Mail; like times in the past..

A different .app store for gmail may exist. If so, then

you might continue with Gmail in Firefox, etc.

While newer/newest macOS and iOS share code,

their in-OS versions vary enough & wobble some.

And then, MS Windows adds turning points; may

also wind up in 'no-exit' corners, too!

With '2FA' in both Google and Apple, it's possible

& work around those; even across dissimilar build

year models. However an external loop, may be a

different browser to carry differences, through.

For Firefox, their mozilla downloads has iOS. The

Brave browser once you figure out settings, is OK.

.I have a variety of older to near obsolete HW+SW.

From extinction's edge, a view shows opportunity.

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Answer 3

Oct 31, 2025 2:46 AM in response to AlWeir

I am doing it because I need to have someone else's mail forwarded to me during their illness. So Person B is ill and I am person A. I am helping them by receiving their email without signing in directly to their account. That is my reason.

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Answer 4

Oct 31, 2025 2:48 AM in response to K Shaffer

Thank you for your response, I am successful on my computer in getting the desired results but am curious why the iOS mail app seems to override gmail configuration and deletes the email on both accounts.

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