Email aliases let you create additional email addresses that deliver to an existing mailbox without creating a separate email account. For example, [email protected] can deliver to [email protected] without needing its own mailbox or password.
Forwarders or Email Accounts - choose based on your needs
Forwarder (no separate mailbox) - Creates an alias that forwards to an existing account. No extra disk space used. Set up in cPanel > Email > Forwarders.
Full email account - Creates a new mailbox with its own storage and password. Set up in cPanel > Email > Email Accounts.
01. Create an Alias via Forwarder
- Log into cPanel > Email > Forwarders
- Click "Add Forwarder"
- Enter the alias (e.g.,
sales) and select your domain - Enter the destination email address where messages should go
- Click "Add Forwarder"
Messages sent to [email protected] will arrive in the destination mailbox. The sender never knows it is a forwarder. For more details and options like domain-level forwarding, see What Is Email Forwarding?
02. Create a Full Email Account
If you need the alias to have its own inbox, password, and storage (for example, a shared department mailbox that multiple people log into):
- cPanel > Email > Email Accounts
- Click "+ Create"
- Enter the address, set a password, and set the mailbox quota
- Click "Create"
See How to Create Email Accounts and Aliases for the full guide.
Consider creating forwarders for standard addresses like info@, sales@, support@, billing@, and admin@, all forwarding to your main inbox. This looks professional and lets you sort incoming mail by which alias received it.
Need Help With Email Setup?
Our team can help you set up email accounts, forwarders, and aliases for your domain.
Open a Support TicketFrequently Asked Questions
What is an email alias?
An alias is an additional address that delivers to an existing mailbox without its own account or password. For example, [email protected] can deliver to [email protected]. It is ideal for role addresses you want routed to a real inbox.
How do I create an email alias in cPanel?
Use a forwarder: in cPanel open Email then Forwarders, click Add Forwarder, enter the alias address and the mailbox it should deliver to, and save. Mail to the alias then lands in the destination inbox automatically.
What is the difference between an alias and a full email account?
An alias has no mailbox or password; it just forwards to another account. A full email account has its own inbox, password, and storage. Use an alias for a role address, and a full account when it needs to send mail from that address or store its own mail.
Can an alias send email from its own address?
Not by itself, since it has no mailbox. To send as the alias, add it as an identity or send-as address in a real mailbox that you authenticate with. The alias handles incoming mail; sending as it requires a configured mailbox.
Quick Recap
- Forwarder = alias with no mailbox - No disk space, no separate password
- Full account = alias with its own inbox - Own storage and login
- Set up forwarders in cPanel > Email > Forwarders
- Create accounts in cPanel > Email > Email Accounts
- Standard aliases - info@, sales@, support@ forwarding to your main inbox
Email configuration for your domain · Last updated November 2026 · Browse all Email articles
