Apple is planning to modify its Hide My Email privacy feature, a move that could make it easier for apps and websites to block anonymous sign-ups. The change, announced in a developer note on Monday, will see anonymously generated email addresses moved to the @private.icloud.com domain, distinguishing them from regular Apple user email addresses.
Hide My Email is an iCloud+ feature that allows paying subscribers to generate anonymous @icloud.com email addresses. These addresses forward messages to the user's real email inbox, and have historically been effective because they are indistinguishable from standard Apple user email addresses also using the @icloud.com domain.
Starting in the coming weeks, newly created anonymous addresses will use the @private.icloud.com domain instead. This will make it easier for apps, websites, and email providers to identify and potentially block users who are signing up with a private email address. Apple assured that existing addresses will continue to work and forward emails without interruption. The company also urged developers and email providers to update their filtering systems to ensure continued delivery of emails to users relying on the feature.
The change has drawn criticism from Apple users on Reddit, who argue it undermines the service's utility. Apple has not publicly explained its reasoning for the shift, and did not respond to TechCrunch's request for comment.
This development comes amid broader privacy and transparency debates. Earlier in 2026, TechCrunch reported that Apple had disclosed the real account information of a Hide My Email user who allegedly sent a threatening email to the girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel. Additionally, the Trump administration has intensified efforts to unmask anonymous accounts, including those of political critics, using subpoenas to compel tech companies to hand over user data.
As of now, the impact of the change on everyday users and the broader privacy landscape remains to be seen, but the move marks a notable shift in Apple's approach to balancing user anonymity with accountability.
via TechCrunch