Keep your everyday email a little more private.

What an alias does

An email alias receives messages and forwards them to your real inbox. Use a separate alias for each shop, newsletter or service where practical. If one attracts unwanted mail, you can disable that address without changing your main email.

Set it up without locking yourself out

1. Choose one low-risk sign-up

   Start with a newsletter or shop, so you can learn how forwarding and replies work.

2. Record which alias belongs to which account

   Keep the address in your password manager alongside the account. Use a unique password and secure the alias provider too.

3. Test delivery and recovery

   Check that verification and password-reset messages arrive. Some sites reject aliases, so you may need another address.

4. Pause before disabling an alias

   Update important accounts first. Otherwise you could miss receipts, password resets or other essential messages.

What about name+shop@gmail.com?

A plus tag can help you organise mail, but it visibly reveals the underlying address and can be removed by a sender. It is not the same as a separate private forwarding alias.

Related guides

• Ask where they got your details. How to ask an organisation what it holds about you and where it came from, how long it has to answer and what to do with the reply.