Apple to Consolidate Anonymous Email Domains into Single private.icloud.com Address
Apple has announced plans to unify the email domains used by its Sign in with Apple and iCloud+ Hide My Email features, consolidating them under a single domain: private.icloud.com. The change is scheduled to take effect later this summer, though no specific date has been provided.
The transition to
private.icloud.comis designed to be seamless for existing users, requiring no action on their part.
Domain Transition
Currently, addresses generated by Sign in with Apple use the domain privaterelay.appleid.com, while iCloud+ Hide My Email addresses use icloud.com. Following the update, all new addresses for both services will be issued on the private.icloud.com domain.
Existing addresses on the legacy domains (privaterelay.appleid.com and icloud.com) will continue to function and forward email without interruption.
Impact on Developers and Service Providers
Apple stated that developers using Sign in with Apple must update their account systems, email validation logic, and allowlists to accept addresses on private.icloud.com in addition to the existing domains.
Email service providers may also need to update filtering, suppression lists, domain-based routing rules, and other configuration settings to ensure uninterrupted mail forwarding.
Impact on Users
Apple indicated that no action is required from regular users. The transition is designed to be seamless for existing users of both features.
Feature Background
Hide My Email is an iCloud+ feature that generates anonymous email addresses, which forward messages to a user's real email address. Sign in with Apple provides a similar private email relay function.
Previously, addresses generated by Hide My Email were indistinguishable from regular @icloud.com addresses. The new domain introduces a distinct identifier for addresses created through these services.
The new domain may make it easier for websites to identify and potentially block anonymous sign-ups, according to user concerns.
Reception and Rationale
Some users on social media platforms, including Reddit, have expressed concern that the new domain may make it easier for websites and applications to identify and potentially block anonymous sign-ups. Apple did not respond to a request for comment regarding the rationale for the domain change.
Legal Context
This announcement follows a report from earlier this year in which Apple provided user information tied to a Hide My Email address in response to a legal request.