Key facts
- Apple will keep Hide My Email addresses on @icloud.com, reversing a planned change to @private.icloud.com.
- The Hide My Email feature generates disposable email addresses for users to protect their real inbox.
- Users had criticized the planned change, arguing it would undermine the feature's privacy benefits.
- A bug that previously leaked users' real email addresses has been fixed.
Apple has reversed a planned change to its Hide My Email feature, which would have transitioned users to @private.icloud.com addresses. The company confirmed on Monday that Hide My Email addresses will remain on @icloud.com, following significant criticism from users who argued the change would make the privacy tool less effective.
Hide My Email, a feature for paying iCloud+ subscribers, generates unique and disposable email addresses that route to a user's regular inbox, preventing websites from obtaining their real email address. Users expressed concern that the proposed shift to @private.icloud.com addresses would make them easily distinguishable from regular @icloud.com addresses, potentially leading websites to reject them during sign-ups.