How to Create an Email Alias in Outlook and Outlook.com

This article explains how to create and use an email alias in Outlook and Outlook.com. It includes information for removing an alias. Instructions in this article apply to Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2019, 2016, Outlook.com, and Outlook Online.

Create an Outlook Alias Email Address

In the Outlook desktop program, you can add other email accounts to use as aliases. If you've already added an email to Outlook, using that account as an alias is simple, or you can create a new email alias within the program when you need it.

1. Go to the Home tab and select New Email.

2. If you've successfully added an alias, you'll see a drop-down menu next to From. Select From and then select one of your aliases.

3. Or if you don't want to use an added account, select Other Email Address.

4. In the field labeled From, enter the email address you want to send from.

5. Select the drop-down menu for Send Using and select the email address you want to send the email from.

6. Select OK.

7. Compose and send your email.

Create an Outlook.com Alias Email Address

In Outlook.com, an alias can be an email address you use to respond to people with a different email address from the same account. For example, if you have an Outlook.com email address for work, set up an alias for personal email. If you changed your name and want to use it with your existing account, set up an alias to keep your contacts and archived email.

Microsoft permits users to have up to 10 aliases on their accounts at any given time, and you can use any of them to work in Outlook.com.

To set up a new Microsoft alias email address you can use with your Outlook.com mail account:

1. Sign in to the Microsoft account website.

2. Select Your info.

3. Select Manage how you sign in to Microsoft.

4. If you use two-factor authentication, request and enter the necessary code.

5. In the Manage how you sign in to Microsoft page, select Add email.

6. To use a new address as an alias, select Create a new email address and add it as an alias. To add an email address you already have, select Add an existing email address as a Microsoft account alias.

7. Select Add alias.

8. If prompted, enter your password again for security purposes, then select Sign in.

9. Your newly added alias is listed on the Manage how you sign in to Microsoft page under Account alias.

Your primary Outlook.com email address is the one you use to open your Microsoft account. You can sign in to your account with any of your aliases.

About Microsoft Aliases

All of your Microsoft aliases share the same Outlook.com inbox, contact list, password, and account settings as your primary alias, although some of this can be changed. You can opt to turn off the sign-in privileges of an alias you hand out to strangers to protect your information. Other notes:

• You cannot use an existing @hotmail.com, @live.com, or @msn.com address as an alias.
• You can use an alias that is already associated with another Microsoft account.
• You can change the primary alias for an account at any time.

Remove an Alias from Outlook.com

To remove an alias from your account: 

1. Sign in to the Microsoft account website.

2. Go to Your info.

3. Select Manage how you sign in to Microsoft.

4. In the Manage how you sign in to Microsoft page, select Remove next to the alias you want to remove from your account.

5. In the Are you sure you want to remove this alias from your account dialog box, select Remove.

6. You might be prompted to enter your password in for security measures.

Removing an alias does not prevent it from being used again. To delete an alias, you have to close your Microsoft account, which means you lose access to your inbox. The conditions surrounding the reuse of an alias vary as follows:

• If the alias you remove was an email address from a non-Microsoft domain (such as @gmail.com), it is available to be added as an alias on another Microsoft account immediately.
• If the alias you remove is an email address from Outlook.com, it can be recreated as a new account or alias after a 30-day waiting period.
• Email addresses from @hotmail.com, @live.com, or @msn.com cannot be added again as an alias to any Microsoft account after they are removed.