Overview
This article explains how to add a fully hosted email address to your domain.
Make sure you complete the following before proceeding:
- You must have an active hosting plan or a Professional Email plan to add an email address.
- The DNS for your domain must also be hosted with DreamHost.
Understanding the different types of email addresses
The following table explains each type of email address that can be created in the panel.
| Email type | Function |
|---|---|
| Fully hosted |
|
| Forward-only |
|
| Garbage |
|
How to add or delete an email address
A fully hosted email address has an active mailbox that you can log in to and send or receive messages.
Adding a new email address
- Navigate to the Manage Email page.
- Click the Create Email button.
- Select your domain from the Select a domain dropdown menu under Email Address.
- Enter the name of your new email address in the text box that appears.
- Select Fully Hosted Email under Mailbox Type and click the Continue button.
- Enter a mailbox name (this can be your name or something that describes the mailbox's purpose).
- Click the Generate strong password button to generate a password, or enter one of your own choosing.
- Click the Create Email button at the bottom of the page to save the new information.
After the email is created, a success message displays.
Deleting an email address
- Navigate to the Manage Email page.
- Click the Manage button to the right of your email address.
- Click the red Delete button, then click it once more to confirm the deletion request.
New email address FAQs
How long does it take before my new email address works?
The time it takes for a new email address to begin working depends on the following:
- If it's the first address added to a domain — the domain needs time for the mail record DNS to propagate, which can take up to 6 hours per record. During this time, messages sent to the address are rejected with a bounce notification containing the following error:
Recipient Address Rejected
Until the DNS resolves, incoming messages continue to be rejected. Outgoing messages can typically still be sent even before the DNS resolves.
- If it's an additional address added to a domain — if the domain is already configured with email addresses, the newly created address is typically fully active within 15 minutes.
What email address names should I use?
An email address can be named as you choose, but Internet standards specify the following addresses, which every domain with email service should have:
| Address | Purpose |
|---|---|
| postmaster@example.com | Contact for any email issues. This should exist for any domain that has an email service. |
| webmaster@example.com | Contact for any website issues. This should exist for any domain that has a website or HTTP service. |
| hostmaster@example.com | Contact for any DNS issues. This should exist for all domains since they all use DNS. |
| abuse@example.com | Contact for any inappropriate public behavior related to the domain. |
Can I forward email from my newly created email address?
No. A newly created email address can only receive email; it's not possible for one address to both receive and forward to another. To forward email instead, create a Forward-only address.
If an email address was previously configured to forward to another inbox, that behavior remains active until the address is edited. At that point, choose between Forward-only or Fully hosted.
I have a large number of addresses and cannot create a new one — what should I do?
If a large number of addresses already exist on the account, a temporary system safeguard can briefly block new address creation. In this case, an error message displays that reads:
Your account cannot create additional e-mail addresses at this time. This is usually a temporary situation and should be resolved within 24 hours. Please contact Support if you have any questions.
If this message displays, contact support.
What happens if I reach my Professional Email plan's mailbox limit?
Once an account reaches the number of mailboxes included in its Professional Email plan, no additional email addresses can be created, even if the temporary safeguard above does not apply.
To add more addresses, you must increase the number of mailboxes on the plan first:
- Navigate to the Billing & Account page in the panel.
- Under Active Plans, click the Manage button next to Professional Email.
- Under Total Plan Usage, increase the Mailboxes count as needed.
Troubleshooting
The following provides general information that can help resolve common errors related to email.
Login issues
Visit the following URL to connect to an email address using webmail:
If an error occurs, visit the Contact Support page to submit a support request.
Resetting a password
To reset the password of an email address in the panel, see this article.
Email delivery failures
Email delivery can fail for a variety of reasons that may require a review by DreamHost's support team. To investigate an error, first gather relevant information by following the instructions in this article.
Once the appropriate information is gathered, navigate to the Contact Support page to submit a support request.
How to verify MX records and DNS propagation status
For more information about reviewing DNS configuration, see this article.