An email address is required to use most online services and apps. If you aren’t comfortable handing out your primary address or want to sort your small business queries in Google Workspace, create a Gmail alias. It lets you receive emails anywhere, from a handy Android tablet to your desktop PC. We show you how to set up and create a Gmail alias for permanent and temporary use with your personal or Google Workspace email.



The option to create a Gmail email alias is only available on the desktop version of Gmail. Use a PC to follow the steps discussed in this article.


What is a Gmail alias or alternate email, and why should you use it?

When managing multiple email accounts, you typically don’t want to sign in to each account separately. Having all your emails forwarded to one place makes them more manageable. You will usually have one primary email, and the rest serve as secondary emails, known as aliases.

Why should you create an alias? Considering how the internet works, you’ll give your email address to many websites. Whether it’s for job applications or update alerts on a product restock, you have to keep your eyes on your email. You can deal with this issue by creating multiple emails or redirecting your messages using filters with temporary aliases.



An orange

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How to create a permanent Gmail alias

Before proceeding, you must have an alternative email address prepared. The selected email address can be from another domain, such as Yahoo or Outlook. In this example, we use a second Gmail address.

  1. Log in to Gmail and navigate to Settings.
    Red square outline and solid red arrow pointing to settings gear icon on Gmail webpage
  2. Click See all settings.
    Red rectangle outline on See all settings in Gmail
  3. Select the Accounts and Import tab.
    Red rectangle outline on Accounts and import tab in Gmail
  4. Click Add another email address.
    Red rectangle outline over Add another email address in Gmail settings
  5. Fill in the Name and Email address fields.
  6. Ensure the Treat as an alias box has a blue checkmark.
  7. Select Next Step > Send Verification.
    Red rectangle over Next Step button in Add another email address you own window
  8. Log in to your selected alternative email address.
    Two tabs in Google chrome for separate logged in Gmail accounts
  9. Open the link from the confirmation email. Alternatively, enter the confirmation code on the Add another email address you own window.
    Preview of Gmail confirmation email under alias account


Change the address connected to the from and reply-to fields to keep your primary email address private. To do this, navigate to your settings, click Accounts and Import > Send mail as > edit info.

Red rectangle outline over the send mail as options in Gmail settings

Changing the default to your alias address selects that email address as the labeled sender when composing a message. After you’ve specified the reply-to email address with the alias email from the edit info option, the listed address defaults to the alias email in the reply field. Otherwise, you can manually edit the reply field while drafting the reply message.

If you use multiple aliases in the same email account, select
Reply from the same address the message was sent to
from the
Accounts and Import
tab.



How to make a temporary Gmail alias

When your inbox explodes with news, promotions, and marketing materials, it might be time to make temporary Gmail aliases. These aliases allow and create filters. You can designate a folder for promotions and another for news to keep the email traffic under control. To get started, read below.

How to create a temporary alias

You can make as many temporary Gmail aliases as you want for filtering. Use the same username and place a label after the plus sign. See the example below.

Main email

Temporary alias

APP@gmail.com

APP+News@gmail.com

APP+Updates@gmail.com

APP+Tips@gmail.com



  1. Log in to Gmail.
  2. Hover over the search bar and select Show search options.
    Red rectangle box outline over search bar in gmail with red solid arrow pointing to Show search options
  3. Enter the temporary alias email address in To. For example, a temporary alias could be APP+News@gmail.com.
    Example of filling in the To field in Gmail search options
  4. Click Create Filter.
    Red rectangle box outline over create filter button in Gmail
  5. Select Choose Category and click the category name.
    Red solid arrow pointng to Categorize as options in Gmail create filter screen
  6. Click Create Filter.
    Red rectangle outline over create filter button in Gmail create filter screen



How to make an email alias in Google Workspace

If you’re a Google Workspace admin, you can create an alternate email address from the Google Admin console. Follow these steps to learn how:

  1. Go to your Google Admin console.
  2. On the left of the Admin console, click Directory and select Users.
  3. Select the username you want to add the alias to.
  4. Under the user’s name, click Add Alternate Emails.
  5. Click Alternate email and enter your alias, which is the part of the email address before the @ symbol. If you have multiple domain names, click Domain and select the right domain name.
  6. Click Save to save your changes.

The Google Workspace logo on top of a blurred Google Gmail page

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Keeping your Gmail spam-free

Creating Gmail aliases prevents your inbox from going out of control. Still, the volume of messages doesn’t necessarily change. What happens if spam goes unchecked and sneaks into your main folders? Consider blocking unwanted email addresses within Gmail so that you can prioritize those essential emails. You can also create labels in Gmail for better organization.