Free tool
Gmail Alias Checker: is your alias set up correctly?
Enter a Gmail alias below and see instantly whether it is valid, which inbox it delivers to and what filter tag it carries.
A Gmail alias checker tells you where a dotted or plus-tagged address really lands. Gmail treats john.smith@gmail.com, johnsmith@gmail.com and johnsmith+news@gmail.com as the exact same inbox, which is powerful for filtering but confusing when you are cleaning a mailing list or debugging why two addresses receive the same mail. Paste any alias into this free tool and it shows the canonical inbox, the plus tag and the exact rules Gmail applied. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is stored.
How to use our Gmail alias checker
- 1
Type or paste the Gmail alias you want to test, for example john.smith+shopping@gmail.com.
- 2
Click on "Check alias" or press Enter.
- 3
Read the breakdown: the canonical inbox the alias delivers to and the plus tag it carries.
- 4
Use the notes to understand which Gmail rules apply: dot-insensitivity, plus tags and the googlemail.com domain.
- 5
Set up a Gmail filter on the tag to label or archive incoming mail automatically.
Gmail alias FAQ
What is a Gmail alias?
A Gmail alias is a variation of your address that delivers to the same inbox. Gmail creates them in three ways: dots anywhere in the username, a +tag after the username, and the interchangeable googlemail.com domain. You do not need to register an alias anywhere; every variation works automatically.
Do I need to configure anything for plus addressing to work?
No. Any tag after a + sign works out of the box: mail to yourname+anything@gmail.com arrives in yourname@gmail.com. The only setup worth doing is creating filters that act on the tag, for example labeling everything sent to yourname+newsletters.
Why do dots not matter in Gmail addresses?
Google decided that the username part of a Gmail address is dot-insensitive: j.o.h.n and john are the same account. This prevents strangers from registering a dotted variation of your name. It applies only to personal gmail.com accounts; a Google Workspace domain can define dotted addresses as distinct users.
Can people see my real address if I give out an alias?
Yes, easily. Removing dots and stripping the +tag reveals the base address, exactly like this tool does. Aliases are a convenience for sorting your own mail, not a privacy shield. If you need a truly separate identity, use a distinct account or an email forwarding service.
Are alias addresses treated as duplicates on a mailing list?
They should be. john.smith@gmail.com and johnsmith+promo@gmail.com are the same person, and mailing both doubles your volume to one recipient, which hurts engagement metrics and can annoy the reader. Deduplicate your list on the canonical form before sending a campaign.
Can I send a campaign from a Gmail alias?
Gmail can send mail as any address you have verified under Settings, Accounts, Send mail as. Once the alias is verified there, tools built on Gmail, including Mail Merge for Gmail, can use it as the sender of your campaigns.
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