An email alias is an alternative address that delivers into another mailbox. Mail sent to sales@example.com can arrive in jane@example.com's inbox, with no extra login or storage.
Why it matters
Aliases let teams publish role addresses (support, billing, abuse) without creating a mailbox for each, and let individuals keep a stable public address when staff change. They are also used for privacy, such as giving a unique address to each website. Many providers let you send as an alias, but the server must be allowed to sign and authenticate for that domain. Unlike email forwarding to an outside provider, an alias on the same server generally keeps SPF and DKIM intact.
Example
A small company's setup:
support@example.com -> jane@example.com
billing@example.com -> jane@example.com, ravi@example.com
abuse@example.com -> jane@example.comThe billing alias delivers a copy to two people (a distribution list). Mail to abuse@ and postmaster@ is expected to be monitored on real domains.
Common mistakes
- Replying from the personal address, which exposes it and confuses customers.
- Deleting a person's mailbox and losing the aliases attached to it.
- Forgetting to monitor role addresses such as
postmaster@.
Related
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This page is general information written by our editorial team and updated when documentation changes. Servers and providers differ, so test changes safely first. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.