How Does Apple's "Hide My Email" Feature Affect My Account?

Apple’s Hide My Email feature helps protect your privacy—but it can also create duplicate accounts or cause confusion during checkout. Here's what you need to know.


What is Hide My Email?
 

Hide My Email is a privacy tool from Apple that lets you create unique, random email addresses that forward to your real inbox. These email aliases end in @icloud.com and are often used when:

• You check out using Apple Pay or Sign in with Apple
   

• You have an iCloud+ subscription and use the Hide My Email feature in Safari or Mail
   

This helps keep your personal email private and minimizes spam.


How This Can Affect Your Account 

Using Hide My Email can unintentionally cause:

• Duplicate accounts: You might make a purchase or create an account with a masked Apple email, and another with your regular email.
   

• Missing confirmation emails: Messages may be sent to the private Apple alias instead of your usual inbox.
   

• Login issues: You may try logging in with your real email, but your account is linked to the Apple-generated one.
   

How to Find or Turn Off Hide My Email

You can view or disable these email aliases in your iCloud settings:
 

On iPhone or iPad:

1. Open Settings
    

2. Tap your name > iCloud
    

3. Tap Hide My Email
    

4. Select and manage your email aliases
    

On Mac:

1. Open System Settings
    

2. Click your name > iCloud
    

3. Select Hide My Email
    

4. Manage or delete any aliases from there
   
    

Tip: You can label aliases to remember what they’re used for.

Need Help with Duplicate Accounts?

If you think you’ve created more than one account with us by accident, no problem—we can merge them for you. Just contact our Customer Support Team and let us know which email you'd like to keep on file.