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How To Have Unlimited Email Addresses

Many people do not realize that most email clients have the ability to create an almost unlimited number of email addresses. This can have many uses. In this article, I will show you a few methods about how to turn your main email address into many. I will also give some uses for these email addresses.

Email Modification Methods

We all have one email address. Email addresses have three sections: the username section, the at “@” sign, and the domain section (i.e. username@domain.com). For example, my test email address is testytestersondct@gmail.com.

However, I can modify this email address and turn it into a virtually unlimited number of email addresses. Email providers take these modified addresses and deliver them to your primary email address. Here are four methods on how to modify your email addresses. These methods can be used in combination. However, it is important to note that not every email provider has all of these capabilities, therefore, you will need to test your email provider.

Case Addressing Method

One method of modifying your email address is to use cases. Most email providers will treat email addresses as case-insensitive. Therefore, any changes in the case will be delivered to the same email inbox. For example, all of the following addresses will be delivered to my email inbox:

  • testytestersondct@gmail.com
  • TESTYTESTERSONDCT@GMAIL.COM
  • testytestersonDCT@Gmail.Com
  • TestyTestersonDct@gmail.COM
  • TESTYtestersonDCT@gmail.com
  • TeStYtEsTeRsOnDcT@GmAiL.CoM

Period Addressing Method

Another method of modifying your email address is to use periods. Most email providers ignore periods in email addresses that come before the at “@” sign. Note, most providers will reject consecutive periods. The following addresses will all be delivered to my email inbox:

  • testytestersondct@gmail.com
  • testy.testerson.dct@gmail.com
  • t.e.s.t.ytestersondct@gmail.com
  • testytestersond.c.t@gmail.com
  • t.e.s.t.y.t.e.s.t.e.r.s.o.n.d.c.t@gmail.com

Note, this does not work with all email providers. Hotmail.com, Outlook.com, and GMX.com are a few providers where this method will not work.

Plus Addressing Method

Another method of modifying your email address is to append a plus “+” followed by some text. The placement must be AFTER your username and BEFORE the “@”. For example, all of the following addresses will be delivered to my email inbox:

  • Testytestersondct+facebook@gmail.com
  • Testytestersondct+ad@gmail.com
  • Testytestersondct+newsletter@gmail.com
  • Testytestersondct+1000@gmail.com
  • Testytestersondct+DavesComputerTips@gmail.com

Domain Method

Some email providers have multiple domains. Email with the same username of the email address but a different domain will get delivered to the same email inbox. One example is Google Mail. Google Mail has two domains: gmail.com and googlemail.com. Mail sent to the following addresses will get sent to the same mailbox:

  • testytestersondct@gmail.com
  • testytestersondct@googlemail.com

Email Modification Uses

Because the modified email retains the original address, they have many uses. Here are just a few.

  • Tracing Spam – Modified email addresses can be used to trace where SPAM originated from. If I signed up for a service with a specific address (testytestersondct+ServiceA@gmail.com) and I receive a SPAM to that address, I would know that ServiceA was the original source of that SPAM and that they were giving my address to third-parties who were sending me SPAM.
  • Free Trials – If I want to sign up for a free trial of a service, I could create a modified email address for that service.
  • SPAM signups – If I have to enter an email address and I know that I will get SPAM from that address, I could enter testytestersondct+SPAM@gmail.com and create a filter to send that email directly to the SPAM folder.
  • VIP Emails There may be individuals whose emails I always want to read first. I could give them the testytestersondct+VIP@gmail.com address and set a filter to label or star those emails.
  • Newsletter Signups – I can create an email address for newsletters and then send all those emails to an email folder for later reading.
  • Ads – I could give all retail establishments a modified ads email and create a rule to send all those emails to an ads folder.

Bottom Line

One email address can be transformed into an almost unlimited number of email addresses by using various modification methods. These modified email addresses are all delivered to the same email inbox. Since the modified email addresses retain their original modifications, we have knowledge of where the email originated. In addition, we can use filters to organize them. A future post will cover how to create email filters.

Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. Also, let us know if you are aware of any other modification methods.

7 thoughts on “How To Have Unlimited Email Addresses”

  1. This was helpful information, so thanks for that.
    In addition, what I really could use are some tips for reducing my storage content for my free Gmail account. I’m allowed 15GB but over the years I’ve slowly approached that limit and periodically receive warning messages when my account is 90% (or more) full. I’ve done the obvious like deleting my TRASH, SPAM, large attachments, etc…so if there are any other suggestions that I’m overlooking, please send them my way!
    Thanks again,
    Dan

    1. Hi Dan,

      First, you need to realize that the 15 Gb Google account storage is shared among the various Google services (Mail, Photos, Drive). Also, Any photos loaded after June 1, 2021, count since Google stopped offering unlimited storage to free users on Google Photos. So, you have three options:

      1) Delete unnecessary items. You have already done this in Mail (but have you really? Do you really need that Happy Birthday message from Aunt Betty in 2002?). But, also start deleting unneeded photos (loaded after June 1, 2021) and files in drive, etc. If you have a lot of mail but need to still have access to them, save old messages to a mail system you still have access to on your PC (i.e. archive them in Thunderbird for example), and then remove them from Gmail.

      2) Switch to different services. Use other free cloud services, for photos, file storage, etc. Or. create multiple Google accounts. Each will still have the 15 Gb limit, but you can store your Photos on one, files on another, etc. However, all of these options are not as convenient as just storing everything under one account.

      3) Relent to your Google overlord and start paying them for storage. Unfortunately, 15 Gb only goes so far, depending on your storage needs, it just may not be enough.

      1. I know GMail has some built-in commands so my Spring cleaning shouldn’t be too bad.
        Thanks for your article & reply.
        Dan

  2. Why are people still mentioning, using or talking about the global data collector Google and GMAIL? I find it fascinating that anyone would still have a gmail account.

    Privacy is a global right.

    1. Hi Cassie,

      The methods I described in this article are not limited to Gmail but apply to practically all email providers.

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