How a Gmail plus address works
Gmail delivers mail sent to yourname+anyword@gmail.com to the yourname@gmail.com inbox, and it ignores dots in Gmail usernames. Many people use a different tag for each website, so they can filter its mail and see which site shared the address. Some other email providers support plus addresses too.
A plus address is not private: anyone who sees it can remove the tag and reach your main address, and some websites reject the plus sign. Mail arrives in your own inbox, which suits accounts you keep but does not stop unwanted mail by itself.
Forwarding aliases hide your real address
Alias services create a separate address that forwards to your real inbox without revealing it. Examples include Apple’s Hide My Email, Firefox Relay, DuckDuckGo Email Protection and SimpleLogin. You can usually switch off one alias when a website starts sending unwanted mail, and some services let you reply through the alias.
Aliases suit accounts you plan to keep: you still receive password resets and receipts, and you can cut off one sender without changing your main address. Your mail passes through the alias service, so choose one you trust.
A temporary inbox is separate from your accounts
A temporary inbox is not connected to your main email. Mail stays in a short-lived inbox that this browser can open, you need no account, and nothing is forwarded to your own mailbox. Here an address lasts 24 hours by default and each message 30 minutes; it receives mail only and cannot send or reply.
That makes it a fit for one-off codes and downloads, and a poor fit for anything you may need to recover later.
About “temporary Gmail” addresses
Some websites hand out disposable addresses ending in @gmail.com. These usually deliver to Gmail accounts that the website controls, often as plus or dot variations of a shared account. The mail is not in your Google account, the operator can read it, and you cannot recover the address later. Treat such an address like any other temporary inbox, not like your own Gmail.
Which one to use
Match the address to how long you expect to hear from the sender.
- One-off verification code, download link or short test: a temporary inbox.
- A newsletter or shop account you may want to cut off later: a forwarding alias.
- Sorting mail from services you trust: a plus address in your own Gmail.
- Banking, important accounts and account recovery: your main address or a long-lasting alias you control.
Read what temporary email protects and where its limits are.
Questions about aliases and temporary email
Is a Gmail plus address the same as a temporary email?
No. A plus address delivers to your own Gmail inbox and reveals your main address to anyone who removes the tag. A temporary inbox is separate from your accounts and expires.
Can I get a temporary @gmail.com address here?
No. This service assigns random addresses on its own receiving domain. If a website accepts only certain providers, use an address you control that meets its rules.
Which option is best for account recovery?
An address you will keep, such as your main email or a durable alias. A temporary inbox expires, so it cannot receive a password reset later.