Wildcard email domains: any name before the domain works too
On most domains here you make up one thing: the name in front of the @. Wildcard domains let you make up a second one. You can change the part in front of the domain as well, and mail to the new address still arrives. This page explains how to spot these domains, how to use them, and what they can't do.
How to spot a wildcard domain
In the list of domains, wildcard domains are shown in a different colour. On a computer, hovering over one shows a short explanation. Pick one, and a star (✱) appears under your address with a line like this:
example.xyz receives mail tooIn other words, the domain you picked, say zq7.example.xyz, is just one of endless names that work. Swap zq7 for any word you like, such as shop.example.xyz or news2026.example.xyz, and the address still receives mail.
Wildcard domains are rare, so the list usually mixes in only one or two of them. Reload the page to see others. If you'd rather not see them at all, turn off the Wildcard domains switch in the settings.
Two names you choose instead of one
On an ordinary domain you choose the mailbox name. On a wildcard domain you choose the subdomain too:
| You choose | Address you get |
|---|---|
name anna, subdomain zq7 | anna@zq7.example.xyz |
name anna, subdomain shop | anna@shop.example.xyz |
name order, subdomain parcel | order@parcel.example.xyz |
Each of these is a separate mailbox. Mail for anna@zq7.example.xyz never shows up in anna@shop.example.xyz. You open each one by typing its full address, just like on any other domain here.
How to type your own subdomain
- Pick one of the coloured domains from the list.
- In the domain field, replace the first word (
zq7in our example) with a word of your own. - Leave the rest of the domain unchanged. If the star line still shows under the address, the new address is covered.
Why it's handy
- Your address is less likely to be shared. On a public domain, popular names like
test@get opened by lots of people. With a subdomain of your own in the address, the chance that someone else opens exactly the same mailbox drops sharply. - One address per website, at a glance. Put the site's name in the subdomain, for example
me@forum.example.xyzorme@store.example.xyz, and you'll always know which sign-up a message belongs to. The same habit on a domain you own is covered in A separate email address for every website. - A new address in a second. If a site says an address is already registered, change the subdomain and you have a fresh one on the same domain.
How a wildcard domain works
Every domain tells the internet where its mail should go. That instruction is called an MX record, and it lives in the domain's DNS settings. Usually it is set for one exact name: mail for example.xyz goes to a particular server.
DNS also allows a record named with an asterisk: *.example.xyz. It covers every name under the domain that doesn't have a record of its own. When the owner points that record at our mail servers, mail for zq7.example.xyz, shop.example.xyz and any other made-up subdomain comes here. That is why they all work, and why the star is used as the symbol.
* as the name and the same value. You'll find where to enter it in How to add an MX record. Afterwards, Check your domain will tell you whether mail for a test subdomain reaches us.Things to keep in mind
- It's still a public mailbox. A subdomain makes an address harder to guess, but not private. Anyone who types the exact same address can open it here. Use these addresses for codes, confirmations and newsletters, never for an account you can't afford to lose.
- The owner can switch it off. The wildcard record belongs to whoever owns the domain. If they remove it, made-up subdomains stop receiving mail and the star disappears here. An address that works today isn't guaranteed to work next month.
- Keep it short. Some sign-up forms reject addresses with many levels, like
me@a.b.c.example.xyz. One short subdomain is the safest choice. - The usual domain-name rules apply. Use letters, digits and hyphens, don't start or end a part with a hyphen, and keep each part to 63 characters or fewer.