What Is the Dot Trick?
Gmail ignores all dots in usernames. [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] all deliver to the same inbox. This is an official Google feature documented in their Mail Help Center, not a workaround or exploit.
[email protected] and [email protected] are two separate user accounts. Sending to the wrong variation will bounce or reach someone else entirely.Why Only Gmail?
Gmail's dot-insensitivity was a deliberate design decision. Google normalizes the username before routing, stripping all periods and lowercasing the string. Microsoft chose a different approach � Outlook preserves dots as part of the username identity, so each dotted variant is a distinct address.
Does Plus Addressing Work on Outlook?
Yes. Outlook added plus addressing support in 2023. You can append a +tag to your address and it delivers to your main inbox:
[email protected] ? [email protected] inbox
[email protected] ? [email protected] inbox
[email protected] ? [email protected] inboxProvider Comparison
| Provider | Dot Trick | Plus Addressing |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | Yes | Yes |
| Outlook / Hotmail | No | Yes (2023+) |
| Yahoo Mail | No | Yes (uses dash) |
| iCloud Mail | No | Yes (hide my email) |
| Proton Mail | No | Paid plans only |
Use the Free Gmail Alias Generator
If you have a Gmail account, you can generate thousands of dot-trick variations instantly with our free, browser-based tool. No account, no login, no data stored.
Key Takeaways
- The dot trick works on Gmail only � not Outlook, Yahoo, or iCloud.
- Outlook supports plus addressing (
[email protected]) since 2023. - For dot-permutation aliases, a Gmail account is required.
Try the Free Gmail Alias Generator
Generate up to 5,000 dot variations and plus tags instantly in your browser with zero data stored.