Email aliases explained: how to hide your real address
2 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
An email alias is an alternative address that forwards mail to your real inbox. Using a different alias for each service limits the damage when one is leaked, helps you spot who sold or lost your data and lets you cut off an alias that attracts spam.
How aliases work
You create an address such as a unique alias for a shopping site. Mail sent to it arrives in your main inbox, but the sender never sees your real address. If the alias is leaked or abused, you can disable it without affecting anything else.
Benefits
- ✓A breach exposes only the alias, not your main address.
- ✓You can see which company leaked or sold your address.
- ✓Spam can be stopped by switching an alias off.
- ✓Your main address stays private for important accounts.
Is your login already in a leak?
Strong habits help most when you know which accounts are already exposed. Check your email address for free.
Ways to get aliases
Many email providers offer aliases or ‘plus addressing’ (adding a tag to your address). Some privacy-focused services and password managers generate random aliases for you. Plus addressing is convenient, but anyone can strip the tag, so random aliases offer stronger privacy.
Pair them with good habits
Aliases do not replace strong passwords or 2FA. Use them together to reduce how often your real address ends up in leaked lists.
Frequently asked questions
Are aliases the same as a second email account?+
No. An alias forwards to your existing inbox, so you do not need to check another account.
Can I reply from an alias?+
Some providers and services allow replying from the alias, so recipients never see your real address.
Will aliases stop phishing?+
They reduce exposure, but you should still be careful with unexpected messages.
Stop guessing. Check your email in seconds.
The free Leakill check looks for your email address in known breach records and tells you whether it was exposed. If it was, an optional detailed report lists the incidents, dates, sources, the kinds of data involved and practical next steps. It is a one-off report, not a subscription.
A breach match is a warning signal, not proof that someone has access to your account today. No public database covers every breach, so a clean result lowers risk without guaranteeing safety.