What is an email alias?
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
MXDuck Blog · 200 guides
Practical privacy.
No invisibility cloaks.
Two hundred clear guides to aliases, account separation and a quieter inbox.
200 articles
Why every website deserves a different email address
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Stop spam at the source
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Why am I getting bounce emails I never sent?
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
A password manager protects the key
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Threat-model your inbox
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
The tiny picture that tells a sender you opened their email
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
When the unsubscribe link is the trap
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Plus-addressing or a real alias: which should you use?
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Can an email alias show who leaked your address?
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Your recovery email should not be the address you hand to everyone
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Give newsletters their own picnic basket
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Why your shopping receipts deserve their own address
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
A public email address is a lighthouse, not your living room
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
When should you retire an email alias?
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
How one email address quietly links your life together
An illustrated MXDuck guide.
Email aliases: the plain-English guide
What a separate address changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The email aliases mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for email aliases
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Email aliases or one address everywhere: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What email aliases looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about email aliases
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer email aliases habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your email aliases setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Safer signup addresses: the plain-English guide
What a signup address changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The safer signup addresses mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for safer signup addresses
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Safer signup addresses or your everyday inbox: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What safer signup addresses looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about safer signup addresses
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer safer signup addresses habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your safer signup addresses setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Shopping-only email addresses: the plain-English guide
What a shopping alias changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The shopping-only email addresses mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for shopping-only email addresses
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Shopping-only email addresses or a personal mailbox: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What shopping-only email addresses looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about shopping-only email addresses
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer shopping-only email addresses habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your shopping-only email addresses setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Newsletter-only inboxes: the plain-English guide
What a newsletter address changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The newsletter-only inboxes mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for newsletter-only inboxes
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Newsletter-only inboxes or the main inbox: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What newsletter-only inboxes looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about newsletter-only inboxes
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer newsletter-only inboxes habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your newsletter-only inboxes setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Travel email separation: the plain-English guide
What a travel alias changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The travel email separation mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for travel email separation
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Travel email separation or a permanent personal address: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What travel email separation looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about travel email separation
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer travel email separation habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your travel email separation setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Job-search email separation: the plain-English guide
What a job-search alias changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The job-search email separation mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for job-search email separation
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Job-search email separation or a lifelong personal address: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What job-search email separation looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about job-search email separation
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer job-search email separation habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your job-search email separation setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Social account aliases: the plain-English guide
What a social alias changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The social account aliases mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for social account aliases
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Social account aliases or a recovery address: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What social account aliases looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about social account aliases
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer social account aliases habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your social account aliases setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Family and school email routes: the plain-English guide
What a family-services alias changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The family and school email routes mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for family and school email routes
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Family and school email routes or one parent’s private inbox: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What family and school email routes looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about family and school email routes
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer family and school email routes habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your family and school email routes setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Public creator email addresses: the plain-English guide
What a public contact alias changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The public creator email addresses mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for public creator email addresses
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Public creator email addresses or a private account address: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What public creator email addresses looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about public creator email addresses
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer public creator email addresses habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your public creator email addresses setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Role-based business aliases: the plain-English guide
What a role address changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The role-based business aliases mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for role-based business aliases
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Role-based business aliases or an employee’s personal mailbox: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What role-based business aliases looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about role-based business aliases
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer role-based business aliases habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your role-based business aliases setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Aliases and password managers: the plain-English guide
What a unique identifier and secret changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The aliases and password managers mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for aliases and password managers
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Aliases and password managers or one repeated login pair: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What aliases and password managers looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about aliases and password managers
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer aliases and password managers habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your aliases and password managers setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Alias-aware phishing checks: the plain-English guide
What address context changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The alias-aware phishing checks mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for alias-aware phishing checks
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Alias-aware phishing checks or trusting the sender’s logo: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What alias-aware phishing checks looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about alias-aware phishing checks
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer alias-aware phishing checks habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your alias-aware phishing checks setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Breach containment with aliases: the plain-English guide
What a per-service alias changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The breach containment with aliases mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for breach containment with aliases
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Breach containment with aliases or a universal identifier: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What breach containment with aliases looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about breach containment with aliases
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer breach containment with aliases habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your breach containment with aliases setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Email tracking controls: the plain-English guide
What remote-content control changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The email tracking controls mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for email tracking controls
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Email tracking controls or automatic image loading: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What email tracking controls looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about email tracking controls
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer email tracking controls habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your email tracking controls setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Reducing email correlation: the plain-English guide
What different relationship identifiers changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The reducing email correlation mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for reducing email correlation
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Reducing email correlation or one matching key: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What reducing email correlation looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about reducing email correlation
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer reducing email correlation habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your reducing email correlation setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Private recovery addresses: the plain-English guide
What a quiet recovery route changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The private recovery addresses mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for private recovery addresses
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Private recovery addresses or a widely shared address: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What private recovery addresses looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about private recovery addresses
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer private recovery addresses habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your private recovery addresses setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Custom-domain alias strategy: the plain-English guide
What addresses on a domain you control changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The custom-domain alias strategy mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for custom-domain alias strategy
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Custom-domain alias strategy or provider-bound identities: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What custom-domain alias strategy looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about custom-domain alias strategy
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer custom-domain alias strategy habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your custom-domain alias strategy setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Plus-addressing: the plain-English guide
What a tagged address changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The plus-addressing mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for plus-addressing
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Plus-addressing or a separate alias: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What plus-addressing looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about plus-addressing
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer plus-addressing habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your plus-addressing setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Temporary versus durable addresses: the plain-English guide
What the right address lifetime changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The temporary versus durable addresses mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for temporary versus durable addresses
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Temporary versus durable addresses or making every route permanent: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What temporary versus durable addresses looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about temporary versus durable addresses
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer temporary versus durable addresses habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your temporary versus durable addresses setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Alias maintenance: the plain-English guide
What a labelled address inventory changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The alias maintenance mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for alias maintenance
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Alias maintenance or hundreds of forgotten routes: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What alias maintenance looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about alias maintenance
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer alias maintenance habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your alias maintenance setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Stopping unwanted mail at the route: the plain-English guide
What retiring a compromised alias changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The stopping unwanted mail at the route mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for stopping unwanted mail at the route
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Stopping unwanted mail at the route or endless sender blocking: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What stopping unwanted mail at the route looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about stopping unwanted mail at the route
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer stopping unwanted mail at the route habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your stopping unwanted mail at the route setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Separating online identities: the plain-English guide
What context-specific aliases changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The separating online identities mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for separating online identities
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Separating online identities or one address as a universal name: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What separating online identities looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about separating online identities
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer separating online identities habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your separating online identities setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.
Practical inbox threat modelling: the plain-English guide
What proportionate address choices changes, what it cannot change, and the simplest way to use it well.
The practical inbox threat modelling mistake that creates more work later
A small shortcut at signup can become a large clean-up job after a leak, lockout or change of plans.
A practical checklist for practical inbox threat modelling
A short sequence for making the decision now and avoiding an inbox archaeology project later.
Practical inbox threat modelling or maximum secrecy everywhere: what actually changes?
The visible difference is an address. The important difference is how far one problem is allowed to travel.
What practical inbox threat modelling looks like in real life
One ordinary situation, followed from the first form to the moment the boundary earns its keep.
Five myths about practical inbox threat modelling
Useful privacy habits become easier when we remove the claims they were never meant to satisfy.
How to build a calmer practical inbox threat modelling habit
The best privacy system is not the most elaborate one. It is the one that still makes sense six months later.
Audit your practical inbox threat modelling setup in ten minutes
A fast review to find exposed routes, fragile recovery choices and addresses that have outlived their purpose.