Aliases

This article will guide you through using Aliases.

Watch our how-to video (hosted via our website) or follow the written instructions below.

In brief, an alias allows you to send and receive email at an email address different from your main StartMail account address. These email aliases end in use.startmail.com instead of startmail.com. This is done to ensure that email aliases, of which there can be many, do not conflict with the address options available for main email addresses. As a result, an email alias will look similar to the format: my_email_alias@use.startmail.com.

Content

• Alias types
• Create a Burner alias
• Create a Custom or Quick alias
• Create an alias from compose view
• (De)activate an alias
• Delete an alias

Alias types

You can create three different types of aliases:

1. A Burner alias, where the address name is system-generated and the Alias is automatically deleted after one hour.
2. A Custom alias, where you choose your own address.
3. A Quick alias, where the address name is system-generated.

There is no limit to the number of Custom and Quick aliases you can create. Only one Burner alias can be active at a time. Please note that emails sent to and from aliases will appear in your account's Inbox and Sent folders, just like emails sent to or from your main email address. Aliases do not have their own folders, although you can create a filter so incoming messages can go to a specific folder.

Why use an alias? 

• Burner alias: A Burner alias is very similar to a Quick alias with the difference that it can be created faster and is automatically deleted after one hour.
• Custom alias: Data leaks have unfortunately become common. If you need to register with your email address somewhere, for instance for registration for an online message board, you might want to sign up using a custom alias. If your email address ever leaks and spammers get to it, you can simply deactivate or delete the alias and senders will get a bounce back message.
• Quick alias: Let’s say you want to purchase something online (concert tickets, for instance) that requires registration. You don’t want to share your personal details, but you also don’t want to deal with the hassle of managing a separate account. By using a quick alias, once it expires, the vendor cannot spam you. Your inbox stays spam-free!

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Create a Burner alias

1. Click on Aliases in the top menu.
   
2. Click Generate to create a Burner alias.
   
   
3. A Burner alias will instantly be created. You can copy it and see how long it will still be active.
   
   
   
4. If you want to create a new Burner alias, you can click Delete and generate new
   
   The current Burner alias will be deleted by this action and not be available anymore.
   
   

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Create a Custom or Quick alias

1. Click on Aliases in the top menu
   
   
   
2. Click Custom aliases > Create Custom alias.
   
   
3. Insert an address (=Custom alias) or click the Suggestion (=Quick alias)
   
   
   
4. Add a Display name, Note and/or choose an Expiration and click Create alias.
   
   
   

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Create an alias from compose view

It's also possible to create an alias directly when composing a message.

1. Click on the Create alias link on the Compose screen.
   
   
   
   
2. The steps are the same as when creating an alias from the Settings menu.
3. After you've created the alias, it is automatically selected as the address from which you'll send your message.
   
   

Change settings of an alias

1. Click the Edit button to the right of the alias.
   
   
   
   
2. On the next screen, change the Display name, Notes and Expiration. Click Update alias to save your changes.
   
   
   
   

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(De)activate an alias temporarily

1. Under Aliases > Custom aliases, click the toggle on the left side of the alias address. This is a temporary setting and the alias can be reactivated by clicking on the toggle again. When set to OFF, senders will receive a bounce back or undeliverable message.
   
   
   
   
   

Delete an alias permanently

1. Click on the trash can icon to the right of the alias you want to permanently delete. Once an alias is permanently deleted, it can never be used again and senders will receive a bounce back or undeliverable message.
   
   
2. Read the warning. Confirm your action by clicking on Delete. As indicated in the warning dialogue: once an alias is deleted, it is not possible to recreate it.
   
   

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