Those who use "Sign in with Apple" or "Hide email address" will in future receive addresses from a single, shared domain. For most users, the change will go unnoticed – however, in one respect it is anything but insignificant.
With "Sign in with Apple," users can create accounts with apps and services without revealing their email address. This login service and the iCloud+ "Hide Email" feature will merge their previously separate address domains. Apple announced the change in a message to developers: This summer, both services will migrate to the new, shared domain private.icloud.com.
What's changing about the domains
Previously, the two functions operated using different address spaces. "Sign in with Apple" issued its anonymized addresses via the domain privaterelay.appleid.com, while "Hide your email address" used icloud.com. Going forward, both services will issue newly generated addresses uniformly under private.icloud.com.
The randomly generated forwarding addresses from "Hide email address" still redirect to the personal inbox – just under a uniform domain. The functionality itself remains unchanged; only the last part of the new address is standardized.
Existing addresses remain active
Users who have already created email addresses on the existing domains don't need to do anything. Apple clarifies that the old addresses will continue to work and messages will be forwarded without interruption. All other processes will also remain unchanged for end users – both privacy features will continue to function as usual.
This new feature joins the ranks of iCloud+ tools that allow users to specifically secure an iPhone – from Private Relay to concealing the real email address.
What developers and email providers need to know
The situation is different on the technical side. Developers whose apps or websites use "Sign in with Apple" must ensure that their account systems, email validation, and any allowlists accept the new domain private.icloud.com in addition to existing domains. Otherwise, login attempts with the new addresses may be rejected.
Email service providers also have a responsibility: Domain-based filters, blocklists, or routing rules that explicitly list the existing relay domains should be updated to include private.icloud.com. If the new domain is not registered there, messages may be incorrectly filtered out.
Routine for users, mandatory for developers
The main reason for the change is consistency: Instead of two separate address spaces, Apple is consolidating its private forwarding services under a clearly named domain. For most users, this is a change that happens in the background – while app providers and email services should follow suit in a timely manner so that addresses on private.icloud.com work smoothly from the start. (Image: Apple)
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