Stop sign-up spam by using Hide My Email on your Mac

Why it happens

When you give your real email address to a shop or newsletter, it can be shared or sold, and the spam never stops. Hide My Email gives each site its own random address that forwards to your real inbox. If one starts sending junk, you switch that address off and the rest of your email is untouched.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click your name, Apple Account, at the top of the sidebar. Then click iCloud.

2. Click Hide My Email. You'll see any addresses you've already made.

   Apple Account›iCloud›Hide My Email

3. Click the add button (+) to create a new address. Give it a label you'll recognise, such as the shop's name, and add a note if you like.

4. Copy the new address and paste it into the website's sign-up form. Emails sent to it arrive in your normal inbox.

5. When a site starts sending spam, open Hide My Email again, select its address and click Deactivate Email Address. Nothing more arrives from it.

Still not fixed?

1. No Hide My Email, or no add button? You need an iCloud+ plan, which comes with any paid iCloud storage. You can upgrade from the iCloud page in Apple Account settings.

   Apple Account›iCloud

2. Seeing addresses you didn't make yourself? Ones created by Sign in with Apple are listed separately, under Sign in with Apple in your Apple Account settings.

3. If forwarded mail isn't arriving, check your junk folder. Then open Hide My Email and check the address your mail forwards to is one you still use.

4. If you're billed for iCloud+ but Hide My Email still won't open, or your addresses have vanished, contact Apple Support. They can check your subscription and account. It isn't a hardware problem.