Imagine signing up for a website, and before you even realize it, your inbox is flooded with emails you never asked for. You unsubscribe, and mark them as spam, yet somehow, they keep coming. Apple users have had a way around this for a while now with Hide My Email, which lets them use temporary email addresses when signing up for services. Now, Google is finally catching up with Shielded Email, a feature that aims to keep your real email private and spam-free in your inbox, similar to Apple’s feature.
What is Shielded Email and How Will It Work?
Shielded Email is Google’s version of temporary, random email addresses that you can use for online sign-ups. Instead of sharing your actual email with every app or website, Google will generate a disposable email address for you. Any emails sent to this address will be forwarded to your main inbox, but you can turn off forwarding whenever you want.
This means that if a company starts spamming you or your email gets leaked to random spammers, you can simply turn off that temporary email and be done.
Unlike Apple’s Hide My Email, which is limited to iCloud+, Shielded Email will be built into Android’s Gboard keyboard. That means whenever you type your email during a sign-up process, you’ll get an option to use a Shielded Email instead of your real one. In simple terms, Apple’s feature works only when the service provides the Sign in with Apple option when signing up, whereas Google’s feature works even when entering an email ID manually. This could be a game-changer because Gboard is already widely used across Android devices, making the feature super accessible to millions of users without requiring an extra app or extension.
| Feature | Apple’s Hide My Email | Google’s Shielded Email |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated In | iCloud+ (Paid) | Gboard (Likely Free) |
| Works in Autofill? | Yes, via iCloud Keychain | Yes, via Gboard Autofill |
| Email Forwarding | Yes | Yes |
| Can Disable Forwarding? | Yes | Yes |
| Where It Works | Only with Sign in with Apple | Works with manual email entry via Gboard |
When Will Shielded Email Launch?
So far, Google hasn’t officially announced a release date. Android Authority first spotted Shielded Email in Google Play Services code back in November 2024. Testers have managed to enable the feature within Gboard. However, it’s not live for regular users yet.
There’s also the question of whether Google will make it a free feature or lock it behind a paid plan. Given that Apple’s Hide My Email requires an iCloud+ subscription, Google might take a similar approach—or they could surprise us by offering it for free to all Android users.
Also Read:
- How to Login to Google Account without Verification Code
- How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication on Gmail/Google
- How to Move or Transfer Google Authenticator Codes to a New Phone
- Authy vs Google Authenticator – Which One is Better?
Final Thoughts: Much-Needed Feature for Android Users
If you’re tired of giving away your email just to access a website and then dealing with endless spam, Shielded Email could be a huge win for Android users. The fact that it’s integrated into Gboard makes it much more accessible than third-party password managers or email alias services.
However, we also have to think about how to access it when you are on Windows or Mac. Apple’s service works well with Mac, but Google does not have such an option unless you use a Chrome browser.
