How to Use Gmail’s “+” Trick to Keep Track of Where You’re Sharing Your Email
If you’re like most people, your inbox can quickly become a cluttered mess of newsletters, promo emails, and messages you don’t remember signing up for. But what if there were a simple way to trace where each message came from without signing up for multiple email accounts?
Good news: if you use Gmail or Google Workspace (formerly GSuite) email, there’s a built-in trick you can use, and it involves a simple symbol, the plus sign (+).
What’s the Google Email “+” Trick?
Sometimes called “Plus Addressing”, Gmail and Google Workspace emails ignore anything after a plus sign in your email address before the @ symbol. This means if your email is:
weylandyutani@gmail.com
Then any of the following will still go to your inbox:
weylandyutani+shopping@gmail.com
weylandyutani+newsletter@gmail.com
weylandyutani+contest426@gmail.com
Google treats all of these as the same address. But here’s the trick: you can use the part after the “+” to track where you gave out your email.
Pro Tip: If you’re using Google Workspace with a custom domain (e.g., you@yourdomain.com), this trick works the same way! Just use you+whatever@yourdomain.com.
Why Use It?
Track sign-ups:
Want to know if a specific website is sharing or selling your email? Use a custom address like dwaynehicks+sitename@gmail.com. If you start getting spam to that address, you’ll know the source.
Set up filters:
Gmail allows you to create filters that can automatically label, file, archive messages, and more. For example, emails to dwaynehicks+promos@gmail.com can be caught on delivery and labeled Promo or filed to label and archived automatically.
Organize better:
You can keep your inbox tidy by categorizing emails at the sign-up stage.
How to Use It in Practice
1. Choose a label
When signing up for a service, add a +keyword to your email when entering it into the sign up text box.
Example: Signing up for Amazon? If your email address is rebeccajorden@gmail.com then use rebeccajorden+amazon@gmail.com when signing up.
2. Create an associated Gmail filter (optional):
Go to Gmail “Settings” > “Filters and Blocked Addresses” > “Create a new filter”.
In the “To” field, enter your tagged email (e.g., rebeccajorden+amazon@gmail.com).
Set an action: label it, archive it, or move it to a folder.
A Few Caveats
- Some websites don’t accept email addresses with “+” signs. It’s rare, but it happens. If that’s the case, you might need to use a different trick (like Gmail aliases or custom domains).
- This doesn’t stop spam, but it does help you identify where it’s coming from and take action accordingly.
Bonus Tip: Periods (.) Don't Matter in Gmail and Google Workspace Addresses
Another neat Google email trick? Periods (.) in your email address don’t affect delivery at all. Google ignores them completely.
So if your Gmail address is:
amandaripley@gmail.com
Then all of these are seen as the same to Gmail:
amanda.ripley@gmail.com
a.manda.rip.ley@gmail.com
And if your Google Workspace custom domain email address is:
ellenripley@thecompany.com
Then all of these are seen as the same to Gmail:
ellen.ripley@thecompany.com
ellen.rip.ley@thecompany.com
e.l.l.e.n.r.i.p.l.e.y@thecompany.com
They’ll all land in your inbox exactly the same way.
Make the Most of Your Inbox
The Google Email “+” trick is a simple, elegant way to stay organized and in control of your inbox. Whether you’re trying to trace a spam source, categorize emails, or just make your digital life a bit more tidy, this tiny tweak can go a long way.
Next time you fill out a form or register for a service, try adding a + and see how much easier it becomes to manage your email.
Combined with the period trick, this gives you even more flexibility and control over how your email is used and managed.
Update: This plus addressing trick also works for Microsoft emails. Read our Boost Email Privacy with Microsoft Outlook’s “Plus Addressing” Trick post to learn more.