What a Gmail alias actually is
A Gmail alias is an alternate email address that sends and receives mail to your main Gmail inbox. When someone emails your alias, the message lands in the same inbox as your regular Gmail address. You can reply from either address, and the recipient sees whichever one you chose to send from. Gmail does not create a separate account or a separate inbox — it is one account with multiple addresses pointing to it.
This is different from creating a second Gmail account entirely. An alias keeps everything in one place. You use one password, one recovery phone number, one inbox. The only thing that changes is what email address people see when you send them a message.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail aliases are created by adding a plus sign and any text after your username, like yourname+shopping@gmail.com, with no setup required.
- Every alias you create sends to and receives from your main inbox — there is no separate folder or account to manage.
- You can reply from any of your aliases, and the recipient sees only the address you chose to send from.
- Aliases are useful for filtering mail, signing up for services you do not fully trust, or organizing which address you give to different people.
How to create a Gmail alias using the plus sign method
The simplest way to create an alias is to use the plus sign. If your Gmail address is yourname@gmail.com, you can create an unlimited number of aliases by typing yourname+anything@gmail.com. The word after the plus sign can be anything: yourname+shopping, yourname+work, yourname+newsletter, yourname+spam. Gmail treats all of these as the same account.
You do not need to set anything up in Gmail's settings. You can start using the alias when ready. Give out yourname+shopping@gmail.com to an online store, yourname+work@gmail.com to your employer, and yourname+newsletter@gmail.com to mailing lists. All the mail arrives in your main inbox, but you can see at a glance which address was used.
This method works because Gmail ignores everything after the plus sign when routing mail. The system sees yourname+shopping@gmail.com and yourname+shopping@gmail.com as identical addresses pointing to the same inbox. You can use this to your advantage by filtering messages based on what comes after the plus sign.
Setting up filters to organize mail from your aliases
Once you have created aliases, you can use Gmail's filter feature to organize them automatically. Open Gmail, click the Settings gear icon in the top right, and select See all settings. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab and click Create a new filter.
In the To field, type the alias you want to filter — for example, yourname+shopping@gmail.com. Then click Create filter. On the next screen, check the box next to explore the label and either select an existing label or create a new one. You can also check Skip the Inbox if you want messages from that alias to bypass your main inbox and go straight to the label. Click Create filter to save.
Now every message sent to yourname+shopping@gmail.com will automatically receive that label, making it straightforward to find later. You can create a separate filter for each alias you use regularly.
When to use aliases instead of a second account
Use an alias when you want to keep everything in one inbox but need different addresses for different purposes. Common reasons include signing up for online shopping sites you do not fully trust, subscribing to newsletters you might want to unsubscribe from later, or giving your employer a different address than your personal contacts use.
Use a second Gmail account instead if you genuinely need a separate inbox — for example, if you are running a business and want business mail completely separate from personal mail, or if you want to sign in to Google services (like Google Drive or Google Photos) with different accounts. A second account requires a different password and recovery information, but it is a completely independent Gmail experience.
Why aliases are better than forwarding for privacy
Some people think about setting up mail forwarding instead of using aliases. Forwarding means creating a second address that automatically sends all its mail to your main inbox. The problem is that forwarding still requires you to set up a separate account somewhere, and you cannot reply from the forwarded address — replies always come from your main address.
An alias is simpler because it requires no setup at all and you can reply from it directly. When you reply from yourname+shopping@gmail.com, the recipient sees that address, not your main Gmail address. This gives you more control over which address you are known by in different contexts.
Limitations of the plus sign method
Some websites and services do not accept email addresses with plus signs. Older systems or poorly designed forms sometimes reject the plus sign as invalid, even though it is a legitimate character in email addresses. If a site rejects yourname+shopping@gmail.com, you will need to use your main address instead or try a different approach.
Also, anyone who sees your alias can figure out your main Gmail address by removing everything after the plus sign. If privacy from a specific person is important, an alias is not a complete solution. For that level of privacy, you would need a completely separate email account from a different provider.
Using Gmail's official alias feature
Gmail also offers an official alias feature in Settings under Accounts and Import. Click Add another email address and enter the address you want to use. Gmail will send a confirmation email to that address — you need access to it to complete the setup.
This method is more formal than the plus sign method and works with any email address you own, not just variations of your Gmail address. However, it requires more setup and you need to own or have access to the other email address. Most people find the plus sign method simpler for everyday use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send mail from an alias without setting anything up?
Yes, with the plus sign method. Type yourname+anything@gmail.com into the To field of any email and send it — Gmail recognizes it as your account and delivers it to your inbox. You can also set it as a "From" address in Gmail's settings under Accounts and Import if you want it to appear as your sender address by default.
What happens if someone replies to an email I sent from an alias?
The reply goes to your main inbox, just like any other email. Gmail knows that yourname+shopping@gmail.com and yourname@gmail.com are the same account, so all replies land in the same place. You can see which alias the person replied to by looking at the To field of their message.
Can I delete an alias?
The plus sign method does not create anything to delete — you straightforward stop using it. If you set up an official alias through Accounts and Import, you can remove it by going back to that section and clicking the delete icon next to the address. Emails already sent to that alias remain in your inbox.
Do I need a different password for each alias?
No. All aliases use the same Gmail account and the same password. There is only one login, one recovery phone number, and one security setup, no matter how many aliases you create.
Can I use an alias to sign up for a Google account?
You can use an alias as a recovery email address for another Google account, but you cannot use it as the main email for a new Google account. Google requires that each account have a unique primary address. If you need separate Google accounts, you need separate Gmail addresses.