Gmail Alias: 4 Ways to Create One (2026 guide)

A Gmail alias is an alternate email address that delivers to your existing inbox. Instead of creating a new account, you add a variation of your address — or a completely different one — and all messages land in the same place. You can send, receive, and filter from aliases without juggling multiple logins.

Gmail gives you four ways to create aliases: plus addressing, the dot trick, Send Mail As, and Workspace admin aliases. Each works differently, and some let you send from the alias while others are receive-only. Here’s how to set up each one.

Method 1: Plus (+) addressing

Plus addressing is the fastest way to create a Gmail alias. Add a + sign and any word after your username — like you+newsletters@gmail.com or you+shopping@gmail.com — and email sent to that address lands in your regular inbox. No setup required.

The real power is in filtering. Every plus alias is a built-in label you can use with Gmail rules to auto-sort incoming mail. Sign up for a newsletter with you+news@gmail.com, then create a filter to skip the inbox and apply a label. You can make unlimited plus aliases — Gmail doesn’t track or limit them.

Plus aliases also help you track who sells your email address. Use a unique plus alias for each service. If spam starts arriving at you+somecompany@gmail.com, you know exactly where the leak is.

Limitations of plus addressing

• Can’t send from them. Plus aliases are receive-only. Replies come from your main address.
• Some websites reject them. A few signup forms don’t accept the + character in email fields.
• Easy to spot. Anyone can see your real address by removing the +tag portion.

Method 2: The dot (.) trick

Gmail ignores dots in the username portion of @gmail.com addresses. That means firstname.lastname@gmail.com, firstnamelastname@gmail.com, and f.i.r.s.t.n.a.m.e.lastname@gmail.com all deliver to the same inbox. You don’t create these — they already work.

Like plus addressing, you can use dot variations for filtering. Sign up with a specific dot pattern, then filter by the To address. It’s subtler than a plus alias since most people don’t know about the trick.

One important caveat

The dot trick only applies to @gmail.com addresses. If your organization uses Google Workspace with a custom domain (like @yourcompany.com), dots may create distinct accounts. Check with your Workspace admin before assuming dots are interchangeable on custom domains.

Method 3: Send Mail As (add an alias you can send from)

Send Mail As is the only free method that lets you both receive and send email from a different address. It’s ideal when you own multiple email addresses and want to manage them all from one Gmail inbox.

How to set up Send Mail As

1. Open Gmail and click the gear icon, then See all settings.
2. Go to the Accounts and Import tab.
3. In the “Send mail as” section, click Add another email address.
4. Enter the name you want recipients to see and the alias email address.
5. Check the Treat as an alias box (this keeps replies in the same conversation thread).
6. Click Next Step.
7. Gmail sends a verification email to the alias address. Open it and click the confirmation link.
8. Back in Gmail settings, you can now set the alias as your default sending address or choose it when composing.

Once configured, a dropdown appears in the “From” field when you compose a new email. Pick whichever address fits the context. You can also set Gmail to automatically reply from the address the message was sent to — look for the “Reply from the same address” option in Settings.

If you also want to receive email from another account in Gmail, you’ll need to set up email forwarding separately. Send Mail As only handles outgoing mail.

A note on POP fetch

Gmail discontinued POP fetch (Gmailify) in January 2026. If you previously used “Check mail from other accounts” to pull in external email, that feature no longer works for new setups. Forwarding from the source account is now the recommended approach.

Method 4: Google Workspace admin aliases

If your organization uses Google Workspace, an admin can add up to 30 email aliases per user at no extra cost. These are the most “official” kind of alias — they use your company domain and appear as real addresses in Google’s directory.

How to add a Workspace alias

1. Sign in to the Google Admin Console (admin.google.com).
2. Go to Directory → Users.
3. Click the user’s name to open their profile.
4. Click User information → Alternate email addresses (or “Email aliases”).
5. Click Add Alternate Email and enter the alias.
6. Click Save. The alias is active immediately — no verification needed.

What Workspace aliases can and can’t do

Can do	Can’t do
Receive email at the alias	Sign in to Google with the alias
Send email from the alias (via Send Mail As)	Use as a shared team address (use a group or shared inbox instead)
Add up to 30 aliases per user	Hide the alias from the company directory

Workspace aliases work well for individuals, but they break down when a team needs to share an address like support@ or info@. Every email still routes to one person’s inbox, so there’s no way to assign, track, or prevent duplicate replies across a team.

If your team manages a shared address with aliases or Google Groups, you’ve probably hit these limits. A shared inbox tool adds assignment, collision detection, and analytics on top of Gmail — so your team can collaborate on email without stepping on each other’s toes. Keeping does exactly this, and it works natively inside Gmail.

New in 2026: changing your Gmail address

Google is rolling out the ability to change your @gmail.com username — something that was previously impossible. The feature started in India in late 2025 and is gradually expanding to more regions in 2026.

When you change your address, your old username automatically becomes an alias. All your data — emails, Drive files, contacts — stays attached to the account. You can change your address up to 3 times (giving you a maximum of 4 total addresses), with a 12-month cooldown between changes.

To check if it’s available for your account, go to Settings → Manage your Google Account → Personal info → Email. If you see an option to change your Gmail address, the feature has reached your region.

This is especially useful if you signed up for Gmail years ago with a username you’ve outgrown. Instead of juggling a new account, your old address keeps working as an alias while you send from the new one. For more on running multiple addresses from one account, see our guide on managing multiple Gmail inboxes.

Gmail alias vs. separate account

Not sure whether you need an alias or a brand-new Gmail account? Here’s how they compare.

	Gmail alias	Separate account
Setup	Seconds (plus/dot) or minutes (Send Mail As)	Full account creation, new password
Inbox	Shared with your main account	Completely separate
Storage	Uses your existing 15 GB	Gets its own 15 GB
Send from it	Only with Send Mail As or Workspace alias	Yes, always
Own Google Drive	No — same Drive	Yes, separate Drive
Best for	Filtering, organizing, tracking signups	True separation (work vs. personal)

For most people, aliases are the better choice. They’re faster to set up, easier to manage, and keep everything in one place. Create a separate account only when you need true isolation — like keeping work and personal completely apart.

Tips for managing Gmail aliases

Use filters aggressively. Every alias you create is a filtering opportunity. Route newsletters to a label, send purchase confirmations to a folder, or auto-archive notifications. The more specific your aliases, the more powerful your filters.

Check the To field. When you receive email at an alias, the To field shows which address was used. This helps you spot which services are forwarding, selling, or leaking your address.

Combine methods. Use Workspace aliases for professional addresses (sales@, billing@), plus addressing for personal organization, and Send Mail As when you need to reply from a specific address.

Set up auto-replies per alias. If you use Send Mail As with multiple addresses, you can configure different vacation responders or canned responses for each sending address.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have two email addresses on one Gmail account?

Yes. You can have multiple addresses on one Gmail account using any of the alias methods above. Plus addressing and dots give you unlimited receive-only variations. Send Mail As lets you add external addresses you can send from. Workspace admins can add up to 30 aliases per user.

What’s the difference between a Gmail alias and a separate account?

A Gmail alias delivers mail to your existing inbox and shares your storage, Drive, and contacts. A separate account is a completely independent Google account with its own inbox, storage, and login. Aliases are easier to manage; separate accounts provide full isolation.

How many aliases can you have in Gmail?

It depends on the method. Plus addressing and dot variations are unlimited. Send Mail As supports up to 99 additional addresses. Google Workspace admin aliases max out at 30 per user. For most people, these limits are far more than enough.

Can I send emails from a Gmail alias?

Only with Send Mail As or Workspace admin aliases. Plus addresses and dot variations are receive-only — any reply you send goes from your main address. To send from an alias, set it up through Settings → Accounts and Import → Send mail as.

How do I create a Gmail alias?

For plus addressing, just add +anything before the @ sign — no setup needed. For Send Mail As, go to Settings → Accounts and Import → Add another email address. For Workspace aliases, an admin adds them through the Google Admin Console under Directory → Users.

Is a Gmail alias free?

Yes. All Gmail alias methods are free. Plus addressing and dot tricks work on any Gmail account. Send Mail As is a built-in Gmail feature. Workspace admin aliases are included in every Google Workspace plan at no additional cost.

Can I delete a Gmail alias?

Plus addresses and dot variations can’t be “deleted” because they aren’t explicitly created — you simply stop using them. Send Mail As aliases can be removed in Settings → Accounts and Import. Workspace admin aliases can be removed by an admin in the Admin Console.

Does the other person know I’m using an alias?

It depends. With Send Mail As, the recipient sees the alias address in the From field — they won’t know your main address unless they check email headers. With plus addressing, your real address is visible since the +tag is part of the address. Dot variations don’t reveal anything unusual.