This guide explains how to create a "catchall" type email address on a Service Mail.

⚠ Available with:

Preamble

• A "catchall" type email address retrieves all emails sent to non-existent email addresses on the domain.
  • It is ideal if you want to receive all messages for which there is no specific address in your domain.
• This type of address cannot be used to send emails.
• If you configure the "Automatic Responder" (or out-of-office message) on a catchall@ address, no automatic response will be sent to senders who have contacted a non-existent address in your domain.
  • This restriction avoids, for example, response loops and the sending of unwanted messages.
• Also, take note of the important recommendations at the end of this guide.

Create a catchall address

The email address must be precisely titled "catchall" and appear as an address created on the Service Mail of the domain in question. To access Service Mail and create the catchall address:

1. Click here to access the management of your product on the Infomaniak Manager (need help?).
2. Click directly on the name given to the product in question.
3. Click on the arrow to the right of the blue button Create an email address.
4. Click on Create a generic email address.
5. Select Catchall.
6. Click on Continue:
   

Example

1. You use the email address jonnie.smith@domain.xyz that works and exists in the Mail Service domain.xyz.
   • You have also created an address catchall@domain.xyz in the Mail Service domain.xyz.
2. An email is sent to smith.johnny@domain.xyz because the sender mistyped the recipient's address.
3. The email will still arrive in the catchall@domain.xyz mailbox, which is enough to consult in the Mail interface of your choice.
4. Same if one day you delete the address jonnie.smith@domain.xyz; if you keep the catchall address, then it will be the latter that will receive everything that is still sent to the address that no longer exists...

Important recommendations

The creation of this type of account is not however recommended:

• Catchall addresses receive all emails sent to any domain address; this means that they are often overwhelmed by spam, which can be difficult to manage and filter.
• Due to the high volume of spam, legitimate messages can be overwhelmed and lost in the mass, which can result in the loss of important communications.
• Catchall addresses can potentially be used by attackers to target your domain with brute force attacks or other methods, as they offer an easy target to test different address combinations.