Dots don't matter in Gmail addresses (2024)

FAQs

Dots don't matter in Gmail addresses? ›

Adding dots doesn't change your address, so dots aren't why you got someone else's mail. Instead, the sender probably mistyped or forgot the correct address. For example, if someone meant to email john.43.smith@gmail.com but typed john.smith@gmail.com, the message went to you because you own johnsmith@gmail.com.

Bonus: Gmail dot trick

For instance, janedoe@gmail.com can also be written jane.doe@gmail.com. Gmail will treat these variations as identical addresses, but you can use them to categorize and filter emails.

All you need to do is add a plus (+) and any combination of words or numbers after the letters before the @ symbol. For example, if your Gmail address is example@gmail.com, you can create accounts with the following Gmail address: example+fans@gmail.com. example+author@gmail.com.

Here's how it works: In Gmail, you can add a “+” symbol and any word you want to the end of your email address, and it will still reach your inbox. For example, if your email address is john@gmail.com, you can use john+shopping@gmail.com, john+work@gmail.com, or john+anythingyouwant@gmail.com.

Insert one or several dots (".") anywhere in your email address. Gmail doesn't recognize periods as characters in addresses -- we just ignore them. For example, you could tell people your address was hikingfan@gmail.com, hiking.fan@gmail.com or hi.kin.g.fan@gmail.com.

Your Gmail address is unique. If anyone tries to create a Gmail account with a dotted version of your username, they'll get an error saying the username is already taken. For example, if your address is johnsmith@gmail.com, no one can sign up for j.o.h.n.s.m.i.t.h@gmail.com.

Security keys can be used with 2-Step Verification to help you keep hackers out of your Google Account. Important: If you're a journalist, activist, or someone else at risk of targeted online attacks, learn about the Advanced Protection Program.

Dots do matter: Why dots in Gmail addresses impact Google Workspace investigations. If you're an investigator though and a Gmail address is involved in an incident, those dots may result in you missing valuable data if you are not aware of the “gotchas” that result from this situation.

To change your Gmail address you'll have to create a new account. But there are a few exceptions. For example, you can add or remove some dots in your Gmail address. Or change the name associated with your email address.

Can a fake Gmail be traced? ›

Which begs the question: can a fake email be traced by the police? Yes, especially if the sender uses a regular email service. IP addresses, browser information, and other metadata can still be obtained from the email provider, which can help law enforcement identify the person behind the email.

Luckily, a little-known Gmail trick offers a practical solution. By simply adding a plus sign (“+”) and any combination of words or numbers after their standard email address, users can create multiple unique addresses that all funnel back to the same inbox.

Dot Usage:

Dots are permitted in the local part of the address but must not appear at the beginning or end. Additionally, consecutive dots (e.g., .. ) are not allowed.

Only letters, numbers, periods, and underscores are allowed in Gmail usernames. You'll get an error message if you try to use any other characters. Finally, make sure that you're entering a valid password. Passwords must be at least eight characters long and can't include your username or any commonly used words.

Add a dot: Gmail ignores dots, but adding a dot will make it seem like a new address to other websites: j.oesfamily@gmail.com. Add a plus sign after the username to add other words to your address: joeman+moretext@gmail.com, joeman+thatsmyname@gmail.com.

If you add “+1” (or any numbers/letters) to the end of your Gmail handle, Gmail recognizes it as belonging to your email address but it looks like a unique email address to the site for which you are registering an account.