What Private Relay does and who can use it

Private Relay is a feature built into Apple devices that hides your real email address and IP address when you sign up for services online. Instead of giving a website your actual email, Private Relay generates a unique, random address that forwards messages to your real inbox. Apple handles the forwarding behind the scenes — the website never sees your true identity or location.

Private Relay is included free with an iCloud+ subscription, which costs $0.99 per month for 50 GB of storage. You need an Apple ID to set it up, and it works on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro. The feature is available in most countries, though a few regions (China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and a handful of others) do not support it due to local regulations.

This is different from a traditional email alias or a temporary email service. Private Relay stays active as long as your iCloud+ subscription is active, and you control which addresses you create and which ones you want to stop using.

Key Takeaways

  • Private Relay requires an iCloud+ subscription ($0.99 per month), and you turn it on in Settings on your Apple device under your Apple ID.
  • When you create a Private Relay address during signup on a website, that address forwards to your real email inbox without revealing your identity to the website.
  • You can create as many Private Relay addresses as you want, and you can delete or disable any address at any time from your iCloud settings.
  • Private Relay does not work with all websites — some services block it or require your real email, and you can choose to use your real address instead when needed.
  • Apple can see which websites you use Private Relay with, but they do not sell that data or share it with advertisers.

How to turn on Private Relay on iPhone or iPad

Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Go to iCloud, then scroll down and tap iCloud+. You will see a list of iCloud+ features — look for "Hide My Email" (this is what Private Relay is called in the settings menu). Tap the toggle next to it to turn it on. If you do not see this option, your region may not support Private Relay, or your subscription may not be active.

Once it is on, you are ready to use it. The next time you fill out a signup form on Safari or in an app, you will see an option to "Use a Private Relay Email" or "Hide My Email" — tap that option instead of typing your real address. A random address will appear; you can use it or tap the refresh icon to generate a different one.

How to turn on Private Relay on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions). Click your Apple ID name in the sidebar, then click iCloud. Scroll down to find iCloud+ and click it. Look for "Hide My Email" and toggle it on.

On Mac, you can also use Private Relay directly in Safari. When you encounter a signup form, look for the "Hide My Email" option that appears in the password manager popup or next to the email field. Click it to generate a Private Relay address without leaving the page.

Creating and managing Private Relay addresses

Every time you use Private Relay during signup, a new random address is created and linked to that website. You do not have to do anything — it happens automatically. If you want to see all your Private Relay addresses or delete ones you no longer use, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Hide My Email (on iPhone or iPad) or System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Hide My Email (on Mac).

In that menu, you will see a list of every address you have created, which website it is linked to, and whether it is active. You can tap or click any address to disable it (messages will stop forwarding) or delete it entirely. If you disable an address and then sign back into that website, you will need to create a new Private Relay address.

You can also manage your addresses on iCloud.com. Log in, click Settings, go to Apps and Websites, and look for "Hide My Email" — you will see the same list and can make the same changes from there.

What happens when a website receives your Private Relay address

The website sees only the random address you generated — it does not see your real email or your IP address. When you receive an email at that address, it is forwarded to your real inbox, and the sender's address is rewritten so replies go back through the Private Relay address, not your real email.

This means the website cannot build a profile of you across other services using your email address, and it cannot track your location from your IP address. However, the website can still track your behavior on its own site through cookies and other methods — Private Relay only hides your identity, not your activity once you are logged in.

Apple can see which websites you use Private Relay with, because they operate the forwarding service. Apple states they do not sell this data, use it for advertising, or share it with third parties. If you are concerned about Apple knowing this information, you can choose to use your real email address instead on any given signup.

When Private Relay does not work

Some websites block Private Relay addresses or refuse to accept them during signup. This is usually because the website wants to verify your real identity, prevent fraud, or enforce their own terms. Common examples include banking sites, government portals, and some subscription services that need to confirm who you are.

When a website blocks Private Relay, you will usually see a message saying the address is not valid or not accepted. At that point, you have two choices: use your real email address instead, or look for an alternative service that does not block Private Relay. There is no way to force a website to accept a Private Relay address if it has blocked them.

Some websites accept Private Relay for initial signup but later ask for your real email to complete verification or make a purchase. In those cases, you can provide your real address at that step while keeping the Private Relay address for general communications.

Private Relay vs. other email privacy tools

Private Relay is built into Apple devices and requires only an iCloud+ subscription — you do not need to install anything or sign up for a separate service. It works automatically in Safari and many apps, and you can create unlimited addresses.

Other tools like email alias services (some email providers offer these for free) or third-party masking services work similarly but are separate apps or websites you have to manage. Some third-party services offer additional features like tracking pixel blocking or reply anonymity, but they often cost money and require you to trust another company with your forwarding data.

If you already have iCloud+ for the storage, Private Relay costs nothing extra. If you do not have iCloud+, the $0.99 monthly cost is low, but it is worth comparing to free alternatives if you only want email masking and do not need the extra storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Private Relay on Android or Windows?

No. Private Relay is an Apple-only feature and works only on Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro). If you use Android or Windows, you would need to use a different email masking service or your email provider's alias feature if available.

What happens to my Private Relay address if I cancel iCloud+?

Your Private Relay addresses stop working immediately. Any emails sent to those addresses will bounce back to the sender. If you resubscribe to iCloud+ later, your old addresses are not restored — you would need to create new ones. Save any important addresses before you cancel.

Can I see who is sending emails to my Private Relay address?

Yes. Emails arrive in your inbox with the sender's real address visible, just like normal email. The privacy works in one direction — the sender does not know your real email, but you can see theirs. If you want to reply anonymously, you can, but the sender will see your Private Relay address in the reply.

Does Private Relay hide my location from websites?

Yes, it hides your IP address, which websites normally use to estimate your location. However, if you fill out a form with your real address or allow a website to access your location through your browser, that information is not hidden. Private Relay only protects what you do not voluntarily give away.

Can I use the same Private Relay address for multiple websites?

Technically yes, but it defeats the purpose. Private Relay creates a new address for each website so that website cannot connect you to your activity elsewhere. If you reuse the same address across multiple sites, those sites could potentially link your accounts together. It is better to let each address stay unique.