Master Your Inbox: The Power of Email Aliases
We're constantly bombarded with emails, so any method to boost inbox efficiency is a win. Creating email aliases is a simple yet powerful technique to improve organization and, in some cases, privacy.
Email aliases, available in services like Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail, act as alternative addresses without requiring separate account creation. Messages sent to an alias arrive in your primary inbox. The key benefit isn't anonymity (though it offers some), but enhanced filtering.
What are Email Aliases?
Essentially, aliases are fronts for your main email address. While implementation varies slightly across providers, all messages directed to an alias land in your main inbox, keeping your primary address private. The practical application lies in streamlined filtering.
For instance, use an alias for newsletters, enabling easy filtering—labeling, marking as read, or automatic deletion. Similarly, create aliases for friends/family or work, prioritizing those messages accordingly. This offers considerable inbox management flexibility.
Remember, recipients might deduce your primary address from an alias. For true anonymity, a new email address is necessary. However, for most situations, aliases are far more convenient than creating entirely new accounts.
Creating a Gmail Alias
Gmail alias creation is straightforward. Simply add periods (.) and plus signs ( ) to your address. Gmail ignores text after a " " and periods entirely. If your address is "johnsmith@gmail.com," "john.smith@gmail.com," "johnsmith hello@gmail.com," all deliver to your inbox.
This facilitates effective filtering. For example, use "johnsmith shopping@gmail.com" for online purchases, automatically labeling incoming messages as "shopping" or "receipts." Similarly, "johnsmith news@gmail.com" for newsletters could be marked as read and sent to the Updates tab.
[Related: 4 tips to bring your Gmail inbox to zero]
To set up a filter in Gmail: Access settings (cog icon > See all settings), go to Filters and Blocked Addresses, create a new filter, specify your alias in the "To" field, and click "Create filter." Configure actions (labeling, starring, marking as read, archiving, etc.) and save.
To send from a Gmail alias, navigate to Settings > Accounts > Send mail as > Add another email address. Enter the alias, check "Treat as an alias," and click "Next Step."
Creating an Outlook Alias
Outlook aliases function similarly to Gmail's. You can create new "@outlook.com" addresses within your primary account for enhanced anonymity.
While plus signs ( ) work (e.g., "johnsmith news@outlook.com"), periods (.) don't function like in Gmail. No specific alias creation is needed; simply use them, and they'll work automatically.
To filter, click the cog icon > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Rules > Add new rule. Name the rule, add a condition ("To" field), enter your alias, and specify actions (deleting, moving, marking as read, etc.). Add multiple actions or exceptions as needed.
Unlike Gmail, you can't send from these modified addresses. However, Outlook allows adding entirely new @outlook.com addresses to your account (account.live.com/AddAssocId/). Manage both your original and new addresses from the same account, sending and receiving from both.
Filtering for these new aliases mirrors the process for plus-sign aliases. Sending from these added addresses is possible by selecting them in the "From" field when composing an email.
Creating an iCloud Email Alias for Apple Mail
Apple Mail's alias system resembles Outlook's. Plus signs ( ) work automatically (e.g., "johnsmith work@icloud.com"), but sending from these isn't possible. You can create up to three new @icloud.com addresses that route to your main inbox.
For plus-sign alias filtering, go to iCloud Mail's web portal, click the cog icon > Preferences > Rules > Add rule. Enter your alias, set the condition ("is address to"), and specify actions.
For new, standalone aliases, click the cog icon > Preferences > Accounts > Add an alias, enter your desired address, and apply a label if needed. These new aliases allow sending and receiving, accessible from both the web and macOS Mail app. Manage these aliases in the Mail app via Mail > Settings.
This story has been updated. It was originally published on November 11, 2018.
The above is the detailed content of Use email aliases to organize your inbox—and stay private. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
Hot AI Tools
Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free
Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos
AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.
Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover
Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!
Hot Article
Hot Tools
Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor
SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use
Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment
Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools
SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)
Windows Security is blank or not showing options
Jul 07, 2025 am 02:40 AM
When the Windows Security Center is blank or the function is missing, you can follow the following steps to check: 1. Confirm whether the system version supports full functions, some functions of the Home Edition are limited, and the Professional Edition and above are more complete; 2. Restart the SecurityHealthService service to ensure that its startup type is set to automatic; 3. Check and uninstall third-party security software that may conflict; 4. Run the sfc/scannow and DISM commands to repair system files; 5. Try to reset or reinstall the Windows Security Center application, and contact Microsoft support if necessary.
Windows stuck on 'undoing changes made to your computer'
Jul 05, 2025 am 02:51 AM
The computer is stuck in the "Undo Changes made to the computer" interface, which is a common problem after the Windows update fails. It is usually caused by the stuck rollback process and cannot enter the system normally. 1. First of all, you should wait patiently for a long enough time, especially after restarting, it may take more than 30 minutes to complete the rollback, and observe the hard disk light to determine whether it is still running. 2. If there is no progress for a long time, you can force shut down and enter the recovery environment (WinRE) multiple times, and try to start repair or system restore. 3. After entering safe mode, you can uninstall the most recent update records through the control panel. 4. Use the command prompt to execute the bootrec command in the recovery environment to repair the boot file, or run sfc/scannow to check the system file. 5. The last method is to use the "Reset this computer" function
Proven Ways for Microsoft Teams Error 657rx in Windows 11/10
Jul 07, 2025 pm 12:25 PM
Encountering something went wrong 657rx can be frustrating when you log in to Microsoft Teams or Outlook. In this article on MiniTool, we will explore how to fix the Outlook/Microsoft Teams error 657rx so you can get your workflow back on track.Quick
The RPC server is unavailable Windows
Jul 06, 2025 am 12:07 AM
When encountering the "RPCserverisunavailable" problem, first confirm whether it is a local service exception or a network configuration problem. 1. Check and start the RPC service to ensure that its startup type is automatic. If it cannot be started, check the event log; 2. Check the network connection and firewall settings, test the firewall to turn off the firewall, check DNS resolution and network connectivity; 3. Run the sfc/scannow and DISM commands to repair the system files; 4. Check the group policy and domain controller status in the domain environment, and contact the IT department to assist in the processing. Gradually check it in sequence to locate and solve the problem.
How to fix 'SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION' stop code in Windows
Jul 09, 2025 am 02:56 AM
When encountering the "SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION" blue screen error, you do not need to reinstall the system or replace the hardware immediately. You can follow the following steps to check: 1. Update or roll back hardware drivers such as graphics cards, especially recently updated drivers; 2. Uninstall third-party antivirus software or system tools, and use WindowsDefender or well-known brand products to replace them; 3. Run sfc/scannow and DISM commands as administrator to repair system files; 4. Check memory problems, restore the default frequency and re-plug and unplug the memory stick, and use Windows memory diagnostic tools to detect. In most cases, the driver and software problems can be solved first.
the default gateway is not available Windows
Jul 08, 2025 am 02:21 AM
When you encounter the "DefaultGatewayisNotAvailable" prompt, it means that the computer cannot connect to the router or does not obtain the network address correctly. 1. First, restart the router and computer, wait for the router to fully start before trying to connect; 2. Check whether the IP address is set to automatically obtain, enter the network attribute to ensure that "Automatically obtain IP address" and "Automatically obtain DNS server address" are selected; 3. Run ipconfig/release and ipconfig/renew through the command prompt to release and re-acquire the IP address, and execute the netsh command to reset the network components if necessary; 4. Check the wireless network card driver, update or reinstall the driver to ensure that it works normally.
Windows 11 KB5062660 24H2 out with features, direct download links for offline installer (.msu)
Jul 23, 2025 am 09:43 AM
Windows 11 KB5062660 is now rolling out as an optional update for Windows 11 24H2 with a few new features, including Recall AI in Europe. This patch is available via Windows Update, but Microsoft has also posted direct download l
How to repair Windows 11 using command prompt
Jul 05, 2025 am 02:59 AM
How to use command prompt to repair Windows 11? 1. Enter the command prompt through the recovery environment: enter the recovery environment through USB boot or three consecutive interrupts, and then select Troubleshooting > Advanced Options > Command Prompt; 2. Use DISM to repair the system image: Run DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/CheckHealth to check for corruption, DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/ScanHealth scanning problem, DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth to repair the problem, and specify an external source if necessary; 3. Run SF
