Brief Summary
This video explains how to use Gmail's built-in features to create unlimited email addresses from a single account using plus addressing and dot variations. It details how to use these methods for sign-ups, automatic email filtering, and tracking who shares your email address, ultimately helping you organize your inbox and identify the source of spam.
- Use plus addressing to create unique email variations for different services or purposes.
- Utilize filters and labels to automatically sort and manage emails based on the plus address.
- Track which websites share or leak your email address by monitoring spam received at specific plus addresses.
Gmail trick overview
The video introduces a Gmail trick that allows users to create unlimited email addresses from one account without needing extra sign-ins or new inboxes. This method can be used for various purposes, including signing up for services, automatically filtering emails, and tracking which entities share your email address. The presenter will demonstrate how this works, focusing on plus addressing and the use of dots in Gmail addresses.
Plus addressing
Plus addressing involves adding a plus sign followed by any word to your Gmail address before the "@gmail.com". For example, if your email is [email protected], you can use [email protected] or [email protected]. Gmail delivers all emails sent to these variations to the same inbox automatically. The text after the plus sign is recognized by Gmail, allowing you to create filters, labels, and rules for automatic email organization.
Use dots in Gmail addresses
Gmail ignores dots in email addresses, meaning that [email protected] and [email protected] are treated as the same address. Websites see these as different addresses, but Gmail recognizes them as one account. This can be helpful for visually splitting your first name and last name in your email address, making it look cleaner without affecting delivery.
Filters and labels
Plus addressing is powerful because Gmail recognizes everything after the plus sign, enabling automatic email organization. To set this up, go to the search field in Gmail, click on "show search options," and enter the new plus address in the "to" field (e.g., [email protected]). Then, create a filter to specify what Gmail should do with emails sent to that address, such as marking them as read or applying a label. Once the filter is created, emails sent to the plus address will be handled automatically.
Practical examples
Practical uses of plus addressing include using variations like [email protected] for newsletter subscriptions, which can then be filtered into a dedicated "newsletter" label. You can also use more specific variations like +Amazon or +Costco for precise filtering and tracking. One significant use is tracking who shares your email address; if spam starts arriving at a specific plus address, you'll know which site leaked or sold your information.
Final thoughts
Using plus addressing and dot variations helps organize your inbox and provides a paper trail for your email. It's important to note that this trick is specific to Gmail, as other email providers may not handle plus signs or dots in the same way.
