How to Use Email Aliases to Protect Your Inbox
Your email address is the key that links all your accounts. Using one address everywhere makes it easy for advertisers and criminals to connect your activity. An alias gives each service its own address that forwards to your real inbox.
What an alias does
An alias is an alternative address that delivers to your main mailbox. If one alias starts receiving spam, you can switch it off without touching anything else.
Benefits
- Reduces spam and marketing.
- Makes it obvious which company leaked or sold your address.
- Hides your real address from sites that do not need it.
- Makes credential stuffing harder, since usernames differ.
Ways to create aliases
- Plus addressing. Many providers deliver name+shop@example.com to name@example.com. It is simple, but easy for sites to strip off.
- Built-in alias features. Several email and operating-system providers offer hide-my-email or masked address tools.
- Dedicated alias services. Some privacy services create random forwarding addresses and let you reply without revealing your real one.
- Your own domain. A custom domain with catch-all lets you create unlimited addresses.
Good habits
Use a separate alias for banking and important accounts, and keep your real address private. Make sure you can still recover accounts if an alias service closes.
Key takeaway: Use a different alias for each service. It cuts spam, limits tracking and tells you who leaked your address.
