Advertising e-mails that accumulate in the inbox? Private messages mixed with business messages? There is, however, a simple way to sort through your mailbox: the alias. We explain everything to you.
A mailbox that is overflowing? That can be fixed. Many e-mail providers have a very practical but little-known feature: the alias.
It is a kind of "bis" e-mail address, different from yours, but messages addressed to it nevertheless arrive in your mailbox, in the inbox or in a predefined folder. Sounds complex? Don't panic, in reality it's simple.
For the rest of this article, take for granted that your name is Martin Dupont and that your email address is on the martindupont@nomdufournisseur.com model. Just imagine that you are the type to subscribe to newsletters or to give your e-mail address in stores...
From now on, the next time you register somewhere, you will be able to give an alias instead of your real address. But beware, it all depends on your provider. Here's how to proceed, with the five most used e-mail addresses in France.
For the settings, you don't have to go through the e-mail software installed on your computer, but go directly to the provider's web page, called "webmail".
With GMail
GMail is the most elaborate provider for aliases. Simply add the + sign and a category to your address, or add dots, without having to create anything.
For example, if your address is martindupont@gmail.com, in stores you can give the address martindupont+pub@gmail.com, or on websites for your newsletters martindupont+newsletter@gmail.com, or martindupont+professionnel@gmail.com, and it also works with points: m.a.r.t.i.n.dupont@gmail.com, for example. The possibilities are endless.
The advantage of communicating these aliases, instead of your real e-mail address, is that you can choose in advance in which folder this or that e-mail will arrive, sent to this or that alias, by setting up filters. It's quite intuitive on GMail.
On the GMail web portal, once you're in the inbox, click on the cogwheel icon and select "Settings".
There click on "Filters and Blocked Addresses" and then "Create Filter". In the "To" line, enter your alias. Click on "Create Filter". Here you can select the destination of the messages sent to this address, from "Trash" to "Important". Finally, click again on "Create Filter". It's done!
If you want to send GMail messages from these aliases, this is also possible. You have to go back to "Settings > Accounts and Import", and in the section "Send emails as", click on "Add another email address". Then enter the e-mail address, checking the box "Treat as an alias", and click "Next step". From now on, each time you compose an e-mail, you will be able to select your alias in the "From" field.
With Outlook
You can also create new Outlook aliases from the service's website. In Outlook, aliases work almost the same way as in GMail. You can add "+categories" without having to create anything. But beware, it is not possible to send messages from the address martindupont+categorie@outlook.com. Another difference with GMail is that it is not possible to imagine an alias by adding dots.
To set up a filter for your aliases, click on the toothed wheel icon in the top right-hand corner and then click on "Show all Outlook settings". Under the Mail tab, click on "Rules > Add New Rule". Name your potential filter, select "To" and enter your alias as a condition, then decide what action to take: immediately delete messages, move them or copy them to certain folders... Click "Add another action" to process the incoming message in several ways, or "Add exception" to exclude certain messages from the filter. When finished, click on "Save".
Outlook also allows you to add a brand new address like johnlennon@outlook.com to your main account, changing your name completely, which can help you remain anonymous. So you can manage both martindupont@outlook.com and johnlennon@outlook.com from the same account. Messages addressed to both will arrive in the same inbox, and you can also send messages from both addresses.
To create this type of alias, go to the Outlook home page on the web. Click on the cogwheel icon in the upper right corner, and then click on "other mail settings". In the drop-down menu choose "Create an Outlook alias" in the "manage your account" section. Enter your new alias and then click on "create an alias". You can then choose to automatically redirect emails sent to this address to a new folder or directly to your inbox. Then click on "Finish".
You can filter the incoming messages sent to these aliases in the same way as those sent to the aliases " + category ". To send emails from your added addresses, simply click "From" when you compose a message and select the name you prefer.
With Orange
On Orange, no + sign or points to create an alias. You have to imagine a new address. In "My preferences" in the top right-hand corner, click on the link "Manage my email addresses" in the "My user account" section. Then "Add an address". In "Create a new Orange email address", enter your alias. Then click on the button " Create ", " Next ", then " Finish ".
Your new address then appears in the list. You can now define the location where messages sent to this address will be dropped off. Or decide to send messages with your alias.
With SFR
To create an alias, once connected to your account, go to the icon in the shape of a toothed wheel and then "Manage my e-mails" or "Configure my mailboxes". Then click on the "Add an alias" button of the email address concerned.
Fill in the address you want to use as an alias, then click on "Save". The system will then add it to your main address.
With Yahoo
With Yahoo, you have to create an alias before giving this new address to your contacts. The particularity of Yahoo is that the alias always includes the name of your real email address, followed by the keyword of your choice. For example, martindupont-pub@yahoo.com.
To create this alias, once connected, click on the "Settings" icon in the shape of a toothed wheel, then on "Other parameters" and "Mailboxes". Then click on the down arrow icon next to the "Temporary email address" option.
Click on "Add". Enter a keyword after your address name. You can also enter a shipping name and description. Then click "Save". And off you go!
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