To stop an iCloud+ Hide My Email address from forwarding mail, deactivate that address: on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Hide My Email, select the address, then tap Deactivate Email Address. Deactivation is reversible; deleting the address is permanent.
Deactivate an address on iPhone or iPad
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Tap iCloud, then Hide My Email.
- Select the address you want to stop using.
- Tap Deactivate Email Address and confirm if prompted. Apple says a deactivated address no longer forwards emails to you. Apple’s iPhone guide covers these controls.
Other ways to manage Hide My Email
On a Mac
- Open System Settings and click your name.
- Choose iCloud, then Hide My Email.
- Select the address and choose Deactivate Email Address. To find inactive addresses later, open Options; you can reactivate or delete them. See Apple’s Mac instructions.
On iCloud.com
- Sign in to iCloud.com and open the iCloud+ Features page.
- Choose Hide My Email, select the address, then choose Deactivate email address.
- Follow the on-screen prompts. Apple provides the steps in its iCloud.com guide.
Deactivate or delete: choose carefully
Deactivation stops mail sent to the address from being forwarded to you. Apple says messages sent to a deactivated address are returned to the sender. You can reactivate an inactive address if you want to use it again.
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Deleting is different: you can delete only an inactive address, and deletion is permanent. It removes the address from devices set up for Hide My Email and cannot be undone. If you might need the address again, deactivate it rather than deleting it. Apple explains the distinction in its Hide My Email instructions.
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If you cannot find the address, check how it was created
Hide My Email addresses created for iCloud+ are managed in the iCloud settings described above. An address created when you used Sign in with Apple is managed separately. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > [your name] > Sign in with Apple, choose the app or website, and review its settings. Apple’s Sign in with Apple guide explains how to manage those app and website connections. Look there if the address is not listed under iCloud > Hide My Email.
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Access and forwarding settings
Apple says Hide My Email is available when you or someone in your Family Sharing group has an iCloud+ subscription. Its random addresses forward to a personal email account, and you can manage the forwarding destination in Hide My Email settings. Apple’s iCloud+ guide describes availability. This requirement does not establish that you need to buy a new subscription to deactivate an address already shown in your settings.
Menu labels may vary as Apple updates its software. If a label differs, look for the selected address’s deactivation control in the Hide My Email settings for the device or service you used.
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