Apple Hide My Email: How It Works and When to Use It
Hide My Email gives each website a random address that forwards to your real one. Your real address never reaches the site, and you can turn the alias off if it gets spammed.
By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 19, 2026Apple Hide My Email creates unique random addresses that forward to your personal inbox, so websites never see your real address. It comes with iCloud+, and a related version works through Sign in with Apple. You can deactivate an address to stop forwarding, reactivate it later or delete it. Apple says it does not read your messages beyond standard spam filtering. It hides your email only, not your name, phone number or what you buy.
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When you sign up for a shop or an app, you hand over your email address. It then lives in that company’s database, possibly forever. Hide My Email is Apple’s answer: a throwaway-style address that still reaches you, but that you can switch off whenever you want.
Two versions, one idea
- iCloud+ Hide My Email. According to Apple’s iCloud guide, it is a feature you get with an iCloud+ subscription. You can create addresses in Safari, Mail or Settings.
- Sign in with Apple. When an app offers Sign in with Apple, you can choose to hide your email. Apple’s page says these addresses use the @privaterelay.appleid.com domain.
How it works
Mail sent to a Hide My Email address is forwarded to your personal account, such as iCloud Mail or the email tied to your Apple Account. Apple says you can read and reply to messages directly, and your personal address stays private. Apple states that it does not read message content beyond standard spam filtering, and that messages are deleted from its relay servers after delivery, usually within seconds.
How to create an address
1In Safari
On a sign-up form, tap the email field, then tap Hide My Email above the keyboard. Generate a new address or reuse one you already made for that site.
2In Mail
Start a new message, tap the From field and choose Hide My Email.
3In Settings
Go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Hide My Email to view and manage every address you have made.
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How to switch an address off or delete it
To stop mail from one website, deactivate its address. In Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then Hide My Email, select the address and tap Deactivate Email Address. Apple says deactivation stops forwarding to you and is temporary. You can reactivate it from the Inactive Addresses list.
To remove one for good, deactivate it first, then open Inactive Addresses, select it and tap Delete Address. Apple notes that the address can no longer be used with that app or site.
What it does and does not hide
- Hides: your real email address from the website.
- Does not hide: your name, phone number, delivery address, payment details or IP address.
- Does not remove: any email address that is already exposed online.
Good uses for a hidden address
- Online shops you may only use once.
- Newsletters and free trials.
- Forums and apps you are not sure you can trust.
Keep your real address for banks, government services and people you know, so you never miss important mail.
If you stop using a service
When you close an account with a company, deactivate or delete its Hide My Email address too. That way, if the company is breached or sells its list later, mail to that address goes nowhere, and your real inbox stays quiet.
Alternatives
If you do not use Apple devices, similar relay services exist, and Gmail has its own tagging trick. See Gmail plus addressing and our overview of email aliases. To find out what is already out there, run the free check on this page.
Sources
- Apple Support: How to use Hide My Email with iCloud+ on your iPhone or iPad (create in Safari, Mail, Settings; deactivate, reactivate, delete; forwarding and replies)
- iCloud User Guide: Create and manage Hide My Email addresses (iCloud+ feature)
- Apple Support: Sign in with Apple and Hide My Email (privaterelay.appleid.com addresses, forwarding)
Frequently asked questions
What is Apple Hide My Email?
It creates unique random email addresses that forward to your real inbox, so websites and apps do not see your real address.
Do I need iCloud+?
Apple lists Hide My Email as an iCloud+ feature. A related option is available through Sign in with Apple for apps that support it.
Can I reply to messages without revealing my address?
Yes. Apple says you can read and respond to messages sent to a Hide My Email address while your personal address stays private.
What happens when I deactivate an address?
Forwarding to you stops. Apple describes this as temporary, and you can reactivate the address later.
Does Hide My Email make me anonymous?
No. It hides your email address only. Your name, delivery address, phone number and payment details still go to the company.
See if your email has already leaked
- Checks your email against known data breaches
- Shows which sites leaked it, when, and what leaked
- We do not store the email you check
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