Regular email addresses and forwarding email addresses are two different address types that you can have in an email system.

Regular email addresses have their own, unique inboxes where you can send, receive and access your email. You can access your inbox online or with an email client (like Outlook or Apple Mail).

Forwarding email addresses allow you to automatically direct incoming email messages to another email address. There is no inbox for a forwarding email address, and nothing is stored. It redirects any email messages sent to your forwarding email address to the other email address you specified.

The same email address can't be both a regular email address and a forwarding email address. Any address can only be used for one of these services at a time. If you change your mind, you can delete the email address or forwarding the email address, and then set it up as the other option.