Using email aliases and redirections

Objective

In this guide, you can find information and help on configuring your redirections and alias emails, such as sending emails received from address A to address B.

emails

This guide explains how to manage aliases and email redirections.

What is an email redirection?

You can use redirections to change the routing of an email sent to an email address, forwarding it to one or more other email addresses.

For example, you may want emails sent to contact@mydomain.ovh forwarded to john.smith@otherdomain.ovh. This way, you can automatically send emails received by contact@mydomain.ovh to john.smith@otherdomain.ovh.

What is an email alias?

Unlike redirection, an alias address is not an actual email account, but functions as a secondary address for the email account associated with it.

By creating an alias for your email account, you can give your contacts a "masking" address instead of revealing your personal email address to them. An email account can have multiple aliases.

For example, your email address is john.smith@mydomain.ovh and your alias is information@mydomain.ovh. You can then send your contacts the address information@mydomain.ovh and receive emails on john.smith@mydomain.ovh, without the sender knowing the address john.smith@mydomain.ovh.

Redirection and alias in pictures

Click on the tabs below for an illustrated explanation of how aliases and redirections work.

  • From is the sender's address.
  • To is the address of the recipient.
  • Redirect to refers to the redirection email address that has been configured.
1. Simple redirection
2. Redirection with local copy
3. Email alias

The email is sent directly to the redirection address, the original recipient does not receive the email.

emails
Info

Note that you can configure redirections to multiple email addresses. To do this, the redirections to each recipient must be created individually.

Requirements

OVHcloud Control Panel Access

MX Plan:

  • Direct link: MX Plan
  • Navigation path: Web Cloud > MX Plan > Select your MX Plan service

Zimbra:

  • Direct link: Zimbra
  • Navigation path: Web Cloud > Zimbra Mail

Email Pro:

  • Direct link: Email Pro
  • Navigation path: Web Cloud > Email Pro > Select your platform

Exchange:

  • Direct link: Exchange
  • Navigation path: Web Cloud > Exchange > Select your platform

Instructions

This guide covers all of our email solutions. Depending on the solution, you can manage aliases and redirections from the OVHcloud Control Panel, or via webmail. For clarity, we mention the types of email solutions concerned in each chapter of this guide. Here are the different types of OVHcloud email solutions:

  • MX Plan Roundcube: Corresponds to the MX Plan solution using Roundcube webmail.
  • MX Plan Zimbra: Corresponds to the MX Plan solution using Zimbra webmail.
  • MX Plan OWA: Corresponds to the MX Plan solution using the Outlook Web App (OWA) webmail.
  • Exchange: Applies to Hosted, Private and Dedicated Exchange solutions using the Outlook Web App (OWA) webmail.
  • Email Pro: Exchange-based email solution using the Outlook Web App (OWA) webmail.
  • Zimbra: Dedicated solution using Zimbra webmail.
  • Redirect: This free solution is automatically available if you have a domain name in your Control Panel without an attached email solution. You can use it to create email redirections.
Info

The email technology for your MX Plan solution may vary depending on the activation date of your solution, or if a migration has recently taken place. This technology is mainly distinguished by the interface of its webmail. To identify it via the OVHcloud Control Panel, follow this process:

From your MX Plan service, in the General Information tab, note the technology used under Webmail in the Subscription box.

MX plan

Contents

Creating a redirection

Via the OVH Control Panel

Currently, only the MX Plan and Redirect plans have a redirection management interface via the OVHcloud Control Panel.

MX Plan / redirect

From your MX Plan service, select the domain concerned.

In our example, this is a redirection with a local copy (see diagram 2 at the beginning of this guide). If this is what you need, follow the steps below by clicking on the tab corresponding to the webmail technology used by your MX Plan:

MX Plan Roundcube / MX Plan Outlook Web App / Redirect
MX Plan Zimbra

By default, you are in the General information tab of your MX Plan. Click on the Emails tab, then on the right-hand side on the Manage redirections button.

emails

The table of redirections that are already active appears. On the right, click Add a redirection.

emails

In the form Create a redirection, enter the following information:

  • From address: Enter the email address you would like to redirect.
  • To the address: Enter the destination address for your redirection here. This can be one of your OVHcloud email addresses, or an external email address.
  • Choose a copy mode: Choose if you want to:
    • Keep a copy of the email with OVHcloud: Receive the email on your main address as well as the redirection address (see diagram 2 at the beginning of this guide).
    • Do not store a copy of the email: Send directly to the redirection address without the primary address receiving it (see diagram 1 at the beginning of this guide).

Then click Confirm to confirm the addition of this redirection.

emails
Info

To modify the destination address or delete a redirection, click ..., to the right of the redirection concerned.

Info

When you choose the "Keep a copy of the email with OVHcloud" copy mode, a redirection from the email address to itself is created automatically in the redirections list, and it materializes this local copy.

Via webmail

Go to webmail. Enter the email address and the password to log in.

emails

You can create a redirection using inbox rules, also called "filters" in webmail. These rules, which are applied when an email is received, allow an incoming email to be forwarded or redirected.

Outlook Web App (OWA)
Tip

This chapter covers the following offers:

  • MX Plan OWA.
  • Exchange.
  • Email Pro.

Outlook Web App is an interface used for our Exchange, Email Pro offers, and some MX Plan accounts.

Browse the tabs below to set up your redirection via Outlook Web App:

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6

Once you have logged in to your email address via webmail, click on the cogwheel in the top right-hand corner, then Options.

emails
Info

To apply a simple redirection (see diagram 1 at the beginning of this guide), add an additional rule to your redirection with a local copy from this window. Click Add an action (box 1), then Move, copy or delete, then click delete message. This rule moves the message directly to the trash, after redirecting the message to the redirection address.

emails
Zimbra
Tip

This chapter covers the following offers:

  • MX Plan with zimbra for webmail.
  • Zimbra.

To redirect emails from your Zimbra account to another email address, we will apply a transfer rule.

Info

In our example below, we have chosen to redirect all incoming emails to another email address. To understand the example in the screenshots, we are logged on to the address zimbra@mydomain.ovh and we would like to redirect emails from this account to the address address@example.com.

Follow the steps below by clicking on the tabs to set up your redirection:

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

Click the ⚙ button in the top right-hand corner of your webmail window, then click Settings.

zimbra

For more details on using Zimbra webmail, please read our guide on Using Zimbra webmail.

Delete a redirection

MX Plan via the OVHcloud Control Panel

From your MX Plan service, select the domain concerned.

Select the tab below for the email technology used by your MX Plan service:

MX Plan Roundcube / MX Plan OWA / Redirect
MX Plan Zimbra

  • By default, you are in the General information tab of your MX Plan.

  • Click the Emails tab, then on the right-hand side the Manage redirections button.

    emails

  • Click ..., to the right of the redirection concerned, then Delete redirection.

    emails
Outlook Web App (OWA)

Go to webmail. Enter the email address and the password to log in. From the OWA webmail interface, follow the steps by clicking on the tabs below:

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

Once you have logged in to the OWA webmail interface, click the cogwheel icon in the top right-hand corner, then Options.

emails
Zimbra

Go to webmail. Enter the email address and the password to log in. From the Zimbra webmail interface, follow the steps by clicking on the tabs below:

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

Once you have logged in to the Zimbra webmail interface, click the ⚙ button in the top right-hand corner of your webmail window, then click Settings.

zimbra

Create an alias

Creating an alias for your email address allows you to provide a "mask" address to your contacts, without having to provide your personal email address to the sender.

Exchange / Email Pro / MX Plan

From your email service (Exchange, Email Pro or MX Plan), click the Email accounts tab.

To add an alias to your email account, follow the steps described by clicking on each tab below:

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

In the table that appears, you will find an Alias column.

emails

MX Plan Roundcube

To create an alias on an MX Plan Roundcube email account, you must do it the same way as a redirection. Simply determine an email address that does not exist on your domain name and point to an existing address. Follow the MX Plan / MX redirect chapter in the "Create a redirection" section of this guide.

Zimbra

From your Zimbra service, click the Email accounts tab.

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
  • Click the ⁝ button to the right of the email account concerned.
  • Click Modify.
zimbra

Delete an alias

Exchange / Email Pro / MX Plan

From your email service (Exchange, Email Pro or MX Plan), click the Email accounts tab.

In the Email accounts tab, click the ... button to the right of the email address concerned. Then click Configure aliases (or Manage aliases).

Click the ... button to the right of the alias concerned, in the alias management menu. Finally, click Delete alias.

emails

MX Plan Roundcube

To delete an alias on an MX Plan Roundcube email account, you must do it the same way as a redirection. You will need to manage the redirections for your MX Plan service.

From the Emails tab, click Manage redirections on the right-hand side of the window.

Click the ... button to the right of the redirection concerned, then click Delete redirection.

Warning

You cannot modify a redirection or an alias. You must delete and recreate it.

emails

Zimbra

From your Zimbra service, click the Email accounts tab.

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
  • Click the ⁝ button to the right of the email account concerned.
  • Click Modify.
zimbra

Go further

Getting started with the MX Plan solution

Getting started with the Hosted Exchange service

Getting started with the Private Exchange service

Getting started with the Email Pro solution

Getting started with Zimbra

For specialized services (SEO, development, etc.), contact the OVHcloud partners.

If you would like assistance with using and configuring your OVHcloud solutions, we recommend referring to our range of support solutions.

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